Assessment practices in model early childhood special education programs

Examination of assessment practices in 54 model programs for early education of handicapped children revealed extreme variability. Only 19 tests were used by at least five programs; only one device was used by over half of the responding programs. Most tests were listed as being used for more than one purpose, but some tests appeared to be used more exclusively than others for a particular purpose. Although the technical adequacy, in terms of norms, validit, and reliability, was reportedly an important factor influencing selection and continued use of tests, analysis of the 19 most commonly used devices revealed that only three were technically adequate. Other methods of assessment also were examined. Implications for model practice are discussed.     

Assessing the Impact of a Ceremony in Honor of the Body Donors in the Development of Ethical and Humanistic Attitudes among Medical Students

Activities related to body donation programs, such as donor memorial ceremonies, provide the opportunity to complement student training, especially with regard to the ethical and humanistic elements involved in medical training. This study sought to assess the impact of a ceremony in honor of the body donors has on ethical and humanistic attitudes in medical students. Medical students were surveyed about their perceptions of changes in themselves, respect for donors and donor families, and their relationship with patients. The effect of the students' contact with the family of the donor was analyzed in students who had contact with the cadaver in the dissection room and had either participated or not participated in the donor memorial ceremony. A total of 370 questionnaires were answered by first-, second-, and third-year medical students at the Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre in 2017. The students who participated in the ceremony presented more positive responses in relation to commitment to their studies, reflection on death, and positive development of empathy when compared to those who did not attend the ceremony. Most of the students that attended the ceremony suggested the event led to an improvement in the doctor–patient relationship. These results suggest that cadaver dissection with accompanied memorial ceremony involving contact with donor families is an effective means of fostering ethical and humanistic attitudes among medical students from the beginning of the course.     

Does the public communication of science influence scientific vocation? Results of a national survey

The purpose of this work was to determine if public communication of science and technology (PCST) has any influence on people's decision to become dedicated to scientific research. For this reason, a national survey involving 852 researchers from all disciplines was conducted in Argentina. The results showed that the factors affecting scientific vocation are many, and that, regardless of differences in gender, age or discipline, the greatest influence on the decision to go into scientific research is exerted by teachers. The analysis also demonstrated that different manifestations of PCST (science books, press articles, audiovisual material, and activities such as visits to science museums) play a significant role in awakening the vocation for science. From these results it may be stated that PCST--in addition to its function of informing and forming citizens--exerts a significant influence in fostering scientific vocation.     

Identifying A Range of Performance Improvement Solutions Through Evaluation Research

Using the evaluation research strategy (Geroy & Wright, 1988) as a guideline, the authors conducted a needs assessment with 280 support staff, faculty, and administrators at a mid–sized community college. We taught the nominal group technique (Delbecq & Van de Ven, 1971) to representatives from each of these three groups. These representatives facilitated the participation of virtually all employees at the college in identifying a prioritized list of items that would enable these persons to “do their jobs better.” Analysis of the suggested performance improvement solutions utilized the performance technology model (Gilbert, 1978) and indicated that the solutions fell into five categories of intervention: high–yield training, direction and flow of information, resources, performance incentives, and medium–yield training. This combination of models and methods provided the decision makers with data that refocused their vision from planning professional development training to planning for performance improvement. These data represented needs, not wants, and enabled them to recognize the importance of addressing both training and non–training options.     

Moderating Possibly Irrelevant Multiple Mean Score Differences on a Test of Mathematical Reasoning

A pool of items from operational tests of mathematical reasoning was constructed to investigate the feasibility of using automated test assembly (ATA) methods to simultaneously moderate possibly irrelevant differences between the performance of women and men, and African American and White test takers. None of the artificial tests exhibited substantial impact moderation, although the estimated mean scaled score differences for the relevant population indicated a modest move in the intended direction: the difference between scaled score means was reduced by about 20% for women and men and about 9% for African American and White test takers. Although many issues in the implementation of this methodology remain to be solved, the consideration of impact in ATA, along with the maintenance of the detailed test plan, appears to be a potential method of moderating possibly irrelevant mean test score differences.     

Estimated maturity status and perceptions of adult autonomy support in youth soccer players

In this study, we examined the relations between biological maturity status, body mass index, age, and perceptions of adult autonomy support in the context of youth soccer. A total of 70 female and 43 male soccer players, aged 9 - 15 years, completed three adult-specific versions (i.e. mother, father, coach) of the perceived autonomy support subscale from the Interpersonal Style Scale. The participants' percent predicted adult stature was used as an estimate of biological maturity status. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that advanced maturity status in male players predicted lower perceptions of autonomy support from the coach. Maturity status was unrelated to perceptions of autonomy support from the coach in female soccer players, and paternal and maternal autonomy support in male and female players. Age and body mass index were unrelated to perceptions of adult (i.e. coach, mother, father) autonomy support in male and female players.