Conflict in the Dyadic Play of 3-Year-Old Children

Episodes of conflict provide a rich source of information about children's development of interactive skills. In the present study, 184 3-year-old children were observed in dyadic play and the 287 conflicts that occurred during their play were transcribed and coded. In general, children's conflicts arose in the context of ongoing play and were brief, lasting less than 15 seconds. Most disputes concerned toy possession, and almost 80% were ended by the simple withdrawal of one or the other children from the conflict. When children responded with emotional intensity to conflict, their conflicts lasted longer and were more likely to be followed by continued negative interaction. Individual difference data were available for one member of each dyad observed in play. Children rated in infancy as having difficult temperaments were found to be more intense during conflict, to spend more time in conflict, and to score higher on an index of conflict resolution competence, whereas concurrent social behavior was not related to conflict variables. Girls scored higher than boys on competence at conflict resolution, and children with better language skills spent less time in conflict. The more time children spent in nonmaternal child care up to age 3, the less likely they were to initiate conflict.     

Electronic mail in a children's distance course: trial and Evaluation

Children's correspondence schooling has long been practised in Australia. Its very history could make it prone to traditional practice. However, its continuing growth constantly opens avenues for experimentation. This paper describes and evaluates a project involving children from nine isolated families connected with the School. Staff and students used videotex, facsimile, 1200/75 baud modems, IBM personal computers with colour monitors, and the telephone. Though accompanied with the usual unpredictable problems, it was rated a great success.     

Making the Transition from Diagnosis to Treatment-planning: Validity,Reliability and Factor Structure of the Autism Spectrum Disorder Behaviour Checklist

The validity, reliability and factor structure of the Autism Spectrum Disorder Behaviour Checklist-Revised (ASDBC-R) were measured in a sample of 140 boys with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) aged between 6 and 18 years. Internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) was satisfactory and the ASDBC-R significantly correlated with the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS). Factor analysis of the ASDBC-R revealed a five-factor solution, which included all of the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for ASD but with considerable overlap across criteria and factors. Agreement between ASDBC-R factors and SRS subscales was significant for three ASDBC-R factors but only marginal for the remaining two factors. Results indicated that the ASDBC-R could be used to develop targeted behavioural treatment plans for children with ASD across a range of settings, thus improving the development of individualised interventions for children with ASD.     

High School Teachers' Use of Data to Inform Instruction

The expectation that teachers will use student achievement data to improve their instruction is a major feature of national and local reform agendas. The theory of action behind data-driven decision making is a mostly causal model of professional action, whereby teachers diagnose weaknesses and implement solutions. The purpose of this article is to examine how high school teachers, situated within their policy and work contexts, use data to inform instructional decisions. Using a framework that draws upon sense-making and co-construction theories on reform implementation, we analyze qualitative data gathered in 4 urban public high schools in the United States. Findings reveal that the process of data use by teachers is complex, multilayered, and influenced by teacher interpretations and social interactions. Teachers used a variety of forms of data to inform their decision making and struggled to reconcile policies promoting data-driven decision making with local beliefs and practices. Implications for research and policy are discussed.