Students’ Experience of a Distance Learning Professional Development Course in Literacy Education

With the advent of the National Curriculum and other centralised initiatives creating pressure for narrowly skills‐focused forms of professional development, the need to make explicit the merits of an alternative model, that enables teachers to be reflective and analytic as an intrinsic part of their professional development becomes all the more urgent. The study reported here outlines the experiences of 14 students who made up the first cohort to complete a Masters Degree in literacy by distance learning. It examines why they chose the particular course and the impact of it on their professional development, their careers and their working practices. It investigates the problems involved in studying through distance learning particularly regarding access to relevant materials. The study points to the need for on‐going research into how HE courses and INSET can adapt effectively to changing needs in changing times     

Computers as learning resources in the health sciences: impact and issues

Starting with two computer terminals in 1972, the Health Sciences Learning Resources Center of the University of Minnesota Bio-Medical Library expanded its instructional facilities to ten terminals and thirty-five microcomputers by 1985. Computer use accounted for 28% of total center circulation. The impact of these resources on health sciences curricula is described and issues related to use, support, and planning are raised and discussed. Judged by their acceptance and educational value, computers are successful health sciences learning resources at the University of Minnesota.     

Physical education for deaf students

An ideal physical education program would be one that focuses on aspects leading to lifelong participation in and enjoyment of physical activity accompanied by appropriate fitness levels. Often, physical education classes are the only physical activity that many children receive throughout the day, and without them, an even greater number of children, including those who are deaf, would be prone to aspects associated with sedentary lifestyles. Schools need to involve their students in daily physical education classes. The emphasis of such a program should be placed on promoting physical fitness and developing skills that lead to a lifelong enjoyment of physical activity and healthy lifestyles. This paper reviews the literature on the state of physical fitness among deaf students and describes an exemplary physical education program that was implemented at a school for deaf children.     

Beyond situational ambiguity in peer conflict: unique and combined effects of cues from an antagonist and a best friend

In accord with increasing recognition of the situation specificity of childhood social behaviors, individual and contextual differences in children's responses to potential peer conflict were examined (hostile attribution, behavioral strategies, and affective reactions; N = 367, 9-12 years, 197 girls). Situational cues from 2 sources, the antagonist and a witnessing best friend, were designed to suggest the antagonist's intentions. Multilevel modeling indicated that children's responses generally varied more according to cues from the antagonist than friend, but the latter also affected responses, especially when conflicting with other situational information. Cognitive and affective responses were also influenced by gender, social goals, friendship quality, and self-efficacy for peer interaction. Findings provide theoretical insight on the context of peer conflict.