The relations among child negative interactive behavior,child temperament,and maternal behavior

Negative behavior toward the mother during toddlerhood might be a marker of increased risk for maladjustment. The aim of the present study was to examine the possible antecedents of toddler boys’ negative behavior observed in interaction with the mother: child temperament, and maternal behavior toward the child. We studied the moderating and mediating role of two dimensions of maternal behavior, sensitivity and intrusiveness, in the relationship between children's temperamental traits (frustration, soothability and activity level), on the one hand, and child negative behavior, on the other hand. The sample consisted of 112 mother–son dyads observed when the child was 17 months old. A temperament questionnaire was completed by the mothers. Child negative interactive behavior, maternal sensitivity and intrusiveness were observed at home during a 13-min play session. Maternal sensitivity was negatively related to child negative interactive behavior regardless of child temperament. Maternal intrusiveness, however, moderated the relation between activity level and negative behavior, i.e., children with high activity level showed higher levels of negative behavior especially when the mother was highly intrusive. Furthermore, maternal intrusiveness acted as a mediator in the relation between soothability and negative behavior, i.e., low soothability was linked to higher maternal intrusiveness, which in turn was associated with higher negative behavior.     

From Parent to Child to Parent: Associations Between Parent and Offspring Psychopathology

Parental psychopathology can affect child functioning, and vice versa. We examined bidirectional associations between parent and offspring psychopathology in 5,536 children and their parents. We asked three questions: (a) are parent-to-child associations stronger than child-to-parent associations? (b) are mother-to-child associations stronger than father-to-child associations? and (c) do within- and between-person effects contribute to bidirectional associations between parent and offspring psychopathology? Our findings suggest that only within-rater bidirectional associations of parent and offspring psychopathology can be consistently detected, with no difference between mothers and fathers. Child psychopathology was hardly associated with parental psychopathology. No evidence for cross-rater child-to-parent associations was found suggesting that the within-rater child-to-parent associations reflect shared method variance. Moreover, within-person change accounted for a part of the variance observed.     

Participatory Action Research as Change Strategy: A Case of Developing Inclusive Teaching and Learning Practices in an Adult Education Centre in Gauteng East District of South Africa

Adult education is one of the platforms of skills development for the mostly disadvantaged people of South Africa who did not get formal education owing to past segregation and apartheid laws. Recently this sector has implemented inclusive education and is in the process of transforming and changing to achieve inclusion. This interpretative-qualitative case study within participatory action research explored the role of participatory action research as a change strategy to develop inclusive teaching practices and enhance adult student learning in an adult education context. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, participant observations, documentary analysis, focus group interviews and group interpretative meetings in all four phases, i.e. planning, observation, action and reflection. After the group data analysis with co-researchers during group interpretative meetings and the researcher’s analysis using an interpretative-thematic inductive qualitative data analysis framework, the study found that participatory action research is viable as an educational change strategy, as it enhances collaboration among adult education teachers and improves their ability to be reflective and critical in their practice, which is fundamental in the development of inclusive teaching practices.

     

E-democracy,E-Contestation and the Monitorial Citizen*

It is argued that Pettit’s conception of “contestatory democracy” is superior to deliberative, direct and epistemic democracy. The strong and weak points of these conceptions are discussed drawing upon the work of a.o Bruce Bimber. It is further argued that ‘contestation’ and ‘information’ are highly relevant notions in thinking about, just, viable and sustainable design for E-democracy. *A version of this paper was presented at Ethicomp 2002, Lisbon.     

Why do firms acquire technology?: The example of DSM's ammonia plants, 1925-1970

This article analyses markets for technology from a buyer's perspective: the question why firms acquire technology is the central research question. An in-depth historical case study of a chemical company is confronted with systematic and economic research. The acquisition of complete plants by the particular firm under study is explained and several factors are proposed which may help further research on markets for technology.     

Spatial invariance of handwriting

Two aspects concerning the production of shapes in handwriting are distinguished in the present paper. The first aspect is indicated by thespatial variability of letters measured across replications. Spatial variability is assumed to reflect the basic spatial noise observed in everyday writing. The second aspect deals with the geometric characteristics of letter shapes, measured by the ratio of the vertical over the horizontal letter size (Y/X-ratio). The main question is whether the geometric characteristics and basic spatial noise originate from a common source. More specifically, we are interested in whether Y/X-ratio as well as spatial variability will alter across changed circumstances, or whether Y/X-ratio will alter without a change in spatial variability. Subjects wrote the simple letter sequencelelele in conditions with and without vision under three scaling conditions requirements (small, normal and large letter sizes). The main results were that geometric aspects of letters altered (Y/X-ratio) under no vision and under the scaling requirement to write in a small format. In contrast, shapes were produced with unchanged spatial variability in all conditions of vision and scaling requirements. The results suggest that alterations of geometric aspects of letters across changed circumstances do not necessarily involve an increase in spatial variability.     

Interventions in education to prevent STEM pipeline leakage

The so-called leaking STEM pipeline (dropout in STEM education) has been the subject of many studies. The large interest of scholars in plausible causes of this leakage has resulted in a number of meta-reviews describing factors at system, school and student level related to interest and persistence in STEM education. The STEM pipeline discussion has also resulted in a large number of programmes aimed at enhancing STEM interest and persistence in STEM education. Although these programmes have been widely evaluated, there seems to be no consensus about which interventions are successful in raising interest in STEM or persistence in STEM education. This study reports the results of a systematic review of empirical studies in which the effectiveness of STEM-related interventions are assessed. Initially, 538 studies were found. The quality analyses showed that only a few of these evaluation studies are designed in such a way that it is likely that the found effects are caused by the intervention. Although some potentially effective interventions were found, this review shows that there is still a need for research into the effectiveness of those programmes, especially with regard to programmes preventing talented and initially motivated STEM students to drop out of STEM education.