Variables and risk factors associated with child abuse in daycare settings.

OBJECTIVE: This article was developed to identify the variables associated with abuse of children in daycare centers and homes, and to specify risk factors to guide professionals and parents. METHOD: The literature regarding child abuse (physical [PA], sexual [SA], and ritual [RA]) was reviewed, with emphasis on identification of variables associated with victims, perpetrators, and settings. Three factors increased the complexity of the review: (1) differences in definition and categorization complicated study comparison; (2) emotional tone affected some reviewers' definitions, methodology, and conclusions; and (3) some aspects of child abuse in daycare homes and centers have not been well researched. RESULTS: PA most frequently occurred in the form of over discipline, was a response to prior conflict with the child, and may have been inadvertently supported by parental permission for corporal punishment. Although SA occurred less frequently in centers than in homes, effects on the victim seemed worse in centers. SA often included PA. A Satanic overtone was frequently associated with RA, and RA coupled with SA was most devastating. Unfortunately, effects were not temporary. Males predominated the perpetrator profile. Multiple perpetrator abuse was worse (e.g., severity of intrusion). Failure of center staff to report suspicion of abuse by fellow staff or parents was cited as a worry by several researchers. CONCLUSIONS: Although research regarding abuse in daycare settings is sparse, one cannot wait for more or better research in order to identify risk factors. Based on literature reviewed, the authors provide risk factors for faculty, caregivers, parents, children, and professionals.     

Developing critical thinking in e‐learning environment: Kuwait University as a case study

This article investigated the impact of using e‐learning models' with the principles of constructivism to enhance the critical thinking skills of students in higher education institutions. The study examines the effectiveness of e‐learning model in enhancing critical thinking of students at university level. This effectiveness is measured by a critical thinking test. The target population for this study is undergraduate information systems' students enrolled in Spring 2005 and Fall 2006 semesters at Kuwait University.     

The relative effects and equity of inquiry‐based and commonplace science teaching on students' knowledge,reasoning, and argumentation

We conducted a laboratory‐based randomized control study to examine the effectiveness of inquiry‐based instruction. We also disaggregated the data by student demographic variables to examine if inquiry can provide equitable opportunities to learn. Fifty‐eight students aged 14–16 years old were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Both groups of students were taught toward the same learning goals by the same teacher, with one group being taught from inquiry‐based materials organized around the BSCS 5E Instructional Model, and the other from materials organized around commonplace teaching strategies as defined by national teacher survey data. Students in the inquiry‐based group reached significantly higher levels of achievement than students experiencing commonplace instruction. This effect was consistent across a range of learning goals (knowledge, reasoning, and argumentation) and time frames (immediately following the instruction and 4 weeks later). The commonplace science instruction resulted in a detectable achievement gap by race, whereas the inquiry‐based materials instruction did not. We discuss the implications of these findings for the body of evidence on the effectiveness of teaching science as inquiry; the role of instructional models and curriculum materials in science teaching; addressing achievement gaps; and the competing demands of reform and accountability. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 47:276–301, 2010     

From External Regulation to Self-Regulation: Early Parenting Precursors of Young Children's Executive Functioning

In keeping with proposals emphasizing the role of early experience in infant brain development, this study investigated the prospective links between quality of parent–infant interactions and subsequent child executive functioning (EF), including working memory, impulse control, and set shifting. Maternal sensitivity, mind-mindedness and autonomy support were assessed when children were 12 to 15 months old ( N  =   80). Child EF was assessed at 18 and 26 months. All three parenting dimensions were found to relate to child EF. Autonomy support was the strongest predictor of EF at each age, independent of general cognitive ability and maternal education. These findings add to previous results on child stress-response systems in suggesting that parent–child relationships may play an important role in children's developing self-regulatory capacities.     

Soccer and integrating Europe’s Muslim minorities: the good,and bad and the ugly

Drawing from recent debates about Muslim immigrants’ lack of integration into European societies, the current article advances a main argument regarding the nexus between soccer and Muslim immigrants’ integration within their host European societies by reviewing dominant theoretical models and focusing on elite European male Muslim soccer players. Considering the growing recent debate about the role of Muslim immigrants in their European societies, soccer has the potential to assist European countries to increase Muslims’ integration level. Elite Muslim soccer players are among the most influential immigrants in European societies. Muslim soccer players could contribute to increase understanding and community unity between different social groups within European societies as many of them prove that identity hyphenation and combining ethnicity and European nationality is possible for Muslim immigrants. Soccer could give more confidence to the generation of young Muslims about being accepted by European majorities.     

Relative Isometric Endurance and Different Levels of Athletic Achievement

Abstract

Relative isometric endurance tests of 50, 60, 70, and 80 percent weight loads were used to evaluate the muscular endurance of three groups of male college students. The 47 students were grouped according to level of athletic achievement. Analysis of variance models failed to detect any differences between the endurance of the three groups. Consideration was given to the use of relative endurance tests for evaluating levels of motivation.     

The construction of experience: a longitudinal study of representation and behavior

Continuity in relationship representation and developmental links between relationship representation and behavior from infancy to late adolescence were examined using longitudinal data from a risk sample (N = 185). Significant correlations were found among diverse representational assessments (e.g., interview, drawing, projective narrative) and between representational and concurrent observational measures of relationship functioning. Structural equation models were analyzed to investigate the relations among caregiving experience in infancy; relationship representation and experience in early childhood, middle childhood, and early adolescence; and socioemotional functioning in adolescence. A model representing interactive contributions of representational and behavioral experience represented the data significantly better than a model representing noninteractive contributions. Findings support an organizational developmental view that socioemotional adaptation arises from the progressive construction of mutually informing expectations and experience.     

Preparing special educators to teach reading and use curriculum-based assessments

Preparing special educators who are knowledgeable about evidence-based interventions for teaching reading to students with reading difficulties and who are capable of using curriculum-based assessments to monitor student progress and differentiate interventions is vital to the success of current school reform efforts. The primary purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the effect of tutoring and using assessment to monitor the progress of struggling readers on preservice teachers’ (PSTs’) knowledge and preparedness to teach reading. Also of interest was whether reading scores of tutored students improved. PSTs (n = 18) in an undergraduate reading methods course tutored at-risk second graders using an evidence-based intervention and monitored students’ progress weekly. PSTs made significant growth on a measure of teacher knowledge about the structure of language and on a survey of their preparedness to teach reading. A qualitative analysis of PSTs’ weekly reflections and final reports revealed that the majority used curriculum-based assessment data to describe students’ response to tutoring and were beginning to use that data to make instructional decisions. On average, tutored students improved reading fluency, but did not demonstrate significant growth in reading relative to national norms. Implications and limitations of the study are described and directions for future research are discussed.