In search of a middle ground: the dangers and affordances of diagnosis in relation to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Developmental Language Disorder

ABSTRACT

In this paper, we draw on the ‘dilemma of difference’ to discuss the dangers and affordances of diagnosis within two of the most prevalent, yet under-supported, disabilities affecting school-age children: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). The dilemma that exists between denying and thereby ignoring difference on the one hand, versus recognising and potentially stigmatising difference on the other, will be explored and the consequences outlined. Our aim is to achieve a middle ground that conceives of diagnosis as a helpful starting point to enable educators to address barriers to access and participation through appropriate adjustments to curriculum, pedagogy and assessment.     

Motivation across domains: Do goals and attributions change with subject matter for Grades 4 and 5 students?

This study explored a theory for motivation which included aspects of both attribution theory and goal theory. Motivational variables included beliefs about intelligence (entity or incremental), goal orientation (mastery/learning, performance-approach, performance-avoidance) and avoidant behaviours. Grades 4 and 5 students from a large, metropolitan school district were surveyed regarding these motivational variables across the academic domains of reading and mathematics. The relationships among these motivational variables were explored, as well as differences across domains. A diverse sample allowed differences across ethnic groups and socioeconomic status to be studied. Results indicate that children could have a generalised notion of motivation that becomes differentiated when students are asked to reflect on these variables within specified domains. The existence of few differences across ethnic and socioeconomic groups suggest that instructional style could be a more powerful influence than either of these variables.     

Managerialism and equalities: tensions within widening access policy and practice for disabled students in UK universities

This paper draws on a four-year longitudinal ESRC funded project examining learning experiences of disabled students in higher education in four universities. The focus here is on institutional responses to the demands of audit culture and legislation in relation to making reasonable adjustments for students with impairments. The data comes from institutional documents and face-to-face interviews with key informants within the institutions. The findings indicate that quality assurance regimes and legislation have had some positive effect on improving access for disabled students; however, local factors and type of institution also have a major impact on the way that national policies are expressed in particular contexts.     

Metacognition and Self-Regulation in James,Piaget, and Vygotsky

This article investigates the intertwined constructs of metacognition and self-regulation as they emerge in the works and theories of James, Piaget, and Vygotsky. To coordinate this exploration, we use an interpretive framework based on the relation of subject and object. In this framework, James’s perspective on metacognition and self-regulation is aligned with the Self, Piaget’s with the other and object, and Vygotsky’s with the medium or agency of language. We explore how metacognition and self-regulation function within the realm of human behavior and development as described in the works of each of these theorists. Key questions or issues that emerge for current research are outlined, and the limitations and benefits of each theorist’s perspective vis-à-vis metacognition and self-regulation are discussed.     

Transport and shear in a microfluidic membrane bilayer device for cell culture

Microfluidic devices have been established as useful platforms for cell culture for a broad range of applications, but challenges associated with controlling gradients of oxygen and other soluble factors and hemodynamic shear forces in small, confined channels have emerged. For instance, simple microfluidic constructs comprising a single cell culture compartment in a dynamic flow condition must handle tradeoffs between sustaining oxygen delivery and limiting hemodynamic shear forces imparted to the cells. These tradeoffs present significant difficulties in the culture of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), where shear is known to regulate signaling, proliferation, and expression. Several approaches designed to shield cells in microfluidic devices from excessive shear while maintaining sufficient oxygen concentrations and transport have been reported. Here we present the relationship between oxygen transport and shear in a "membrane bilayer" microfluidic device, in which soluble factors are delivered to a cell population by means of flow through a proximate channel separated from the culture channel by a membrane. We present an analytical model that describes the characteristics of this device and its ability to independently modulate oxygen delivery and hemodynamic shear imparted to the cultured cells. This bilayer configuration provides a more uniform oxygen concentration profile that is possible in a single-channel system, and it enables independent tuning of oxygen transport and shear parameters to meet requirements for MSCs and other cells known to be sensitive to hemodynamic shear stresses.     

The deployment and training of teachers for remote rural schools in less-developed countries

In less-developed countries schools in remote rural areas are likely to be poor in quality. One important aspect of this in certain contexts is the comparatively low quality of teachers and the high rate of teacher turnover in rural schools in these areas.It is likely that contributory factors are the ways in which posting and transfer procedures operate, inadequate preparation and support for teachers, and their own characteristics, values and interests. For purposes of analysis, two models are suggested which illuminate the policy assumptions behind different strategies used to try to remedy the situation. The rural deficit model tends to encourage the use of compulsory posting and incentives while the rural challenge model searches for better ways of preparing teachers for service in remote rural schools.From analysis of the literature, the author suggests that there are four inter-related features of contemporary teacher-education programmes which have potential and should be developed if good teachers are to be attracted to and retained in remote rural schools. These are field-based preparation, teamwork in training, community support of training and the recruitment and preparation of local teachers. A few examples of schemes employing these principles are described briefly.

