Kindergarten screening: A survey of current practice

This study investigated current practices for screening new entrants to schools. A mail survey was conducted of 755 public‐ and private‐school districts in New York State to ascertain the procedures and instruments used to conduct kindergarten screening. Fifty‐one percent (385) of the districts responded. Thirty percent of the districts reported that they used locally developed screening instruments. The most widely used standardized instruments were the Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning (DIAL‐R) (Mardell‐Czudnowski & Goldenberg, 1990), and the Brigance K & 1 Screen (Brigance, 1992). The great majority of respondents (95%) reported that screening is conducted on an individual basis, and in 45% of the districts, professionals spend more than 30 minutes in screening procedures with each child. On average, 3.58 different educational professionals in each district participate in screening procedures. About half of the districts reported that children identified as “unready” on the basis of screening procedures were referred for further evaluation; 19% of the districts advised parents to delay school entry for an additional year. Most districts (69%) reported that they were satisfied or very satisfied with current district practice. Implications for practitioners are discussed. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Morphology and Photocatalytic Activity of Nanosized Titania Particles

Nanosized TiO2 particles,synthesized by microemulsion-mediated method,were characterized by XRD,TEM,EDS and BET.To judge the activity of TiO2 particles,the photocatalytic destruction of phenol in areated suspension was studied.The result shows that the photocatalytic activity of lab-made nanometer anatase TiO2 is comparable to or higher than that of commercial titania perticles.The effects of smoe processing parameters such as TiO2 content,oxygen flow rate,pH value on phenol removal were also investigated.The experimental results indicate that there is an optimum value for the TiO2 content,Sufficient O2 supply is needed, but too high gas flow rate induces large bubbles that eliminate the gas residence time and the gas/liquid contact interface,The pH value of the phenol solutions has a complex effect on the photocatalytic activity of the particles.     

An NCME Instructional Module on Item‐Fit Statistics for Item Response Theory Models

Drawing valid inferences from item response theory (IRT) models is contingent upon a good fit of the data to the model. Violations of model‐data fit have numerous consequences, limiting the usefulness and applicability of the model. This instructional module provides an overview of methods used for evaluating the fit of IRT models. Upon completing this module, the reader will have an understanding of traditional and Bayesian approaches for evaluating model‐data fit of IRT models, the relative advantages of each approach, and the software available to implement each method.     

THE CLASSROOM PASSWORD: A CLASS‐WIDE INTERVENTION TO INCREASE ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT

The present study investigated the effectiveness of a novel class‐wide intervention, the Classroom Password, for increasing the academic engaged behavior of middle school students. The effectiveness of an independent group contingency was evaluated using a concurrent multiple baseline design across three seventh‐ and eighth‐grade classrooms. Results indicated that the intervention was effective across all three classrooms in increasing students’ academic engagement, or on‐task behavior, as evidenced by visual analysis and moderate to large effect sizes. Decreases in disruptive behavior were also observed across all three classrooms. Off‐task behavior was not substantially affected in any of the three classrooms. The intervention received mixed ratings by the classroom teachers regarding its social validity. Results of the present study suggest that the Classroom Password may be an effective class‐wide intervention for increasing the academically engaged behavior and decreasing the disruptive behavior of middle school students during instructional time.     

Oral health beliefs and behavior among young adults in Appalachian Kentucky

We used communication infrastructure theory to investigate oral health beliefs and behavior among young adults in Appalachian Kentucky. We conducted 7 focus groups with 67 participants who reported poor oral health behavior, but this was not necessarily the result of poor oral health knowledge. Participants identified several sociocultural factors affecting their oral health, including lack of oral health prioritization among older generations, and risky health behaviors that competed with good oral health. These sociocultural factors create a context in which standard oral health recommendations are commonly seen as excessive. Participants described various responses to the poor oral health in the region, including fatalism and a distrust of dentists, and that oral healthcare professionals may be using potentially problematic communication tactics. Practical implications for designing effective oral health promotion campaigns in the region and theoretical implications for developing social-contextual frameworks of oral health promotion are discussed.     

Promoting perseverance and challenge in physical education: the missing ingredient for improved games teaching

This paper explores critical notions about how improved understandings of students learning experiences within practical learning environments could sensitise teachers to appreciate the complex influences more that affect how levels of challenge and perseverance are constructed by students. The authors, in furthering their critique, build on the model of constructivism developed by Ollis and Sproule. This model attempted in embryonic terms to recognise the specific situational factors that most influenced the minded ways in which students identified and responded to learning challenges. In refining these ideas further the authors specifically consider how teaching games for understanding (TGfU) methodologies could be enhanced by recognising the meta-cognitions of students when constructing rich task led learning episodes. In conclusion, it is posited that comprehending the complexity of learning theory holds considerable promise for the ongoing development of physical education as a valuable and integral part of the school learning experience.     

Secure Base Provision: A New Approach to Examining Links Between Maternal Caregiving and Infant Attachment

This observational study addressed a critical gap in the understanding of the precursors of infant attachment by examining whether a new conceptualization of maternal caregiving behavior, secure base provision (SBP), explained variance in attachment above and beyond variance explained by sensitivity. Participants included 83 low-socioeconomic status (SES), 4.5-month-old infants (56% male) and their mothers. Infant–mother dyads completed laboratory tasks at 4.5 months and three 30-min home visits between 7 and 9 months, then returned to the laboratory at 12 months for an attachment assessment. Maternal sensitivity did not significantly predict infant attachment security. SBP significantly predicted infant attachment, over and above sensitivity, with an effect size eight times larger than that of sensitivity in meta-analytic findings for low-SES families.     

Mentorship programs in academic libraries

Abstract

Academic librarians new to the profession, or seasoned with mid-career changes, have questions and challenges as they progress in their professional careers. Often, librarians need answers and guidance beyond a supervisor and may seek help from their peers. These mentor-mentee relationships can happen either informally or formally, within their home library, or across the profession. Many academic libraries have mentorship programs in place, but mentorship is not a standardized practice and seldom is a one-size-fits-all program. The library and information science (LIS) literature contain articles that describe and analyze the value of these mentorship programs from a variety of interesting angles.     

明清官窑中的白瓷

白瓷,是指呈白色调的单色釉瓷,明代称其为＂白磁＂,清代多称＂填白＂或＂甜白＂。我国传统瓷器主要有青瓷、白瓷、青花瓷以及彩瓷等,白瓷属于其中一大分类,也是明清景德镇御窑厂中较为常见的单色釉品种。