bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Differences among Urban, Suburban, and Rural Schools on Technology Access and Use in Eighth-Grade Mathematics Classrooms
Authors: Owens Emiel W. , Waxman Hersholt C.
Published: May 2005

One of the potential dangers related to technology occurs when technology access and use are not equitably distributed. This study examined the access and use of technology in urban, suburban, and rural schools by using teacher survey data from the eighth-grade cohort of the National Educational Longitudinal Survey of 1988 (NELS:88). The subjects were 3,825 eighth-grade mathematics teachers who answered questions on the extent to which students had access to technology and how they were using it in their mathematics class. The results indicated that there were several significant differences on technology use by type of school setting. Teachers from suburban schools were more likely to report using calculators than teachers from urban and rural schools. Teachers from rural schools reported that they were less likely to use calculators and computers than teachers from suburban and urban schools. Finally, teachers from rural and suburban schools were more likely to report that their students used computers for enrichment purposes, while urban teachers were more likely to report that computers in their schools were used for remediation.
Effectiveness of a Computer-Based Reading Comprehension Program for Adults
Authors: Alessi Stephen M. , Siegel Martin , Silver Dorothy , Barnes Hank
Published: May 2005

A formative evaluation of the instructional effectiveness of twenty hours of computer-based reading comprehension instruction for adults was conducted. The lessons taught reading comprehension subskills called 'information finding' and 'paraphrasing.' Thirty-six adults studied either the reading lessons or computer-based mathematics lessons for the same length of time, about two months. The group that studied reading lessons improved significantly in pre to posttest performance relative to mathematics students. The increased test performance was retained on another posttest given a month later. The study supports the value of a complete computer-based reading comprehension curriculum following similar instructional strategies.
Pet Rest Memorial: Is Eternity Running out of Time?
Authors: Spiegelman Vivian , Kastenbaum Robert
Published: May 2005

Pet Rest Memorial Mortuary and Cemetery (Tempe, Arizona) resembles other small cemeteries in general lay-out and appearance; the casual observer may have to look twice to determine that it is the final resting place of household pets. Actually, however, Pet Rest and other animal cemeteries may not serve as “final” or even long-term burial grounds. Economic problems, including the side-effects of urban change, have led to suspended operations in some facilities (such as Pet Rest), and to the closing of others. This article briefly explores the needs served by pet cemeteries, the difficulties that confront many of these facilities, and the larger implications for memorialization and the sense of loss. A photographic tour of Pet Rest Memorial Mortuary and Cemetery provides its own form of documentation.
Puns, Metaphors, and Misunderstandings in a Two-Year Old's Conception of Death
Authors: Brent Sandor B.
Published: May 2005

There is currently growing interest in children's conception of death [1, 2]. The present paper reports, analyzes, and interprets successive stages in the evolution of one two-year old boy's conception of death through a series of puns, metaphors, and misunderstandings about the nature of language, and of its relationship to the world to which it refers. In this sense, this case history is as interesting for what it reveals about children's language and thinking in general, as it is for what it reveals about this one child's concept of “death” in particular. A logical analysis of the syllogistic reasoning implicit in the evolution of this conceptualization of death is presented, and the relationship of puns, metaphors, and other figures of speech to the child's understanding of language, and of reality implicit in this conceptualization is discussed in some detail.
Does Being Technical Matter? Xml, Single Source, and Technical Communication
Authors: Sapienza Filipp
Published: May 2005

XML is a recent Web design language that will enable technical communicators to produce documentation that can reuse information and present it across multiple types of media for diverse audiences. However, little is understood about how XML will impact technical communication in terms of theory, academic research, and pedagogy. In this article, I argue that XML requires more interdisciplinary approaches toward the teaching and research of technical communication, particularly with respect to the integration of technical and rhetorical knowledge.
Parent Participation in an Adolescent Drug Abuse Prevention Program
Authors: Cohen Deborah A. , Linton Kathryn L. P.
Published: May 2005

This study reports the level of participation of parents in a parent-targeted school-based drug prevention program, the differences between students whose parents participate and those who don't, and the implications for involving parents in future drug prevention programs. Among 1761 eligible seventh grade families, 1263 students (72%) and 1142 parents (65%) completed surveys assessing the quality of parent-child relationships as well as tobacco and alcohol use. Ten percent of eligible families attended at least one of the evening sessions. Compared to students whose parents completed the survey, students whose parents did not complete a survey were more likely to report they used tobacco, had more friends who used substances, were monitored less by their parents, had more risk-taking behaviors, had lower grade-point averages, and their parents had higher rates of tobacco and alcohol use. Parents who attended evening sessions had the lowest rates of tobacco use and reported spending the most time with their children. Parent-targeted drug preventions programs may stigmatize attending parents and may be unlikely to attract the highest risk families.
Educational Decision-Makers and Systems Analytic Technique Assistance
Authors: Graves Robert J.
Published: May 2005