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Zusammenfassung In weniger entwickelten Ländern sind die Schulen in abgelegenen ländlichen Gebieten oft von minderwertiger Qualität. Einen wichtigen Aspekt davon bildet die Unzulänglichkeit der Lehrer und der häufige Lehrerwechsel.Zu den verantwortlichen Faktoren gehören wahrscheinlich die Einstellungs- und Versetzungsverfahren (unzureichende oder unangemessene Vorbereitung und Unterstützung der Lehrer) und deren eigene Charakteristiken, Werte und Interessen. Zu Analysezwecken werden zwei Modelle vorgeschlagen, welche die den verschiedenen Strategien zur Verbesserung dieser Situation zugrundeliegenden Annahmen beleuchten. Das ländliche Mangel-Modell soll die Anwendung von Zwangsversetzungen und Anreizen fördern, während das ländliche Herausforderungs-Modell nach besseren Vorbereitungsmethoden für Lehrer in entlegenen Landschulen sucht.Aus einer Analyse der einschlägigen Literatur folgert der Verfasser, daß es vier miteinander verknüpfte Eigenschaften von Lehrerbildungsprogrammen gibt, die Potential haben und entwickelt werden sollten, wenn Landschulen gute Lehrer anziehen und behalten sollen. Diese Eigenschaften sind feldbezogene Ausbildung, Teamwork in der Ausbildung, Unterstützung der Ausbildung durch das Gemeinwesen und Anwerbung sowie Ausbildung örtlicher Lehrer. Ein paar Beispiele von Programmen, in denen diese Prinzipien zur Anwendung kommen, werden kurz beschrieben.

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Résumé Dans les pays les moins développés, les écoles des campagnes reculées sont généralement d'une qualité inférieure. L'un des aspects importants de cette situation est, dans certains contextes, la qualité médiocre des enseignants et le taux élevé des mutations dans le personnel enseignant de ces écoles rurales éloignées et isolées.Il est probable que les facteurs contribuant à cet état de choses sont les procédés de nomination et de transfert (préparation inadéquate, soutien insuffisant des enseignants) et leurs propres caractéristiques, valeurs et intérêts. Deux modèles sont proposés à l'analyse et éclairent les assumptions gouvernementales par les diverses stratégies mises en oeuvre pour tenter de remédier à la situation. Dans le cas de la carence rurale on a tendance à encourager les nominations coercives et les mesures d'incitation, tandis que dans le cas du challenge rural on recherche de meilleurs moyens de préparation des enseignants au service dans les écoles des campagnes reculées.En s'appuyant sur l'analyse des écrits inspirés par ce sujet, l'auteur avance qu'il existe quatre caractéristiques corrélatives des programmes de formation actuelle de l'enseignant présentant un potentiel et qui doivent être développées si l'on veut attirer les bons enseignants et les retenir dans ces écoles rurales. Ce sont: la préparation sur le terrain, le travail en équipe pendant la période de formation, le soutien de la communauté apporté à cette formation, le recrutement local et la préparation locale des enseignants. Quelques exemples de systèmes mettant ces principes en pratique sont brièvement décrits.

     

Memory and Executive Functioning in 12‐Year‐Old Children With a History of Institutional Rearing

We examined visual recognition memory and executive functioning (spatial working memory [SWM], spatial planning, rule learning, and attention shifting) in 12‐year‐olds (n = 150) who participated in the Bucharest Early Intervention Project, a randomized controlled trial of foster care for institutionally reared children. Similar to prior reports at 8 years of age, institutionally reared children showed significant deficits in visual recognition memory and SWM. Deficits in attention shifting and rule learning were also apparent at this time point. These data suggest that early experiences continue to shape the development of memory, learning, and executive functioning processes in preadolescence, which may explain broader cognitive and learning difficulties commonly associated with severe early life neglect.     

Sexuality in Older Adults: Effect of an Education Intervention on Attitudes and Beliefs of Residential Aged Care Staff

The sexual needs and wellbeing of older people living in residential aged care receives scant attention in practice, is easily dismissed by care staff, and remains a significant challenge for aged care service providers. This study reports on the evaluation of an education program delivered to residential aged care nurses to improve their knowledge about, and attitudes towards, older people's sexuality in this context. Participants' attitudes and beliefs towards older people expressing their sexuality in long-term care, including same sex couples and people with dementia, were more permissive following education. Findings further underscore the value of sexuality education as an important factor in dispelling the commonly held negative views of residential aged care staff about older people expressing their sexuality, thereby improving staff responses to this issue.