Child Engagement in Inclusive Preschools: Contributions of Classroom Quality and Activity Setting

Preschool process quality and activity setting are considered important aspects influencing child engagement. As such, it is important to understand how educational settings can promote engagement, particularly for children with disabilities and/or at risk. This observational study describes process quality and activity setting in inclusive preschools, analyzing its predictive role for child engagement. Participants were 184 children attending 39 preschools. Three groups of children, nested within classrooms, were considered: with disabilities (n = 45), at risk (n = 59), typically developing (n = 80). Child Observation in Preschool assessed engagement and activity setting; Classroom Assessment Scoring System assessed quality of teacher–child interactions. Research Findings: Results from multilevel regressions show that classroom emotional support and organization and more time in free play were positively predicting child engagement, whereas more time in whole group was a negative predictor of engagement. Besides these main effects, an interaction effect between child developmental functioning and activity settings was found. For at-risk children, more time in whole-group activities had greater negative effects on child engagement. For children with disabilities, more time in free-play had greater positive effects on child engagement. Practice or Policy: Results contribute to inform teachers regarding the importance of individualizing interactions and planning activity settings to promote engagement and participation in inclusive preschools.     

Experiencing more mathematics anxiety than expected? Contrasting trait and state anxiety in high achieving students

This study examined mathematics anxiety among high and low achieving students (N = 237, grades 9 and 10) by contrasting trait (habitual) and state (momentary) assessments of anxiety. Previous studies have found that trait anxiety measures are typically rated higher than state measures. Furthermore, the academic self-concept has been identified to play a moderating role in the trait-state discrepancy, with higher academic self-concept leading to a lower discrepancy (i.e. less overestimation of trait anxiety if state assessments reflect actual experience). Therefore, we assumed that high achievers who were expected to have high academic self-concepts would exhibit a smaller trait-state discrepancy than low achievers. Results confirmed these assumptions and revealed that high achievers even underestimated their trait anxiety. Implications are discussed.     

Promoting Student-Centered Learning Using iPads in a Grade 1 Classroom: Using the Digital Didactic Framework to Deconstruct Instruction

In this qualitative case study, we provide a series of vignettes illustrating a Grade 1 teacher's experiences integrating iPad technology into her instruction over a school year. We use the digital didactic model to deconstruct these vignettes and draw upon the teacher's reflections to gain further insights about her instructional experiences using iPads. We highlight the effective use of cognitive, affective, and technical scaffolding for encouraging students to take risks, explore multiple solution paths, and become independent learners. We emphasize the criticality of student-centered learning environments for collaboration and knowledge sharing and discuss how iPads can be integrated into the curriculum.     

Special educational needs support and consultancy in European schools

ABSTRACT

This article outlines the current state of development of special needs support and consultancy in four European countries: Holland, the Czech Republic, England and Wales, and Germany. Models of consultancy particular to the individual countries are also described. An attempt is made by the authors to determine the key features which allow for a common development in special needs support and consultancy work. They suggest that this might provide the basis for further critical     

Using Nonword Repetition Tasks for the Identification of Language Impairment in Spanish‐English‐Speaking Children: Does the Language of Assessment Matter?

The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to evaluate the clinical utility of a verbal working memory measure, specifically, a nonword repetition task, with a sample of Spanish-English bilingual children and (2) to determine the extent to which individual differences in relative language skills and language use had an effect on the clinical differentiation of these children by the measures. A total of 144 Latino children (95 children with typical language development and 49 children with language impairment) were tested using nonword lists developed for each language. The results show that the clinical accuracy of nonword repetition tasks varies depending on the language(s) tested. Test performance appeared related to individual differences in language use and exposure. The findings do not support a monolingual approach to the assessment of bilingual children with nonword repetition tasks, even if children appear fluent speakers in the language of testing. Nonword repetition may assist in the screening of Latino children if used bilingually and in combination with other clinical measures.     

Plagiarism in UK law schools: is there a postcode lottery?

The discussion of issues relating to academic dishonesty in the UK higher education sector has become increasingly intense in recent years and has often been subject to the media spotlight. This study examines the policies, procedures and penalties at law schools across the UK when dealing with allegations of plagiarism. Data were obtained in two stages via questionnaires and structured interviews with members of staff. The considerable degree of diversity which emerges is discussed and the possible implications of such diversity are examined.     

An assessment of the flow of communication in nursing teams

An urban hospital is the scene for studying the formal communication in nursing teams. Conclusions are drawn concerning upward and downward communication flow.     

Opinions on computers, and efficacy of a computer-based learning: A pilot study

It is commonly believed that positive opinions of students and teachers on the possibilities entailed by computer use would increase the efficacy of computer-based educational processes. In turn, this amounts to postulate a relationship between measures of such opinions and well-defined patterns of interaction with computer-based educational tools. In this regard, this paper reports on an investigation performed in a primary school, designed to test whether expectations and opinions on computers, both of students and teachers, detected through suitable questionnaires, might be related to the effectiveness of computer use within a particular educational context. Our findings, contrarily to what expected, do not appear to support the hypothesis that a positive opinion on computers can lead per se to higher learning efficacy in a computer-based educational environment, as compared with a traditional educational setting.     

Effect of the level of effort during resistance training on intraocular pressure

Background: We aimed to evaluate the influence of the level of effort during four basic resistance exercises leading to muscular failure on intraocular pressure (IOP) and ocular perfusion (OPP), as well as the role of exercise type and sex. Methods: Twenty-five young adults (12 women) performed 10 repetitions against their 10-RM (repetition maximum) load in the squat, military press, biceps curl and calf raise exercises. IOP was measured before, during and after exercise, whereas OPP was indirectly assessed before and after each exercise. Results: There was a progressive IOP rise during exercise (p?η²?=?0.531), which was dependent on exercise type (p?=?0.020, η²?=?0.125). The squat exercise induced higher IOP increments in comparison to the other exercises (corrected p-values?p-values?=?0.012 and 0.002). OPP exhibited a significant reduction when leading to muscular failure (p?=?0.001, η²?=?0.364), being statistically significant for the squat and military press exercises (corrected p-values?=?0.037 and 0.047). No effect of sex was found for IOP and OPP (p?>?0.05). Conclusions: A single set of resistance training leading to muscular failure causes an instantaneous and progressive IOP rise in healthy young individuals. These IOP rises depend on exercise type (squat?>?military press?=?biceps curl?>?calf raise), but not on participant´s sex. OPP diminished as a consequence of performing resistance training exercise, being statistically significant for the squat and military press exercises. Future studies should include glaucoma patients aiming to corroborate the generalizability of our findings.