Mouse exploration and choice of nestboxes differing in size

In this study, mice’s preferences for nestboxes of various sizes were investigated by using, in social conditions, a progressive elimination procedure. Male and female groups (Experiment 1) preferred the medium-small nestbox (15 cm in diameter) as a nest site, followed by the next smaller or next larger one; the largest boxes were chosen last. The order of initial exploration gave different results, with the mice ranking the nestboxes in this case by decreasing order of size. No systematic gender- or group-size-related effects were observed. Six groups of 2 male mice and four groups of 3 male mice (Experiment 2) were subjected to two elimination tests among nestboxes that differed in either both their inner and outer dimensions (matched condition) or their inner dimensions alone (mismatched condition). Except for the smallest nestbox, which was rejected by the mice, the order of preference for nestboxes was linear, in the direction of increasing size. No difference was observed between matched versus mismatched conditions. By contrast, the initial visits (and the number of visits) took the order of decreasing nestbox size, but only in the matched condition, in which the outer dimensions varied; in the mismatched condition, in which the nestboxes were identical on the outside, the various inner dimensions were not found to have any systematic effect on exploratory activity. These results are discussed in terms of the relevance of the spatial features, depending on the motivation (exploration or nest establishment) underlying behavior at a particular time.     

Labelling and self‐esteem: the impact of using specific vs. generic labels

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between being labelled either as having dyslexia or as having general special educational needs (SEN) and a child's self‐esteem. Seventy‐five children aged between 8 and 15 years categorised as having dyslexia (N = 26), as having general SEN (N = 26) or as having no learning difficulties (N = 23), completed an age‐appropriate version of the Culture‐Free Self‐Esteem Inventory and a standard test of reading ability. When the self‐esteem scores of the groups were compared (with the discrepancy between reading and chronological age being partialled out), it was found that the self‐esteem scores of those in the ‘general SEN’ group had significantly lower self‐esteem scores than those in both the ‘dyslexia’ group and the ‘control’ group. There was no significant difference between the self‐esteem scores of the ‘dyslexia’ and the ‘control’ group. On the basis of these findings, it is suggested that being labelled as having a general SEN may negatively affect children's self‐esteem because, unlike the label dyslexia, this label offers very little in the way of an explanation for the child's academic difficulties and because targeted interventions are not as available for those with a less specific label.     

Co‐teaching in a mainstream post‐primary mathematics classroom: an evaluation of models of co‐teaching from the perspective of the teachers

This article examines the use of a range of co‐teaching models when teaching mathematics. The approaches suggested have potential for all students, but in this instance their importance as a pedagogical approach with students with special educational needs (SEN) in inclusive classrooms is considered. The study was based in the first‐year mathematics classroom of an Irish, urban, mainstream, post‐primary, girls’ school. This article highlights the findings from the teacher's perspective and presents their reflections on a range of co‐teaching approaches. The potential and challenges of these are considered in the context of schools generally.     

Transactional literature circles and the reading comprehension of English learners in the mainstream classroom

This study examines a problem that many mainstream teachers face today: how to successfully improve reading comprehension for English language learners (ELLs) in an English‐only environment. The researcher examines both the academic and psychosocial effects of the Transactional Literature Circles (TLC) programme on a treatment group of 75 fourth to sixth grade, at‐risk, ELLs to a comparable control group who did not participate in the study. The results of this study report that TLC positively affected the reading comprehension of the programme participants. The students in the TLC programme outperformed the students in the control group on standardised reading tests, and in 7 months increased one grade level in reading. Teacher interviews and student surveys reported an increase in student reading engagement and motivation that positively affected reading self‐efficacy, confidence and a willingness to participate in class discussions.     

Dreams of perfect programs: Managing the acquisition of electronic resources

For more than a decade, academic libraries have been wrestling with the thorny issue of managing the acquisition of electronic resources. Where are we in the continuum from paper lists to vendor-designed management systems? This paper takes a look at several in-house initiatives around the country, commenting on the successes and failures of the homegrown programs built to track, update and manage the acquisition and behind-the-scenes maintenance of electronic resources. Realizing that libraries are now well equipped to identify what dream programs should entail, this paper also comments on how we can prepare for the future of electronic resource management.     

