The developmental influence of sex composition in preschool classrooms: Boys fare worse in preschool classrooms with more boys

A multilevel modeling approach was employed to investigate the relation between sex composition and developmental change in 70 urban preschool classrooms. The research represents a unique contribution as (1) few studies have examined the influence of sex composition during the preschool years, (2) it represents the first research to use a continuous (i.e., sex ratio) as opposed to binary (i.e., mixed- versus single-sex) indicator for classroom sex composition, and (3) the sample represents an important and often neglected group (i.e., low-income children from urban schools). A series of HLM models were run, addressing the nested nature of the data (children within classrooms), and relating classroom sex composition to developmental change using the cognitive, motor, and social subscales from the Child Observation Record (COR). Overall, there were no main effects at the classroom-level for sex composition. However, a cross-level interaction indicated that, while girls’ development was not influenced by classroom sex composition, boys in classrooms with proportionally more boys fared significantly worse in terms of development as assessed by combined score on the COR. More specifically, this interaction was significant when predicting the COR cognitive subscale, but nonsignificant when predicting the COR social and motor subscales. This was true when controlling for the number of students at the classroom-level, as well as child's age and baseline ability (i.e., Time 1 COR) at the child-level. Implications for early childhood education policy are discussed.     

Using micros for test development

Conclusion Which is the better choice: general item bank software or a word processor program? Your answer is dependent upon your computer skills, the amount of test development work you do, and the nature of investment your school is willing to make for software. Both have their relative strengths and weaknesses. The trade-offs between the two approaches are real, important, and in time will probably favor the item bank software. At the moment, however, we recommend a good word processing program for most teachers. What can you expect the future to bring? At a minimum, test preparation options will continue to expand and improve. We suggested earlier that the technology is changing rapidly. For example even now you can place a printed copy of test items into an optical character recognition (OCR) scanner (similar to a photocopy machine) and read the items into a digital form which either a word processor or a test generator can use. Instead of having to type your collection of test items before selecting, editing, and printing them, the computer will read them from the paper. This new scanning technology, unfortunately, requires expensive software, powerful microcomputers, and the scanner itself costs over $1000. In addition, the accuracy of the character recognition is not perfect—especially with less than the ideal printed copy from which to work. It will be years before most of us have ready access to this technology. Even better options will be available, however, don’t wait for the next major breakthrough. There will always be another breakthrough on the horizon. You can start improving your test development process now     

New Media

WIRED CITIES: SHAPING THE FUTURE OF COMMUNICATIONS edited by William H. Dutton, et al. (Boston: G.K. Hall, 1987—$45.00, with a paperback also available)

TOMORROW'S TVs: A REVIEW OF NEW TV SET TECHNOLOGY, RELATED VIDEO EQUIPMENT AND POTENTIAL MARKET IMPACTS, 1987–1995 by Gary H. Arlen (National Association of Broadcasters, 1771 N. St NW, Washington, DC 20036—$49.95 but $24.95 to NAB and BEA members, paper)

THE VIDEOTEX AND TELETEXT HANDBOOK: HOME AND OFFICE COMMUNICATIONS USING MICROCOMPUTERS AND TERMINALS by Paul Hurly, et al . (New York: Harper & Row, 1985—$21.95, paper)

TELEGUIDE: A HANDBOOK ON VIDEO-TELECONFERENCING by Doug Widner (Public Service Satellite Consortium, 600 Maryland Ave. SW, Suite 220, Washington, DC 20024—$49.95, paper; half that to PSSC members)

COMPUTERS IN VIDEO PRODUCTION by Lon McQuillin (White Plains, NY: Knowledge Industry Publications, 1986—$39.95)     

The effect of labeling on perceptions of the quality of AM and FM signals

The extent to which a barrier against AM radio listening has resulted from imagined versus real differences between AM and FM signal quality was addressed by examining the effects of AM and FM labels versus actual AM and FM signal quality differences. A total of 605 college undergraduates in four separate groups rated a recording of an AM broadcast, an FM broadcast, or a recording of a compact disc identified as either an AM or FM broadcast on semantic differential scales for fidelity, technical sound, hiss/noise/distortion, and overall quality. For all four scales, signals identified as FM (simulated and actual) were rated significantly more favorably than signals identified as AM. The results suggest that attitudinal barriers to the acceptance of AM radio depress evaluations of AM radio signals when compared to FM radio signals of the same quality.