An Analysis of Teachers’ and Paraeducators’ Roles and Responsibilities with Implications for Professional Development

There is a lack of documented evidence related to the relationships existing between paraeducators and teachers working in early childhood classrooms. Based on a 2-year project with three phases of data collection, the authors explore the duties of paraeducators and their working relationships with the teachers with whom they team. Based on findings from the data collected, the authors make specific recommendations for targeted professional development that is designed to improve collaboration and skill sets for paraprofessionals within early childhood learning environments. The position taken is one that supports collaborative teamwork designed to maximize the learning of young children.     

Evaluation of Social Cognitive Scaling Response Options in the Physical Activity Domain

The purpose of this study was to compare the reliability, variability, and predictive validity of two common scaling response formats (semantic differential, Likert-type) and two numbers of response options (5-point, 7-point) in the physical activity domain. Constructs of the theory of planned behavior were chosen in this analysis based on its high frequency of application in exercise and physical activity. The participants were 412 undergraduate students who completed measures of the theory of planned behavior and self-reported physical activity two weeks later. One of four questionnaires, each containing a scaling response format, were distributed randomly and formed four groups of approximately n = 100 for comparisons (5-point Likert, 5-point semantic differential, 7-point Likert, 7-point semantic differential). Results showed that the 7-point options had greater variability than the 5-point options and that the 7-point Likert scale had the highest overall reliability. These differences, however, did not translate into predictive validity of behavior. The findings support the use of all of these types of scales with physical activity research because of their relatively equivalent outcomes.     

A System for the Behavioral Assessment of Athletic Coaches

Abstract

A behavioral assessment system for coding and analyzing the behaviors of athletic coaches in naturalistic settings is described. The Coaching Behavior Assessment System (CBAS) consists of 12 behavioral categories derived from content analyses of coaching behaviors during practices and games. The manner in which coders are trained and the CBAS used in field settings is described, and the results of several reliability studies are reported. These studies indicate that high scorer accuracy and interrater reliability can be attained. The potential use of the CBAS to extend the study of interpersonal behavior into the realm of sport psychology is also discussed.     

The Diplomatic Context of Doping in the Former German Democratic Republic: A Revisionist Examination

Paying particular attention to political dynamics within the Eastern-bloc, this article seeks to outline the diplomatic context of what remains the most notorious episode of state-level doping in modern sport history: the cold war-era doping program run by the German Democratic Republic's Stasi national security police and intelligence organisation. To do so, it aims to integrate archival research on the subject with high-level geopolitical analysis. This approach offers more nuanced perspectives on the diplomatic meaning of sport and performance-enhancement in East Germany than is present in the existing literature.     

A three-tier system for assessing concept map links: a methodological study

A novel method is described for analysing concept maps for research and analysis purposes. The coding system rates the use, the stability, and the complexity of each link, which is a unique way of representing students' knowledge. The analysis scheme affords a look at how students may integrate new knowledge into their existing structures and may be used for assessment purposes or research on how students learn. This coding system was successfully applied to a sample of 56 complex concept maps that had been generated from student interviews on the topic of chemical bonding. The coding system is of particular use when analysing complex concept maps with a large number of concept nodes and links. The system described here was also particularly useful for assessing complex, non-hierarchical concept maps.     

Recent developments in HIV/AIDS prevention for Russian adolescents

This article reports on the educator qualities that are valued by Australian teachers involved in sexuality education in high schools. Focus groups were conducted with school sexuality education teachers in 19 high schools in five Australian states. Data indicated that teachers valued being trustworthy, being open and honest, being willing to listen, having a sense of humour, and being able to relate to the students, especially being able to relate in a trustworthy and confidential way. Also valued were being comfortable with one's own sexuality, being approachable and being flexible. These qualities are similar to those recommended in the literature in the 1970s and 1980s and correspond closely to the qualities sought by today's high school students. Australian schoolteachers currently enjoy a positive climate for teaching sexuality education, as do many European schoolteachers. This contrasts with the climate for many American teachers where Abstinence Until Marriage programme requirements place many restrictions on what can be taught and may compromise the expression of teacher qualities such as being non-judgemental, flexible, open and honest. The findings have implications for teacher professional development, pre-service teacher education training, and the selection of teachers to teach sexuality education.     

The impact of a communication intervention on work‐unit productivity and employee satisfaction

This study investigated the impact of a 10‐week program, designed to communicate job‐specific and general company information, on levels of worker satisfaction and work‐unit productivity. Data were collected from assembly line workers in a large health care industrial plant. Differences between scores on a general satisfaction measure administered before and after the program were observed suggesting that attitudes about the organization did improve after the program. When compared with a control period, work‐unit productivity also improved after the program. Implications of these findings for future organizational communication research were discussed.     

狼的陷阱

Happy Mother＇s Day means more
Than have a happy day.
Within those words lie lots of things
We never get to say     

Communities of practice in inclusive education

The data in this paper represent the experiences and perspectives of parents and teachers who worked as communities of practice, designing support plans for the inclusion of three students with intellectual disabilities in general education classrooms. Their reflections, obtained through interviews and questionnaires, show how they constructed relevant knowledge to support these children with special educational needs in their class. The findings show the potential benefits of partnerships and local knowledge in addressing the educational challenge of inclusion.