A Professional Development Program to Improve Math Skills Among Preschool Children in Head Start

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects on four-year-olds’ knowledge of mathematics by introducing professional development and center-based mathematics activities around four mathematical domains to early educators’ teaching in Head Start programs. Because of the need to provide necessary mathematical experiences to young children to improve their early understanding and skills and provide the foundation for future success in mathematics, we provided the treatment group of early educators with professional development and center-based activities to promote four critical areas in mathematics. By randomly selecting Head Start centers to participate as the treatment group or control group, we were able to examine the effects of the professional development and set of activities on preschool children’s knowledge over a six-month period. We found children in the treatment group were more fluent and flexible with number concepts, were better at solving contextual problems, and had better measurement and spatial abilities than children in the control group.     

Attempting to Enhance Students' Learning through Innovative Programs: The Case for Schools Evolving into High Reliability Organizations 1

We are in an unprecedented period of call for educational improvement. This paper explores the reasons why this generation's educational reform period is lasting much longer than previous reform periods. It then asks what can be done, and looks at several “promising programs” for improving students’ learning. Third, the paper argues not just for valid teaching methods and programs, but also for high reliability implementation methods. Adults create and implement programs, students experience schooling, including new reading programs, as the programs are presented. In a high reliability organization, schooling as designed by adults would be very nearly the same as schooling experienced by children. The paper ends with implications of this reasoning.

     

William Cullen Bryant's occasional addresses

Although most people know William Cullen Bryant as one of America's great nineteenth‐century poets, not many think of him as a leading editor of a New York newspaper. And few indeed realize that he was one of the leading public speakers of his time.     

New developments in the Nigerian library scene

The importance of a national bibliography can not be overemphasized. It may be published by any body in the country, though, usually the national library of the country is the body responsible for its publication. National deposit is necessary for its comprehensiveness. This paper deals with the state of the national bibliography in Ethiopia, its origin, establishment of the National Library of Ethiopia and law of deposit. Ethiopia is one of the three countries in Africa where lists of their publications from the 19th century are found. Two organizations were identified which were engaged in publishing the national bibliography in Ethiopia: one is the National Library and Archives of Ethiopia by the virtue of the power invested through legal deposit and another is the Institute of Ethiopian Studies, to enablc it to provide documentation services to its users. It seems uncconomical and irrational. It is recommended that all the three organizations, the National Library, the Institute of Ethiopian Studies and the National Archives of Ethiopia, should be separated to look after their own specific functions and perform their own specialized duties.     

Why young elite athletes fear failure: Consequences of failure

Abstract

Fear of failure can have negative effects on children in achievement settings, affecting many aspects of their lives. Perceiving the consequences of failure to be aversive provides the basis for fear of failure, and the anticipation of a threatening outcome elicits fear. Problems attributed to fear of failure in achievement settings are prevalent. Sport is a popular and significant achievement domain for children and adolescents and there is a lack of research on fear of failure in sport among this age group. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate fear of failure in the sport domain among young elite athletes, and to explore their perceptions of the consequences of failure. Interviews were conducted individually with nine athletes aged 14 – 17 years (5 males, 4 females). Analysis identified and organized perceived consequences of failure into themes and categories. Results revealed that the most commonly perceived aversive consequences of failure were diminished perception of self, no sense of achievement, and the emotional cost of failure. These findings are consistent with those reported in adult population, suggesting the potential for generalizing existing results to young elite athletes.     

Two tests of approach-iron golf skill and their ability to predict tournament performance

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the convergent and predictive validity of two skill tests that examine the ability of golfers to hit accurate approach-iron shots. Twenty-four high-level golfers (handicap = 2.6 ± 1.7) performed the Nine-Ball Skills Test (assesses the ability to shape/control ball trajectory with high accuracy) and the Approach-Iron Skill Test (assesses the ability to hit straight shots from varying distances with high accuracy). Participants then completed at least eight rounds of tournament golf over the following 90 days and reported an indicator of approach-iron accuracy (per cent error index). A moderate correlation (r = 0.50, P < 0.05) was noted between scores for both tests. Generalised estimating equations, using two covariates (lie of the ball and distance to hole), were used to determine model fit and the amount of variance explained for tournament per cent error index. Results showed that the Approach-Iron Skill Test was the slightly stronger predictor of on-course per cent error index. With both test scores considered together, a minimal amount of additional variance was explained. These findings suggest that either of the tests used individually or combined may be used to predict tournament approach iron performance in high-level golfers.     

