Unpacking the Impacts of a Universal Parenting Program on Child Behavior

This study examined the theory of change of the ACT Raising Safe Kids parenting program, including whether intervention effects on children's behavior problems were explained by improvements in mothers’ reported parenting practices, as well as whether baseline child behavior problems moderated these relations. Adult mothers of 3-to 8-year-old Brazilian children were assigned to the intervention (n = 97) or control (n = 46) groups. Results showed that the intervention improved mothers' perceptions of their parenting practices (positive discipline, emotional and behavioral regulation, and communication). Intervention-induced reductions in children’s internalizing and externalizing behavior problems were mediated by improvements in mothers’ emotional and behavioral regulation. Program effects were strongest for children with high levels of baseline behavior problems.     

Disentangling the Respective Contribution of Task Selection and Task Execution to Self-Directed Cognitive Control Development

Task selection and task execution are key constructs in cognitive control development. Yet, little is known about how separable they are and how each contributes to task switching performance. Here, 60 4- to 5-year olds, 60 7- to 8-year olds, and 60 10- to 11-year olds children completed the double registration procedure, which dissociates these two processes. Task selection yielded both mixing and switch costs, especially in younger children, and task execution mostly yielded switch costs at all ages, suggesting that task selection is costlier than task execution. Moreover, both task selection and execution varied with task self-directedness (i.e., to what extent the task is driven by external aids) demands. Whereas task selection and task execution are dissociated regarding performance costs, they nevertheless both contribute to self-directed control.     

The chimera of the competency-based approach to teaching mathematics: a study of carpentry purchases for home projects

Educational Studies in Mathematics - The competency-based approach conceives mathematics as a necessary tool for dealing with daily-life tasks. Many studies have focused on examining the low math...     

Reaching for different ends through tenure track—institutional logics in university career systems

Higher Education - In this study, we used the institutional logics perspective to identify the logics underpinning the tenure track career system, how the logics manifest themselves in recruitment...     

Mechanisms mediating the relation between reading self-concept and reading comprehension

Reading self-concept is an important predictor of reading comprehension and vice versa. However, the mechanisms that are at work in this relation have yet to be identified. In line with the self-enhancement approach, we propose that in the reading domain, amount of reading, book choice (text difficulty and book length), and intrinsic reading motivation should function as mediating variables in the relation between reading self-concept and reading comprehension. We tested this hypothesis with longitudinal data gathered from N = 405 German students in Grades 7, 8, and 9. The results showed that reading self-concept had a positive effect on reading comprehension, intrinsic motivation, book length, and amount of reading. However, indirect paths between reading self-concept and reading comprehension were found only for intrinsic motivation, not for amount of reading or book choice. The results are discussed in the context of students’ reading comprehension development, and consequences for research and education are derived.

     

Factors influencing adaptation from university to employment in Portugal and Brazil

International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance - The career adaptation model helps to explain the process of transitioning from university to employment among college students. This...     

From local networks of SMEs to virtual districts?: Evidence from recent trends in Italy

Industrial districts as local networks of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) rooted their competitiveness in a mix of economic relationships and social ties. Recently, network technologies have promised gains of efficiency through a reduction in transaction costs and showed new commercial opportunities for small firms. Despite the morphological similarities between industrial districts and network technologies, a longitudinal analysis of ICT diffusion within Italian districts shows that the foreseen convergence between the district economic model and new technologies should not be taken for granted. The observed specific evolutionary paths concerning technology innovation in local systems also opens-up issues of economic policy.     

Librarians as Advocates of Social Media for Researchers: A Social Media Project Initiated by Linköping University Library,Sweden

ABSTRACT

Librarians at Linköping University help researchers keep abreast of developments in their fields and to increase the visibility of their work. Strategic, professional use of social media ought to be an essential part of a researcher's communication strategy. This article investigates the level of awareness of the professional use of social media among LiU researchers. The investigation showed that use of social media was not significant; however, a small number saw potential. The purpose of this article is threefold. The first purpose was to evaluate the potential of using social media as a tool for communicating research outside LiU. Second, the article presents a study in which views of LiU researchers on social media were ascertained via seminar discussions, informal feedback, and interviews. The study has a case study approach involving eight researchers. Third, the article covers how LiU Library created a web-based information package to support researchers in social media use.     

Does an Emphasis on the Concept of Quantum States Enhance Students' Understanding of Quantum Mechanics?

Teaching physics implies making choices. In the case of teachingquantum physics, besides an educational choice – the didactic strategy – another choice mustbe made, an epistemological one, concerning the interpretation of quantum theory itself. Thesetwo choices are closely connected. We have chosen a didactic strategy that privileges the phenomenological-conceptualapproach, with emphasis upon quantum features of the systems, instead of searching for classicalanalogies. This choice has led us to present quantum theory associated with an orthodox, yet realistic,interpretation of the concept of quantum state, considered as the key concept of quantum theory,representing the physical reality of a system, independent of measurement processes. The results of theimplementation of this strategy, with three groups of engineering students, showed that more than a halfof them attained a reasonable understanding of the basics of quantum mechanics (QM) for thislevel. In addition, a high degree of satisfaction was attained with the classes as 80% of thestudents of the experimental groups claimed to have liked it and to be interested in learning more about QM.