Memory codes for temporal and nontemporal samples in many-to-one matching by pigeons

Pigeons were trained to match temporal (2 and 8 sec of keylight) and color (red and green) samples to vertical and horizontal comparison stimuli. In Experiment 1, samples that were associated with the same correct comparison stimulus displayed similar retention functions; and there was no significant choose-short effect following temporal samples. This finding was replicated in Phase 1 of Experiment 2 for birds maintained on the many-to-one mapping, and it was also obtained in birds that had been switched to a one-to-one mapping by changing the comparison stimuli following color samples. However, in Phase 2 of Experiment 2, when the one-to-one mapping was produced by changing the comparison stimuli following temporal samples, a significant choose-short effect was observed. In Experiment 3, intratrial interference tests gave evidence of temporal summation effects when either temporal presamples or color presamples preceded temporal targets. This occurred even though these interference tests followed delay tests that failed to reveal significant choose-short effects. The absence of significant choose-short effects in Experiment 1 and in Phase 1 of Experiment 2 indicates that temporal samples are not retrospectively and analogically coded when temporal and nontemporal samples are mapped onto the same set of comparisons The interference test results suggest that the temporal summation effect arises from nonmemorial properties of the timing system and is independent of the memory code being used     

Academic success through quality-managed course design

Principles of quality management (which focus on defect prevention rather than defect correction) are applied to course design. These principles mandate that 1) the mission of the course be clearly stated and reviewed in context of the total program of study, 2) the objectives for the course or program of study be clearly defined and known to the students, 3) there be numerous intermediate steps leading to the objectives, 4) students be given immediate feedback about their performance on each step, and 5) corrective action be initiated immediately when a student fails to achieve an intermediate step. These principles apply to both individual courses and to an entire course of study. The authors found that a course incorporating these principles led to an increase in student performance and long-term retention of information.Andy C. Reese, is an associate professor of immunology in the department of Cell Biology and Anatomy at the Medical College of Georgia, and he is the current president of the Georgia Academy of Science. He has a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and an M.B.A. from Augusta College. His work focuses upon the development of computer assisted instructional modules and control of immune responses in neonates. Mary F. Mobley is a professor of marketing in the department of Management, Marketing, and Management Information Systems at Augusta College. She has a Ph.D. in marketing from the University of South Carolina-Columbia and a M.Ed. from Augusta College. Her research interests include quality management in education, strategic planning, and market research.     

Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace: Honoring Religious Diversity and Modeling Respect for Faiths Through Children’s Literature

Understanding and respecting young children’s religious background is an important way of respecting diversity. Due to the traditional separation of church and state, many professionals tend to ignore the significant influence of religious belief and training during the early childhood years. Sharing high-quality picture books simultaneously enables adults and peers to expand their understandings of different faiths and to communicate their respect for and interest in young children’s religious education. This editorial concludes with a selective list of picture book titles that focus on different faiths that are suitable for children in the primary grades.     

Promoting early literacy through the professional development of preschool teachers

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a professional learning program on the emergent literacy skills of preschool children. Building Blocks for Literacy^® is a program consisting of training supported by mentoring designed to teach early childcare providers how to promote the development of early literacy skills. A previous investigation found positive effects of the program on the pre-literacy skills of children in Vermont. The current study extended their work by replicating the training for Head Start teachers (n?=?27) in another state. Teachers were divided into three groups. One group received the training and live mentoring; a second group received training and distance mentoring; and a third group of teachers served as controls. The results indicate that children (n?=?97) served by teachers who received the training (n?=?18) made higher gains on a measure of early literacy skills than those children (n?=?36) served by control teachers. The gains made by children in the treatment groups were consistent for teachers who received either live or distance mentoring. Implications for practice are discussed.     

Information, Not Technology, Is Essential to Accountability: Electronic Records and Public-Sector Financial Management

Information technology is often seen by decision makers as a progressive measure for promoting public-sector financial accountability. One of the key assumptions is that electronic access to information increases transparency and thus, automatically, accountability. This linkage is overly simplified. There is potential conflict between the objectives of providing efficient access on the one hand and supporting accountability on the other.In Sub-Saharan Africa, financial functions were among the first to be automated. More recently, information technology is being used to control and decentralize financial systems. The improvement in financial accountability has yet to materialize. Evidence of this includes instances where corruption and thefts of state assets have gone unchecked. Many efforts to strengthen financial controls fail because the fundamental structures needed to underpin them are often overlooked; this includes record keeping.     

Studies on attitude toward teaching science and anxiety about teaching science in preservice elementary teachers

These studies examined attitude toward teaching science (ATTS) using an adaptation of the Bratt Attitude Test (M-BAT); anxiety about teaching science (ANX-TS), as measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI A-State); and selected demographic variables in preservice elementary teachers for the 1977–1978 and 1978–1979 academic years and a follow-up of those students who completed their student teaching in May 1979. The M-BAT and STAI were administered in September at the beginning of Science 6 (earth science and biology course), in December on the next to last day of Science 6, in May on the next to the last day of Science 5 (physical science), and in May 1979 after student teaching. In the two academic years, both ATTS and ANX-TS became more positive during the sequence Science 6-5. Both changes in ATTS and ANX-TS continued to change in a positive direction after completion of Science 6-5, after student teaching. There were differences in the times that the greatest changes in ATTS and ANX-TS occurred. In both studies, the greatest change in ATTS took place between September and December, during Science 6. The greatest change in ANX-TS, however, took place during Science 5 between December and May in the 1977–1978 study. In the 1978–1979 study, the greatest changes in ANX-TS occurred in Science 6, between September and December. The delayed reduction of ANX-TS in the 1977–1978 study may be explained by differences in teaching patterns. In 1977–1978, two teachers taught only their academic specialty, biology or earth science, to students who switched teachers midsemester. In 1978–1979, the same two instructors taught both biology and earth science to the same students. Correlation coefficients for successive and corresponding administrations of both the M-BAT and STAI suggest these variables are related. Students with more positive ATTS tended to have reduced ANX-TS. Neither the number of high school or college science and math courses completed nor the level of enjoyment of these courses appears to be related to ATTS or ANX-TS for the initial administration of the M-BAT and STAI. Closer examination of data, however, indicates that students with negative ATTS and high ANX-TS were fairly evenly divided in their enjoyment of mathematics, while students with positive ATTS and low ANX-TS enjoyed math in a 3:1 like/dislike ratio. The relationship between both ATTS and ANX-TS and achievement is reasonalbly consistent for Science 6. In Science 5, however, the relationship between ATTS and achievement is inconsistent and there is no indication of a relationship between achievement and ANX-TS.