Lack of statistical significance

Criticism has been leveled against the use of statistical significance testing (SST) in many disciplines. However, the field of school psychology has been largely devoid of critiques of SST. Inspection of the primary journals in school psychology indicated numerous examples of SST with nonrandom samples and/or samples of convenience. In this article we present an argument against SST and its consequent p values in favor of the use of confidence intervals and effect sizes. Further, we present instances of common errors that impede cumulative knowledge in the literature related to school psychology. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 44: 417–422, 2007.     

Adult attachment, parent emotion, and observed parenting behavior: mediator and moderator models

In a middle-class sample of mothers of 2-year-olds, adult attachment classifications measured in the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) were related to maternal self-reported emotional well-being and observed parenting behavior, and the potential mediating and moderating roles of maternal emotion were tested. Mothers classified as dismissing on the AAI reported significantly lower levels of positive affectivity. Mothers classified as preoccupied reported significantly higher levels of negative affectivity and anxiety. Preoccupied mothers were observed to be significantly higher on angry/intrusive parenting, but this association was not mediated by attachment-related differences in maternal emotion. Maternal emotional well-being did, however, moderate the associations between adult attachment and parenting behavior: Dismissing attachment was significantly associated with lower warmth/responsiveness only among mothers with higher levels of depressive symptoms.     

Profile and status of untrained teachers: experiences in basic schools in rural Ghana

Untrained teachers are deployed in basic schools in many developing countries as a measure to address enrolment escalation; minimising the financial burden on the government, much of whose education budget is already a recurrent cost. However, there has been little research into untrained teachers. Employing a mixed-methods approach, this article suggests that in Ghana untrained teachers – who form the majority at basic (primary and junior secondary) school level, especially in rural areas – are themselves heterogeneous, with differing qualifications and affiliations. Moreover, they appear to be unrecognised and unvalued by the authorities. On the other hand, trained head teachers in particular tend to experience powerlessness in the management of their untrained staff. This article therefore examines the complex environment in which teachers work and the important role of the authorities in influencing their working conditions.     

Changes in race and sex stereotype threat among diverse STEM students: Relation to grades and retention in the majors

In laboratory studies, induced stereotype threat shows negative effects on academic performance and learning. Is the relation between stereotype threat and grades robust in naturalistic settings, specifically in introductory STEM courses? We gathered data on two new measures we term race and sex stereotype bias, which were administered four times over the course of introductory chemistry and biology courses for STEM majors (N = 1358). Patterns of growth for all stereotype bias measures showed a discontinuous pattern, with increases during each semester (fall and spring) and decreases between semesters. For all stereotype bias measures, sophomores scored significantly higher than freshmen, and juniors scored in between. For the sex stereotype bias measure, females scored significantly higher than males. There were no race or sex differences on slopes of growth; though groups began at different levels, all grew at the same rate. There was little relation between grades and stereotype bias when analyzed by race; Asian students showed the largest number of significant – albeit small – correlations (3) and Black students the fewest (none). Correlations between grades and sex stereotype bias were significant and negative – but small – only for males. Results support a point made by Steele in 1997 but neglected since then; stereotype threat may affect only a small sub-portion within stereotyped groups. We argue that variables other than stereotype threat might be better targets for research attempting to explain gaps in STEM achievement and retention.     

Problems on primary school-based in-service training in Vietnam: A case study of Bac Giang province

In Vietnam, despite the introduction of a new curriculum based on a child-centred education approach, there exist many problems and challenges in the educational process. To overcome these problems, the Vietnamese and Japanese governments have been conducting an in-service teacher-training programme, including school-based observation and reflection of lessons as a major activity. This study investigates the problems encountered in these schools. The results reveal that (1) the lesson is extremely fast-paced, (2) teachers tend to evaluate their colleagues and students, (3) teachers need to learn about how to learn and (4) promoting dialogue among teachers is considerably challenging.     

中日美三国高中生规范意识调查

2004年9月至12月,日本青少年研究所对中国、日本和美国三个国家的公立高中进行了高中学生规范意识的调查。在中国调查的对象是北京、哈尔滨、重庆等8个城市12所高中的1300名学生;美国调查的是华盛顿等11个州12所高中的1200名学生;日本调查的是北海道、长野、东京、大阪和福冈等11个都道府县11所高中的1320名学生。调查项目包括上课时的态度、补习班的利用、对于包括学习在内的各种活动的参与欲望、与朋友亲属的关系、将来的职业意识和对国旗国歌的意识等。一、关于“学习”对于“是否喜欢上学”的问题,回答“非常喜欢”和“比较喜欢”两项的…     

Preparation, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of PH1948, predicted RNA methyltransferase from Pyrococcus horikoshii

