Technology User Groups and Early Childhood Education: A Preliminary Study

This article presents a preliminary examination of the potential of Technology User Groups as a professional development venue for early childhood education professionals in developing operational and functional competence in using hardware and software components of a Technology toolkit. Technology user groups are composed of varying numbers of participants having an interest in technology, and are led by one or more skilled facilitators who meet with participants across time to help them acquire and demonstrate new technology skill sets. A series of these groups were conducted with seven early education professionals serving young preschool children who were at risk or who had disabilities. The impact of these technology user groups was examined using self-reports subsequent to individual participation. Specific data were collected regarding the types of technologies that had been used, and the types of classroom instructional products that had been created and implemented in classrooms using the technologies. A discussion of the value of technology user groups is presented.     

Teachers' Emotional Support Consistency Predicts Children's Achievement Gains and Social Skills

Research Findings: It is widely acknowledged that consistent, high-quality teacher–student interactions promote optimal developmental outcomes for children. Previous research on the quality of teacher–student interactions provides empirical support for this premise. Little research has been conducted on the consistency of teacher–student interactions. This study examines whether consistency in teachers' emotional support is related to better academic and social outcomes for children. Multiple observations were conducted in 694 prekindergarten classrooms. Mean levels of emotional support and consistency of emotional support were used as predictors in multilevel models. Results indicated that when mean levels of emotional support were controlled, within-day consistency of emotional support predicted several academic outcomes in prekindergarten as well as social competence in kindergarten. Practice or Policy: Results indicate that teachers' consistency of emotional support is a salient aspect of children's classroom environment. Findings suggest that consistency should be considered when evaluating teachers' emotionally supportive interactions.     

Defining Quality Child Care: Multiple Stakeholder Perspectives

Multiple perspectives regarding the definition of quality child care, and how child care quality can be improved, were examined using a focus group methodology. Participants were representatives from stakeholder groups in the child care profession, including child care center owners and directors (3 groups), parents (3 groups), child caregivers (3 groups), policy makers (1 group), and social service providers (1 group). Qualitative analysis revealed 6 components of quality that were consistently discussed across all participant groups: (a) communication and rapport, (b) caregiver practices, (c) staff characteristics, (d) finances and resources, (e) visibility and involvement, and (f) professionalism. Analyses highlighted differences among stakeholder groups and the complex interplay among quality components. Findings are compared to previously documented perspectives on child care quality, and a conceptual model is presented that (a) summarizes findings about how proximity to child impacts definitions of quality and (b) highlights the central role played by child care center directors. Implications for child care practice and policy are discussed.     

The Importance of Demographic,Social, and Political Context for Estimating Policy Impacts: Comment on “Implementing New York's Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program”

Morrissey, Leikes, and Cochran (this issue) raise concerns about potential negative effects of state pre-kindergarten (pre-K) on the early care and education system. To put their study in context, I reviewed national demographic and enrollment trends. I found little evidence of negative effects from state pre-K policy. One reason may be that population growth and child care policies mitigated potential negative impacts of pre-K expansion. However, national averages could conceal important local variations or even nationwide variations when there are offsetting gains and losses. Children under age 5, their families, and their teachers all likely gained from increases in public pre-K. Infant/toddler care in private programs expanded as quickly as public pre-K. Morrissey and colleagues' small data set from New York has serious limitations, but some of the most salient findings are consistent with the national picture. The study offers lessons and suggests topics for future research on the influence of pre-K policy on the early care and education system.     

Conceptual Foundations and Components of a Contextual Intervention to Promote Student Engagement During Early Adolescence: The Supporting Early Adolescent Learning and Social Success (SEALS) Model

Decades of research indicate that many early adolescents are at risk for developing significant school adjustment problems in the academic, behavioral, and social domains during the transition to middle school. The Supporting Early Adolescent Learning and Social Success (SEALS) model has been developed as a professional development and consultation program to train teachers in universal (Tier 1) instructional and classroom management strategies to address the correlated risks experienced by students during this time. This article reviews the conceptual foundations of the SEALS model, provides an overview of SEALS intervention components, describes the SEALS professional development training and consultation framework, reviews preliminary findings of the impact of SEALS in rural school settings in the United States, and discusses research needs and future directions regarding the use of the SEALS model.     