Results of preliminary field work with a number of educational agencies in the Atlanta area attempting to assess the interest of key decisionmakers in such agencies in systems analysis approaches to problems and the level of problem with which such interest is embraced is reported. Individuals interviewed include those representing a number of large public school systems, Regents' staff of a State University System, a State Education Department, as well as several state legislators in an attempt to 1) clearly identify and factually buttress the various policy level problems facing these agencies through their commentary, and 2) to assess their interest in analytical solution approaches to such problems.
Evaluation Plan for the Community Intervention Trial for Smoking Cessation (COMMIT)
Authors: Mattson Margaret E. , Cummings K. Michael , Lynn William R. , Giffen Carol , Corle Don , Pechacek Terry ,   For the COMMIT Research Group
Published: May 2005

The National Cancer Institute is sponsoring the Community Intervention Trial for Smoking Cessation (COMMIT), a multi-center research project designed to test the value of a community-based effort to promote smoking cessation. The trial involves eleven matched pairs of communities with random assignment of one community per pair to the intervention or to the comparison condition. This article reviews the rationale and methodology of the COMMIT evaluation plan which is organized into four components: 1) outcome assessment, monitoring changes in community smoking patterns; 2) impact assessment, measuring the effect of the COMMIT intervention on mediating factors thought to be important in facilitating changes in community smoking behavior (e.g., social norms supporting nonsmoking); 3) process assessment, monitoring the quality and timeliness of intervention delivery; and 4) economic assessment, estimating the cost effectiveness of the intervention.
Digging for Clams: Shell Midden Analysis in New England
Authors: Kerber Jordan E.
Published: May 2005

Analysis of shellfish and other faunal remains from coastal middens is a powerful tool for archaeologists studying a wide range of problems. Results of analysis of four prehistoric middens excavated on Potowomut Neck, Warwick, Rhode Island are discussed. The recovered data are used in comparing the properties and contents of each midden in order to identify distinct activities and interpret seasonality of settlement. It is demonstrated that these middens were largely specialized shellfish processing stations utilized on a seasonal basis, although other activities were also recognized. Examination of one midden suggests that the stratification of shellfish was related to the development of the nearby Potowomut River estuary. Results of shell midden analysis in general, however, provide only a partial picture of an entire subsistence-settlement system and therefore should be integrated with information from other site types both within and outside the coastal zone.
Interactive Programs for a Multilingual Environment
Authors: Zollman Dean
Published: May 2005

Teaching in an environment in which more than one language is spoken is becoming increasingly common. Instructional software must be prepared to meet the needs of teachers in bilingual and multi-lingual environments. Many software developers have taken the approach of preparing multiple versions of their materials. One version is completed for each spoken language in which the material is presented. Because instruction with computer technology can be interactive, creating a new version for each language is not necessary. Instead, one can create an instructional program which is able to change the language of the on-screen presentation with a simple keystroke. By structuring the computer program to allow for this type of multi-lingual interaction additional languages can be added easily. We have experimented with two approaches. Each has advantages and disadvantages, but both offer easy changing of the on-screen language of presentation by the user.
Collaborative Projects in Technical Communication Classes: A Survey of Student Attitudes and Perceptions
Authors: Scott Ann Martin
Published: May 2005

This article reports the results of survey research designed to determine how students feel about peer assistance and group writing. In general, the results are quite favorable, although more problems surface regarding fully collaborative projects than peer criticism. Statistical analysis of both objective and open-ended items yields suggestions for design and management of collaborative projects in technical communication classes.
Grief and Elective Abortion: Breaking the Emotional Bond?
Authors: Peppers Larry G.
Published: May 2005

Does grief occur subsequent to elective abortion? This basic question is addressed using maternal-infant bonding as a basic theoretical framework. The temporal sequence of the three medical procedures: vacuum aspiration; dilitation and evacuation; and intrauterine induction, facilitated the testing of basic hypotheses deduced from bonding theory, as well as exploration of the grief reaction to the voluntary termination of a pregnancy. Grief associated with elective abortion was found to be symptomatically similar to grief experienced following involuntary fetal/infant loss, and may be initiated by the decision to terminate the pregnancy.
Examining the Relationship between the Development of the Concept of Death and Overall Cognitive Development
Authors: Jenkins Richard A. , Cavanaugh John C.
Published: May 2005

