Simulations of a modified SOP model applied to retrospective revaluation of human causal learning

Dickinson and Burke (1996) proposed a modified version of Wagner’s (1981) SOP associative theory to explain retrospective revaluation of human causal judgments. In this modified SOP (MSOP), excitatory learning occurs when cue and outcome representations are either both directly activated or both associatively activated. By contrast, inhibitory learning occurs when one representation is directly activated while the other is associatively activated. Finite node simulations of MSOP yielded simple acquisition, overshadowing, blocking, and inhibitory learning under forward contingencies. Importantly, retrospective revaluation was predicted in the form of unovershadowing and backward inhibitory learning. However, MSOP did not yield backward blocking. These predictions are evaluated against the relevant empirical evidence and contrasted with the predictions of other associative theories that have been applied to retrospective revaluation of human causal and predictive learning.     

Using an Ecological Framework for Understanding and Treating Externalizing Behavior in Early Childhood

This paper will review the literature on the rate, stability, and outcomes associated with externalizing behavior problems prior to kindergarten entry. Bronfenbrenners (The ecology of human development. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press) ecological framework will be used to present the factors related to the onset and persistence of externalizing behavior problems in young children. Behavior problems prior to school entry are somewhat developmentally appropriate and most can be resolved within the classroom or child care setting. Intervention for children with moderate to severe behavior problems in early childhood is crucial because behavior problems are likely to persist into elementary school leading to a variety of social and academic concerns. Steps will be presented to help teachers determine whether or not a referral to a specialist is needed and locate an appropriate specialist.     

Persecution and behavior: a report of refugee children from Chile

A Swedish study of 50 newly resettled refugee children from Chile describes the children's experiences of persecution in their home country and coping patterns in the receiving country. Thirty-six children had experiences directly related to persecution, and seven of these had been victims of physical assault for political reasons. Sleep disturbances and dependency were behaviors significantly associated with experiences of persecution. Resettled refugee families need to be approached by concerned professionals as symptoms of trauma in refugee children are often recognized only in the family sphere.     

Developing a Heritage and ICT Project in 12 Irish Primary Schools

This paper outlines how a heritage and ICT project entitled ‘The Sligo Seashore Project’ was organised in twelve Irish primary schools from September 2001 to June 2003. The project was coordinated and supported by the ICT Advisor, Sligo Education Centre and the Heritage Officer, Sligo County Council. It was an extension of “Exploring the Field Fences of County Sligo”, a Schools Integration Project or SIP, one of the initiatives of the National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE) in the Schools IT 2000 programme. The project sought to promote high levels of awareness and understanding of seashore heritage amongst the participants. It also gave them an opportunity to learn with and through ICT and in that way learn in a new and different way. The project was sponsored by a number of national and local organisations both public and private. The schools were situated on or close to the County Sligo coastline and were provided with resource material and computing equipment and received a number of supports including ICT training in digital media. The students studied the following areas: animals, habitats and plants, man and the sea and history of our coast. The students recorded their findings through essays, stories, written articles, artwork, crafts, puppets, models, photographs, maps and multimedia presentations. The second phase involved the collection and organisation of all the project material in preparation for the construction of a website, www.sligoseashore.com which developed a range of resources for teachers and students. The project was awarded first prize at the 2003 eSchola awards where the chair of the judging panel said it was “beautifully designed and perfectly integrated from a pedagogical point-of-view”. The project is ongoing.     

Improving The Quality of Education Through School-Based Management: Learning From International Experiences

School-based management is being increasingly advocated as a shortcut to more efficient management and quality improvement in education. Research, however, has been unable to prove conclusively such a linkage. Especially in developing countries, concerns remain about the possible detrimental impact of school-based management on school quality; equity among different schools in the same system; the motivation of and relationships between principals and teachers; and financial as well as administrative transparency. The present study defines school-based management and, in view of its implementation in different world regions, examines some of its advantages and disadvantages. In particular, the author explores the strategies which must accompany school-based management in order to ensure a positive impact on quality. These are found to include (1) guaranteeing that all schools have certain basic resources; (2) developing an effective school-support system; (3) providing schools with regular information on their performance and advice on how they might improve; and (4) emphasizing the motivational element in the management work of the school principal.     

Problems with Feminist Standpoint Theory in Science Education

Feminist standpoint theory has important implications for science education. The paper focuses on difficulties in standpoint theory, mostly regarding the assumptions that different social positions produce different types of knowledge, and that epistemic advantages that women might enjoy are always effective and significant. I conclude that the difficulties in standpoint theory render it too problematic to accept. Various implications for science education are indicated: we should return to the kind of science education that instructs students to examine whether arguments, experiments, etc. are successful, rather than ask who presented them; when considering researchers and students for science education programs we should examine their scholarly achievements, rather than the group to which they belong; women should not be discouraged from engaging in “mainstream” science research and education (or other spheres of knowledge considered as “men’s topics”) and men should not be discouraged from engaging in what are considered “women’s topics” in science (or outside it); we should not assume that there are different types of science for women and for men, nor different ways for women and men to study science or conduct scientific research.     

Studies in Historical Replication in Psychology I: Introduction

This special issue reports a project in which the replication of historically meaningful studies was carried out by graduate students in a history of psychology course. In this introduction, I outline the nature of the project and its rationale, and briefly sketch the results. The subsequent five papers represent scholarly presentations of five selected replications written by students in the course. These are followed by a commentary on the project by an educational psychologist.

---

Study on<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bombyx mori</Emphasis> silk treated by oxygen plasma

Study of the morphology, aggregation structure and properties ofBombyx mori silk treated by low temperature oxygen plasma showed that slight flutes appeared on the surface ofBombyx mori silk fiber and that its surface structure changed after plasma treatment. The conformation also changed and crystalline degree decreased. The stannic filling rate of treated fiber was improved. Because of etching, the weight of the fiber decreased but the breaking strength changed little after short-time treatment. Project (No. 50073013) supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China     

Chance in Science: The Discovery of Electromagnetism by H.C. Oersted

Ignoring the role of chance in science distorts the nature of the scientific process. Teachers can address this issue by means of several in-depth historical case studies, such as the discovery of electromagnetism by Oersted. Oersted was led to his lecture experiment by logic (two new hypotheses), but its success from the first trial was largely due to chance. Reproducing Oersteds experiment in the classroom complements the story by allowing students to see for themselves the role of some accidental factors, such as the choice of materials and instruments. The message to students is that chance and logic go together in science.     

Students’ and teachers’ perceptions of classroom learning environment in Bhutanese eighth-grade mathematics classes

This paper reports a study of students’ and teachers’ perceptions of their classroom learning environment in Bhutanese eighth-grade mathematics classes. Research suggests that positive perceptions of the learning environment can have a positive influence on students’ learning outcomes, interest and engagement in classroom activities. The study was conducted in 2013, using the survey samples of 608 students and 98 teachers from 22 lower- and middle-secondary schools in western Bhutan. Students’ and teachers’ perceptions of the classroom environment were measured using the Mathematics Classroom Learning Environment Survey (MCLES). Students and teachers mostly perceived their classroom environments favourably on the MCLES scales irrespective of gender, school level and school location. The study is significant for understanding and evaluating the implementation of new mathematics curriculum in Bhutanese schools because it could guide the development of strategies for more-productive mathematics classroom learning. It is also significant from the perspective of Bhutan’s national goal of Gross National Happiness because perceptions and happiness always go hand-in-hand.