bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Wired/Classic and Wireless/Periotest “M” Instruments: An In Vitro Assessment of Repeatability of Stability Measurements
Authors: Crum Patricia M. , Morris Harold Frederick , Winkler Sheldon , DesRosiers Deborah , Yoshino Douglas
Published: July 2011

This in vitro study evaluated agreement among 10 trained evaluators when assessing implant stability with the Wired/Classic and Wireless/Periotest “M.” A difference of 1 Periotest value (PTV) between the wired (−7) and wireless (−8) instruments was observed for the pretest calibration ring. No significant differences were found between the instruments and for all evaluators for all tests (analysis of variance, P < .05). Each instrument can provide meaningful and reproducible recordings of stability measurements.
Implant Failure Associated With Actinomycosis in a Medically Compromised Patient
Authors: Sun Chun-Xiao , Henkin Jeffrey M. , Ririe Craig , Javadi Elham
Published: July 2011

Oral actinomycosis is not a common disease, but it can cause massive destruction. This article reports a case of implant failure associated with actinomycosis. A 55-year-old Caucasian male patient had tooth #20 extracted years ago and an implant placed 3 years ago. The #20 implant area developed an abscess about 1½ years after implant placement. Radiographic findings revealed a large radiolucency on the mesial aspect of the #20 implant. The implant was surgically removed and the lesion thoroughly debrided. The patient experienced severe pain when the apical soft tissue was curreted following implant removal. A periapical radiograph revealed that the lesion approached the mental foramen. A short course of antibiotics was prescribed. Histological observation found sulfur granules, which were found to be actinomycotic colonies. Peri-implant actinomycosis was diagnosed. No recurrence had occurred at the 1-year follow-up.
A Novel Approach to Preserve the Buccal Wall in Immediate Implant Cases: A Clinical Report
Authors: Neves Manuel , Correia André , Alves Célia Coutinho
Published: July 2011

The aim of this article is to present a novel approach to preserve the buccal wall when performing immediate implants. After immediate implant site preparation, the socket is filled with Bio-Oss collagen and trimmed in a cone form to closely adapt to the buccal wall. Then, the implant is placed with low-rotation-speed condensing Bio-Oss collagen buccally. With this technique, the remodeling of buccal wall after immediate implant placement may be reduced.
High‐end colorimetric display characterization using an adaptive training set
Authors: Colantoni Philippe , Thomas Jean‐Baptiste , Hardeberg Jon Y.
Published: July 2011

Abstract— A new, accurate, and technology‐independent display color‐characterization model is introduced. It is based on polyharmonic spline interpolation and on an optimized adaptive training data set. The establishment of this model is fully automatic and requires only a few minutes, making it efficient in a practical situation. The experimental results are very good for both the forward and inverse models. Typically, the proposed model yields an average model prediction error of about 1 ΔEab* unit or below for several displays. The maximum error is shown to be low as well.
Fast voltage‐driving scheme for AMOLED displays based on internal feedback
Authors: Hashemi Mahdi , Ashtiani Shahin J.
Published: July 2011

Abstract— A new driving scheme for active‐matrix organic light‐emitting diodes (AMOLED) displays based on voltage programming is proposed. While conventional voltage drivers have a trade‐off between speed and accuracy, the new scheme is inherently fast and accurate. Based on the new driving scheme, a fast pixel circuit is designed using amorphous‐silicon (a‐Si) thin‐film transistors (TFTs). As the simulation results indicate, this pixel circuit can compensate the threshold‐voltage shift (VT shift) of the driver transistors. This pixel can be programmed in just 10 μsec, and it can compensate the threshold‐voltage shifts over 5 V with an error rate of less than 5% for a 1 ‐μA pixel current.
Relationship between exo‐electron currents from MgO thin film and statistical delay time in ACPDPs
Authors: Kuang Yawei , Yoon Sang‐Hoon , Kim Yong‐Seog
Published: July 2011

Abstract— The exo‐electron currents from a ACPDP test panel with or without MgO crystals sprayed on MgO film were measured directly after eliminating of the wall‐voltage effect. An inverse relationship was established between the statistical delay time and exo‐electron currentfrom the MgO cathode film. The spraying of MgO crystals on MgO thin film was observed to reduce the statistical delay time dramatically even for the same exo‐electron currents measured. The shift of the inverse curve may be attributed to an increased discharge success probability by the MgO crystals sprayed.
An Integrative Review of Global Nursing Workforce Issues
Authors: Nichols Barbara L. , Davis Catherine R. , Richardson Donna R.
Published: July 2011

