A single-display groupware collaborative language laboratory

Language learning tools have evolved to take into consideration new teaching models of collaboration and communication. While second language acquisition tasks have been taken online, the traditional language laboratory has remained unchanged. By continuing to follow its original configuration based on individual work, the language laboratory fails to take advantage of the potential provided by collaborative learning. We propose the use of a language laboratory based on single-display groupware (SDG) for learning vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and listening comprehension. By adopting SDG, the language laboratory benefits from the advantages of small group collaborative learning. In this paper, we first describe the design and pedagogical merit of the SDG collaborative language laboratory. We then share the results of a quasi-experimental pre–post comparison study, and use an observation guideline to analyze whether the conditions for collaborative learning have been fulfilled. Based on the results of this study, we conclude that developing pronunciation skills can be more effective when using a collaborative language laboratory versus an individual language laboratory. In addition to this, it can also be concluded that collaborative learning is most effective when accompanied by adequate instructional design.     

Rural Neighborhood Context,Child Care Quality,and Relationship to Early Language Development

Research Findings: Prior research with older urban children indicates that a disadvantaged neighborhood context is associated with poorer early development, including poorer verbal ability, reading recognition, and achievement scores among children. Neighborhood disadvantage in rural communities and at younger age levels may also be related to development; however, this relationship has received little examination. In this study we utilized data from the Family Life Project, a representative sample of babies born to mothers in poor rural counties in North Carolina and Pennsylvania, to address questions related to the relationship between neighborhood context (disadvantage and safety) and children's early language development. We examined the mediation of this relationship by child care quality. We also examined geographic isolation and collective socialization as moderators of the relationship between neighborhood context and child care quality. Results indicated that although neighborhood disadvantage did not predict children's development or child care quality, neighborhood safety predicted children's receptive language, with child care quality a partial mediator of this relationship. Collective socialization but not geographic isolation moderated the relationship between neighborhood safety and child care quality. Practice or Policy: Implications for policy, practice, and future research are discussed, including improving community safety through community policing, neighborhood watch, and social networks and increasing access to quality child care.     

Learning as the Construction and Re-mediation of Activity Systems: Environmental Management in Biogas Production

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to present theoretical tools for understanding the dynamics of change and learning during the emergence and development of environmental management activities. The methodology consists of a historical analysis of a case of biogas production that took place in the Southwest region of Finland. The theoretical tools used helped to see how the content of an activity guided the historical emergence and change of an EM activity. The practical implication of the paper is that environmental solutions should not be restricted to the adaptation of a system, but should also include the possibility of constructing a new activity, with a new object and means of production. The paper is original in presenting theoretical tools for grasping the content of learning in environmental management activities.     

Comprehensive School Reform in Middle Schools: The Effects of Different Ways of Knowing on Student Achievement in a Large Urban District

Comprehensive school reform (CSR), a federally funded program, is designed to raise student achievement via the implementation of whole school reforms. Unfortunately, although close to 400 CSR models have been adopted by schools nationally, there is relatively limited empirical evidence from rigorous research studies regarding the effectiveness of CSR in general or of specific models in particular. Of additional importance is the extent to which CSR models can demonstrate positive effects over time. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects on student achievement and attendance, in an urban school district in Kentucky, of the Year 3 implementation of the Different Ways of Knowing (DWoK) for the Middle Grades model. Results indicated that achievement results on both the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills and Kentucky Core Content Test were significantly superior for the DWoK schools relative to matched control schools; no positive impacts on student attendance occurred for Year 3. The implications of the study lies in revealing that learner-centered CSR models that integrate the arts with the core curriculum can produce observable achievement gains in both normed- and criterion-referenced tests.     

