Income and the development of effortful control as predictors of teacher reports of preschool adjustment

This study examined the relations of income and children's effortful control to teacher reports of preschoolers’ social competence and adjustment problems. This study tested whether changes in effortful control accounted for the effects of income on children's adjustment. A community sample (N = 306) of preschool-age children (36–40 mos.) and their mothers, representing the full range of income (29% at or near poverty, 28% at or below the local median income), was used. Path analyses were used to test the prospective effects of income on rank-order changes in two aspects of effortful control, executive control and delay ability, which in turn, predicted teacher-reported adjustment problems and social competence. Lower income predicted smaller rank-order change in executive control, but did not predict changes in delay ability. Smaller rank-order change in delay ability predicted greater adjustment problems above the effect of income. Larger rank-order change in executive control predicted greater social competence and fewer adjustment problems above the effect of income. These findings provided some support for the hypothesis that disruptions in the development of effortful control related to low income might account for the effects of low income on young children's adjustment. Effortful control is potentially a fruitful target for intervention, particularly among children living in low income and poverty.     

Al pie de la letra

Resumen

El objetivo de este trabajo es explicar una línea de investigación en el campo del conocimiento notacional y del lenguaje escrito. El surgimiento de la idea de estudiar estos dominios de conocimiento así como las sucesivas investigaciones que se realizaron se presentaran en el marco de las ideas psicólogos, psicologuísticas y educacionales a las cuales estas investigaciones respondieron, tanto por acuerdo como por oposición. Para completar nuestro objetivo hemos decidido hacer un ejercicio de estilo, un ejercicio en el cuál transgredimos un texto por excelencia: el Génesis.

Este ejercicio sirvió para organizar nuestra exposición y para ejemplificar uno de los sentidos en los cuales utilizamos la noción de transgresión. Transgredir en este sentido es una manera de cambiar, distinta de la de errar porque implica un conocimiento conciente de la restricción, regla, norma o convención que rige aquello que se transgrede. El objetivo de la educación es, o debería ser, promover el cambio, para ello debe lograr que los sujetos concienticen las reglas, normas o convenciones que los rigen y puedan así decidir activamente a cuáles sujetarse y cuáles modificar.     

Longitudinal Relations Among Positivity,Perceived Positive School Climate,and Prosocial Behavior in Colombian Adolescents

Bidirectional relations among adolescents’ positivity, perceived positive school climate, and prosocial behavior were examined in Colombian youth. Also, the role of a positive school climate in mediating the relation of positivity to prosocial behaviors was tested. Adolescents (N = 151; M_age of child in Wave 1 = 12.68, SD = 1.06; 58.9% male) and their parents (N = 127) provided data in two waves (9 months apart). A model of bidirectional relations between positivity and perceived positive school climate emerged. In addition, adolescents with higher levels of perceived positive school climate at age 12 showed higher levels of prosocial behaviors in the following year. Positive school climate related positivity to adolescents’ prosocial behavior over time.     

Scientific Literacy and Social Transformation

The paper provides a systematic theoretical analysis of the main visions of the concept of scientific literacy developed in the last 20 years. It is described as a transition from a transmissive educational vision of scientific literacy (Vision-I) to a transformative vision (Vision-III), with a stronger engagement with social participation and emancipation. Using conceptual tools from sociology and the philosophy of education, the notions of science participation and emancipation associated with transformative Vision-III are critically analyzed in order to draw attention to the growing need to define them with greater accuracy as key conceptual components of scientific literacy. Without such an approach, it will be difficult for science education to materialize and consolidate educational actions that are pedagogically sound, culturally and socially sensitive, and coherent with the social transformation of the diverse conditions of oppression. It is concluded that Vision-III should include both a broad conception of participation, which makes visible the invisible and informal acts performed by diverse groups to build society, and an alternative notion of emancipation committed to liberation.

