Cognitive abilities and learning disabilities

Summary The greater discrepancy between spatial vs sequential/conceptual WISC subtest results in learning-disabled children is instrumental to the idea that these children might profit relatively more from an imagery based strategy in organizing and recalling noun pairs and triplets than from a verbal strategy. The results from the present studies with concrete nouns show that this is not the case. Another result is that learning-disabled children’s recall performance is also lower when strategy instructed (except in the first experiment) than normal children’s performance. Suggestions as to which strategy aspects could be responsible are given. This paper is based upon a presentation at the 30th Annual Conference of The Orton Society in Indianapolis, November 1979.     

The use of videotaped broadcasts in interactive teaching

In 1986/87 and 1987/88 Dutch educational television broadcast a long series on mental arithmetic for the upper grades of the primary school. This study compares off-air videotape use under two conditions: (1) active use with video stops for interactive teaching, and (2) passive, uninterrupted viewing. Learning results in the active condition were better than in the passive condition. However, in a follow-up study those positive results were not confirmed, due to changing teaching styles in the active condition, and due to certain design faults in the programmes. Outcomes of both studies are interpreted as (1) providing evidence for the potential effects of interactive use of educational videotapes at classroom level, and as (2) underlining the necessity of well-considered didactic design of educational programmes for such new instructional purposes.     

PUBLIC EDUCATION ABOUT NORMAL FORGETFULNESS AND DEMENTIA: EFFECTIVENESS OF A SYSTEMATICALLY DEVELOPED INFORMATION BROCHURE

Earlier research revealed that many elderly people in The Netherlands are worried about their forgetfulness and are afraid of incipient dementia. Until now, no systematic research has been conducted on the effects of public education about normal forgetfulness and dementia, and therefore an information brochure was developed and evaluated. The main function of this brochure was to reassure people who were unnecessarily worrying about possible dementia. A second function was to motivate people to seek professional help when this seemed advisable. Sixty‐two percent of all respondents (307 of 400) who had been worried about dementia before reading the brochure said that their anxiety decreased or disappeared after reading it; approximately 3% became more worried after reading the brochure. A cognitive test battery was administered to 104 people to determine whether their increased or decreased anxiety was justified. Thirty subjects had low test scores, yet 16 of these subjects had been reassured by the brochure that their forgetfulness was nothing to worry about. This group was characterized as experiencing fewer problems in daily life as a result of their forgetfulness and as having a higher internal locus of control. Seventy‐four subjects performed well on the cognitive tests, yet 18 of them had remained worried about their forgetfulness after reading the brochure. Anxiety for heredity of dementia could be a possible explanation for their persistent concern. Although many people were reassured by the brochure, the results also show that it is important to evaluate information brochures used as intervention instruments—in one third of the present sample, the effects of the brochure were not in accordance with its goal.     

Preschool attendance and kindergarten readiness

Scores on the Georgia Kindergarten Assessment Program (GKAP) of 171 students (81 students who had attended preschool and 90 students who had not attended preschool) were analyzed to determine whether school readiness test performance was influenced by participation in preschool programs. Students who had attended preschool demonstrated statistically higher overall school readiness, higher Physical scores, and higher Personal scores than students who did not attend preschool. No difference, however, was found in GKAP scores as a function of type of preschool attended. Only one gender difference was revealed, that in the Social measure on the GKAP in which girls outperformed boys. Implications of our findings and suggestions for further research are discussed.     

Agriculture and HIV/AIDS: A Challenge for Integrated and Interactive Approaches

Abstract

One of the main problems in Southern Africa in relation to HIV/AIDS is food insecurity. The vicious relation between malnutrition, HIV infection and AIDS impact drives individuals, households and communities in a downwards spiral of impoverishment. Although scientists and development practitioners have stressed the importance of interactive approaches to mitigate the impact of AIDS on agriculture and rural development, sustainable implementation is far from easy and straightforward. This study aims to gain insight into the main lessons and challenges with respect to their design and implementation. Literature review of interactive approaches in agriculture and natural resource management shows that several principles and process guidelines are considered key factors to successful implementation. Although HIV/AIDS does not seem to change these conditions, personal experiences from researchers, development practitioners and extension workers do reveal new and unforeseen challenges.     

Are Socially Anxious Children Poor or Advanced Mindreaders?

Why are some children more socially anxious than others? One theory holds that socially anxious children are poor mindreaders, which hampers their social interactions; another that socially anxious children are advanced mindreaders leading to heightened self-consciousness in social situations. To test these theories simultaneously, this study (N = 105, ages 8–12) assessed children's mindreading (accuracy in detecting mental states from the eye region), self-consciousness (indexed as physiological blushing during public performance), and social anxiety levels. Results support both theories, showing a quadratic relation between mindreading and social anxiety. Low mindreading was related to clinical levels of social anxiety. High mindreading was related to subclinical levels of social anxiety through blushing. Our findings suggest two social-cognitive pathways to heightened social anxiety.     

The improvement of higher education in Indonesia: A project approach

The authors describe an experiment in improving the teaching of chemical engineering in an Indonesian technological university with the assistance of Dutch counterparts. The project approach used was then applied to other universities and disciplines and became part of a general government-sponsored programme aimed at improving the quality of teaching in Indonesian universities generally. The authors claim that practically-orientated projects concerned with the improvement of teaching effectiveness can, by dissemination, lead to a general improvement in the quality and quantity of output from universities.     

等离子显示中运动伪像的准确估计

针对目前等离子显示屏普遍存在的运动伪像问题,提出了一种新颖的模拟计算方法,该方法实现了对等离子体显示屏运动伪像的准确、快速估计.该方法通过测量等离子显示屏不同颜色不同灰度下光信号随时间的变化情况,仿真人眼对运动图像的视觉感知行为,模拟计算出任意图像以一定速度运动下的视觉感知效果.新算法不但加入了等离子显示屏荧光粉的延迟效应的影响,而且提高了模拟计算速度.所得模拟结果与实际主观视觉感知实验相符.这种快速准确的估计使对等离子显示器件运动伪像的客观评价成为可能.