Archiving of publicly funded research data: A survey of Canadian researchers

During the 2004–2005 fiscal year, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) awarded $252,654,341.97 in grant money to 6,958 research initiatives submitted by Canadian researchers working in academic settings. The results of these initiatives are reported in published papers, books, articles, and other forums. A question of concern is how much of the data being produced in the course of this research is being archived? What are the attitudes and concerns of the researchers themselves towards ensuring their work is preserved for the future? Results indicate that Canadian researchers in the humanities and social sciences actively share data. On the whole they are supportive of initiatives to preserve data but have thus far not systematically ensured preservation of their research materials. Researchers expressed concern over issues of confidentiality in providing access to their research data. Further dialogue is needed between researchers and other stakeholders to overcome impediments pertaining to preservation and access to research data on a national scale.     

Deviating glucose results in an international dual-center study. A root cause investigation

During a dual-center study on obese and normal weight children and adolescents, focusing on glucose metabolism, we observed a marked difference in glucose results (N = 16,840) between the two sites, Salzburg, Austria and Uppsala, Sweden (P < 0.001). After excluding differences in patient characteristics between the two populations as cause of this finding, we investigated other preanalytic influences. Finally, only the tubes used for blood collection at the two sites were left to evaluate. While the Vacuette FC-Mix tube (Greiner Bio-One, Kremsmünster, Austria) was used in Uppsala, in Salzburg blood collections were performed with a lithium heparin tube (LH-Monovette, Sarstedt, Germany). To prove our hypothesis, we collected two blood samples in either of these tubes from 51 children (Salzburg N = 27, Uppsala N = 24) and compared the measured glucose results. Indeed, we found the suspected bias and calculated a correction formula, which significantly diminished the differences of glucose results between the two sites (P = 0.023). Our finding is in line with those of other studies and although this issue should be widely known, we feel that it is widely neglected, especially when comparing glucose concentrations across Europe, using large databases without any information on preanalytic sample handling.     

Touching the didactic contract—a student perspective on intergenerational touch in PE

A growing anxiety around intergenerational touch in educational settings has both emerged and increased in recent years. Previous research reveals that Physical Education (PE) teachers have become more cautious in their approaches to students and they avoid physical contact or other behavior that could be regarded as suspicious [Fletcher, 2013. Touching practice and physical education: Deconstruction of a contemporary moral panic. Sport, Education and Society, 18(5), 694–709. doi:10.1080/13573322.2013.774272; Öhman, 2016. Losing touch—teachers’ self-regulation in physical education. European Physical Education Review, 1–14. doi:10.1177/1356336X15622159; Piper, Garratt, & Taylor, 2013. Child abuse, child protection and defensive ‘touch’ in PE teaching and sports coaching. Sport, Education and Society, 18(5), 583–598. doi:10.1080/13573322.2012.735653]. Some also feel anxious about how physical contact might be perceived by the students. The purpose of this article is to investigate physical contact between teachers and students in PE from a student perspective. This is understood through the didactic contract. For this purpose, focus group interviews using photo elicitation have been conducted with upper secondary school students in Sweden. One of the major findings is that intergenerational touch is purpose bound, that is, physical contact is considered relevant if the teacher has a good intention with using physical contact. The main agreements regarding physical contact as purpose bound are the practical learning and emotional aspects, such as learning new techniques, preventing injury, closeness and encouragement. The didactic contract is in these aspects stable and obvious. The main disagreements are when teachers interfere when the students want to feel capable or when teachers interfere when physical contact is not required in the activity. In these aspects the didactic contract is easily breached. It is also evident that personal preference has an impact on how physical contact is perceived. In conclusion, we can say that physical contact in PE is not a question of appropriate or inappropriate touch in general, but rather an agreement between the people involved about what is expected. Consequently, we should not ban intergenerational touch, but rather focus on teachers’ abilities to deal professionally with the didactic contract regarding physical contact.