Early Literacy Measures for Improving Student Reading Achievement: Translating Research Into Practice

The importance of early literacy instruction and its role in later reading proficiency is well established; however, measures and procedures to screen and monitor proficiency in the area of early literacy are less well researched. The purpose of this study was to (a) examine the technical adequacy and validity of early curriculum-based literacy measures, Letter–Sound Correspondence, Onset Phoneme Identification, and Phoneme Segmentation, developed for use within the problem-solving model in the Minneapolis Public Schools and (b) describe the district-wide implementation of these measures. In general, these measures were found to have adequate reliability and validity, have moderate to moderately high correlations with criterion measures (oral reading, report cards), and be sensitive to growth across the school year. A case study of how these measures are used for screening and progress monitoring to improve reading achievement within 1 school is included. Limitations and future directions are also presented.     

Effects of knowledge and display design on comprehension of complex graphics

In two experiments, participants made inferences from weather maps, before and after they received instruction about relevant meteorological principles. Different versions of the maps showed either task-relevant information alone, or both task-relevant and task-irrelevant information. Participants improved on the inference task after instruction, indicating that they could apply newly acquired declarative knowledge to make inferences from graphics. In Experiment 1, participants spent more time viewing task-relevant information and less time viewing task-irrelevant information after instruction, and in Experiment 2, the presence of task-irrelevant information impaired performance. These results show that domain knowledge can affect information selection and encoding from complex graphics as well as processes of interpreting and making inferences from the encoded information. They also provide validation of one principle for the design of effective graphical displays, namely that graphics should not display more information than is required for the task at hand.     

Book review

Philosophy of Educational Research Richard Pring (2000), London and New York: Continuum.     

The textbook problem: Investigating one possible solution

This article explores the inherent problems for academic libraries in providing access to textbooks to students, the growing demand for such access by students, and presents the findings of a reserve pilot project conducted at a major Midwest university. Findings indicate the pros and cons of the pilot attempted as well as demonstrating the need for continued research and collaborative work with appropriate organizations on the campus and beyond.     

Perceptions of nurses and mothers in four studies of the peripartum period

How individuals perceive themselves and how they are perceived by others are an important part of the relationships between childbirth educators, nurses, other health-care providers, and the families they serve. In this paper, four studies are reviewed. One study focused on labor nurses' perception of their roles. Three other studies, each using a different research strategy, examined mothers' perceptions of their experiences during the peripartum period.     

Athens 2004: the pollution climate and athletic performance

Athens sits in a basin approximately 450 km2 in area, surrounded by mountains and open sea. Anthropogenic emissions in conjunction with the topographical and meteorological conditions can result in high air pollution within the city. The pollutants of concern for athletes competing in Athens 2004 appear to be nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone and particulate (PM10) pollution. Exposure to elevated ozone concentrations has been reported to give rise to symptoms that include cough, chest pain, difficulty in breathing, headache, eye irritation and a decrease in forced expiratory volume in one second. All of these effects are likely to impact upon performance, and several studies of cyclists suggest this to be the case. In contrast, the impact of ambient concentrations of NO2 appears to be negligible on normal activities, but at high exercise intensities the impact remains unclear. The use of currently available information and models to predict the effect of ozone and other pollutants on elite athletes is problematical, since such models are based upon significantly lower ventilation rates than those achieved by some elite athletes. In addition, it is already known that the response to ozone can vary somewhat between individuals. Since the individuals who will be competing in Athens are physiologically very different to the participants in most published studies, it is difficult to predict individual responses. There is some evidence to indicate that adaptation to the adverse health and performance effects of ozone can occur, so that performance is partially recovered on re-exposure. The adaptation is not seen in all studies and appears to be dependent on several factors, including the initial sensitivity of the individual to ozone. Antioxidant supplementation has also been shown in some studies to partially ameliorate the adverse effects of ozone by counteracting the oxidative stress mechanism associated with this pollutant. Whether this transfers to performance enhancement per se remains unclear at present. Additional research is required to gain a sound understanding of the effects of a complex mixed air pollution exposure on the pulmonary function and performance of athletes exercising at high work intensities.     

Library service delivery via hand-held computers--the right information at the point of care

Today's health and medical librarians are well aware of the move towards evidence-based clinical practice which has emerged during the past decade. Hand-in-hand with this trend is the need for health practitioners to have access to the best possible evidence to help them in their clinical decision making. Libraries have a key role in the provision of information to their clients, and this means keeping abreast, not only of the various information sources available, but also the means by which those sources may be used. This paper will examine the effects that the hand-held computer is having on the work practices of our clients-library users. It is hoped that the paper will give an insight into the various types of library material which are suitable for use with hand-held devices, and an understanding of their advantages and limitations.     

Individual pathways in the development of forceful throwing

Halverson, Roberton, and Langendorfer (1982) reported the development of children ages 6-13 years filmed longitudinally performing the forceful overarm throw. These authors described the children's progress through developmental sequences for trunk, humerus, and forearm actions; however, they did not study developmental relationships ("profiles") across these components. This paper reports how the profiles changed in the same children across trials within filming sessions and over time. The data revealed both common and individual developmental pathways. The frequencies of some pathways were not chance occurrences (p < or = .01), suggesting that within-person constraints eliminated certain movement relationships while encouraging others. The authors hypothesize that the kinematics of trunk rotation may serve as a control parameter for pattern change.     

Training principles: evaluation of modes and methods of resistance training--a coaching perspective

Current information and evidence indicate that for most activities free weight training can produce superior results compared to training with machines, particularly when the free weight training involves complex, multi-joint exercises. A number of reasons can account for the superiority of free weights; the major factor deals with mechanical specificity. Mechanical specificity is concerned with appropriate movement patterns, force application and velocity of movement. Considering the available evidence that adherence to the concept of specificity of exercise and training can result in a greater transfer of training effect then free weights should produce a more effective training transfer. Therefore, the majority of resistance exercises making up a training programme should include of free weight exercises with emphasis on mechanical specificity (i.e. large muscle mass exercises, appropriate velocity, contraction type etc.). Generally, machines should be used as an adjunct to free weight training and, depending upon the sport, can be used to a greater or lesser extent during various phases of the training period (preparation, pre-competition, competition).