Caregivers’ use of metacognitive language in child care centers: Prevalence and predictors

Use of metacognitive language by child care center staff in classrooms that serve preschool-aged children was examined. Staff's use of mental-state talk, perspective-taking talk, and activity-relevant questioning with children were coded in a series of 20-s snapshots taken over the course of one full morning per classroom. A total of 3401 snapshots were observed for 393 teachers in 103 classrooms. Staff used mental-state talk in 22% of the snapshots, activity-relevant questions in 12%, and perspective-taking talk in 3%. Structural and process predictors of staff's metacognitive language were examined for full-time staff (n = 148 in 95 classrooms) using multilevel modeling and ordinary least squares regression. Caregiver positive interaction style predicted caregivers’ engagement in all three types of language. Caregiver punitive interaction style was also a positive predictor of caregivers’ talk about others’ perspectives. In general, structural characteristics of the classroom were not significant predictors of staff's language. However, the proportion of children receiving a child care subsidy in the center negatively predicted perspective-taking discourse. Results indicate the importance of caregiver relational style in providing a more discourse-rich child care context.     

Sequential Associations Between Caregiver Talk and Child Play in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Typical Development

This study examined sequential associations between child play and caregiver talk in 98 caregiver–child dyads (M_{mental age} = 14 months). Fifty dyads included a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Analyses revealed sequential associations between child play and caregiver follow‐in (FI) utterances (utterances related to the child's attentional focus) were stronger in the ASD as compared to the typically developing (TD) group. FI utterances were more likely to elicit functional play than caregiver‐focused utterances, and more so in the ASD group. Across groups, FI directives were more likely to elicit functional play than FI comments. These findings have important implications for research involving caregiver–child play as an early intervention context for children with ASD.     

Extending Curriculum‐based Assessment to Early Writing

Early writing interventions can help students develop the writing skills they need to experience positive educational and postsecondary outcomes, but effective intervention requires instructionally relevant assessment data. Shapiro's curriculum‐based assessment (CBA) model integrates related yet distinct CBA approaches into a model that informs intervention. Extending this model to early writing poses challenges only recently addressed by research. On the basis of a review of relevant early writing research, this article outlines an instructionally relevant assessment model for early writing. Within the proposed model, the instructional hierarchy is suggested to directly connect early writing assessment with intervention. A discussion of potential limitations as well as future directions for research is included.     

A person-centered investigation of academic motivation and its correlates in high school

This study used a person-centered approach to identify naturally occurring combinations of intrinsic motivation and controlled forms of extrinsic motivation (i.e., introjected and external regulation) and their correlates in an academic context. 1061 high school students completed measures of academic motivation, performance, and school-related correlates. Cluster analysis revealed four motivational profiles characterized by comparably high levels of all types of motivation (high quantity), high intrinsic motivation relative to introjected and external regulation (good quality), low intrinsic motivation and introjected regulation relative to external regulation (poor quality), and very low intrinsic motivation and introjected regulation relative to external regulation (low quantity with poor quality). Students in the high quantity and good quality profiles reported the strongest academic performance and greatest overall extracurricular participation, with students in different motivational profiles likely to participate in different types of activities. Students in the high quantity profile, moreover, perceived the most teacher support and school relatedness. These findings suggest that controlled forms of extrinsic motivation may not be associated with maladaptive outcomes at the high school level when coupled with high levels of intrinsic motivation.     

The mediating role of teacher self-efficacy in the relation between teacher–child race mismatch and conflict

The far-reaching impacts of the teacher–child relationship, including academic achievement and social/behavioral adjustment, have been well-documented. At the same time, literature also suggests that teacher perceptions of teacher–child relationships are impacted by the race/ethnicity match or mismatch between teacher and child, with matching related to more positive teacher perceptions. However, limited work has focused on children who are at-risk for emotional and behavioral disorders (EBDs) or tested the mechanisms that mediate the relation between a mismatch in the race and teacher-perceived conflict. Thus, the current study used multilevel structural equation modeling to test whether a higher proportion of race mismatch between children in the classroom with problem behavior and teachers was related to teachers' classroom management self-efficacy and, in turn, teacher-perceived conflict with children among 148 teachers and 354 preschool-aged children. Results indicated that among students most at-risk for EBDs, a higher proportion of race mismatch between teachers and children significantly predicted less teacher classroom management self-efficacy and, in turn, significantly predicted teachers' greater perceived conflict with children. Furthermore, this mediation pathway was significant. Findings highlight the importance of teacher training and support that focused on increasing self-efficacy to improve relationships between teachers and children.     

Assessment for Learning with Diverse Learners in a Digital World

We have the ability to capture data from students' interactions with digital environments as they engage in learning activity. This provides the potential for a reimagining of assessment to one in which assessment become part of our natural education activity and can be used to support learning. These new data allow us to more closely examine the processes learners use to solve problems, not just their final solutions, so educators can be more targeted in their intervention. New capabilities may address some of the consistent criticisms of assessment, but they also present new dangers, particularly for diverse learners. Systems are in danger of replicating the biases from our non-digital world in our digital tasks and in the creation of the scoring tools that accompany them.     

Interoperability and Information Integration in an Early Online Academic Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations: The Case of BTD

Cooperative organization has been proposed as a means to improve the usefulness of virtual libraries. Information interchange among library and other academic applications is often hindered by the lack of application interoperability. This hindrance may be overcome through the development of standards that allow for digital libraries to exchange and share information with other applications. The Graduate Program in Production Engineering (PPGEP) of the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC) launched its Theses and Dissertations Bank (BTD) in 1995. BTD is possibly the first online academic digital library of theses. From a digital document repository, BTD evolved into a system that combines bibliometry and informetry features. BTD is used by students and faculty in their research activities, but also by decision makers from industry and academia. They use it, respectively, to search for specialists and to measure interest and knowledge interchange among PPGEP research areas. This article presents the history, features, and development prospects for the BTD project. The integration of BTD with other academic applications, especially those of the Brazilian national science and technology platform, is emphasized.     

Blue-collar work, career, and success: occupational narratives of Sisu

This study examined underground iron ore miners' occupational narratives to uncover how their stories socialize miners into blue-collar careers and reinforce their work identities. Through the root theme of sisu (Finnish for inner determination), underground miners create a status hierarchy that is used to construct a sense of pride around their work and to establish milestones of success for themselves and others in their workgroup. Furthermore, they communicatively construct exemplars that guide their performance and decisions during the unfolding of their work experiences. Their discourses provide alternatives to white-collar conceptualizations and practices of careers and success.