Associations Among Pubertal Development,Empathic Ability,and Neural Responses While Witnessing Peer Rejection in Adolescence

Links among concurrent and longitudinal changes in pubertal development and empathic ability from ages 10 to 13 and neural responses while witnessing peer rejection at age 13 were examined in 16 participants. More advanced pubertal development at age 13, and greater longitudinal increases in pubertal development, related to increased activity in regions underlying cognitive aspects of empathy. Likewise, at age 13 greater perspective taking related to activity in cognitive empathy‐related regions; however, affective components of empathy (empathic concern and personal distress) were associated with activity in both cognitive and affective pain‐related regions. Longitudinal increases in empathic ability related to cognitive and affective empathy‐related circuitry. Findings provide preliminary evidence that physical and cognitive‐emotional development relate to adolescents' neural responses when witnessing peer rejection.     

Resources In Review

Abstract

Essential Readings in Environmental Education , edited by Harold R. Hungerford, William J. Bluhm, Trudi L. Volk, and John M. Ramsey. Champaign, IL: Stipes. 1998. Paperback. ISBN 0-87563-756-6.

The Industrial Green Game: Implications for Environmental Design and Management , edited by Deanna Richards. Washington, DC: National Academy of Engineering, National Academy Press. 1997. Hardback. 224 pp. $39.95. ISBN 0-309-05294-7.

Stories in the Land: A Place-Based Environmental Education Anthology , with an introductory essay by John Elder. Great Barrington, MA: Orion Society. 1998. Paperback. 127 pp. $8.00. ISBN 0-913098-51-5.

Energies: An Illustrated Guide to the Biosphere and Civilization , by Vaclav Smil. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. 1998. Hardcover. 210 pp. $25.00. ISBN 0-262-19410-4.

Human Settlements and Planning for Ecological Sustainability: The Case of Mexico City , by Keith Pezzoli. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. 1998. Hardcover. 464 pages. $40.00. ISBN 0-262-16173-7.

Tunnel Visions: Into the Sea of Uncertainty. Ben Lomond , CA: The Video Project, TUN-546-0. 1998. $99.95 institutions, $69.95 individuals; $5.95 shipping and handling. Available as one video of 57 minutes or two videos of 27 1/2 minutes each.

Biodiversity and Conservation , by Michael J. Jeffries. New York: Routledge. 1997. Paperback. 208 pp. $25.99. ISBN 0-415-14905-3.

The Natural Wealth of Nations: Harnessing the Market for the Environment , by David M. Roodman. New York: W.W. Norton. 1998. Paperback. 304 pp. $13.00. ISBN 0-393-31852-4.

Evaluation: A Systematic Approach , Sixth Edition, by Peter H. Rossi, Howard E. Freeman, and Mark W. Lipsey. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. 1999. Hardback. 500 pp. $59.95. ISBN 0-7619-0893-5.     

Factor structure,reliability and validity of the Parental Support for Learning Scale: Adolescent Short Form (PSLS-AS)

Parental involvement in children’s learning has been found to influence academic success. However, very few tools exist for measuring parental involvement, particularly ones that target adolescents’ self-report. The present study assessed the factor structure, reliability and convergent validity of a new scale to assess adolescents’ perceptions of their mothers’ and fathers’ educational involvement: the Parental Support for Learning Scale: Adolescent Short Form (PSLS-AS). The PSLS-AS, as well as a questionnaire measuring the risk of high school drop-out, was administered to a sample of 825 youth (aged 13–14 years). Exploratory factor analysis revealed a two-factor structure representing parental involvement: Controlling Involvement and Autonomy Supportive Involvement. Adolescents’ perceptions of their parents’ involvement correlated with a risk of high school drop-out. Implications and future directions for further validation of the PSLS-AS are discussed.     

Correction to: Development of Children’s monitoring and control when learning from texts: effects of age and test format

Metacognition and Learning - The article Development of Children’s monitoring and control when learning from texts: effects of age and test format, written by Martina Steiner, Mariëtte...     

