The effects of computer-assisted instruction on number combination skill in at-risk first graders

The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the potential for computer-assisted instruction (CAI) to enhance number combination skill among children with concurrent risk for math disability and reading disability. A secondary purpose was to examine the effects of CAI on spelling. At-risk students were assigned randomly to math or spelling CAI, which they received in 50 sessions over 18 weeks. Acquisition and transfer effects were assessed. The results indicated that math CAI was effective in promoting addition but not subtraction number combination skill and that transfer to arithmetic story problems did not occur. Spelling CAI effects were reliable on acquisition and transfer spelling measures, with small to moderate effect sizes on transfer to reading measures. These results provide the basis for additional work with larger samples.     

Professionally mediated peer support and early breastfeeding success

Social support interventions that incorporate professionally mediated peer support (PMPS) for improved breastfeeding outcomes were compared with no special breastfeeding support. Fifty-five breastfeeding mothers participated. The breastfeeding outcomes of duration, completeness, satisfaction, and exclusive breastfeeding were compared at 6 weeks postpartum among an experimental group that received PMPS, and among younger community (YC) and older community (OC) groups that received no special breastfeeding support. The PMPS group exclusively breastfed for a significantly longer duration than the YC group. At 6 weeks, mothers in both community groups who had weaned were significantly less satisfied with their breastfeeding experiences than the mothers who were still nursing their babies. Professionally mediated peer support can improve the early breastfeeding outcomes of duration of exclusive breastfeeding and satisfaction with breastfeeding.     

The regulation of clinical chemistry in Slovenia

The practice of medical biochemistry in Slovenia includes clinical biochemistry (including toxicology, therapeutic drug monitoring, endocrinology, molecular diagnostics, immunology), hematology and coagulation. To start the vocational medical biochemistry training programme it's necessary to have a completed university degree (second cycle) in pharmacy, chemistry, biochemistry, medicine or other relevant university study and 1 year supervised practical training in medical laboratories, completed with mandatory state exam at Ministry of Health. The duration of vocational training programme is 4 years and is completed with final exam. The title after passed final examination is Medical biochemistry specialist. In October 2005 EC4 (Communities Confederation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine) approved Equivalence of standards of Slovenian national standards for medical biochemistry specialists. Since 2006 it is mandatory to be registered and to have valid license for medical biochemistry specialists and other professionals in laboratory medicine with at least university degree (second cycle) of education. Laboratory medicine in Slovenia is regulated globally through the Law of health-care activity and particularly through the Bylaw of laboratory medicine. The latter is based on standard ISO 15189, ratified in 2004. The Bylaw envisages granting working license to laboratories, valid for 5 years period. Granting of working licenses is ongoing process and first licenses have been granted in 2009. Important improvement toward the quality requirements for medical laboratories can be observed in the last 5 years. Parallel with the Bylaw of medical laboratories, Slovenian Accreditation (SA), the legal national accreditation body, started the initiative for accreditation of medical laboratories according to ISO 15189. It is in the implementation phase.     

Mastery motivational climate: influence on physical play and heart rate in African American toddlers

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a planned mastery motivational physical play session on physical activity (i.e., heart rate [HR] and physical play intensity [PAHR > 50]) in toddlers (N = 21), as compared to a nonplanned free play session. Participants wore a monitor to measure HR over two, 30 min play conditions. A multivariate analysis of variance was conducted to evaluate the effect of the play conditions. A significant difference between conditions and physiological measures revealed that the mastery motivational physical play session resulted in higher HR and PAHR > 50 when compared to free play. These findings suggest the mastery motivational session resulted in more vigorous physical play in toddlers than free play.     

新疆少数民族中小学汉语教材评估标准研究

少数民族汉语教学是当前我国民族教育教学改革的热点和重点。少数民族基础教育在整个教育体系中起着重要的作用。而教材作为教育工作的三大要素之一,它的质量不仅是教育过程中教学质量和科研学术水平的综合反映,而且直接关系到人才的培养质量。本文试图以新疆少数民族中小学汉语教材为切入口,依据一定的评估理论基础,对如何把握教材评估、确定教材评估标准、控制教材质量进行探讨。