The present study was an attempt at replicating and extending previous findings regarding the development of the concept of death in children. Age, death concept development, general cognitive development, and background/experience variables were investigated with respect to their roles in death concept development. Thirty-two children between six and twelve years of age were given the Derry Death Concept Scale, the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, and selected subtests from the Wechter Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised. Correlations indicated that level of death concept development was related to age and verbal-conceptual mental development. Socioeconomic status and death-related experience did not significantly affect death concept level, nor did gender or separation experience. There were insufficient data to investigate separation effects. Findings from the present study were discussed with respect to their implications for future inquiry.
Prehistoric Osseous Rods from North America: Arguments on Function
Authors: Lyman R. Lee , O'Brien Michael J.
Published: May 2005

Bi-beveled bone rods are sometimes found in association with fluted bifaces. It has previously been proposed that these rods served variously as foreshafts for spears or lances, pressure-flaking tools, butchering tools, sled shoes, composite parts of a longer shaft or rod, and as hafting wedges. The most recent proposal is that they served in pairs as a composite clothes pin foreshaft—a proposal based on their uniquely shaped cross sections and the fact that the angles of the two bevels on each specimen vary. Evaluation of the evidence mustered in support of this proposed model of function indicates the critical data variously 1) do not exist, 2) contradict the model, and 3) are not accounted for by the model.
Does a Collateral Duty Require Less Protection: Workers, Hazardous Materials Emergency Response, and OSHA's Failure to Protect
Authors: Slatin Craig , Siqueira Eduardo
Published: May 2005

Waste management activities are widespread throughout most industrial sectors, and hazardous materials are a component of the waste of almost every aspect of industry. Workers with a collateral duty to engage in emergency response activities to a hazardous materials incident require health and safety protection. OSHA has failed to appropriately acknowledge this threat to workers and has been confusing and inconsistent in the interpretation and enforcement of its regulatory requirement for training workers with such a collateral duty. This article will discuss efforts on a national level to secure these protections, and provides an example of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) training program for workers with such a collateral duty in Toledo, Ohio. This evidence suggests that the provision of training to a majority of workers and supervisors involved in municipal waste management can greatly improve both worker and community health and safety. OSHA should revise 29 CFR 1910.120 and make its interpretation and enforcement of the standard consistent, in order to better protect workers with a collateral duty to respond to hazardous materials emergency incidents.
Phantom Limb Pain. A Review
Authors: Postone Norman
Published: May 2005

Phantom limb pain, which affects a majority of amputees, must be distinguished from phantom limb sensation, a universal consequence of limb amputation. Although the characteristics and time course of phantom limb pain are well described in the literature, no single theoretical approach can fully account for the contradictory aspects of this condition, thus its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Theories concerning the etiology of phantom limb pain categorized as peripheral, central and psychological have given rise to a myriad of treatment approaches.
How Can We Combat Excess Mortality in Harlem: A One Day Survey of Substance Abuse in Adult General Care
Authors: Cohen Mary Ann Adler , Aladjem Asher , Horton Amy , Lima Jose , Palacios Antonio , Hernandez Ivan , Lefer Jay , Mehta Pankaj
Published: May 2005

Our hypothesis was that a one-day survey of all patients hospitalized on Adult General Care would demonstrate a need for expanded addiction services in a municipal teaching hospital in East Harlem. We interviewed 276 patients in Adult General Care on February 16, 1990 to assess whether they abused drugs or alcohol or were hospitalized for reasons related to substance use. Of the 276 patients interviewed, 18 percent used alcohol alone, 14 percent used drugs alone, 17 percent used both drugs and alcohol and 2 percent were hospitalized for reasons related to substance use. One hundred forty or 51 percent of all patients were admitted because of substance use and its sequelae or as a result of violence associated with the buying or selling of drugs. The percentage was highest on one medical floor where 89 percent of the patients were substance users and on medical floors in general where the average was 60 percent. Forty patients or 14 percent were known to be HIV seropositive. Given the high mortality in Harlem, the results of our one-day survey indicate a need for expanded addiction services.
Comparing Changes in Attitude in Three Different Introductory Computing Courses
Authors: Bishop-Clark Cathy , Donohue Cathy
Published: May 2005

