Hiding in plain sight: Paratextual utterances as tools for information-related research and practice

Through a qualitative content analysis of a purposive sample (the 2010 finalists of the Canadian Governor General's Literary Awards in both French and English), this study investigates what information can be gleaned from the book-as-object using peritext as a research tool. Using the theories of Gérard Genette, who defined the paratext, and Pierre Bourdieu, this research posits that paratextual utterances serve as an expression and tool of the cultural realm of publication and can be used for informational purposes in library and information science (LIS) research and practice. Findings indicate that the peritext is a rich source for gathering information about authorship and publishing as it reveals contextually relevant information, shares the author's informational tools, constructs the author, markets titles, and provides relevant information for specific age groups and genres. Discussion centers on the impact for libraries and the LIS community, with a focus on readers' advisory.     

Raisonnements arithmétiques et algébriques dans un contexte de résolution de problèmes: difficultés rencontrées par les futurs enseignants

Le problème de l'articulation entre les raisonnements arithmétiques et raisonnements algébriques nous renvoie entre autres au rapport que l'enseignant – ou le futur enseignant – entretient lui-même a priori avec ces modes de traitement, une telle relation ayant une incidence sur les choix didactiques qui seront éventuellement posés par cet intervenant en regard d'une introduction à l'algèbre dans un contexte de résolution de problèmes. Une expérimentation, visant à mettre en évidence si les futurs enseignants peuvent établir ou non une dialectique entre ces deux modes de raisonnements dans le contexte particulier de la résolution de problèmes, a été conduite auprès de trois groupes de futurs enseignants (164 sujets); des entrevues individuelles et dyadiques réalisées auprès de quelques sujets pointent leurs difficultés dans le passage d'un mode de traitement à l'autre. Dans le présent article, sont relatées les résistances rencontrées spécifiquement dans le passage à l'algèbre. ABSTRACT. The problem of articulation between arithmetic teaching and algebra teaching concerns among other things the relationship the teacher or pre-service teacher has with the knowledge to be taught (relation au savoir), which produces an impact on the choices that he makes concerning the approaches they are to favour in an introductory algebra context. Three groups of future teachers (164 students) were questioned with a view to analyzing to what extent these students were able to shift back and forth between these two methods within the particular context of problem solving. Interviews on either an individual basis or in a dyad format were conducted with a number of subjects, and have served to bring out their difficulties in articulation between these two fields. Only the difficulties observed in the transition from arithmetic to algebra are presented in this article.     

Benchmarking in European Higher Education: A step beyond current quality models

Tertiary Education and Management - This paper presents the findings of a two-year EU-funded project (DG Education and Culture) Benchmarking in European Higher Education, carried out from 2006 to...     

Validity and reliability of portfolio assessment in pre‐service teacher education

This article concentrates on the validity and reliability of portfolio assessment as used in pre‐service teacher education. It is not possible to make general pronouncements about the validity of portfolio assessment in pre‐service teacher education as there are multiple portfolio applications. The validity depends on the purpose, namely the divers competencies which the course organisers wish to assess with it. Therefore, three categories of competencies and consequently three types of portfolios were distinguished in order to determine the validity of portfolio assessment. For the assessment of teaching and partnership competencies, it is argued that the validity is low due to the roundabout nature of the assessment. On the contrary, the validity of portfolio assessment for learning competencies can be high. The execution of a self‐regulated learning process can be accurately assessed using portfolios. The reliability of portfolio assessment is problematic, since it is incapable of fulfilling the classic psychometric requirement of reliability. Nevertheless, provided that the necessary measures are taken, the reliability of portfolio assessment can still be brought to an acceptable level. Five measures are proposed.     

The impact of the French policy mix on business R&D: How geography matters

Based on a spatial extension of an R&D investment model, this paper measures the macroeconomic impact of the French R&D policy mix on business R&D using regional data. Our measure takes into account not only the direct effect of policies but also indirect effects generated by the existence of spatial interaction between regions. Using a unique database containing information on the levels of various R&D policy instruments received by firms in French NUTS3 regions over the period 2001–2011, our estimates of a spatial Durbin model with structural breaks and fixed effects reveal the existence of a negative spatial dependence among R&D investments in regions. In this context, while a-spatial estimates would conclude that all instruments have a crowding-in effect, we show that national subsidies are the only instrument that is able to generate significant crowding-in effects. On the contrary, it seems that the design, size and spatial allocation of funds from the other instruments (tax credits, local subsidies, European subsidies) lead them to act (in the French context) as beggar-thy-neighbor policies.     

Assessing pupils’ intelligence through self,parental, and teacher estimates

This study examined the accuracy of self‐ and other‐estimated intelligence in relation to tested cognitive ability and gender. Three groups of raters were examined: 187 (102 male, 85 female; mean age 14.33 years, SD = .32) pupils of single‐sex comprehensive schools, 109 (55 mothers and 54 fathers) parents, and six teachers of the pupils. Pupils estimated their own overall IQ, while their parents and teachers estimated the pupils’ overall, mathematical, spatial, and verbal abilities. Self‐ and other‐estimates were compared to each other, and to the child’s psychometric test scores in verbal, quantitative, and figural/non‐verbal reasoning ability. Results suggested that participants were reasonably accurate at estimating pupils’ intelligence – teachers significantly more so than parents, and pupils significantly more so than fathers. Although both parents significantly overestimated their child’s IQ, this overestimation was more pronounced in fathers.     

Will you be my friend? A multilevel network analysis of friendships of students with and without special educational needs backgrounds in inclusive classrooms

The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between having a special educational needs background (SEN) and the likelihood of having friends in inclusive classes. We assumed that a combination of individual, dyadic and contextual variables can sufficiently explain the relation between a SEN diagnosis and the likelihood of friendship. Data analysis was based on a cross-sectional sample of students (N = 1241) in second and third grade primary-school classes. To address the different levels adequately, the present study improves upon previous research in two ways: First, the sociometric data were analyzed with the p2 model, a specialized multilevel network model. Second, the study focused solely on friendships and emphasized the concept’s unique features with respect to inclusive education. Data analysis indicated that students with SEN had a decreased probability of becoming friends with their classmates compared to students without SEN. Even when individual, dyadic, and contextual variables were included into the model, the association between a SEN diagnosis and the likelihood of friendship persisted. The implications of the results are discussed with respect to their implications for inclusive teaching practice.     

The learning and study strategies inventory: A South African application

500 disadvantaged students volunteered to complete the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory at the University of the Witwatersrand. The purpose was two-fold. Firstly, for diagnostic purposes, students and tutors were provided with learning strategy profiles. Secondly, for research purposes, results were analysed on a group and sub-group basis. This analysis revealed that the most problematic components of learning, as perceived by the students, were in the affective areas of motivation and anxiety. Test taking strategies and selecting main ideas were also perceived as weaknesses. A few differences were also found when the variables of gender, language and faculty were introduced.