INTRODUCTION Methyl transfers are alkylation reactions central to cellular biochemistry, by far, S-adenosyl-L-me-thionine (AdoMet) is the most commonly used methyl donor. AdoMet-dependent methyltransferases (MTases) involved in biosynthesis, detoxification, signal transduction, protein sorting and repair, chromatin regulation and gene silencing (Armengaud et al., 2004; Schubert et al., 2003). Including DNA MTase, RNA MTase, protein MTase, phospholipids and small molecule MTase, …     

Dry Skulls and Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) for Teaching Orofacial Bone Anatomy to Undergraduate Dental Students

Learning bone anatomy of the skull is a complex topic involving three-dimensional information. The impact of the use of human dry skulls and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging was investigated in the teaching of undergraduate dental students. Sixty-four first-year students in the University of Hong Kong were randomly divided into eight groups. Four teaching methods were tested: (1) CBCT followed by standard lecture, (2) CBCT followed by lecture with skulls, (3) standard lecture followed by CBCT, and (4) lecture with skulls followed by CBCT. After each, students were given a multiple-choice questionnaire to assess their objective learning outcome (20 questions) and a questionnaire for their subjective satisfaction (10 statements). Surveys were assessed with Cronbach's alpha, Kendall's tau-b, and principal components analysis. Data were analyzed with Student's t-test and a one-way ANOVA (significance α = 0.05). Standard lecture followed by CBCT showed the highest learning outcome score (81.6% ± 14.1%), but no significant difference was present among four teaching methods. Cone beam computed tomography followed by lecture with skulls scored the highest overall subjective satisfaction (4.9 ± 0.8 out of 6), but no significant difference was present among teaching methods. Nevertheless, students' perception of learning was positively influenced by the use of skulls (P = 0.018). The timing of administration of the CBCT did not affect students' subjective satisfaction or objective learning outcome. Students perceived to learn more by using skulls, but their objective learning outcomes were not significantly affected. A discrepancy seems to exist between students' perception of learning and their effective performance.     

Longitudinal Associations Among Child Maltreatment,Resting Frontal Electroencephalogram Asymmetry,and Adolescent Shyness

Child maltreatment is linked to distinct neurophysiological patterns and social‐emotional vulnerability. Relations among maltreatment, relative resting frontal alpha asymmetry, shyness, and psychopathology were examined prospectively. Adolescent girls (age 14–16) who experienced child maltreatment (N = 55) were compared to nonmaltreated controls (N = 25), and returned for 6‐ and 12‐month follow‐ups. Among participants exhibiting relative right frontal asymmetry, maltreated adolescents reported higher shyness than controls at Time 1. Low‐stable and high‐stable shyness trajectories were observed for maltreated participants. Compared to low shy, participants in high‐shy trajectory reported at Time 3: higher neuroticism and generalized anxiety; and lower extraversion if they also exhibited relative right frontal asymmetry. Thus, right frontal brain activity and shyness are involved in social‐emotional vulnerability of adolescents who experienced child maltreatment.     

锡金喜马拉雅地区的农业：保护与发展具有全球意义的传统农业系统

锡金喜马拉雅地区是全球重要的生物多样性热点地区之一,该地区的农业生产系统最近已经被推荐作为联合国粮农组织（FAO）全球重要农业文化遗产（GIAHS）保护的候选地。在这一地区,集中体现了被称为Demazong（稻米之谷）或香格里拉（消失的地平线）的神圣景观。这个神圣的、多样性的文化景观中,当地少数民族社区利用传统的生态知识对极为丰富的农业生物多样性进行适应和管理。多样化的农业生态系统,包括位于高山地区农牧复合系统Dokpas,位于温带地区的传统的农林复合系统（如桤木-草本混交农业系统）,以及海拔较低的暖温带到亚热带农业气候区的梯田/谷地稻作系统。将富含文化多样性和生物多样性的土地利用系统与景观进行边缘化是一件十分荒谬的事情。但值得说明的是,尽管这里有着巨大的发展潜力,却长期存在着贫穷、进入市场困难、经济和生态较为脆弱等问题。 锡金喜马拉雅地区的农业是一种典型的适应性管理系统,具有重要的生态系统服务功能,提供了具有重要经济价值的多样化的农作物品种,以及适应明显垂直分异农业生态区的多用途的植物物种。在那里生活着的不同的土著社区,依然保持着传统的生态知识,以适应、监测和响应生态系统的恢复能力与生态系统的服务功能。在本文中,我们探讨了传统农业在生物多样性保护中的作用,评估了从亚热带到高原农业生态区的多样性的生态系统管理途径,分析了对于农业生态系统的社会适应性与知识基础以及传统体制在促进该地区农业生产系统通过GIAHS在地区、国家和全球水平上获得更加广泛的认可的作用。我们认为,为减轻气候变化的可能影响和应对可能的新挑战,应当采用参与式的方式对传统农业进行监测,并制定科学的政策。锡金喜马拉雅地区的传统农业被认定为全球重要农业文化遗产,将有助于促进这一传统农业系统的保护,促进边际社区的环境健康和生计的可持续性,确保该地区的可持续发展。