Migration has been a way of life since the beginning of time, with migrants seeking other lands for personal and professional betterment. Today, in an era of globalization, trade agreements and technological advances, an increase in migration is inevitable. All professions have been affected, but the migration of health professionals, particularly nurses, has been the most dramatic. However, the migration of nurses across national and international borders comes with many challenges: systematic tracking of migration flows, harmonization of standards, recognition of professional credentials, fair and equitable distribution of the global health care workforce, and the effect of migration on the health care infrastructure of both source and destination countries. The international migration of nurses to address shortages in developed countries has, in some instances, left source countries with insufficient resources to address their own health care needs. The increasing complexity of health care delivery, aging of the population and the nursing workforce, and the escalating global demand for nurses create on-going challenges for policy makers. Strategically addressing global nursing workforce issues is paramount to sustaining the health of nations.
The Health Care Work Environment and Adverse Health and Safety Consequences for Nurses
Authors: Geiger-Brown Jeanne , Lipscomb Jane
Published: July 2011

Nurses' working conditions are inextricably linked to the quality of care that is provided to patients and patients' safety. These same working conditions are associated with health and safety outcomes for nurses and other health care providers. This chapter describes aspects of the nursing work environment that have been linked to hazards and adverse exposures for nurses, as well as the most common health and safety outcomes of nursing work. We include studies from 2000 to the present by nurse researchers, studies of nurses as subjects, and studies of workers under similar working conditions that could translate to nurses' work environment. We explore a number of work organization factors including shift work and extended work hours, safety climate and culture, teamwork, and communication. We also describe environmental hazards, including chemical hazards (e.g., waste anesthetics, hazardous drugs, cleaning compounds) and airborne and bloodborne pathogen exposure. Nurses' health and safety outcomes include physical (e.g., musculoskeletal disorders, gastrointestinal, slips, trips and falls, physical assault) and psychosocial outcomes (e.g., burnout, work-family conflict). Finally, we present recommendations for future research to further protect nurses and all health care workers from a range of hazardous working conditions.
An Integrative Review of Nursing Workforce Studies
Authors: Debisette Annette Tyree , Sandvold Irene , Easterling Barbara , Martinelli Angela
Published: July 2011

The purpose of this chapter is to present an analysis of selected published nursing workforce studies published between the years of 2005 and 2010. Thirteen nursing workforce studies were reviewed and analyzed using a modification of the method suggested by Ganong (1987). Nursing workforce studies were selected based on the following criteria: (1) the date of publication was between the years of 2005 and 2010; (2) the primary focus was on nurses working in practice; or, as students or faculty in nursing educational programs. When reviewed, the 13 studies (1) lacked uniform measures among databases; (2) lacked longitudinal studies that followed the respondent over time from the beginning of their career to retirement; (3) had response rates that contributed to small sample sizes or sampling frame that did not take into consideration all characteristics of interest; (4) lacked attention to an interdisciplinary mix of providers; and (5) implied the need for future study on intergenerational characteristics due to shifting demographics in the profession and nursing workforce.
State Policy and Research Initiatives Focused on Improving Nursing Workforce An Integrative Literature Review
Authors: Green Alexia , Kishi Aileen , R. Esperat M. Christina
Published: July 2011

The purpose of this chapter is to examine to and synthesize nursing workforce research and policy initiatives at the state level. An integrative literature review was systematically conducted using Ganong's Stages of an Integrative Research Review (1987). Searches were limited to English-language publications in the years from 2000 to 2010 which focused on workforce issues in the United States. A total of 155 published articles were included in this review. Overall, the literature indicated that significant research is examining nursing workforce issues and that states are actively engaged in policy initiatives to address nursing workforce issues, particularly those related to a shortage of nurses and faculty. The findings also indicated a major disconnect between nursing workforce research and patient outcomes research. Recommendations include connecting research and policy links between nursing workforce research and patient outcomes research and creating clear correlations to system-level determinants of quality. Additional implications for further research are provided which include the important role of nurse researchers in connecting nursing care and nurse staffing to processes and outcome measures, which demonstrate the financial impact upon health care.
The Metacognitive Component of Academic Self-Concept: The Development of a Triarchic Self-Scale
Authors: Mandelman Samuel D. , Tan Mei , Kornilov Sergey A. , Sternberg Robert J. , Grigorenko Elena L.
Published: July 2011

Self-concept—more specifically academic self-concept—and its connection to academic achievement have long been studied. It has been widely accepted that one’s self-concept is formed through interaction with one’s environment and significant others. Here we suggest that an internal metacognitive component of self-concept is also critical to its development. This hypothesis is investigated here by the development of a metacognitive-academic self-concept scale as part of a larger battery based on Sternberg’s triarchic model of successful intelligence. The academic self-concept scale’s psychometric properties, with respect to both children and adults, and its correlations with a group-administered cognitive assessment are presented. Additionally, a series of Q-factor analyses of the results on the scale are provided, revealing multiple distinguishable academic self-concept profiles. Collectively, these data suggest that a self-concept scale regarding one’s abilities can provide an additional source of information for the cognitive profiles of students.
Development of a Theoretical Framework and Practical Application of Games in Fostering Cognitive and Metacognitive Skills
Authors: Hessels-Schlatter Christine
Published: July 2011

