Prelinguistic vocal development in young cochlear implant recipients and typically developing infants: year 1 of robust hearing experience

This investigation examined the time course and sequence of prelinguistic vocal development during the first year of cochlear implant (CI) experience. Thirteen children who were implanted between 8 and 35 months and 11 typically developing (TD) infants participated in this longitudinal study. Adult-child play interactions were video- and audio-recorded at trimonthly intervals for each group, and child utterances were classified into categories representing progressively more mature productions: Precanonical Vocalizations, Basic Canonical Syllables, and Advanced Form vocalizations. Young CI recipients met the 20% criterion for establishment of the Basic Canonical Syllables and Advanced Forms levels with fewer months of robust hearing experience than the TD infants. Most CI recipients followed the sequence of development predicted by the Stark Assessment of Early Vocal Development-Revised. The relatively rapid progress of the CI children suggests that an earlier period of auditory deprivation did not have negative consequences for prelinguistic vocal development. It also supports the notion that young CI recipients comparatively advanced maturity facilitated expeditious auditory-guided speech development.     

Philosophy of Science and Education

This is a vast and vague topic. In order to do justice to it one has to write a book or maybe more than one. For it can be understood in quite different ways and on different levels For example you may think mainly of the historical aspect, that is how philosophy of science developed in the last hundred or so years and how its influence on education changed; you may think of quite different schools of philosophy, from Marxist or positivist to such exotic but at some places influential philosophic positions like that of Rudolph Steiner; of course, you may limit the subject to special fields like epistemology, theory of scientific methodology, or, what has become fashionable recently, sociology of knowledge which may have a considerable bearing on physics teaching (Collins and Shapin 1983; Jung 1985). Again we may think of the topic treated by a philosopher, a scientist, an educationalist, a teacher, which would mean quite a difference. I am trying here to speak as an educationalist, with the physics teacher in mind: this is my vocational perspective as someone who educates physics teachers. Of course, our main concern is the contribution of science, especially physics, to general education, which integrates many of the special topics mentioned. Philosophy of science comes in because it is not at all clear what science and physics is, and what of it should be taught, and how such chosen parts should be taught. I also take this opportunity to give an idea of the longstanding tradition of this discussion in Germany, connected with names like Wagenshein, Litt, Heisenberg and many others.     

Amotivation and Indecision in the Decision-Making Processes Associated with University Entry

This study developed and tested two models that examined the decision-making processes of adolescents relating to entry into university, in terms of the extent to which they may be amotivated and undecided. The models incorporated variables derived from self-determination theory, expectancy-value theory, and research on occupational indecision. A modified version of a psychometrically rigorous survey instrument was used to collect data from 349 senior high school students attending three high schools in Sydney, Australia. Data were analysed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling procedures. The refined versions of both models had good fit. The superior model suggested that: (a) family influences negatively predict amotivation with university entry (b) amotivation with university entry negatively predicts the valuing of interest/enjoyment and income due to university study, a desire for a “good” occupation, and expectations for success, and (c) amotivation with university entry positively predicts indecision with university entry.     

Teachers’ roles in infants’ play and its changing nature in a dynamic group care context

Using a qualitative research approach, this article explores teachers’ roles in infants’ play and its changing nature in an infant group care setting. Three infant teachers in a child care center were followed over three months. Observations, interviews, ongoing conversations, emails, and reflective notes were used as data sources. Findings revealed that the teachers took on various roles: observer, play follower/play partner, facilitator, commentator/interpreter, play supporter, play leader, play interrupter, safety/conflict manager, multiple-responder, and multiple-role taker. The nature of the teachers’ roles developed and changed over time in relation to the infants’ rapid growth, group dynamics, and infant–teacher relationships. This study suggests that infant teachers’ practice is complex, changing, and developmental as the group care context is dynamic and multilayered.     

Wisdom from Korean Reentry Counseling Professionals: A Phenomenological Study of the Reentry Process

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the common experience of Korean counseling professionals who returned to South Korea after obtaining their doctoral degrees in the United States. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten Korean counseling professionals to understand their cross-cultural experience. The data were analyzed by phenomenological methods of inquiry. Seven themes emerged from the analyses: Reminiscence, Differences and Comparisons, Benefits, Challenges, Coping, Application and Modification, and Meaning. The findings suggested how the setting and context in which the reentry process occurred contributed to the participants’ experience as well as the essence of the reentry process. Implications of the results are discussed in the light of cross-cultural counseling and for future research and practice.     