The Stability of Perceived Motor Competence of Primary School Children from Two Countries over One Year

ABSTRACT

Children’s positive perceived motor competence (PMC) provides motivation for physical activity. Theoretically young children (<8 years) have inflated PMC but as children cognitively develop, perceptions are hypothesized to decrease. This study investigated strength of PMC association over time, whether any change was negative (i.e. PMC decreased) and sex differences. A total of 198 children participated, 88 (44.4%) girls and 110 (55.6%) boys, aged 8.37–11.3 years at time point one (T1). Test–retest reliability using intraclass correlation was moderate for locomotor and moderate-to-good for object control perception. Hierarchical regression analysis showed PMC at T1 positively predicted significant variance one year later (T2) for locomotor (23.1%) and object control skill (5 items: 37.7%; 7 items: 39.9%). Whilst boys and girls differed on perception level there was no interaction between PMC and sex. Incongruent with previous theoretical perspectives this study identified stability in children’s PMC across an important developmental period.     

Engineering work integrated learning placements: the influence of capitals on students’ access

ABSTRACT

Work Integrated Learning (WIL) is embraced in Australian higher education (HE) and is a feature of most Australian HE ‘entry to profession’ engineering education programs accredited by Engineers Australia. Accreditation guidelines articulate the need for curriculum-integrated engagement with professional practice (EPP) and encourage EPP in a separate workplace environment, e.g. WIL. This article reports on the analysis of semi-structured interviews with staff and student engineers from four Australian HE institutions with mandatory engineering WIL. Framed by a Bourdieusian theoretical perspective, the influence of capitals on student access to engineering WIL placements was investigated. The research found that students’ capitals influenced access to engineering WIL placements. Policy and educational practice recommendations are made.     

Observing justice in the primary school classroom

Justice-related situations are a part of students? everyday life. In order to test the antecedents, correlates, and consequences of (in)justice in school, valid measures of justice are needed. To our knowledge, this is the first study to develop an observer low inference rating instrument that can be applied to measure justice in the primary classroom. In two pre-studies, justice-relevant situations in the classroom were extracted and observable indicators for these situations were developed. In the main study, this instrument was used to observe 208 primary school students with regard to their experiences of justice or injustice. In addition to this, other measures of justice were developed to examine the convergence between observer low inference ratings of classroom justice and high inference rating instruments for teachers, students, and external observers.Factor analyses and correlations between the different indices of the observer low inference rating and the high inference rating items suggested that incidents of justice and injustice in the classroom do not tend to co-occur frequently. Teachers do not appear to have a general tendency to treat a child more or less justly across a large number of situations.The findings suggest that a comprehensive assessment of classroom justice requires a multi-method approach where the justice ratings of students, teachers and external observers are all taken into consideration.     

Using Wordless Picture Books to Support Emergent Literacy

Wordless books—picture books that rely entirely on illustrations to tell a story—are an excellent resource for educators of young children. This article provides a research-based rationale for using wordless books, offers a developmental sequence for introducing children to stories told through pictures, suggests a general strategy and wide array of early literacy activities based on books without texts, and recommends ways of communicating with parents/families about the value of wordless books. Outstanding wordless books and examples of children's responses to this growing genre of children's literature are also included.     

The effect of teacher intervention on object manipulation in young children

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of limited oral and physical teacher intervention on object manipulation by preschool and early elementary children. The population consisting of 70 children, three, four, five, and six years old from two preschools and two kindergarten classes were randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. Children were observed as they manipulated magnets in classroom settings. Experimental students had the objects placed in their hands and were orally invited to explore. Results showed that there were significant differences between the groups in total time spent with the objects, number of activities performed, and cognitive level of operation. No significant differences were found in the number of contacts or in the interactive effects of treatment and testing day. The findings suggest that teacher roles may have an effect on student exploration and quality of interaction with unfamiliar objects.     

Climate change education in the humanities classroom: a case study of the Lowell school curriculum pilot

Abstract

Climate change as an instructional topic in K-12 schools is most frequently taught in the science classroom. However, it is a human issue requiring social as well as technological and scientific solutions. This study analyzes and evaluates a climate change curriculum implemented via an integrated social studies and language arts framework in a middle school classroom. The curriculum reflects collaboration between a private school, a climate education non-profit, and a government agency (NOAA). Following the first year of implementation, student surveys, teacher interviews, and classroom observations comprise the primary tools of data collection and evaluation. Based off these data, students demonstrate high levels of climate literacy, improvements in reading comprehension, and overall engagement with the topic. Teachers report successes and challenges of teaching the curriculum, and administrators offer opportunities for scaling and implementing the curriculum in other schools and contexts (including public schools). Findings from this study are relevant to climate change curriculum developers, researchers, and educators seeking to incorporate an interdisciplinary, socio-scientific approach to climate change education in their work.