This study investigated changes in student attitudes toward computing in three different computing courses. The courses were “typical” semester-long university introductory computing courses. The courses have no prior computing prerequisites. The first course provided an introduction to computers, computer science, and society. The second course was a hands-on course focusing on the mastery of the Microsoft suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access). The third course introduced students to programming using Visual Basic. To investigate whether attitudes changed in any of the courses, an attitude survey was administered the first and last week of the courses. Dependent samples t-test showed a positive attitude change in the second course, and no change in the first and third course. To better understand why attitudes changed in one course, but not the others, several students with the most dramatic attitude changes were interviewed, and focus groups were held with both students and the faculty teaching the courses.
Qualifications of Information Technology College Faculties: The Role of Formal Education and Professional Certification
Authors: Duncan Doris
Published: May 2005

The Institute for Certification of Computer Professionals (ICCP) Education Foundation awarded a grant to the Applied Computer Science Department at Illinois State University to survey the qualifications and certifications held by information technology college faculty. The survey instrument was mailed to a random sample of information technology department chairs at two-year and four-year colleges. The overall response rate was 41 percent. Issues covered include faculty composition and qualifications, ways of certifying information technology faculty, continuing education requirements and recognition of ICCP certification. Survey results show major diversity in faculty composition and qualification requirements.
Towards a Complete CAI Business and Economics Curriculum
Authors: DeFelice Frank
Published: May 2005

This paper describes and critiques seven computer programs actually used by the author in six different economics and business courses. The courses are: principles of economics, both macro and micro; intermediate macro and micro; corporate finance; and marketing. Suggestions for additional integration of CAI are made because: (1) CAI (it is concluded) is a superior teaching technique, (2) the hardware and software are readily available, and (3) the positive motivation of students generated significantly enhances the learning experience.
Critiquing the Culture of Computer Graphing Practices
Authors: Brasseur Lee
Published: May 2005

This paper is a critique of current approaches to the development of computer graphing and graph visualization programs. Developers of these programs model the user as an individual problem solver who is reliant on perceptual skills to create and interpret graphed information. Such a model of graphing is ill-suited to meet the complex needs of real users, a supposition that is supported by work in two major areas of graphing theory and research: the sociology of science and the educational research of mathematics and scientific students. These areas have not been traditionally cited when planning computer graphing or visualization programs or when assessing their usability. A review of the literature in these fields reveals that an over-reliance on a user's perceptual skills is unlikely to result in successful graph practices.
Hypnosis Applications in Psychological Research
Authors: Holroyd Jean
Published: May 2005

It is proposed that hypnosis leads to altered cognition, affect, or motivation as reflected by changes in 1) reality orientation, 2) attention and awareness, 3) imagery, 4) dissociation, 5) suggestibility, and 6) mind-body interaction. Hypnosis may be used as an experimental method to effect such cognitive, affective and motivational changes in order to pursue research in learning, personality, physiological, and social psychology. Examples of possible applications of hypnosis are provided. The influence of individual differences in hypnotic responsivity on research also is discussed.
Case Studies: Profiles of Women Recovering from Drug Addiction
Authors: Miller Suzanne M.
Published: May 2005

These case studies profile two women who abused alcohol and other drugs while pregnant and describes their recovery from the addiction. They examine from an ecological framework the women's experience with drug addiction, treatment, and recovery and recounts their situations through each [1]. This research uses in-depth interviews as its data source. Further, these studies contain direct quotes from the women orally sharing their thoughts. Their quotes are not edited or changed by any kind of systems for the purpose of capturing the thoughts of the women.
“I am Not the Subject of This Thought:” Understanding a Unique Relation of Special Ownership with the Help of David Woodruff Smith: Part I
Authors: Natsoulas Thomas
Published: May 2005

Based on D. W. Smith's recent phenomenological account of consciousness, this article seeks to improve our understanding of the unique relation of special ownership (R) that exists between every mental-occurrence instance and its subject, trie one who “has” or “lives” the mental-occurrence instance. The subject is assumed to be a person or animal, although mentioned in passing are cerebral hemispheres as possible subjects of mental-occurrence instances (suggested by observations of people with complete forebrain commissurotomy). R would seem to be essentially different from the person's or animal's relation to other-than-mental occurrences taking place in his or her body, including those that he or she interoceptively perceives (e.g., certain visceral happenings). Using Smith's perspective, special attention is given to “alienated” mental occurrences. These are taken by their subject either (a) as not having a subject (as being “impersonal”) or (b) as having a different subject from their actual subject. It is concluded that the key to R may lie in the referent of the phenomenological “species character” of each mental occurrence. This referent is the subject's particular mental activity (e.g., seeing) of which the mental-occurrence instance is a part and product.
Experiences Following the Deaths of Disabled Foster Children: “We Don't Feel Like ‘Foster’ Parents”
Authors: Schormans Ann Fudge
Published: May 2005

