Systematic modeling versus the learning cycle: Comparative effects on integrated science process skill achievement

This study assessed the effectiveness of the systematic modeling teaching strategy on integrated science process skills and formal reasoning ability. Urban middle school students received a three-month process skill intervention treatment from teachers trained in either the use of systematic modeling or the learning-cycle model. A third, control group received traditional science instruction. The analysis of data revealed that (a) students receiving modeled instruction demonstrated a significant difference in their achievement of process skills when compared to either of the control groups. (b) Students taught by teachers who had received special process skill and strategy training demonstrated a significant difference in their process skill achievement when compared with the control group. (c) Students at different cognitive reasoning levels demonstrated significantly different process skill ability.     

The Structure and Coherence of Competence from Childhood through Adolescence

The structure and coherence of competence from childhood (ages 8–12) to late adolescence (ages 17–23) was examined in a longitudinal study of 191 children. Structural equation modeling was utilized to test a conceptual model and alternative models. Results suggest that competence has at least 3 distinct dimensions in childhood and 5 in adolescence. These dimensions reflect developmental tasks related to academic achievement, social competence, and conduct important at both age levels in U.S. society, and the additional tasks of romantic and job competence in adolescence. As hypothesized, rule-breaking versus rule-abiding conduct showed strong continuity over time, while academic achievement and social competence showed moderate continuity. Results also were consistent with the hypothesis that antisocial behavior undermines academic attainment and job competence.     

Just do it? impact of a science apprenticeship program on high school students' understandings of the nature of science and scientific inquiry

The purpose of this study was to explicate the impact of an 8‐week science apprenticeship program on a group of high‐ability secondary students' understandings of the nature of science and scientific inquiry. Ten volunteers (Grades 10–11) completed a modified version of the Views of Nature of Science, Form B both before and after their apprenticeship to assess their conceptions of key aspects of the nature of science and scientific inquiry. Semistructured exit interviews provided an opportunity for students to describe the nature of their apprenticeship experiences and elaborate on their written questionnaire responses. Semistructured exit interviews were also conducted with the scientists who served as mentors for each of the science apprentices. For the most part, students held conceptions about the nature of science and scientific inquiry that were inconsistent with those described in current reforms. Participating science mentors held strong convictions that their apprentices had learned much about the scientific enterprise in the course of doing the science in their apprenticeship. Although most students did appear to gain knowledge about the processes of scientific inquiry, their conceptions about key aspects of the nature of science remained virtually unchanged. Epistemic demand and reflection appeared to be crucial components in the single case where a participant experienced substantial gains in her understandings of the nature of science and inquiry. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 40: 487–509, 2003     

Facilitation and impairment of conditioning in the preweanling rat after prior exposure to the conditioned stimulus

Olfactory aversion conditioning of preweanling rats, 10 or 18 days postnatal, was tested after some had been given nonreinforced experience with the to-be-conditioned odor stimulus. In three experiments, it was established that the amount of prior exposure to the CS determined the effectiveness of conditioning. For both ages, odor-shock conditioning was more likely impaired with longer durations of preexposure. This effect was more apparent in the older animals. Low to moderate degrees of prior exposure to the CS under some conditions facilitated, rather than impaired, olfactory conditioning in the 10-day-old rat. This result is in agreement with one previous study in which facilitation in learning was reported for this age after short-term preexposure to the CS. The present study adds to previous data on differential effects of CS preexposure on conditioning. Although the conditions under which facilitation rather than impairment occurs are not yet clear, age-related differences in the effects of CS preexposure were apparent in the present experiments.     

Morphological processing during visual word recognition in Hebrew as a first and a second language

The present study examined whether sublexical morphological processing takes place during visual word-recognition in Hebrew, and whether morphological decomposition of written words depends on lexical activation of the complete word. Furthermore, it examined whether morphological processing is similar when reading Hebrew as a first language (L1) or as a second language (L2), and whether L1’s morphological background, Semitic or Indo-European, modulates morphological processing in L2 Hebrew (a Semitic language), among proficient readers. To reveal the sublexical processing of the Hebrew morphemes, the Root (R) and the Pattern (P), a lexical-decision task was conducted, in which all critical stimuli were non-word letter-strings manipulated to include or exclude real Hebrew morphemes. Different combinations of real (+) and pseudo (?) morphemes yielded four types of non-words (+R+P; +R?P; ?R+P, ?R?P). Three groups of proficient Hebrew readers were tested: L1 Hebrew, L1 English-L2 Hebrew, and L1 Arabic-L2 Hebrew. Results demonstrated significant differences in latency and accuracy of responses to the four morphological conditions, indicating that sublexical morphological processing occurs during visual word-recognition of morphologically structured letter-strings in Hebrew. Importantly, the activation of real Hebrew morphemes occurred in non-word stimuli, indicating that morphological processing in Hebrew is separable from lexical activation. Moreover, the same pattern of results was observed in all three L1 groups, indicating that proficient L2 readers exhibit morphological processing strategies that are tuned to the L2 morphology, regardless of their L1 background.     

Challenges for Career Interventions in Changing Contexts

Current social and economic changes have created a challenging context for career counsellors. Within this context counsellors are being asked to view their role from different perspectives. There is recognition of the importance of lifelong guidance and also the need to view guidance from a broader social context with greater emphasis on social responsibility and ethics. New forms of delivery are also emerging. These include an emphasis on client centred and holistic counselling, an affirmation of narrative methods, and a more dynamic counselling approach. Lastly, there is the development of a number of new methods of service delivery. Some examples include one stop counselling centres, virtual counselling services, mentoring, career coaching, and the inclusion of social enterprises as part of the counselling process. The implementation of these changes has implications for training, specialization and for accreditation.