In this article, traditional games are proposed as complementary tools for metacognitive intervention. Games allow addressing various cognitive and metacognitive processes and strategies involved in learning and thinking. They are easily available, stimulating for students who usually exhibit resistance to learning, and represent valuable learning devices for students for whom few cognitive education programs are available (young children and students with intellectual disability). A framework for analyzing games with regard to the (meta)cognitive processes involved is presented and criteria for mediation are formulated. Two adolescents with intellectual disability participated in an intervention based on this model. The students progressed on a procedural level as well as on different untrained tasks. Results were maintained after 8 weeks. This study, although not generalizable, illustrates the relevance of using games in a metacognitive perspective.
Does the Dynamic Testing of Working Memory Predict Growth in Nonword Fluency and Vocabulary in Children With Reading Disabilities?
Authors: Swanson H. Lee
Published: July 2011

This three-year longitudinal study assessed whether working memory (WM performance) when tested under dynamic testing conditions is related to growth on measures of phonological awareness and vocabulary in skilled readers and subgroups of children with reading disabilities (RD) (children with RD-only, children with both reading and arithmetic deficits, and low verbal IQ readers). A battery of memory and reading measures was administered to 78 children (11.6 yrs) across three testing waves spaced one year apart. WM tasks were presented under initial, gain, and maintenance testing conditions. The important results were (1) growth curve modeling showed that WM performance administered under initial and maintenance testing conditions was a significant moderator of growth in receptive vocabulary, whereas the number of probes and WM performance under gain testing conditions were significant moderators of growth in nonword fluency and (2) WM performance was statistically comparable within subgroups of children with RD, but inferior to skilled readers across all testing conditions. The results support the notion that children’s WM performance when measured under dynamic testing conditions was related to the rate of growth on basic reading and vocabulary measures.
Load and Order in Rapid Automatized Naming: A Large-Scale Prospective Study of Toddlers With Brain Injury
Authors: Geva Ronny , Gardner Judith M. , Karmel Bernard Z.
Published: July 2011

The rapid automatized naming task (RAN) is a well-established tool to evaluate risk of developmental disorders. Its potential use with 3-year-olds who are at risk for learning difficulties and factors affecting its dependent measures are not yet understood. This study investigated the effects of neonatal central nervous system compromise grouping (five levels, N = 617) on RAN task adapted for 3-year-olds, using two levels of information load and two presentation orders. Results showed that increased errors and slowed speed in toddlers are expected subsequent to severe neonatal CNS compromise. Furthermore, collaborative information may have a beneficial effect on processing speeds of toddlers born with severe, but not with moderate, neonatal CNS compromise. Finally, the study highlights the feasability of evaluating RAN performance in toddlers who are at a developmental risk for learning disabilities and the conditions of RAN that may facilitate performance of severely affected participants.
Efficacy of a Cognitive Reading Remediation Program For At-Risk Children in Grade 1
Authors: Parrila Rauno K. , Das J.P. , Kendrick Maureen E. , Papadopoulos Timothy C. , Kirby John R.
Published: July 2011

Fifty-eight Grade 1 children experiencing reading difficulties were divided into two matched remediation groups: PREP (PASS Reading Enhancement Program) (see Das & Kendrick, 1997) and Meaning-Based Reading intervention. Both groups received remediation twice a week for 20 min over a 9-week period. Participants’ reading level was assessed pre- and post-intervention using Word Identification (WI) and Word Attack (WA) tests. Repeated measures ANOVAs showed a significant main effect of Testing Time for both WI and WA. For WA, the Testing Time by Remediation Group interaction was also significant; the PREP group gained more than the meaning-based group in terms of decoding skills. Next, the performance of High-Gainers and No-Gainers in both groups was compared on several cognitive processing tasks. Results indicated that High-Gainers in the PREP group were characterized by a somewhat higher level of successive processing, phonological processing, and word recognition skills at the beginning of the program. In contrast, High-Gainers in the meaning-based program were characterized by a higher level of planning, phonological processing, and visual memory. Implications for education and future directions for research on remediation are also presented.
The Need for Different Classroom Settings For Effective Development of Thinking Skills
Authors: Sonn R. A.
Published: July 2011

