"Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood Education and Care" delves into the dynamic landscape of early childhood education and critically addresses the intersection of theory and practice, offering a range of theoretical frameworks and practical strategies to support the holistic development of children. It explores a diverse array of…

With the evolving technologies available to educators and the increased importance of including technologies in the classroom, it is critical for instructors to understand how to successfully utilize these emerging technologies within their curriculum. To ensure they are prepared, further study on the best practices and challenges of…

Examines relationships between musical information processed by a computer-based sound analysis system and the audiovisual record of a performer's response to musical assignments. Concludes that computer analysis permits identification of performance behavior. Suggests that a database could be designed to provide both diagnostic response to…

This paper reviews the literature on functional assessment in the behavioral treatment of aggression in persons with mental retardation or developmental delays. Increased use of functional assessment and skill training is noted but no concomitant decrease in the use of intrusive procedures. (Author/DB)

This study developed an experimental analysis procedure based on the results of a descriptive assessment, involving five parents and their children with problem behaviors. The experimental analysis required only four sessions to demonstrate a function for each subject's problem behaviors. Interventions involving functional communication training…

This paper highlights the need for effective social skills interventions for preschool children with disabilities, reviews available intervention procedures and packages, discusses factors affecting the impact of social skills interventions in early childhood special education, and reviews research efforts to increase the impact of these…

For this study, computer technology was used to teach attentional skills to six young children. Prior reinforcement histories of individual stimuli were manipulated to examine whether they are the variable that controls the features of compound cues to which young children attend. (RWB)

A literature review identified behaviors representative of the normal stages of communication, cognition, and vocalization in children's prelinguistic period. Results were organized as a checklist for assessment of at-risk infants. The checklist is recommended for monitoring infant development, supplementing formal screenings and diagnostic tools,…

The Process Skills Rating Scales were designed to rate how well a student uses those process skills that develop an ability to think, reason, and search for knowledge independently and to communicate and interact effectively with all members of society. Forms are available for students (elementary and secondary), teachers, and parents. (JDD)

The teaching of interviewing skills is increasingly incorporated into clinical medicine courses in American medical schools, yet the attempts to evaluate the effectiveness of these efforts have been woefully inadequate. Typical outcome measures have included paper and pencil tests of knowledge, preceptor evaluations of clinical performance, and…

The study developed an inventory of nonacademic employment competencies and subcompetencies for students with visual impairments. Following validation and rank ordering of 32 competencies, an instrument with 464 subcompetencies was developed and administered to 53 students, ages 3-18. Significant differences were found on 13 competencies based on…

In order to demonstrate how course content can be adapted so that thinking skills are included in the learning experience, this paper uses a unit of study from theater history as a basis for examining how subject matter can be structured with learning objectives, a study guide, a hypothetical problem situation, instructions, and feedback. The…

Looks at teaching methods and the effects on student performance. Examines beginning teachers interactions with 84 nonmusic major students. Assesses components of proactive teaching and self-perceptions of success. Focuses on teacher feedback in relation to student success. Recommends professionals apply task analysis principles to music learning…

This study assessed the effectiveness of clique analysis methodologies in detecting changes in integration levels for a worker with severe mental retardation in a supported employment setting. The analysis suggested that communication instruction resulted in the worker becoming more integrated during break or lunch times. (Author/DB)

This inventory, is based on the database derived from Assessment Strategies in Scottish Higher Education (ASSHE) project, a survey of information about changing assessment practices in all 22 Scottish higher educational institutions. Its aims are to spotlight the diversity of assessment strategies and practices, identify core themes and…