Foster parents in the child welfare system occupy a unique position in our culture. While expected to parent and provide safe, loving, and normative family experiences to a child removed from her/his family of origin, they are, simultaneously, expected to remember that they are not the child's biological parent. Increasingly, foster parents are being asked to care for children with severe disabilities that sometimes precipitate an early death. How do foster parents experience the death of a foster child with disabilities in their care? Semi-structured interviews with bereaved foster parents revealed foster parents' self-identification as “parents” who shared “parent/child” relationships with foster children whom they considered to be part of their families. The foster parents' experience of the death of the foster child with a disability was reported comparable to the death of a birth child, however, their identification as legitimate grievers was often disenfranchised by others.
Focus Group Methods for Formative Research in Child Survival: An Ivoirian Example
Authors: Glik Deborah , Gordon Andrew , Ward William , Kouame Kale , Guessan Mahbi
Published: May 2005

The study reported here represents the ongoing development of focus group interview methods in support of health education planning for child survival programs in the CCCD project in Sub-Saharan Africa. Using illustrative examples from a field experience in Cote d'Ivoire, methods that enhance the usefulness and validity of focus group interviews for health program planning are discussed.
Coping with Extreme Hazard Events: Emerging themes in Natural and Technological Disaster Research
Authors: Pijawka K. David , Cuthbertson Beverly A. , Olson Richard S.
Published: May 2005

The field of thanatology has given extensive attention to death as an outcome of illness. A more comprehensive picture, however, would also encompass the hazards of natural and technological disasters. Deaths from both natural and technological disasters continue to increase in the United States, despite intensified government efforts to reverse this trend, and despite improved understanding of the cognitive processes of people who face either long-term or impending catastrophes. Key findings are reviewed in the areas of vulnerability to natural hazards, disaster behavior and risk perception, societal concern over technological hazard, and the social-psychological effects of disasters. It is noted that findings based upon natural disasters cannot necessarily be extrapolated to technological disasters, such as the Three Mile Island nuclear accident. Furthermore, data on long-term emotional recovery from natural disasters are inconsistent. Among areas requiring more extensive research is the role of the media, and the measurement of secondary consequences to disaster exposure. Improved methodologies for measuring distress over long periods of time must be developed. The disaster may never end for technological disaster victims because of the long latency period between exposure and disease manifestation.
Lives, Liberty, and Seat Belts in Britain: Lessons for the United States
Authors: Leichter Howard
Published: May 2005

By the end of this decade virtually all fifty U.S. state legislatures will have debated, and many will have adopted, mandatory seat belt legislation. While the debate in the United States has just begun, one can anticipate and preview the issues, arguments, and results by examining the British debate over, and experience with, a mandatory seat belt law. From this cross-national perspective, this article examines the practical, philosophical, and preventive health care dimensions and implications of this debate.

Based upon personal interviews and the Parliamentary record, the author traces the background of the issue, and the major arguments for and against mandating seat belt use. Particular emphasis is placed upon the libertarian objections to such legislation, and how some British Conservatives were able to reconcile their philosophical beliefs with public safety needs. The article concludes by suggesting some lessons which U.S. proponents of mandatory seat belt legislation might learn from the British experience.
Agricultural “Killing Fields”: The Poisoning of Costa Rican Banana Workers
Authors: Sass Robert
Published: May 2005

The poisoning of Costa Rican banana workers by multinational corporations' excessive use of pesticides is not a local issue; it is embedded in a dominant ideology expressed by the phenomenon of globalization. This ideology seeps into every aspect of our social institutions—economic, political, and legal. The practice of this ideological perspective is evident in the industrialization of global agriculture and the shift from “develop-mentalism”—liberal welfarism, industrialization, and urbanization—to a dominant, undemocratic, global financial elite with “economism” and a neoliberal political agenda overriding the nation-state polis. A specific effect is to transform the agricultural workers of developing countries, such as Costa Rican banana workers, into politically superfluous flesh-and-blood human beings.
Evaluation of a Drug Prevention Program for Young High Risk Students
Authors: Raynal Margaret E. , Chen W. William
Published: May 2005

This article provides results of an evaluation of the effectiveness of a multifaceted drug prevention program for high-risk elementary and younger junior high school students. Participants were selected for the program by public school teachers and guidance counselors. These students participated in a series of meetings where they practiced skills to help them effectively handle pressures to use drugs. Researchers evaluated changes in participants' levels of knowledge about drugs, attitudes about drug use, and self-concept. Results indicate that young high-risk students will benefit from multifaceted drug prevention programs that teach life skills.
Effects of Computer Graphics Types and Epistemological Beliefs on Students' Learning of Mathematical Concepts
Authors: Lin Chi-Hui
Published: May 2005