A study was conducted in the southern areas of the former Transkei evaluating the development of thinking skills through Feuerstein’s Instrumental Enrichment (FIE) program (Sonn, 1996). The researcher came to certain conclusions and made several recommendations. One of these recommendations was to change the classroom setting to facilitate the effective development of thinking skills. This paper is divided into three parts. Part one discusses the need for an alternative classroom setting. Curriculum developers seldom address the type of environment in which a curriculum should be implemented, even though the environment is a factor that affects the implementation of any curriculum. Therefore, if we want to change the curriculum to allow for the teaching of thinking skills, we have to change the classroom setting as well. Part two is a review of various examples of classroom settings and the alternative instructional structures. Specifically discussed are the advantages of: (a) biology laboratories, (b) longer blocks of time offered several times a week, (3) developing junior science laboratories, historical societies, social policy institutes, publishing houses, television stations, and (d) junior think tanks where groups of interested students, under adult guidance from either a teacher or a professional policy analyst, focus on a problem of concern to the adolescent and adult community. The third part of the paper addresses the question of why alternative instructional settings and structures have not taken root and flourished.
Application of a School-Wide Metacognitive Training Model: Effects on Academic and Planning Performance
Authors: Conway Robert N. F. , Hopton Lyndall J.
Published: July 2011

Proponents of recent educational approaches to cognitive strategy training have emphasized the importance of ensuring that strategy training is incorporated within the teaching program of the classroom rather than being taught in academic and locational isolation. Designers of the Process-Based Instruction (PBI) model stress such an approach. Staff members in a primary school were trained to use PBI and provided consultancy support while they implemented the approach within their regular classroom academic programs. Students in the experimental school demonstrated significant gains in academic tasks, perceptions of ability, and some planning tasks when compared with the performance of participants in the contrast condition school. Limitations in the approach as well as future research issues are discussed.
Cognitive Strategies in the Secondary School: Investigating Process-Based Instruction And Students’ Perceptions of Effective Teaching Strategies
Authors: Hay Ian
Published: July 2011

This research was intended to evaluate the effectiveness of the Process-Based Instruction (PBI) procedure and to identify which teaching strategies students perceived as more useful in their learning. Using a comparison group design with an independent evaluator, we gave a sample of secondary students learning tasks that incorporated PBI strategic plans, while a matched sample in the same school was given similar learning tasks but without PBI. The PBI group outperformed the non-PBI group. These findings confirm previous research with mainly elementary school students showing that PBI facilitaties students’ long-term recall of information. The students (N = 40) identified the teaching strategies of modeling and demonstration as the most relevant for their learning, and found teachers who displayed strategies associated with enhancing motivation and feedback to be more effective.
The Fragile-X Syndrome: What about the Deficit in the Pragmatic Component of Language?
Authors: Comblain Annick , Elbouz Mouna
Published: July 2011

The language profile of individuals with fragile-X syndrome looks like that of individuals with Down syndrome, except for phonological and pragmatic abilities. Whereas the pragmatic aspect of language is relatively preserved in Down syndrome, it is one of the most impaired language components in fragile-X syndrome. Discourse of persons with fragile X generally contains repetitions, perseverations, and stereotypies. These behaviors are well documented in the literature but we do not know, for now, the reasons for these repetitions and perseverations. Are they the consequence of a real pragmatic disorder or the consequence of motor difficulties? Another aspect of the pragmatic component of language (in this pathology) remains almost unexplored: the common ground management and the organization of the old and the new information in conversation. It is this last point that we explore. We conducted a preliminary study with four boys with fragile-X aged from 6 to 12 years. Pairs of boys worked together on referential communication tasks. We presented traditional experimental situations in a non-eye contact condition between participants. We compared the results of our subjects with those of typically developing children matched for lexical age. Boys with Fragile-X were less efficient than were typically developing children when the message to give or receive contained spatial terms or “ordinal” attributes. They also managed less efficiently with an incomplete message, especially when it was given by an adult.
Laterality and Cognitive Performance in Mental Retardation
Authors: Buono Serafino , Di Nuovo Santo
Published: July 2011

Studies on laterality have not supported the hypothesis that well-lateralized people do better on cognitive tasks than those with ‘mixed’ or uncertain laterality. This developmental characteristic appears to be not significantly linked with specific intellectual disabilities.

This study was aimed at testing relationships between laterality and cognitive performance in mental retardation. In this population, indeed, previous invesigators have reported higher incidence of nonright laterality than in nonretarded persons, particularly among males and with reference to handedness.

Sample and method. We studied the incidence of different forms of laterality (eye, hand, ear, and foot modalities) in a sample of 202 persons with mild and moderate mental retardation and borderline intellectual functioning, with and without neurological impairment, aged 7 – 79 years.

