Visual and phonological coding in working memory and orthographic skills of deaf children using Chilean sign language

Deaf children can improve their reading skills by learning to use alternative, visual codes such as fingerspelling. A sample of 28 deaf children between the ages of 7 and 16 years was used as an experimental group and another sample of 15 hearing children of similar age and academic level as a control group. Two experiments were carried out to study the possible interactions between phonological and visual codes and working memory, and to understand the relationships between these codes and reading and orthographic achievement. The results highlight the relationship between dactylic and orthographic coding. Just as phoneme-to-grapheme knowledge can facilitate reading for hearing children, fingerspelling-to-grapheme knowledge has the potential to play a similar role for deaf readers.     

Understanding inclusion support systems: three inspiring experiences / Comprendiendo los sistemas de apoyo para la inclusión: tres experiencias inspiradoras

This article presents the findings of an empirical study that aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of how inclusive support systems are configured. A qualitative case study approach was used to explore the trajectories, shared beliefs and daily practices that shape the dynamics of three educational centres recognized by external assessors for their inclusive policies and attention to diversity. The analysis carried out enabled the identification of patterns of worldviews and practices that underpin the development of sustainable inclusive school proposals, as well as an understanding of the complex interrelationship between context, resources, opportunities, threats and teaching approaches that define particular dynamics. The findings obtained help to illustrate and provide inspiration for other schools committed to defending the basic rights of all children and young people, as well as designers of educational policies and programmes.     

Designing learning environments to teach interactive Quantum Physics

This study aims at describing and analysing systematically an interactive learning environment designed to teach Quantum Physics, a second-year physics course. The instructional design of Quantum Physics is a combination of interactive lectures (using audience response systems), tutorials and self-study in unit blocks, carried out with small groups. Individual formative feedback was introduced as a rapid assessment tool to provide an overview on progress and identify gaps by means of questioning students at three levels: conceptual; prior knowledge; homework exercises. The setup of Quantum Physics has been developed as a result of several loops of adjustments and improvements from a traditional-like type of teaching to an interactive classroom. Results of this particular instructional arrangement indicate significant gains in students’ achievements in comparison with the traditional structure of this course, after recent optimisation steps such as the implementation of an individual feedback system.     

Chile: From the Pay-for-Access Model to a Civic Right to Information

The earlier funding model adopted by Chile to implement programs of access to scientific information had been unique within Latin America. Countries like Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico had successfully tested charging the service provision to the nation’s general budget, and had achieved a model of universal access. Chile, on the other hand, had followed a path where a co-financing model and the derived logic regarding action of the state created the Electronic Library of Scientific Information Program (BEIC), which limited benefits to only those users who belonged to the institutions that had the ability to pay and already had a consolidated community of researchers. This article reviews public policy options adopted to ensure access to resources of scientific information by the communities of researchers and reflects on the important change that occurred in 2012, when the Chilean State decided to finance the entire cost of the BEIC Program and to define access to information as a de facto universal right. The article also discusses future challenges and new programmatic features as a result of periodic assessments of the program.     

Dynamics of Illegal Participation in Peer-to-Peer Networks—Why Do People Illegally Share Media Files?

In 1997, a law was passed in Spain that mandated that “broadcastings of general interest” be free-to-air rather than pay-per-view. Since that time, a soccer match of the Spanish First Division—considered a public benefit activity—can be viewed on a weekly basis for free throughout the regular season. The aim of this article is to determine whether a “general interest” for these free-to-air broadcastings exists. To perform the empirical analysis, a demand equation for a TV audience is estimated using a unique panel data set on a regional level, in which the dependent variable is the number of viewers of free-to-air matches in each Spanish region during the period 2008–2012. The model specifications consider whether a particular region has a team competing in the First Division and other socioeconomical and sporting variables. The results conclude that a nationwide “general interest” in free-to-air broadcasting of soccer matches, which would support Spanish law, does not exist, with the exception of matches played by Real Madrid Club de Fútbol, Fútbol Club Barcelona, and local teams.     