Intergenerational transmission of educational disadvantage: Education progression of children of care leavers compared to a general population sample

There is persistent evidence showing that care leavers tend to have lower educational outcomes compared to their peers. There is, however, less knowledge of whether this educational disadvantage transfers to the second generation. This study adopts a developmental contextual life-course approach to examine: (a) the extent of educational inequality of children of care leavers from school entry to public examinations at age 16; (b) the relative role of different psychosocial family resources as predictors of educational attainment; and (c) the role of early school readiness assessments as predictors of later educational attainment. Drawing on data collected from families living in England at the first sweep of the nationally representative UK Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) (n = 11,514), the findings suggest intergenerational transmission of educational disadvantage among children of care leavers (n = 287), which is manifest in a direct assessment of school readiness (age 3), at the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) (age 5) and in General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) attainment (age 16). However, once inequalities in family socio-economic background or area deprivation and housing are controlled for, children of care leavers perform comparably in their educational progression to those whose mothers had no experience of being in care (n = 11,227). Moreover, the findings highlight the significance of early school readiness assessments in predicting later educational attainment for the whole sample. Findings are discussed regarding their implications for policy, in particular the need to address educational inequality for children in care, area allocation and housing that is offered to care leavers, and the general importance of early interventions.     

Attachment dimensions as predictors of mental health and psychosocial well-being in the transition to university

This study sought to investigate the predictive relationship that dimensions of attachment shared with an array of indicators of psychosocial well-being and mental health in a sample of students making the transition to higher education. One hundred and thirty-one students completed the Vulnerable Attachment Styles Questionnaire (VASQ) prior to enrolment in their first semester of university education. Subsequently, the students completed measures related to perceived loneliness, institutional integration, psychological need satisfaction, depressive symptoms and ways of coping during their first semester. Results suggested that higher scores in relation to the insecurity dimension of the VASQ were instrumental in predicting negative psychosocial well-being and mental health. The results discussed the key vulnerability dimensions of attachment when seeking to predict indices of psychosocial well-being and mental health.     

Commercialising comparison: Pearson puts the TLC in soft capitalism

Abstract

This paper provides a critical policy analysis of The Learning Curve (TLC) (2012), an initiative developed by the multinational edu-business, Pearson, in conjunction with the Economist Intelligence Unit. TLC exemplifies the commercialising of comparison and the efforts of edu-businesses to strategically position themselves in education policy processes globally. In analysing TLC, our account seeks to proffer a critical analysis of this emerging policy genre, and the way it functions as part of the new ‘soft capitalism’. We analyse TLC in relation to Pearson’s new business strategy, which emphasises corporate social responsibility and accountability to consumers for the efficacy of its products and services. We argue that Pearson is now generating and appropriating various data to legitimise its products and services according to a ‘neo-social’ mode of accountability. Network ethnography is employed to document the global networks of both people and data associated with TLC and we reflect on the emergence of Pearson as a potential education policy actor.     

Motion Pictures

Gerald Mast and Marshall Cohen (eds.) Film Theory and Criticism: Introductory Readings (New York: Oxford University Press, 1974 -- $4.95, paper)

Jump Cut (3130 West Schubert, Chicago, Ill. 60647 -- $3.00 per year for Six issues)

Sam Ewing and R.W. Abolin's Professional Filmmaking (Blue Ridge Summit, Pa.: TAB Books, 1974 -- $9.95)

David Coynik's Movie-Making, (Chicago: Loyola University Press, 1974 -- $3.50 (2.63 to schools), paper with a teacher guide at $1.00, paper)

Lewis Yablonsky's George Raft (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1974 -- $8.95)

Al DiOrio, Jr.'s Little Girl Lost: The Life and Hard Times of Judy Garland (New Rochelle, N.Y.: Arlington House, 1974 -- $8.95)

Eileen Hsu-Balzer, Richard H. Balzer and Franciz K.J. Gsy's China Day by Day (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1974 -- $15.00/7.95)