We used 12 laterality tasks assessing, through direct observation, four modalities (hand, eye, ear, and foot preference), as suggested by Coren (1993). The laterality score was obtained using the formula: [(total Right - total Left) / (total Right + total Left)] x 100. The scores ranged from +100 (full right lateralization) to -100 (full left lateralization). The handedness score was computed using the same formula, but taking into account only the 4 tasks regarding hand preference. Lateralization was determined for each subject using a score 50 in the two opposite directions as a cutoff point.

Results. Our data, considering the overall laterality, confirmed the hypothesis of reduced right prevalence (near 50% in both sexes), but did not confirm the hypothesis of a larger proportion of left lateralized subjects than in normal ones. Instead, if we refer to handedness only, the percentage of left-handed subjects is very high, almost one fifth in males, almost one tenth in females. A significant difference by gender was found in handedness across life-span. No significant differences were found regarding the level of impairment, either for overall laterality or for handedness.

Correlations between lateralization scores and performances in cognitive tests, such as Wechsler Intelligence Scales (single subtests were also taken into account), Raven’s Progressive Matrices, and the Bender Visual-motor Gestalt Test, were computed. Results show significant relations between the degree of right sidedness and some cognitive performances, but these relations are differentiated for overall laterality and hand prevalence, and they are mediated by gender and severity of mental retardation.

The results are useful for enhancing theoretical comprehension of the relations between laterality and cognitive processes.
The Effects of the Observation of Dynamic and Static Assessment on Teachers’ Perceptions of Learners with Low Academic Results
Authors: Benjamin Louis , Lomofsky Lilian
Published: July 2011

The study contrasts and compares the effect of the observation of dynamic and static assessment approaches on teachers’ perceptions in the changing context of the South African Education system. The study was implemented in two schools on the Cape Flats, in Cape Town, South Africa. The Cape Flats is a historically disadvantaged area of Cape Town. From the results of this study, it can be concluded that the teachers in the experimental group, who observed a dynamic assessment, developed a more optimistic stance towards the learners than the teachers in the comparison group, who observed the static assessment battery. The teachers in the experimental group responded positively towards the mediational teaching style and process related aspects of the dynamic assessment procedure, whereas in the comparison group the teachers concerns about their learners were reinforced as a result of their low performance on the static test battery. The outcome of the study provides support for the use of dynamic assessment approaches within the South African context and reinforces the limitations and possible dangers of the use of static testing approaches with learners with low academic results.
Preschool Cognitive Education: Why, How, With What Effects?
Authors: Paour Jean-Louis , Cèbe Sylvie
Published: July 2011

The authors make the case for the application of cognitive education with low-achieving children in preschool education. Their principal argument is that it is not sufficient to modify the curriculum contents and to present rich and varied activities in order to help the children to confront the basic learning tasks of the primary grades under good conditions. One must also help them to put into practice an effective cognitive functioning in these activities. Building upon a constructivist view of learning and development, the authors propose and illustrate a group of psychopedagogical conditions for presenting tasks that can help to induce and sustain modes of effective functioning that lead to conceptual abstraction. The authors illustrate the application of their concepts with empirical data obtained with a program of cognitive education for young children, Bright Start, as a vehicle for implementing these conditions.
Emergents and Rational Behaviorism
Authors: Rumbaugh Duane M.
Published: July 2011

The rational behavioristic framework here advanced allows for cognitive operations and emergent phenomena that are, in measure, based on the syntheses of general life experiences and observations and also upon the learning induced by traditional respondent and operant conditioning. The framework is based on the assumption that notably the primate brains, and particularly those of the apes and humans, have evolved so as to be acutely sensitive to the detection and storage of predictive relationships. Memory systems store the knowledge thereby derived in a logical set of “files,” which allows the natural operations of the brain to formulate creative behavioral patterns and solutions to novel challenges. Metaphorically, their storage might be thought of in terms of chords which, in their interaction with other memory chords, can be synergistic through the natural physics known otherwise to be characteristic of chords (e.g., fundamentals, resonance, harmonics, overtones, etc.).
The Effect of Visual-Motor Imagery Training on CPT Performance in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Chevalier Nicole , Poissant Hélène , Bergeron Hélène , Girard-Lajoie Aline
Published: July 2011