The purpose of this study was to determine the implications of computer graphics types and epistemological beliefs with regard to the design of computer-based mathematical concept learning. A sample of 1,240 elementary students was tested to determine the factors involved in students' responses on the questionnaire of epistemological beliefs in experiment 1. An exploratory factor analysis, with direct Oblimin rotation, yielded a four-factor solution: First Time Learning, Omniscient Authority, Quick Learning, and Simple Learning. Experiment 2 presented three different computer graphics treatments (computer static graphics, computer animation, and video) to students with different epistemological beliefs. One hundred and sixty-seven students were tested to determine how they learned from different graphics types of instructional materials. Data of learning performance and attitudes were collected and analyzed. A significant main effect was found from different graphics types on students' learning. In addition, some significant main effects and interactions were found in students' attitudes about learning from the computer-based mathematic program.
The Effects of Mood on Expository Writing
Authors: Lynton Holly , Salovey Peter
Published: May 2005

Past research has shown that analytical writing and problem solving may be influenced by mood and that experiencing intense mood states may be a catalyst for creativity. This experiment sought to test the hypothesis that good and bad moods have differential effects on expository writing. Sixty-two participants were asked to write a fictional story, a non-fictional story, or story of their choosing when they were in either a good or a bad mood. They then completed a questionnaire that assessed their mood again. The results of this study showed that good moods were associated with the stories that expressed positive emotions, used a narrative style, and conveyed concrete concepts, but bad moods were associated with the stories that expressed negative emotions, used a diary style, and discussed abstract concepts.
Control, Autonomy, and the Development of Moral Behavior: A Social-Cognitive Perspective
Authors: Morrison Delmont , Siegal Michael , Francis Robin
Published: May 2005

Studies on the relationship between moral reasoning and moral behavior have yielded weak to modest correlations which vary in strength according to the behavior examined. This article describes a social-cognitive perspective which is geared toward more comprehensive behavioral predictions, particularly in cases of honesty and conformity where reasoning-behavior relationships have been identified to be particularly unimpressive. This perspective which is consistent with the symbolic interactionist approach of James Mark Baldwin focuses on children's self-definitions as related to perceptions of significant others. Aspects in which this form of social cognition is related to maladjusted behavior are explored as is selected recent research bearing on the development of autonomy and control in children.
Ideological Differences in the Construction of Meaning
Authors: Smith-Brinton Marcia , Unger Rhoda K.
Published: May 2005

Synonym selections for de-contextualized abstract words were analyzed for differences in meaning related to personal ideology. Best and worst synonym choices of fifty-six subjects who tested as either constructionists or positivists on the Attitudes about Reality scale (AAR) were expected to reflect meanings most congruent with each group's views about reality. Constructionists were expected to emphasize meanings consistent with a relational view of reality while positivists were expected to emphasize meanings consistent with an “objectivist” view. Results indicated group differences in synonym choices on a third of the target words presented. In the absence of substantive models for analyzing de-contextualized abstract words, interpretations of synonym selections, though speculative, suggested support for the hypothesis that differences in meaning construction consistent with personal ideologies occur at the level of a single word with an interpretive domain.
Physical and Cognitive Activity and Exercise for Older Adults: A Review
Authors: Hogan Michael
Published: May 2005

Age-related reduction in musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and central nervous system resilience can result in wide-ranging limitations in adaptive capacity associated with negative outcomes such as cognitive decline, increased risk of cardiovascular disease, mobility problems, and increased incidence of debilitating falls. This article reviews the benefits of both cognitive and physical activity within the broad context of multiple system resilience in adult aging. Research on a unique form of combined physical/cognitive exercise, Tai Chi Chuan, is presented. The relationship between physiological and psychological gain associated with an activity intervention program is discussed in light of principles of rehabilitation, intervention compliance, subjective and objective gain, and the hypothesized value of combining physical exercise, cognitive exercise, and relaxation into a single program designed to promote resilience in older adults.
Virginia's Workhouses for the Poor: Care for “Divers Idle and Disorderly Persons”
Authors: McCartney Martha W.
Published: May 2005

Commencing in 1661, the responsibility for providing welfare assistance to the poor was assigned to the colony's parish churches, whose members rendered care, for which they were paid. During the mid-18th century, as the ranks of the poor swelled and the cost of providing for them became increasingly burdensome, parish churches embarked upon a major social experiment: they began operating workhouses, where the indigent could be sheltered and, in theory, also earn their keep. Archaeological research at Bruton Parish poorhouse provided a glimpse into the material culture of one such workhouse.
The Electric Report Card: A Follow-up on Cassette Grading
Authors: Stratton Charles R.
Published: May 2005