     

Pre-exercise antioxidant enzyme activities determine the antioxidant enzyme erythrocyte response to exercise

Free radical production increases during exercise and oxidative damage occurs in several tissues. We examined the effects of three different exercise tests on the pattern of change of erythrocyte enzyme antioxidant activities. The tests were a short maximal exercise test, a submaximal prolonged exercise test and a cycling stage during competition. The participants were amateur and professional cyclists with different training statuses and different basal erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme activities. The maximal test produced no changes in the erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme activities of amateur sportsmen. The submaximal test, performed at 80% of maximal oxygen uptake, decreased erythrocyte catalase (12%), glutathione peroxidase determined with H2O2 (14%) and glutathione reductase (16%); superoxide dismutase activity increased by about 25%. The cycling stage performed by professional cyclists increased erythrocyte catalase (29%) and glutathione reductase (10%) activities. The in vivo changes in glutathione reductase activity were confirmed by in vitro measurements: hydrogen peroxide decreased and the presence of catalase increased the activity of this enzyme. In conclusion, we suggest that the different erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme responses to diverse exercise tests can be explained by the effects of hydrogen peroxide and the superoxide anion on the antioxidant enzyme activities in erythrocytes.     

Faculty identity through spheres of teaching and research activity and associated genres

This study aims to understand how faculty identity development is related to a differential use of writing genres in the teaching and research spheres of activity and whether this development follows different paths, on the bases of faculty perceptions regarding what they consider their main goal at university and their preferred sphere of activity. Participants (N?=?67) answered the online survey Faculty identity and academic writing. A mixed-method design combining quantitative and qualitative data analysis was used. Results showed first that the most often used genres were written exams in the teaching sphere of activity. Second, activities related to the research sphere, such as writing-related activities and participation in events were the least reported while evaluative activities were mentioned in all spheres. Third, faculty’s perceptions regarding their main goal at university (research) were not in alignment with their preferences (teaching). Writing genres used and activities reported closely mirror preferred spheres of activity and mismatch faculty’s perceptions of their main goal at universities. In conclusion, sphere of activity preferences relate to different paths of faculty’s identity development.     

Calidad narrativa y contexto escolar

Resumen

El presente trabajo forma parte de un proyecto de investigación cuyo propósito es doble: 1) Discriminar entre las habilidades comunes a todos los usuarios de una lengua y las pericias específicas que se requieren para la producción de textos de calidad y 2) Determinar el efecto de diferentes aproximaciones pedagógicas en el desarrollo de estas pericias.

En este trabajo analizamos los textos producidos por un grupo de escolares de segundo curso en una situación de re-producción de narrativas. Los niños eran alumnos de dos clases en las cuales se encaraban distintas maneras de enseñar el lenguaje escrito. Los textos son analizados según su organización sintáctica y de contenido así como según cuatro características del discurso nanativo: el contraste entre el decir y lo dicho, la presencia y ausencia del narrador en el discurso, el intejuego entre los hechos y las motivaciones psicológicas de los personajes. Los resultados muestran que existe un perfil sintáctico típico, constituido por una construcción verbal con elementos asociados y regidos más una construcción que incluye discurso directo o indirecto. En cuanto a la organización del contenido, la mayoría de las narrativas incluyen una orientación, un episodio desencadenante, el nudo y la resolución. Respecto de las cualidades de lo narrativo constatamos que: los niños preservan una consistencia total entre el orden del decir y de los dicho; hacen un informe «objetivo» de los sucesos, sin extenderse en los motivos de los personajes; logran expresar los contrastes entre la presencia y ausencia del narrador y realizan todo tipo de inferencias sobre lo dicho en el texto. Las diferentes aproximaciones pedagógicas no influyen en la organización sintáctica o las restricciones del género pero sí, en ciertos factores narrativos que afectan la calidad de los textos.     

Communicating/Muting Date Rape: A Co-Cultural Theoretical Analysis of Communication Factors Related to Rape Culture on a College Campus

Previous studies suggest that college campuses foster a rape culture in which date rape (most commonly, rape of women) is an accepted part of campus activity (Buchwald, Fletcher, & Roth, 1993; Sanday, 2007). In focus groups at a Midwestern university, researchers asked students about rape as they experienced it or knew about it on campus. The study revealed attitudes and perspectives about rape communicated from cultural, social, and individual levels. Co-researchers’ comments indicated such attitudes exist in relation to and are expressed through behaviors preceding potential incidences of rape, during rape itself, and in response after rape occurs. Throughout this process, college students, especially females, were muted, potentially contributing to the creation and perpetuation of a campus rape culture.