Supporting Content-Based Feedback in On-Line Writing Evaluation with LSA

This paper describes tests of an automated essay grader and critic that uses Latent Semantic Analysis. Several methods which score the quality of the content in essays are described and tested. These methods are compared against human scores for the essays and the results show that LSA can score as accurately as the humans. Finally, we describe the implementation of the essay grader/critic in an undergraduate course. The outcome showed that students could write and revise their essays on-line, resulting in improved essays. Implications are discussed for the use of the technology in undergraduate courses and how it can provide an effective approach to incorporating more writing both in and outside of the classroom.     

Teaching Development in Higher Education as Scholarly Practice: A reply to Rowland et al. 'Turning Academics into Teachers?'

The author replies to an attack, made by Rowland et al. in Teaching in Higher Education 3(2), on the practice and profession of university teaching development (also known as 'academic development' and 'educational development'). It argues that by omitting reference to Scholarship, Rowland has confused his subject-matter, since the so-called 'dichotomy' between research and teaching on which the argument is based has been transcended since Boyer's work. It argues that teaching development is a legitimate second-order practice in the same family as literary and artistic criticism and similar fields. It appeals for a close collegial relationship between teachers and teaching developers, based on mutual respect, understanding and appreciation of each other's contribution to the academic enterprise. This is necessary in the face of the onslaught of the corporate managerialism that has (on his own admission) triggered Rowland's work. Written from an Australian perspective, the paper contributes to a dialogue about vital contemporary issues in Higher Education.     

Teaching Personal,Professional and Enterprise Skills in Geology

Abstract

Traditional vocational degrees have not always recognised the nature of contemporary post‐graduation student employment which indicates that the majority of students no longer go on to practice in a profession related to their original degree. There is a need, therefore, for such vocational degree programmes to provide a wider curriculum in commercial and industrial skills rather than just the traditional knowledge‐based teaching which is still evident in many institutions. This paper presents the basis, content, delivery and an appraisal, following 4 years of operation, of a third year compulsory module on degree programmes in geology at the University of Plymouth which aims to provide students with an introduction to the skills and practices of industry. Although the module uses geology as a focus, it could be readily adapted to a wide range of science and technology programmes.     

Implications of domain‐general “psychological support skills” for transfer of skill and acquisition of expertise

The article proposes that individuals who acquire certain psychological support skills may experience accelerated learning and enhanced performance in many domains. In support of this proposal, we present evidence that these skills enhance learning and performance, that they are domain‐general in that they can be applied in a variety of domains, and that they can be taught and learned. We also discuss two implications of the skills for current theories of expertise. The first is that any observed transfer of expertise between domains might result as much from the support supplied by application of the skills during learning and performance as from any direct transfer achieved due to two domains sharing similar task elements. The second is that use of these skills might contribute to an understanding of how performers sustain the motivation necessary for the extended period of deliberate practice required to maximize skill acquisition.     

Influence of Process Parameters on Chlorinated Biocide Decontamination by li-CO2 on Artificially Contaminated Model Materials

ABSTRACT

Previously, heavy use of biocides for the treatment of objects made of organic materials in museum collections (e.g. ethnographic, historical collections) was very common. Now suitable decontamination methods/technologies are being sought. A decontamination treatment by li-CO₂ was optimized that considered the specific requirements of museum objects. The treatment was tested on model materials artificially contaminated with biocide solutions containing dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), pentachlorophenol (PCP), lindane, and permethrin or cypermethrin. High decontamination was achieved for DDT, lindane, PCP, and permethrin on artificially biocide loaded wool and wood model materials. Optimal process parameter settings for li-CO₂ decontamination include a single 30?min cycle for woolen materials and three sequential 30?min cycles each for wood. These methods allow a reduction of at least 90% of all biocides for wool and between 70% and 85% for wood. Decontamination of the latter was more effective for less polar biocides as DDT and permethrin. Despite a significant improvement in decontamination for wood using co-solvents such as acetone, ethanol, and methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE), their use is not recommended due to the increased risk of damage to the objects, in particular if a surface coating is present.