Public Opinion of Genetic and Neuropsychological Contributors to Criminal Involvement

There is a lack of research that has examined public opinion on the importance of biosocial influences for understanding the potential causes of criminal and delinquent involvement. We address this gap in the current study by surveying a nationally representative sample of adults about the importance of biosocial factors for influencing criminal behavior. Results indicate that the public believes the environment matters more than genetic factors for determining whether someone becomes a criminal. However, the data also reveal an overall acceptance of the importance of neuropsychological factors for influencing criminal behavior. An ordered logistic regression analysis was also estimated to examine potential differences in opinion across demographic categories. The results revealed that income, gender, marital status, and employment status are significantly associated with whether a respondent supports the role of biosocial factors in crime causation. Implications of the findings are discussed.     

Embracing Lifelong Learning for Ourselves

During its first decade, About Campus published the “What They're Reading” department highlighting publications related to the support of student learning. While that department officially signed off several years ago, Jennifer L. Bloom and Marc Lowenstein offer two lists of publications valuable to their work helping college students learn and succeed.     

Mothers' parenting cognitions in cultures of origin, acculturating cultures, and cultures of destination

Japanese and South American immigrant mothers' parenting cognitions (attributions and self-perceptions) were compared with mothers from their country of origin (Japan and Argentina, respectively) and European American mothers in the United States. Participants were 231 mothers of 20-month-old children. Generally, South American immigrant mothers' parenting cognitions more closely resembled those of mothers in the United States, whereas Japanese immigrant mothers' cognitions tended to be similar to those of Japanese mothers or intermediate between Japanese and U.S. mothers. This study provides insight into the nature of parenting cognitions generally and those of immigrant mothers specifically and therefore the parenting climate in which immigrant children are reared.     

Measuring the quality of e‐learning

This paper shows how concept mapping can be used to measure the quality of e‐learning. Six volunteers (all of them 3rd‐year medical students) took part in a programme of e‐learning designed to teach the principles of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Their understanding of MRI was measured before and after the course by the use of concept mapping. The quality of change in individuals' maps was assessed using criteria developed to distinguish between meaningful and rote‐learning outcomes. Student maps were also scored for evidence of conceptual richness and understanding. Finally, each map was compared directly with the content of the electronic teaching material. The results show that many of the student misconceptions were put right in the course of their learning but that many of the key concepts introduced in the teaching were ignored (or sometimes learnt by rote) by the students. This was because the teaching material locked these new ideas in structures and terminology that precluded meaning‐making among non‐experts. Our data suggest that students' prior knowledge is a key determinant of meaningful learning. We suggest that this must be acknowledged if the design and use of electronic teaching material is also to be meaningful. Ultimately, measures of student learning are the only authentic indicators of the quality of teaching through technology.     

Novice use of qualitative versus quantitative problem solving in electrostatics

Problem-solving behavior of six novice subjects attempting to solve an electrostatics problem in second-semester calculus-based college physics was observed and recorded. Five of the subjects were characterized as “A” or “B” students and one subject as a “D” student in introductory college physics. Although the A or B subjects were able to arrive at a “correct” solution to the problem, they exhibited major misconceptions about the problem situation as well as minimal qualitative understanding of the problem situation. The A or B subjects were successful in identifying, either from memory or written notes, equations relevant to electrostatics, whereas the D subject was not. The implication of this study is that current instruction in introductory calculus-based college physics and the students' previous science learnings place a premium on acquisition of correct quantitative solutions at the expense of qualitative understanding of physics problem situations.     

Self-Assessment of Governance Teams in an Argentine Private University: Adapting to Difficult Times

Argentine Universities like similarinstitutions all around the world are facing acomplex and challenging environment thatdemands a more sophisticated leadership and thedevelopment of complex managerial skills. Inthis paper we propose that enhancing thequality of collective decision making, andbuilding more complex teams as a way topreserve collegiality in academic governance,can help the institutions to survive andsucceed in a hostile context. We analyse thecase of a private university, and we presentsome conclusions of the process ofself-assessment initiated by the governanceteams at both institutional and academic unitlevels.     

The Art of Reading in a Knowledge Society: Commentary on the Special Issue on Models of Multiple Text Comprehension

This special issue presents an outstanding overview of theoretical models of multiple text comprehension. The goal of this commentary is to synthesize insights from the four models and identify recurring themes. In so doing, I outline skills needed by the proficient reader emphasizing the importance of adaptivity. I conclude with an outlook on potentials of and barriers to promoting the skills of multiple document comprehension in a sustainable way.     

Book reviews

International Review of Education -