Sensitivity Training as an Integral Phase of Counselor Education

A four-day T-Group was conducted conjointly with counselor education staff members and practicum students. At the end of the T-Group significant gains were made on the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory, a measure of Rogers' conditions of a helping relationship. Three months later clients of the group members rated them on the same measure. A number of significant correlations were found. A follow-up questionnaire anecdotally supported the findings.     

Embedded systems

Embedded systems differ from general purpose computers in many aspects. This article introduces the reader to embedded systems     

Measuring Educators' Attitudes and Beliefs About Evaluation: Construct Validity and Reliability of the Teacher Evaluation Experience Scale

This study presents the reliability and validity of the Teacher Evaluation Experience Scale–Teacher Form (TEES-T), a multidimensional measure of educators' attitudes and beliefs about teacher evaluation. Confirmatory factor analyses of data from 583 teachers were conducted on the TEES-T hypothesized five-factor model, as well as on alternative models. The five- and four-factor model yielded acceptable fit to the data. Information-theory-based indices of relative fit (i.e., AIC₀, BCC₀, and BIC₀) indicated that the TEES-T four-factor model yielded superior fit to either the five-factor or one-factor models. The TEES-T evidenced good internal consistency, freedom from item bias, and convergent validity with the Collective Efficacy Scale. Implications are discussed.     

A NATIONAL INVESTIGATION OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY TRAINERS’ ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS ABOUT EVIDENCE‐BASED PRACTICES

The present investigation examined 460 school psychology trainers’ attitudes and beliefs about the conditions for the education and training of evidence‐based practices (i.e., assessments and interventions) in training programs in the United States and Canada using an online survey. Trainer attitudes and beliefs about education and training in evidence‐based practices were measured using a 24‐item five‐point Likert scale. Overall, trainers had positive views of evidence‐based practices, as well as program and organizational support for such training. However, trainers rated the education and training of evidence‐based assessments more favorably than evidence‐based interventions. In general, trainer characteristics nor program accreditation status, model, or type of degree offered were found to influence trainers’ perceptions about evidence‐based practices. However, trainers with prior experience teaching evidence‐based intervention courses were found to have more supportive views of evidence‐based assessments and interventions than those without such experience. Implications for future training and school practice are discussed.     

Mobile agents

A software agent is an intelligent program that acts as a user’s personal assistant. Software agents endowed with the property of mobility are called mobile agents. Mobile agents perform a user’s task by migrating and executing on several hosts connected to the network.     

Voice-band modems: A device to transmit data over telephone networks

Over the last 40 years, there has been continuous evolution in the design of voice-band modems-starting at a data rate of 300 bits per second in late 1950s, a rate of 33,600 bits per second has been achieved in 1995. Realising such high data rates over the voice band of 3400 Hz is a remarkable feat made possible by combining sophisticated techniques from three disciplines, communication theory, signal processing and information theory. In this article, we begin with a brief introduction of voice-band modems and then introduce the basic principles of data transmission.     

Serum alpha-1-antitrypsin in smokers and non-smokers

Serum alpha-1-antitrypsin assay was carried out in 21 smokers (mean age 44±8 yrs) and in 25 nonsmokers (mean age 44±7 yrs). The levels of serum alpha-1-antitrypsin expressed in umol/mt/ml were 2.97±0.85 for smokers and 3.08±0.37 for non-smokers and analysis of variance revealed no significant difference between these two groups. However in five smokers reduced levels (<80% of the lower limit of non-smokers) were seen and four of them were bus drivers. This study advises monitoring of serum alpha-1-antitrypsin levels in smokers with possible therapy to those with reduced levels.