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a widespread problem that affects many aspects of the academic and social system. The development of techniques aimed at cognitive remediation of attention disorders is one approach to helping deal with the high prevalence of ADHD in school-age children. In order to serve most efficiently students with attention deficits, these techniques should be implemented on an institutional level. We have developed a cognitive training program, the Attention Education Program (AEP), that uses techniques of visual-motor imagery to increase ADHD children’s attention control. In this study we examined the effects of AEP training on elementary school children with ADHD. Thirty children from the Quebec special education system, who were rated as having ADHD, participated in two testing sessions on the Conners CPT with sessions six months apart. Approximately one-half of the subjects received AEP training during the six-month interval between tests, while the other group received no training. AEP training led to improvement on CPT reaction times in ADHD children, and to a reduction in CPT errors in a subgroup of hyperactive subjects. These results suggest potential therapeutic value of cognitive remediation programs implemented in the school system.
Executive Functioning: Toward a Research Agenda on Higher-Level Cognitive Skills
Authors: Borkowski John G. , Nicholson Jody , Turner Lisa A.
Published: July 2011

In this paper, we propose that basic and applied research in the areas of intelligence, education, and cognition can be significantly advanced by a focus on executive functioning (EF). We present our perspective on the nature of EF, show its centrality in understanding applied cognition, and develop a research agenda that would advance the scope of theories about EF and their classroom applications. This research agenda calls for (1) basic, interdisciplinary research on the measurement of EF and how these measures relate to its biological-genetic substrates, (2) applied research that determines the best methods for supporting EF in classroom settings and home environments, and (3) theoretical research that re-examines the role that EF might play in the emergence of human intelligence. Advances in our understanding of EF have the potential to inform the assessment, diagnosis, remediation, and prevention of learning difficulties and developmental delays in ways that are potentially applicable across multiple domains and contexts.
Explicitation and Intellectual Efficiency
Authors: Bruderlein Patrick
Published: July 2011

The “implicit-explicit” distinction is usually used to specify the nature of mental processing or of essential memory systems. The purpose of this paper is to call attention to this distinction, too often neglected, within the domain of semantic knowledge. In fact, taking account of the degree of explicitation of specific knowledge may enable us to account for both the best performances by experts within their domain and also the idiosyncratic difficulties some learners encounter during the acquisition and generalization of both specific and general knowledge. The importance of processes of explicitation of knowledge within developmental and individual differences perspectives is discussed.
Comment on Curriculum-based Measurement: Describing Competence, Enhancing Outcomes, Evaluating Treatment Effects, and Identifying Treatment Nonresponders by Fuchs and Fuchs
Authors: Lidz Carol S.
Published: July 2011

The authors summarize research on curriculum-based measurement (CBM) within four strands. They provide an overview of studies demonstrating the psychometric tenability of CBM. They discuss the body of work showing how teachers can use CBM to inform instructional planning. They examine CBM’s potential use in evaluating treatment effects. Finally, they summarize work on CBM for the purpose of identifying children who fail to profit from otherwise effective instruction.
Durability of Effects of Instrumental Enrichment in Adults with Intellectual Disabilities
Authors: Lifshitz Hefziba , Tzuriel David
Published: July 2011

21 adults with intellectual disabilities were examined three years after participating in a cognitive intervention program in order to assess the durability of their cognitive achievements. The sample consisted of two age groups: 30-49 years (n=12) and 50-59 years (n=9). The primary intervention method was the Instrumental Enrichment Program. The effects of the intervention were examined by three types of thinking instruments: logical thinking (Reversal and Verbal Abstraction Tests), predictive thinking (Maze Tests), and insightful thinking (Postures and Children Tests). These tests were given five times: two times prior to the cognitive education program, spaced two months apart; two times after the cognitive education program, spaced two months apart; three years after the program. This repeated-measurement was used to compensate for the absence of a control group (an absence due to reality-based technical considerations). The original study yielded significant improvement from Time 2 to Time 3, and two months later (Time 4), showing a divergent effect for two types of thinking. The follow-up evaluation (Time 5) showed a drop in the cognitive functioning relative to Time 4, but not to Time 3, a finding that indicates a durability effect. The results support Feuerstein’s structural cognitive modifiability theory, according to which long-term individual changes are possible regardless of the individual’s age and cognitive functioning level.
Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Depression in Children and Adolescents: Implications for Practitioners and Educators
Authors: Poissant Hélène , Montgomery Cameron
Published: July 2011

This article is a literature review of studies on attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Depression (Depression). Domains evaluated in our review include co-morbidity in proband and family in relation to ADHD and Depression, longitudinal studies concerning outcomes of ADHD in relation to Depression, and familial risk factors related to ADHD and Depression. The studies that were examined established a link between ADHD and Depression in probands as well as in their families. Studies addressing the question of the primary or secondary status of Depression in ADHD do not reveal any clear link between an initial diagnosis of ADHD and a Depression outcome, suggesting that childhood diagnosis of ADHD alone usually does not evolve into adult Depression. The long-term evolution of ADHD into Depression seems to be related more to the presence of an initial comorbidity condition in ADHD children and adolescents. Family factors seem to influence the genesis of ADHD and Depression. There also seems to be a direct link between Major Depression in mothers and ADHD in their children.
The Process of Experiencing Mediated Learning as a Result of Peer Collaboration Between Young Adults With Severe Learning Difficulties
Authors: Kaufman Ruth
Published: July 2011

Mediated learning is an interpersonal experience in which the mediator’s role is to develop in the mediatee functions essential for learning. The mediator focuses on the mediatee while identifying, analyzing, formulating, and solving problems related to everyday life and formal education frameworks. This study was focused upon the mediators, their experience in mediated learning, and the development of mediational abilities and cognitive functions as a result of social goals.

