The social perception of learning disabled and non‐learning disabled children

This study was undertaken to determine if there were differences in the social perception of learning disabled and non‐learning disabled youngsters, whether social perception was related to sex and if interaction by sex and learning disability status was involved. Fifty‐seven elementary school children aged 9 to 11 years were given four measures of social perception. Results showed that learning disabled children differed significantly (p .01) from their non‐learning disabled peers on each of the four measures. Neither sex nor group by sex interaction was significant. Assessment and intervention aimed at improving social perceptual skills should be incorporated into educational programming for those learning disabled children who exhibit deficiencies in this area of functioning.     

Anatomical Sciences Education vol.3, issue 4, 2010 cover image

Students use a new gross anatomy laboratory facility at Philadelphia University that used to be a lecture room . The details of this efficient and effective conversion are described in the article by Goldman in the current issue of ASE     

Primary school student-teachers’ knowledge and understandings of child sexual abuse and its mandatory reporting

Teachers in many schools have only recently gained a new role to fulfil as mandatory reporters of child sexual abuse. However, little is known, and little literature has been found, on the preparation they receive, as student-teachers, for this significant role. This study examines a final-semester cohort of 81 Bachelor of Education (Primary School) student-teachers in Queensland, Australia, by questionnaire, on their knowledge and understandings of child sexual abuse and its mandatory reporting. Using quantitative and qualitative data, the results show that while these student-teachers have a substantial awareness of the role's importance, without gender or age differences, they are suffering a crucial lack of confidence in their ability to identify child sexual abuse, and also in their ability to respond appropriately to suspicions of it. This evidence may be useful to inform the development of more appropriate and effective pre-service education programmes, and departmental policy to ensure that teachers entering the profession are better prepared to deal with it. Thus, this study accords with a variety of imperatives in national and international government-sponsored research, policy and practices which are focussing on this timely, ubiquitous and costly issue, in addressing enhanced pre-service teacher preparation to respond more effectively to child sexual abuse and its mandatory reporting.     

Computer technology and complex problem solving: Issues in the study of complex cognitive activity

Goals and plans organize much of complex problem solving behavior and are often inferable from action sequences. This paper addresses the strengths and limitations of inferring goals and plans from information that can be derived from computer traces of software used to solve mathematics problems. We examined mathematics problem solving activity about distance, rate, time relationships in a computer software environment designed to support understanding of functional relationships among these variables (e.g., distance =rate × time; time=distance/rate) using graphical representations of the results of simulations. Ten adolescent-aged students used the software to solve two distance, rate, time problems, and provided think-aloud protocols. To determine the inferability of understanding from the action traces, coders analyzed students' understanding from the computer traces alone (Trace-only raters) and compared these to analyses based on the traces plus the verbal protocols (Traceplus raters). Inferability of understanding from the action traces was related to level of student understanding how they used the graphing tool. When students had a good understanding of distance, rate, time relationships, it could be accurately inferred from the computer traces if they used the simulation tool in conjunction with the graphing tool. When students had a weak understanding, the verbal protocols were necessary to make accurate inferences about what was and was not understood. The computer trace also failed to capture dynamic exploration of the visual environment so students who relied on the graphing tool were inaccurately characterized by the Trace-only coders. Discussion concerns types of scaffolds that would be helpful learning environment for complex problems, the kind of information that is needed to adequately track student understanding in this content domain, and instructional models for integrating learning environments like these into classrooms.Members of the Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt who have contributed to this project are (in alphabetical order) Helen Bateman, John Bransford, Thaddeus Crews, Allison Moore, Mitchell Nathan, and Stephen Owens. The research was supported, in part, by grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF-MDR-9252990) but no official endorsement of the ideas expressed herein should be inferred.     

Female survivors’ perceptions of lifelong impact on their education of child abuse suffered in orphanages

Many children raised in orphanages suffered ongoing child abuse and neglect including sexual abuse, and nearly all were denied an adequate education. This paper explores adult females’ perceptions of the impacts on their education of child sexual abuse they suffered while living in orphanages in Australia. In-depth qualitative and anonymous one-on-one interviews were undertaken with 10 female volunteers. Their narrative quotes emanate from questions asked about their experiences and perceptions of child sexual abuse, and its impacts on their educational achievement, educational development and educational opportunity. Of these volunteer females, only two had completed primary school, none had completed more than two years of secondary school, and none had undertaken any tertiary education. All had perceived child sexual abuse, in particular, to have had overwhelmingly negative impacts on their lifelong, educational achievement, educational development and educational opportunity. These impacts have had detrimental inter-generational consequences upon their own children. These adult females perceived child sexual abuse to be a major factor in their very poor, life-long educational development, achievement and opportunities, with intergenerational consequences for their self-esteem, wellbeing and success. Implications for practice are that children at risk should receive specialised teaching, educational support and counselling; adults with deficient education need help with learning processes such as dynamic learning, to help achieve active and inclusive citizenship.     

Destination,Imagination and the Fires Within: Design Thinking in a Middle School Classroom

The purpose of the Taking Design Thinking to Schools Research Project was to extend the knowledge base that contributes to an improved understanding of the role of design thinking in K‐12 classrooms. The ethnographic qualitative study focused on the implementation of an interdisciplinary design curriculum by a team of university instructors in a public charter school. Three questions framed the study. How did students express their understanding of design thinking classroom activities? How did affective elements impact design thinking in the classroom environment? How is design thinking connected to academic standards and content learning in the classroom?     

Experimental measurement of the quantum geometric tensor using coupled qubits in diamond

Geometry and topology are fundamental concepts, which underlie a wide range of fascinating physical phenomena such as topological states of matter and topological defects. In quantum mechanics, the geometry of quantum states is fully captured by the quantum geometric tensor. Using a qubit formed by an NV center in diamond, we perform the first experimental measurement of the complete quantum geometric tensor. Our approach builds on a strong connection between coherent Rabi oscillations upon parametric modulations and the quantum geometry of the underlying states. We then apply our method to a system of two interacting qubits, by exploiting the coupling between the NV center spin and a neighboring ¹³C nuclear spin. Our results establish coherent dynamical responses as a versatile probe for quantum geometry, and they pave the way for the detection of novel topological phenomena in solid state.     

A comparison of WISC-R and WAIS-R IQS in a mentally retarded residential population

Although typically regarded as equivalent instruments, the WISC-R and the WAIS-R yield significantly different Verbal, Performance, and Full Scale IQs for an intellectually subaverage group, with the WAIS-R consistently providing higher scores. Implications of this “built-in” increment for issues of eligibility for educational placements and societal benefits are serious, and careful interpretation of IQs in the context of other relevant data is necessary.