Book review

Kamalipour, Y. R., & Mowlana, H. (Eds.). (1994). Mass media in the Middle East: A comprehensive handbook. Westport, CN: Greenwood Press. 333 pages.

Boyd, D. (1993). Broadcasting in the Arab world: A survey of the electronic media in the Middle East (2nd ed.). Ames, IA: Iowa State University Press. 386 pages.

Hoyer, S., Lauk, E., & Vihalemm, P. (Eds.). (1993). Towards a civic society: The Baltic media's long road to freedom. Tartu, Estonia: Baltic Association for Media Research. 366 pages.

Silj, A. (Ed). (1992). The new television in Europe. London: John Libbey. 644 pages.

Noam, E., Komatsuzaki, S., & Conn, D. (Eds.). (1994). Telecommunications in the Pacific Basin. New York: Oxford University Press. 514 pages.

Englis, B. G. (Ed.). (1994). Global and multinational advertising. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. 266 pages.     

Exploring Survivor Experiences and Emotions Expressed about Loss and Responsibility Following a Thrombosis Event

We explored the experiences and emotions women expressed about having a blood clot, including revelations about family members' decision to avoid disclosing inherited risk for clotting. We do this through analysis of in-depth life reflection interviews (N = 20) of women who experienced a first venous blood clot between the ages of 18 and 50 years. Selective coding reduced the data to an overarching story associated with thrombosis survivorship and loss across multiple life domains. The themes identified include participant revelations about living in the shadow of genetic susceptibility for thrombosis. Participants manage changes associated with lingering health effects, and daily routines for work and life, adapting their lives to manage coagulability. A second theme reveals the fallout linked to the severity of thrombosis encompassed in haunting psychological scenarios, persistent emotional concerns, and social discrimination. Participants assumed responsibility to disclose inherited risk, with the women expressing empowerment in knowing risks and acknowledging possible genetic testing mistakes. The overarching perspective was one of hope through proactive actions in occupational, recreational, and relational realms. We offer our findings as a theoretical depiction of thrombosis survivor identity and the need for public health and clinical communication to support disclosing family history for clotting.     

Neighborhood storytelling networks,Internet connectedness,and civic participation after the Great East Japan Earthquake

This study examines how the neighborhood storytelling network, which is conceptualized in communication infrastructure theory and includes interpersonal, organizational and community media connectedness, and an individual's Internet connectedness affected participation in civic activities in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake, which occurred on 11 March 2011. Responses from 544 randomly selected people residing in Tokyo reveal that connectedness to a neighborhood storytelling network and one's Internet connectedness have positive effects on participation in civic activities in response to the earthquake. However, the two independent factors (neighborhood storytelling and Internet connectedness) do not exhibit a significant relationship with each other. The result suggests the existence of two different conduits for civic engagement in disaster situations – neighborhood storytelling networks and Internet connectedness – mainly distinguished by age.     

Attention cycles and the H1N1 pandemic: a cross-national study of US and Korean newspaper coverage

This study analyzes US and South Korean news coverage of the H1N1 pandemic to examine cross-cultural variations in attention cycle patterns, cited sources, and news frames. A content analysis was conducted on 630 articles from US and Korean newspapers during the period of April to October 2009. It found that attention cycle patterns, news frames, and sources varied across the two countries according to professional norms, cultural values, social ideologies, and occurrences of relevant events. While US news coverage showed two phases of waxing and waning attention, Korean news coverage showed five phases. The frames used in US news stories placed more emphasis on attribution of responsibility, action, and reassurance. Other framing variations were found as news attention in each country rose and fell. Regarding sources used, Korean news stories relied more on governmental sources, while US news stories used a greater diversity of sources. This study advances research on variations in the attention cycle for transnational issues by specifying how journalists’ framing of social problems can differ according to the following: cultural factors, the shape of the news attention cycle, and the occurrence of events related to the issue at hand.     

The determinants of private tutoring participation and attendant expenditures in Korea

With the growing worldwide prevalence of private tutoring, the causes and effects of private tutoring have been drawing increasing attention both academically and policy wise. This study intends to draw policy implications by investigating the determinants of private tutoring participation of school-aged children and expenditures per child for such private tutoring. The logistic regression (for participation), OLS, and F.E. panel models (for expenditures) were adopted for the analysis, using the Korean panel data. The empirical findings indicate that private tutoring for children—both in terms of participation and expenditures—has a positive correlation with the mother’s educational attainment (preference effect), a negative correlation with the mother’s employment status (time constraint effect), and a positive correlation with the household income (income effect).