Mediation was carried out in pairs and in a group format. The group was composed of low-functioning young adults suffering from severe learning problems. They acted in pairs, using a peer mediating activity, and also worked in the group to replicate their actions as well as to study the theory of mediated learning, its procedure, and its activities. The tasks were taken from Feuerstein’s cognitive intervention program, Instrumental Enrichment.

Such a framework allowed me to identify and capture different aspects of students’ cognitive functioning as well as their inter- and intrapersonal mediation. Each student had to play different roles, sometimes acting as mediator to another member of the group, and thus focusing on his/her difficulties and needs, and at other times being a mediatee and receiving mediation from another group member. In addition, each student participated in the whole group activity reflecting upon, analyzing, and evaluating his/her own and his/her peer’s actions as well as those of others in the group. All this promoted strong experience in mediated learning, in different distances and modalities. Three different instruments were developed as a means of data collection and analysis: the mediation circular profile, the structural hierarchy of deficient cognitive functions map, and the process analysis flow chart.

The study unfolded as a microdevelopmental process with students starting at a very low level of cognitive functioning and mediational ability and gradually progressing toward quite sophisticated methods of interaction, mediation, and problem solving. In the course of such microevolution, each group member developed his/her own position and role within the group and in the group activities.

The findings support the theory of Structural Cognitive Modifiability while showing that even low-functioning people, who usually play the role of mediatee, can be mediators. By mediating to other people, they improve their own cognitive functioning, abstract level of thinking, and social and communication skills.
International Survey of Dynamic Assessment Trainers
Authors: Haywood Carl H. , Lidz Carol S.
Published: July 2011

The authors conducted an e-mail survey of persons who train practitioners to do dynamic assessment (DA). The report presents the opinions and recommendations of 29 DA trainers from 14 countries. The brief survey includes recommendations and suggestions about credentials, time required for training, content, and follow-up policies for individuals who are being trained to become DA practitioners. The participants generally agree that a broad range of credentialed practitioners could be appropriate for DA training, and essentially agree on the central content appropriate for inclusion in this training with an emphasis on mediation and deemphasis on quantitative information. There was inconsistent preference for training in generalizable principles of DA over training in a variety of instruments and tasks.
Differential Diagnosis of Autism and other Developmental Disabilities in International Adoption Cases: The Implications of Language Abilities
Authors: Camarata Stephen
Published: July 2011

An accurate differential diagnosis of children adopted from foreign language situations that include challenging conditions (e.g., neglect) often rests upon accurate measurement of cognitive abilities in the context of low English proficiency, specifically, and may also include generally poor linguistic skills in the native language. In addition, because the goal of any adoption program is ultimately to generate effective intervention supports when needed and measurable progress in function as the child assimilates into his/her new home, it is essential that these programs be designed within the context of valid measurement. Given the particular confluence of low language ability and entrée into a culture that may have differing social interactive norms than the previous culture, one can imagine that identifying disabilities generally, but social-interactive based disabilities such as autism spectrum disorders specifically, could be problematic. Thus, assessment and treatment in these children is difficult and fraught with potential pitfalls. Moreover, recent advances in the measurement of cognitive abilities have out-paced changes in diagnostic classification and treatment methods, and it appears that applications to international adoption cases have lagged even further. This suggests that diagnosis should not be guided solely by available subtests on an intelligence battery or on clinical ascertainment instruments, because these could be confounded by language ability and cultural background. The purpose of this paper is to review measurement of cognitive abilities and diagnosis in international adoption situations and discuss methods for ensuring that diagnosis and treatment include consideration of potential pitfalls. In addition, potential confounds on clinical instruments are discussed.
Hierarchic Organization and Memory Recall
Authors: Harpaz-Itay Yifat , Kaniel Shlomo , Halpern Iris
Published: July 2011

