Associations between individual and collective efficacy beliefs and students' bystander behavior

This study examined whether defending and passive bystanding during peer victimization episodes were associated with individual- and classroom-level efficacy to stop peer victimization. Self-report survey data were analyzed from 1,467 Swedish fourth-grade students (mean age = 10.55) from 100 classrooms in 63 schools. Multilevel analyses revealed that, when witnessing peer victimization, students more often defended victims if they were high in defender self-efficacy and if they belonged to classrooms high in collective efficacy. In contrast, students were more likely to remain passive if they were low in defender self-efficacy and if they belonged to classrooms low in collective efficacy. Taken together, our findings suggest that efficacy beliefs both at the individual and at the classroom level contribute to explaining variability in students' bystander behaviors, which has potential implications for prevention and intervention work.     

STS and comparative assessment of scientific theory

Comparative studies of science education can emphasise either student learning of school science in a competitive sense or the variety of science learnings that contemporary curricula for science expect. The Third International Maths and Science Study (TIMSS) is endeavouring to achieve a balance between these two different and psychometrically conflicting possibilities. The impact of STS on a number of countries' science curricula in the last few years is used to explore these tensions in the planning of TIMSS.     

Role of exteroceptive background context in taste-aversion conditioning and extinction

In two experiments, saccharin (CS) and lithium chloride (US) were paired in a context consisting of specific visual, auditory, tactual, and olfactory cues. The saccharin aversion was then extinguished in a context free from conditioning-context cues. Later, saccharin preference tests were given in the presence and absence of these cues. The results indicated that the background cues of the conditioning trial controlled the amount of saccharin drunk on extinction trials, and, furthermore, that extinction of the taste aversion was context specific; i.e., groups given extinction trials in a different (from conditioning) context retained their saccharin aversion in the conditioning context only. The results indicate an important role played by the exteroceptive context in taste-aversion conditioning.     

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O'Neill, Harold F & Perez, Ray ed (2003) Technology applications in education Erlbaum (Mahwah NJ (& Eurospan, London)) ISBN 0-8058-3649-7 372 pp $79.95 boards
http://www.erlbaum.com orders@erlbaum.com http://www.eurospan.co.uk orders@eurospan.co.uk     

Fish Oil Supplementation in Pregnancy and Neurodevelopment in Childhood—A Randomized Clinical Trial

A double-blind randomized controlled trial of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 LCPUFA) supplementation or matching placebo during third trimester of pregnancy was conducted within the COPSAC₂₀₁₀ mother-child cohort consisting of 736 women and their children. The objective was to determine if maternal n-3 LCPUFA pregnancy supplementation affects offspring neurodevelopment until 6 years. Neurodevelopment was evaluated in 654 children assessing age of motor milestone achievement, language development, cognitive development, general neurodevelopment, and emotional and behavioral problems. Maternal n-3 LCPUFA supplementation during pregnancy improved early language development and reduced the impact of emotional and behavioral problems. The n-3 LCPUFA supplementation was in boys associated with the earlier achievement of gross motor milestones, improved cognitive development, and a reduced impact of emotional and behavioral problems.     

Technological change in the Norwegian whaling industry: A case-study in the use of patent-statistics as a technology indicator

This paper presents an example of the use of patent statistics as a technology indicator in one industry. The first part deals with the problem of interpretation. Through examination of several other partial technology indicators, it is concluded that at least in this industry, patent statistics provide a reliable indicator, not only for the timing of inventions, but for the timing of innovations and diffusion as well. The reason is that the intervals between the stages in the innovation process are very short. This contradicts evidence from many other industries, and it is therefore emphasized that generalizations are unwarranted.The second part of this paper deals with the possible causes of technological change in Norwegian whaling. The methodology is inspired by J. Schmookler's work. Thus, the patents are correlated with other indicators of economic development in the industry. But while Schmookler's view is that the patent activity is determined by social demand and economic growth, the conclusions for the Norwegian whaling industry point in the opposite direction: the technological transformation that took place during the 1920s and early 1930s was forced upon the firms in their efforts to cut costs, which was achieved by rationalizing production and catching methods in line with a downward price trend for whale oil.