The scientific investigation for the study and conservation of the wooden model of S. Maria della Consolazione's church (Todi,Italy)

The focus of this work is the wood polychrome model of the church of S. Maria della Consolazione in Todi, an artefact whose author and historical events are not completely known except a general reference to the construction period of the church (1508–1607 AD). In this study, original and additional materials were examined in order to provide a deeper understanding of the painting and assembly techniques, and a greater awareness of how well preserved the object is, as well as an analysis of previous preservation and conservation interventions. The samples from the painted surfaces were examined by means of micro-Raman spectroscopy, fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry and internal microstratigraphic analysis. Thin sections of the wood samples were examined under an optical transmission light microscope in order to identify the botanical species. The results shown in this paper suggest the possibility that the original painted layers are made of calcium carbonate white, red ochre and indigo and they were applied by protein binder without any ground layer. Some non-original pigments were found on the model surface like Prussian blue and chrome yellow. Concerning wood components, poplar was characterized both in the original and non-original parts of the model whereas pine species were detected only in the restoration elements.     

Creatine Kinase Activity Weakly Correlates to Volume Completed Following Upper Body Resistance Exercise

In the current study, we examined the relationship between serum creatine kinase (CK) activity following upper body resistance exercise with a 1- or 3-min rest between sets. Twenty men performed two sessions, each consisting of four sets with a 10-repetition maximum load. The results demonstrated significantly greater volume for the 3-min condition (M = 4,156 kg, SD = 867, for 3 min; vs. M = 3,503 kg, SD = 759, for 1 min; p < .001), with no significant differences in delta CK activity between conditions (p = .574). Nevertheless, there was a weak correlation between the delta CK activity and total volume of exercise completed (r = .55 with a 1-min rest, and r =.45 with a 3-min rest). Therefore, the volume following upper body resistance exercise correlates weakly with serum CK levels, irrespective of rest interval length between sets.     

Impact of compliance with different guidelines on physical activity during pregnancy and perceived barriers to leisure physical activity

Abstract

The aims of the this prospective study were to analyse physical activity (PA) engagement during the first and second trimesters, considering the different guidelines published on PA, to document the individual characteristics associated with the accomplishment of these guidelines and to examine pregnant women’s perceived barriers to leisure PA, using a socioecological framework. A sample of 133 pregnant women in two stages – at 10–12 weeks’ gestation (T1) and 20–22 weeks’ gestation (T2) – were evaluated. PA was assessed by accelerometry during the T1 and T2 evaluation stages. Socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors and barriers to leisure PA were assessed via questionnaire. A large proportion of women (ranging from 32% to 96%) did not reach the levels of PA recommended by the guidelines. There were no significant differences between T1 and T2 with regard to compliance with PA recommendations. A decrease in PA levels from T1 to T2 was noted for all recommendations. No associations were found between participants’ characteristics and adherence to the recommendations in T1 and T2. No significant differences were found in barriers to leisure PA between T1 and T2. The most commonly reported barriers to leisure PA were intrapersonal, not health related. Our results indicate that there were no differences between trimesters regarding compliance of PA recommendations, and perceived barriers were similar in both trimesters.     

A multi-method approach to studying the relationship between character strengths and vocational interests in adolescents

The relationship between character strengths and vocational interests was tested. In an online study, 197 thirteen to eighteen year-olds completed a questionnaire measuring character strengths and a multi-method measure for interests (questionnaire, nonverbal test, and objective personality tests). The main findings were that intellectual strengths yielded primarily relations with investigative and artistic interests. Social interests demonstrated relations with strengths of transcendence and other-directed strengths and enterprising interests with leadership strengths. The implications of the findings for practice are highlighted.     

Family background,self-confidence and economic outcomes

In this paper we analyze the role played by self-confidence, modeled as beliefs about one's ability, in shaping task choices. We propose a model in which fully rational agents exploit all the available information to update their beliefs using Bayes’ rule, eventually learning their true type. We show that when the learning process does not converge quickly to the true ability level, small differences in initial confidence can result in diverging patterns of human capital accumulation between otherwise identical individuals. If differences in self-confidence are correlated with socio-economic background (as a large body of empirical literature suggests), self-confidence can be a channel through which education and earning inequalities perpetuate across generations. Our theory suggests that cognitive tests should take place as early as possible, in order to avoid that systematic differences in self-confidence among equally talented people lead to the emergence of gaps in the accumulation of human capital.