The relationship between author gender and the methods and topics used in the study of college students

The research on college students published between 1969 and 1983 in eleven periodicals was used to examine the substantive topics and research methods preferred by male and female authors. Gender differences persisted over the fifteen year period and became sharper after 1975.     

Individualizing instruction through pacing procedures

Conclusion The ideal outcome of individualized instruction is both effective and efficient instruction. Confining ourselves to a consideration of fixed-paced instruction which is offered because the medium requiredhappens to be fixed-paced in character, how can such instruction be both effective and efficient? When slow, it tends to be effective but inefficient. Unless it can be demonstrated that slow students can be sped up, inefficiency may be the price that must be paid to make effectiveness possible for them. The trade-off is no different than that which is currently necessary in selfpaced instruction. The research described in this paper was performed under a grant (No. 7-48-0000-159) to the Metropolitan Pittsburgh educational television station, WQED, from the Office of Education, U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, under Title VII of the National Defense Education Act of 1958. The research was performed under the direction of George L. Gropper, principal investigator.     

Using Latent Variable Modeling for Discrete Time Survival Analysis: Examining the Links of Depression to Mortality

Using a latent variable modeling approach to discrete time survival analysis, the dynamics of the relationships of depression and body mass index to mortality are examined with data from the multiwave, nationally representative Health and Retirement Study. A set of medical and demographic variables are employed as time-invariant covariates along with lag-1 depression scores and body mass indexes as time-varying covariates for mortality within an up to 2-year follow-up interval. The results indicate marked links of immediately prior depression levels, as well as notable relations of the body mass indexes, to within-wave mortality in middle-aged and older adults. The approach highlights the benefits of using latent variable modeling for survival analysis, and its findings represent potentially important relationships of clinical and theoretical relevance.     

Lexical prosody as an aspect of oral reading fluency

The purpose of the study was to determine whether the lexical compounding, suffixation, and part of speech aspects of lexical prosody rendered while reading text aloud are predictive of children’s developing oral reading fluency and reading comprehension skills. Ninety-four third grade children were recorded while reading aloud a grade-level passage targeting lexical prosody contrasts related to suffixation, compounding, and part of speech. Children also completed assessments on reading fluency, word reading efficiency, and reading comprehension skills. Prosodic measurements of pitch and amplitude for each syllable of the targeted words, and spoken head word length in ms for targeted compound words, were carried out. Spectrographic analyses indicated that children generally displayed appropriate prosody for each lexical prosody contrast examined. The extent to which children made these prosodic distinctions between syllables was related to their reading fluency and comprehension skills. The study finds that, in the oral reading of connected texts, children’s use of lexical prosody is an aspect of general reading prosody that is predictive of reading fluency.     

Higher education in Kenya: an assessment of current responses to the imperative of widening access

Higher education is a key factor in a nation’s effort to develop a highly skilled workforce for competing in the global economy. In this paper, current trends in accessibility, equity, participation and financing of higher education in Kenya are examined. The paper explores the challenges which need to be confronted and discusses the way forward for reforming higher education policies in Kenya to widen access and advance equity by suggesting a number of strategies. It highlights the need for programmes and policies focusing on improving access to quality secondary education experiences; increasing aspirations and application to higher education; and the improvement of policies on financial support to disadvantaged students through the already existing Higher Education Loans Board. It concludes with a number of recommendations including a new revenue allocation particularly to the rising numbers of higher education aspirants from low income, rural, ethnic minorities and women.     

Orientational dyslexia: Notes from the field

Annals of Dyslexia -     

Drawing: An Image‐Making Approach

This paper is based on a lecture given at the University of Oporto in Portugal to mark the opening of the Lugar Do Desenho, Oporto in 1999. It describes a method of teaching drawing from observation that was developed by the authors for first year fine art students at Coventry University and as a short refresher course for seconded art teachers. It continues to be offered as one of three options in the inaugural drawing module of the visual arts programme. Its holistic approach is designed to encourage flexibility and invention as a way of enlarging the drawing vocabulary of students. The paper describes the thinking behind the course and how it sets about fulfilling its aims of broadening students understanding of observational accuracy and equipping weaker students in particular for the difficulties they might encounter when trying to make a coherent image.