Specific impairment in developmental reading disabilities: a working memory approach

Children with developmental reading disabilities (RD) frequently display impaired working memory functioning. However, research has been divergent regarding the characteristics of the deficit. Our investigation addressed this controversy by assessing Baddeley's working memory model as a whole rather than focusing on particular aspects of it, as has been done by much of the research to date. Participants included 20 children with RD and 20 typical readers between the ages of 9 and 13. The phonological loop, visual-spatial sketchpad, and central executive were assessed according to Baddeley's model. The results demonstrated that children with RD have an impaired phonological loop but intact visual-spatial sketchpad and central executive functioning as compared to controls. In terms of the phonological loop, the deficit appears to be specific to the phonological store. Furthermore, our research supports a relationship between phonological processing and phonological loop functioning.     

Active Learning and Teaching through Digital Technology and Live Performance: ‘Choreographic Thinking’ as Art Practice in the Tertiary Sector

This article is an interdisciplinary reflective response to an intensive studio learning and teaching experience involving artists, academics and postgraduate students. The authors of this article teach, research and practise in coding, digital design, dance, and virtual and live performance. As lecturers and students we reflect upon and propose future approaches to art practice in tertiary education informed by live performance, performance capture and studio‐based responses to digital and virtual platforms. We reflect on an innovative contribution to the field of research–teaching nexus as informed by digital and virtual data capture identifying the key element of immediacy in live performance and choreographic improvisation with systems. We reflect on practice‐based inquiry via the Choreographic Coding Lab (CCL) model – a dialogical negotiation between capture technology and interdisciplinary artists in industry and academia. How can we encourage potential studio inquiry as an adapted model in tertiary learning and teaching? Our interdisciplinary voices, presented as authors’ reflections, provide suggestions for future studio‐based, active learning contexts.     

Agriculture and the TV newscast

Agricultural information staffs at land‐grant universities are charged with disseminating information to the general public in order to arouse interest in and understanding of agricultural research and extension programs. The following study indicates that the television newscast is a good outlet for at least some of this information; one that economically can be used by agricultural information staffs. Joseph J. Marks is Director of Agricultural Information for Michigan State University. This article is based upon his M.A. thesis in the Department of Television and Radio at MSU, which was completed under the direction of Dr. Thorns F. Baldwin.     

全球幸福指数,从改变自己开始

国民生产总值到底能衡量什么? 怎样才算改善全人类的生活?早在1968年,卓有远见的罗伯特·肯尼迪就对"国民生产总值"这个标准进行了最有力的抨击——国民生产总值衡量了所有的东西,唯独没有衡量的是那些使生命真正有价值的东西.这很荒唐吧?我们衡量社会进步的最重要的标准,衡量一切,唯独不衡量让生命有意义的东西?我相信,如果肯尼迪今天还在世,他一定会要求我们这些统计学家到社会中去,找到究竟是什么让生命有价值.重新设计国家核算系统,让它建立在那些重要的东西上,例如:社会的公正、可持续性,还有人民的幸福.     

What aspects of schooling are important? School effects on tertiary entrance performance

The purpose of this paper is to identify school effects on student performance for tertiary entrance in Australia, taking into account student-level predictors using longitudinal data from the 2003 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) study. It finds that aspects of schooling, such as positive attitudes to school and disciplinary climate, affect student performance at the student level but not generally at the school level. The socioeconomic context of schools has no effect on student performance when taking into account schools' academic context. Apart from academic context, teacher shortage, academic press, and teacher efficacy were the only school factors that had positive significant effects on student performance. The policy implications are that school-based policies are unlikely to improve performance or promote equity, but, instead, policies should focus more on students falling behind, who are found across the school system, not limited to a small proportion of schools with particular characteristics.