The use of cassette tape recorders in evaluating technical reports is spreading in college technical writing classes and may have application outside the classroom as well. The technique, which enables instructors to make more effective critiques of student papers, meets with favorable student response and need not be expensive. This report describes the use of cassette grading at the University of Idaho and makes suggestions for those who wish to try the method themselves.
A Comparison of the Psychosocial Aspects of AIDS and Cancer-Related Bereavement
Authors: Kelly Brian , Raphael Beverley , Statham Dixie , Ross Michael , Eastwood Heather , McLean Susan , O'Loughlin Bill , Brittain Kim
Published: May 2005

Objective:

This study compares the psychological symptoms and bereavement distress of individuals bereaved by AIDS with a group bereaved by a cancer death, and addresses the question of whether an AIDS death is associated with a higher rate of adverse psychosocial factors that may increase risk of psychological morbidity in the bereaved individuals.

Method:

AIDS ( n = 28) and cancer ( n = 30) bereaved individuals (all within 3 months of the bereavement) completed measures of psychological morbidity and measures addressing a range of other adverse factors, e.g., number of losses, levels of social support and stigma.

Results:

The cancer and AIDS bereaved were essentially similar on all psychological symptom measures. The AIDS group reported lower levels of social support in response to the bereavement than cancer bereaved individuals; a greater number of bereavements, were more likely to conceal the cause of death from significant others including their own family and perceived, in some instances, a greater level of rejection from others. The AIDS group reported higher levels of social support from friends than from family.

Conclusions:

At three months following bereavement, AIDS and cancer bereaved were similar in levels of distress. While this may change with the progress of grief over time, it suggests essentially similar early bereavement responses. Those bereaved by AIDS reported a range of other adverse factors such as a greater number of losses, lower social support, stigma, and less open disclosure of the cause of death.
The Semantics of Technical Graphics
Authors: Manning Alan D.
Published: May 2005

Common technical graphics terms table, graph, chart, and diagram share a parallel logical structure with the four common types of technical graphics that the terms typically refer to. In the system of terminology as in the system of graphics types, four logical categories result from the possible permutations of two features. The abstract semantic features which underlie the meanings of the terms are in this discussion labeled as [UNITS] and [PROPERTIES]; likewise the significant features which distinguish the graphics types are here labeled as “units” and “properties.” These proposed semantic features reflect a fundamental semantic relation common to all meaningful statements, the attribution of a property (a predicate) to an object (a subject). The connection between term-features ([UNITS] and [PROPERTIES]) and type-features (“units” and “properties”) is a variable but systematic sense-reference relation. Consequently the terminology used to refer to the various graphics types varies systematically according to the markedness relationships among the terms. Principled explanations of the best uses for each graphics type follow from the proposed logical relations between them.
Feeling like a Motherless Child: A Support Group Model for Adults Grieving the Death of a Parent
Authors: Jordan John R. , Ware Eugenia S.
Published: May 2005

This article presents a rationale and model for a time-limited bereavement support group for adults who are grieving the death of their parent(s) as an adult. The model is based on assumptions about the particular needs and issues of this population, and about the grieving process in general. The screening process and structure of group sessions are described, and the sequence of seven group themes are presented. Finally, some of the clinical impressions of the authors are offered, so that other professionals can use the model as a starting point for designing similar groups for the same population.
Participation in Child Health and Family Planning Activities in Rural Southern Ghana
Authors: Ward William B. , Neumann Alfred K.
Published: May 2005

A variety of child health and family planning activities, conducted by the Danfa Project in Ghana, were evaluated from a behavioral standpoint to determine features of programs which encourage participation by village mothers. Interest, intent to participate, and actual participation rates were measured. Contrary to expectations, activities which demand greater participation were more popular than more passive activities which involved lectures. Activities related to child health were better received than family planning activities alone. Barriers to participation which were best predictors of actual participation included “selling goods in town,” “cooking,” or “busy with housework.” That these were ranked by respondents as weak barriers suggests that it didn't take much to dissuade mothers from participation in those activities that they felt had little merit. Study findings suggest a need for greater integration of activities into village schedules, more systematic targetting of activities to high-risk groups, more activities demanding greater participation, and direct promotion of activities through influential individuals (community leaders, traditional healers).
Which Comes First the Simulation or the Lecture?
Authors: Brant George , Hooper Elizabeth , Sugrue Brenda
Published: May 2005

