The debate rages on between those who endorse scientific standards for educational research--scientifically based research (SBR)--and those who see such a characterization of the research endeavor as unduly narrow and rigid. One unresolved question in this debate involves the place of inquiry that does not aim to produce generalizable knowledge,…

Lynn (2010) suggests that differences in average intelligence explain many of the differences observed across the Italian regions. This paper puts forward a methodological critique to his study, coupling it with an empirical test showing that Lynn's analysis is not sufficiently robust to support its conclusions. (Contains 2 tables.)

Flynn wrote a book devoted to the Flynn effect, featuring his theoretical explanation of why the intelligence of worldwide populations has apparently increased from generation to generation. The essence of his theorizing is that because of the societal impact of scientific technology, people of today are much more guided by abstract, rather than…

In this postscript the authors summarize where Sun, Tweney, and Wang (see record 2010-06891-015) now agree with their original analysis and where differences of opinion remain. Sun et al.'s (see record 2010-06891-018) postscript contrasted two positions, one emphasizing the "limited and finite nature of people's experience" and one emphasizing the…

In this article, the authors examine contemporary pluralistic, technologically-driven societies where human spirituality, in terms of human experiences of connectedness, is eroded and overwhelmed by high levels of cultural and religious diversity and hi-tech devices. Without connectedness, empathy and compassion become missing elements resulting…

Context: In order to study the efficacy of assessment methods, a theoretical framework of Earl's model of assessment was introduced. Objective: (1) Introduce the predictive learning assessment model (PLAM) as an application of Earl's model of learning; (2) test Earl's model of learning through the use of the Standardized Orthopedic Assessment Tool…

This study compared the gifted students and nongifted students' learning styles and their motivation styles toward science learning. In accordance with this purpose, this research was based upon thirty gifted students, who were selected by a specially-designed exam throughout Turkey and have been educated in ASTC (Art and Science Training Center…

One of the implicit aims of higher education is to enable students to become better judges of their own work. This paper examines whether students who voluntarily engage in self-assessment improve in their capacity to make those judgements. The study utilises data from a web-based marking system that provides students with the opportunity to…

Threshold concepts were introduced nearly 10 years ago by Ray Land and Jan Meyer. This work has spawned four international conferences and hundreds of papers. Although the idea has clearly gained traction in higher education, this sub-field does not yet have a fully fledged research methodology or a strong critical discourse about methodology.…

Mixed-format tests containing both multiple-choice (MC) items and constructed-response (CR) items are now widely used in many testing programs. Mixed-format tests often are considered to be superior to tests containing only MC items although the use of multiple item formats leads to measurement challenges in the context of equating conducted under…

This study assessed the anthropometrics and acanthosis nigricans (AN) in a sample of 7,337 children at two assessments. Four groups of children were identified based on the presence of AN at both time points: those who never had the marker, those who gained the marker, those who lost the marker, and those who maintained the marker. Group…

Public and professional concern about health care quality, safety and efficiency is growing. Continuing education, knowledge translation, patient safety and quality improvement have made concerted efforts to address these issues. However, a coordinated and integrated effort across these domains is lacking. This article explores and discusses the…

Medical and science researchers continue to try to get at the root cause of racial and ethnic health disparities. Why are advanced breast cancer rates so much higher among certain populations, particularly African-American women? Why are colon cancer rates significantly higher among Native Americans? Years of research have yielded many theories…

Comparisons of word and picture processing using event-related potentials (ERPs) are contaminated by gross physical differences between the two types of stimuli. In the present study, we tackle this problem by comparing picture processing with word processing in an alphabetic and a logographic script, that are also characterized by gross physical…

The maternal identity of mothers of adolescents who are deaf has certain specific features compared with mothers of adolescents who have typical hearing. That is, maternal identity differs with respect to distinctiveness, self-representation, and representation of mother-child relationships. A study using a comparative paradigm was conducted. The…