The authors examined the hierarchic levels of templates’ organization of performance in familiar and unfamiliar key patterns conditions by expert and nonexpert typists. Using a laptop computer with a specially designed keyboard together with special software, 60 expert and 20 nonexpert typists were asked to remember the locations of 10 keys and characters. Under the condition of using a familiar keyboard, experts performed better, independent of their templates’ organization levels; however, in unfamiliar conditions, high levels of template organization affected performance. The results support the constraint attunement hypothesis (CAH) of K. J. Vicente and J. H. Wang, according to which goal-relevant constraints are defined by constructing a hierarchic abstraction. Attuning to a higher level of abstraction places constraints on the lower levels. The higher the levels of hierarchic abstraction that experts adopt, the greater the capacity achieved when attuning to these multiple constraints--thus allowing better recall. The importance of this paper is not only in its support of the CAH theory, but also in expanding the theory on elementary processes and simple motor skills such as typing.
Teachers’ Perceptions and Classroom Application of Mathematical Computer Software
Authors: Hay Ian , Booker George
Published: July 2011

Mathematics teachers from elementary and secondary school settings reported that the main advantage of instructional software pertained to enhancing students’ motivation and educational experiences, whereas the main disadvantage pertained to the poor content and sequencing of much of the available software. Teachers typically used software as a supplemental activity but wanted more programs that encouraged students’ cognitive reasoning, problem-solving and higher-order thinking skills in mathematics. These findings support the notion that although use of computer software has the potential to motivate, provide practice, and facilitate students’ learning and thinking in mathematics, students still require appropriate teacher-led instruction to enhance their mathematics knowledge as they interact with the software.
Metamemory and Memory Performance in Belgian and Canadian Elementary School Children: A Comparative Study
Authors: Van der Keilen Marguerite , Zhou Run-Min
Published: July 2011

The authors investigated the influence of different educational approaches on metamemory and memory performance and their relationship. Canadian and Belgian children in grades four, five, and six were compared on these measures. Belgian children scored higher than Canadian children on metamemory limited to knowledge of common memory problems; however, no difference was found between the two groups in memory performance. Possible reasons for this discrepancy are discussed. With advancing grades, knowledge of strategies was the aspect of metamemory showing significant improvement. The relationship between metamemory and memory performance was significant only at the grade four level.
Learning to Think in Steiner-Waldorf Schools
Authors: Oberski Iddo
Published: July 2011

The Steiner-Waldorf schools are well known for offering a curriculum infused with creative activities and for introducing cognitive education at a later stage compared to most other schools. There are 893 Steiner-Waldorf schools worldwide, including 29 in the UK (England 23, Scotland 4, N-Ireland 1, Wales 1), 121 in the USA, and 16 in Canada (Bund der Freien Waldorfschulen, 2005). Whereas there has been a growing concern with the teaching of thinking and thinking skills from the start of primary school, the curriculum in Waldorf schools is based on the development of the imagination through creative and artistic expression, which is thought to lead to healthy thinking later in life. Thus, what is learned at an early stage (e.g., to clap and speak a rhyme) is thought to work its way into thinking at a later stage of the child’s life (e.g., to remember, participate, or count). This small study was designed to map out how, according to Waldorf teachers, thinking develops in their pupils.
Development of Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning in Young Children: Role of Collaborative and Peer-Assisted Learning
Authors: Whitebread David , Bingham Sue , Grau Valeska , Pino Pasternak Deborah , Sangster Claire
Published: July 2011

The authors present findings from a large 2-year study exploring the development of self-regulatory and metacognitive abilities in young children (aged 3 to 5 years) in educational naturalistic settings in the United Kingdom (English Nursery and Reception classrooms). Three levels of analysis were conducted based on observational codings of categories of metacognitive and self-regulatory behaviors. These analyses supported the view that, within the 3- to 5-year age range, there was extensive evidence of metacognitive behaviors that occurred most frequently during learning activities that were initiated by the children, involved them in working in pairs or small groups, unsupervised by adults, and that involved extensive collaboration and talk (i.e., learning contexts that might be characterized as peer-assisted learning). Relative to working individually or in groups with adult support, children in this age range working in unsupervised small groups showed more evidence of metacognitive monitoring and control. Relative to children in supervised groups, they also showed more evidence of “other” and “shared” regulation. The implications for research, theory, and educational practice are discussed.
Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies in Reading for Students With Different Learning Needs
Authors: Sáenz Laura M. , McMaster Kristen L. , Fuchs Douglas , Fuchs Lynn S.
Published: July 2011

This paper provides on overview of the classwide peer-tutoring strategy known as Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS) for reading. Specific activities and research supporting PALS for Kindergarten, First Grade, Grades 2 through 6, and High School are described. Then, research addressing the characteristics of students who have not responded to PALS, as well as approaches to identification and further intervention for PALS nonresponders, is summarized. Current efforts to examine PALS when taken “to scale” are briefly described followed by ways to obtain PALS materials and training.