Research into the instructional effectiveness of computer-based simulations has yielded inconsistent results. Part of this inconsistency can be attributed to the inappropriate instructional roles for which simulations are used. Two of the most promising roles of simulations in instruction are to: 1) establish a cognitive framework or structure to accommodate further learning in a related subject area, and 2) provide an opportunity for reinforcing, integrating and extending previously learned material. Thus, the effectiveness of a given simulation may depend upon when it is administered within an instructional sequence. The purpose of these two studies was to: 1) ascertain the value of a particular simulation to the learning of genetics principles, and 2) determine whether the position of the simulation, within the sequence of instructional events, altered its effectiveness. In both studies, students receiving the stimulation as a framework for understanding prior to formal classroom instruction scored significantly higher on an applications posttest than did students using the simulation as an integrating activity following formal instruction. Both groups scored higher than a control group which did not use the simulation prior to the posttest.
Attitudes of Senegalese Secondary School Students toward Death
Authors: Vandewiele Michel
Published: May 2005

This questionnaire study investigated attitudes toward death of 340 Senegalese boys and 340 girls and their families, together with the ideals for which they might sacrifice their own lives and the time at which they would like to depart. The students, aged from fifteen to twenty-two years, described the following attitudes: 1) of their family toward death–resignation (26%), fear (23%), serenity (20%), and moralizing tendencies (19%); 2) their own attitude toward their own death–resignation (40%), fear (33%), serenity (14%), and moralizing tendencies (8%). Half the students might eventually lay down their lives 1) to defend their family (30%), 2) for some lofty ideals (21%), 3) for a better future (21%), 4) for love (11%), 5) for honor (9%) and 6) to save a person in danger (8%). Less than a third of our participants would like to know the exact date of their deaths. The main attitude of respondents and their parents, described as resigned and highly moralizing, was assumed to be the result of a four-century old Islamization which supersedes the serener attitude of the traditional society. This influence did not seem to be as significant concerning the sacrifice of one's life; half the students overlooked Islam's prohibition basically for reasons of solidarity.
A Framework of Three Learning Activity Levels for Enhancing the Usability and Feasibility of Wireless Learning Environments
Authors: Wang Hsue-Yie , Liu Tzu-Chien , Chou Chih-Yueh , Liang Jen-Kai , Chan Tak-Wai , Yang Stephen
Published: May 2005

The most recent advances in information technology have brought wireless communication and mobile devices to education. The wireless technology enhanced classroom (WiTEC) integrates a wireless local area network, mobile learning devices, and client-server architecture to support instruction and learning activities. This article introduces a framework that involves three learning activity levels—learning functions, learning episodes, and learning flows—as a basis for designing an integrated system that supports various types of learning activities in WiTEC. A teacher can use this system to generate new learning flows before class and to implement them during class. A two-stage evaluation was conducted in three 6th grade classes to investigate the usability and feasibility of the proposed system. The participating teachers indicated that the use of the three learning activity levels eased the burden of preparing, implementing and reviewing instruction and learning activities.
Evaluating Computer Mediated Communication Courses in Higher Education
Authors: Berge Zane , Myers Bob
Published: May 2005

This article reviews the published evaluations used in online formal courses in higher education. These courses can generally be described as representing those that are totally asynchronous, or that containing a significant asynchronous component, regarding the graded part of the course. They represent courses that are either Web-based or that use some other computer conferencing technologies. The ten instruments reviewed indicated three general categories of evaluation: pre-course, mid-course, and post-course. Three evaluations (30.0%) were given pre-course, two (20.0%) were given mid-course, and five (50.0%) were post-course evaluations. Questions in each of these three categories break down into several broad sub-categories.
Seven Types of Distortion: A Taxonomy of Manipulative Techniques used in Charts and Graphs
Authors: Bryan John
Published: May 2005

Recent advances in graphing software and output devices have given new tools to graphic artists and have enabled writers and technicians to compose graphs that rival those of professional artists. The products of both professionals and novices suggest, however, that the users of such software either intend to distort data and manipulate their readers or that they do so out of ignorance. This article describes and illustrates seven types of distortion in graphs, explains the mechanisms of distortion, and recommends methods for the avoidance of distortion. The seven types include manipulations of scale ratios, of the second dimension, of the third dimension, of color, of composition, of symbolism, and of affect.
Brought in Dead
Authors: Simpson Michael A.
Published: May 2005

In a replication and extension of Sudnow's observations, it is seen that social factors are primary in determining whether to resuscitate, the effort put into resuscitation, and the treatment of the recently-deceased body. Social deviancy has a significant mortality.