Subgroups of Attributional Profiles in Students with Learning Difficulties and Their Relation to Self‐Concept and Academic Goals

The aim of this article was fourfold: first, to determine whether there are significant differences between students with (N= 173) and without learning disabilities (LD; N= 172) in the dimensions of self‐concept, causal attributions, and academic goals. Second, to determine whether students with LD present a uniform attributional profile or whether there are subgroups of attributional profiles among students with LD. Third, to explore differences between these profiles on the dimensions of self‐concept, academic goals, perception of competence‐incompetence, persistence when faced with failure, peer relationships, and academic achievement. Fourth, to determine whether there are significant differences in the dimensions of self‐concept and academic goals between NLD students and the different LD subgroups. The results indicate the existence of two very distinct attributional profiles in students with LD (Helplessness Profile and Adaptive Profile). The implications of these data with regard to theory and research, as well as educational practice, are discussed.     

Segmentación fonológico-silábica y adquisición de la lectura: un estudio empírico

El artículo presenta una investigación cuyos resultados muestran la menor capacidad de segmentación silábica entre aquellos niños con peor habilidad lectora. Plantea también la funcionalidad, facilidad de aplicación y carácter motivador de la prueba realizada—una tarea de ordenador—para evaluar la capacidad de segmentación.     

The effects of multimodal texts on science reading comprehension in Chilean fifth-graders: text scaffolding and comprehension skills

ABSTRACT

Reading comprehension is a crucial skill that elementary school students must develop in order to learn science. However, there is not yet enough research about the role that multimodal texts play in scaffolding student reading comprehension of complex scientific processes, such as energy transfer. This study explored how verbal and visual resources (scaffolding level) and individual differences (reading skills) contribute to science reading comprehension. One-hundred and sixty Chilean fifth-graders were assessed on reading skills, vocabulary, and prior science knowledge. A counterbalanced design was used to test two groups: Group 1 reads a text with low multimodal scaffolding and Group 2 reads a text with high multimodal scaffolding. Level of text scaffolding was determined by (1) image function, (2) visual-verbal relations, (3) presence of an explicit explanatory structure, and (4) lexico-grammatical resources. General monomodal and multimodal science reading comprehension were assessed with multiple-choice tests. An ANCOVA analysis revealed non-significant differences between groups after controlling for prior knowledge, fluency, and vocabulary. Likewise, a two-factor ANCOVA analysis showed that the high-multimodal scaffolding text significantly boosted science reading comprehension for low-skilled comprehenders. The paper discusses the implications of these findings for pedagogy and research, aiming to foster multimodal literacy for learning in content areas.     

Dealing with Diversity and Digital Culture

Cultural diversity is broader than ethnic and language considerations alone. It includes gender, age, economic or social conditions, education, technological infrastructure and computer and information literacy All of these have to be taken into account when digital information is received or provided. Understanding and respecting diversity in each country is a major issue for the country itself, as well as for the information providers from abroad. The main barriers for participating in the digital culture for Latin America are the differences of each of the countries: the few people that have access; the technological infrastructure; the lack of relevant contents in the primary languages; and the fact that English is the pre-dominant language of the Global Information Infrastructure. Nations should focus on three main areas: technological infrastructure, contents and access. Projects should be prepared so as to strengthen the Latin American identity.     

Facilitating the learning process in design-based learning practices: an investigation of teachers’ actions in supervising students

Background: In research on design-based learning (DBL), inadequate attention is paid to the role the teacher plays in supervising students in gathering and applying knowledge to design artifacts, systems, and innovative solutions in higher education.

Purpose: In this study, we examine whether teacher actions we previously identified in the DBL literature as important in facilitating learning processes and student supervision are present in current DBL engineering practices.

Sample: The sample (N=16) consisted of teachers and supervisors in two engineering study programs at a university of technology: mechanical and electrical engineering. We selected randomly teachers from freshman and second-year bachelor DBL projects responsible for student supervision and assessment.

Design and method: Interviews with teachers, and interviews and observations of supervisors were used to examine how supervision and facilitation actions are applied according to the DBL framework.

Results: Major findings indicate that formulating questions is the most common practice seen in facilitating learning in open-ended engineering design environments. Furthermore, other DBL actions we expected to see based upon the literature were seldom observed in the coaching practices within these two programs.

Conclusions: Professionalization of teachers in supervising students need to include methods to scaffold learning by supporting students in reflecting and in providing formative feedback.