The Florida State Libraries Resource Sharing Initiative: Unity Among a Disparate Group

This article discusses the development of a new resource sharing program within the Florida State University Libraries called UBorrow. Background includes information on similar programs and the use of Integrated Library Systems in this type of program. There is discussion of the pilot project which reviewed and selected the delivery system for this new program. Discussion also includes lessons learned concerning UBorrow's preliminary implementation and how unity in this service was created among a disparate group.     

Using Color of Fear and Color of Fear 2 with Class Profiles as an Instructional Tool in Interpersonal Communication

Objective: Use documentary films as catalysts around which issues of race/ethnicity can be introduced into discussions of interpersonal communication concepts and theories

Course: Interpersonal Communication     

Teacher-Student Similarity in an Educational Skills Course

An investigation of the effects of student-teacher similarity in an educational skills course revealed that student satisfaction and performance were more influenced by teacher characteristics than by an interaction of teacher-student characteristics. No one teacher characteristic predominated as a source of influence; however, for characteristics on which teachers were divided into “average” and “low” (low being valued as more positive) groups, it was always the “average” group which emerged as the positive influence. Intercorrelations of the personality characteristics and performance measures are presented and implications for teacher selection are discussed.     

Relevant prior knowledge moderates the effect of elaboration during small group discussion on academic achievement

This study set out to test whether relevant prior knowledge would moderate a positive effect on academic achievement of elaboration during small-group discussion. In a 2 × 2 experimental design, 66 undergraduate students observed a video showing a small-group problem-based discussion about thunder and lightning. In the video, a teacher asked questions to the observing participants. Participants either elaborated by responding to these questions, or did not elaborate, but completed a distraction task after each question. They received either relevant or irrelevant prior knowledge before the discussion. After the discussion, all participants studied a text about thunder and lighting and completed immediate and delayed-recall tests for this text. Elaboration had no main effect on recall, but there was a significant interaction effect between relevant prior knowledge and elaboration. The results suggest that elaboration is helpful for students with more prior knowledge, but harmful for students with less prior knowledge.     

Greater expectations: Learning from other nations in the quest for 'world-class standards' in US school mathematics and science

This study examines teachers’ experiences with and opinions on a web‐based, cross‐cultural project. Students from the Czech Republic, Denmark, Macedonia, and Sweden used information and communication technology and international collaboration to explore the links among youth, culture, and the use of alcohol. The data was generated through interviews with the teachers co‐ordinating the project in each of the classes. The teachers’ experiences with the approach as a whole led them to emphasize that the action‐oriented and participatory approach, combined with the use of information and communication technology and international collaboration, brought new, valuable perspectives to their own teaching and to their reflections about emerging new roles and teaching skills needed. The provisions for genuine student participation, authenticity in learning, intrinsic motivation, and the sense of the other were identified by the teachers as the main strengths of the approach.     

COGNITIVE LOAD THEORY AND THE ACQUISITION OF COMPLEX COGNITIVE SKILLS IN THE ELDERLY: TOWARDS AN INTEGRATIVE FRAMEWORK

The purpose of this article is to explore the advantages of instructional formats based on cognitive load theory for elderly learners engaged in the acquisition of complex cognitive skills. A great body of research has demonstrated that cognitive aging is accompanied by a reduction of working - memory capacity, a general slowing of mental processes, and a decline of the ability to repress irrelevant information. The core idea of cognitive load theory is that working - memory capacity is limited and should therefore be managed with great care and discretion. Cognitive load theory claims that this can be achieved by minimizing the level of extraneous cognitive load, which is the portion of load that does not contribute to schema acquisition, and by maximizing the level of germane cognitive load, which directly contributes to the construction of cognitive schemata. Since instructions based on cognitive load theory deal with cognitive limitations, in that they lead to an efficient use of the available resources, it was hypothesized that they are especially effective when elderly people are involved. This idea was analyzed by means of a framework merging cognitive load theory with the aforementioned research findings concerning cognitive aging. It was concluded that cognitive load theory, enabling elderly people to acquire new complex skills, can be regarded as an essential guide for educational gerontology.     

Evaluating psychometric properties of common autism educational identification measures through a culturally and linguistically responsive lens

Little information regarding the psychometric properties of the most commonly used autism identification measures used in school settings with traditionally racially and ethnically minoritized (REM) groups is available. This analysis of autism identification measures is particularly important due to the demographic increase in the United States among most REM populations in recent decades. In addition, most REM groups are inequitably identified for autism and these measures may contribute to disproportionate identification based on problematic psychometric factors. This study systematically compiles the recommended psychometric properties pertaining to validity and reliability of the common autism identification measures among REM groups that are traditionally underrepresented (i.e., Black and Latinx populations) for autism identification. Conclusions suggest that several of the most common autism identification measures lack sufficient psychometric analyses to evaluate appropriate utilization with REM populations, specifically those who are Black and Latinx. The findings from this study may inform school psychologists' utilization and knowledge of limitations of these measures, as well as assisting with the determination of the appropriateness of these measures for use with REM populations.     

Positive Shyness in the Brain: Frontal Electroencephalogram Alpha Asymmetry and Delta–Beta Correlation in Children

Positive shyness is thought to be an approach-dominant form of shyness, whereas non-positive shyness is thought to be an avoidance-dominant form of shyness. This study examined electrocortical and behavioral correlates of motivation and emotion in relation to these shy subtypes in 67 children (M_age = 10.41 years, SD = 3.23). Using resting state electroencephalography, findings revealed that positive shy and low shy children had greater relative left frontal alpha asymmetry compared to non-positive shy children, and positive shy children had a higher frontal delta–beta correlation compared to other groups. Non-positive shy children scored highest on parent-reported school avoidance. These findings converge with previous work reporting distinct correlates in positive and non-positive shyness, extending this to two brain measures of motivation and emotion.     

Associations between teacher-rated behavioral problems and reading difficulties? Interactions over time and halo effects

Associations between reading difficulties and problem behaviours in the classroom have been discussed controversially since the 1970s. The present paper investigates the influence of reading performance on teacher ratings of behavioural problems while taking into account behavioural autocorrelations and teacher halo effects. Teachers rated reading (in the middle of the school year) and behaviour (at the beginning and end of the school year) for a sample of 171 first-grade students. In addition, the students’ reading performance was objectively assessed via a standardised test at the end of first grade. The results showed that the effect of reading problems on classroom behaviour is heavily affected by autocorrelational and halo effects. After controlling for the interaction between teachers’ ratings of reading and behaviour, objectively measured reading performance had only a marginal direct effect on behaviour (as rated by teachers). Therefore, we argue that findings from the literature on the co-morbidity of behaviour and reading may be affected by similar (halo) effects, causing the effect of reading difficulties on classroom behaviour to be overestimated. Co-morbidities reported in the study should be closely examined with respect to their ‘methodological composition’ in the future.