Effects of qualitative researchers' competing self-identities on decision making in the research process are addressed and illustrated with examples from the author's research with African American/Latino, low- to middle-income families of children with disabilities. (Author/DB)

Results with 54 mice confirm that increased stimulation or usage, as would be provided by environmental enrichment (EE), increases peripheral nerve conduction velocity. These results suggest a role at the physiological level for EE (or deprivation) in affecting measured intelligence. (SLD)

Reevaluates the role of communication within the communicative approach to second-language learning. The article explores the consequences of using the notion of the speech act in the classroom, dissociating it from other speech acts, context, culture, and grammar. The article concludes that this approach may caricature authentic conversation. (48…

Discusses affective behaviors as complex sets of mental processes and actions that are affected by current context, past learning, and present need state. Highlights include motivation, emotion, and cognition; relationships between the affective and cognitive domain; and ways to achieve desired affective outcomes. (LRW)

Describes democratic dialogues in the context of a public high school by a history teacher and an English teacher who facilitated contrasting dialogues of public "in-powerment" and self/community empowerment. Analyzes these dialogues in terms of liberal and radical frameworks for praxis and shows the effects of school contextual factors.…

Studied whether high-stakes accountability measures are fair to all school systems despite disparities of wealth, community mores, and geographic location using data from Kentucky school districts including grade-level accountability data. Results help alleviate concerns about bias when using within-district gains to decide accountability, but…

Examined effects of contextual and individual differences on mothers' autonomy support versus control on homework-like tasks with their third-grade children. Found that mothers in the high-pressure condition were more controlling on the poem task. For the map task, mothers with initial controlling styles in the high-pressure condition were more…

Discusses theoretical and conceptual issues pertaining to race, ethnicity, and culture as they affect family functioning and children's development. Also introduces a collection of papers that address family functioning and child development among families who are diverse ethnically; racially; socioeconomically; and by geographical location and…

Much of the multicultural counseling literature has focused on counselor competencies. This paper discusses the importance of incorporating the client preferences and expectations into the multicultural literature. Discusses the effect of context on the client's perceptions. (JDM)

Examines the underlying nature of Latina/o doctoral student experiences as well as the context that engenders these experiences. The nature of the students' experiences was found to be fragile and vulnerable. The context that produced these experiences included: lack of family understanding; entering a new and unfamiliar world; lack of adequate…

Studies the socialization processes of two writers new to an organization in terms of writing tasks, writers' social roles, and methods of socialization. Reveals 15 different writing roles depicting a continuum from novice to expert. Argues the implications of this study are relevant to current school-based approaches to writing instruction. (NH)

Selectively reviews influences on young children's word learning. Analyzes difficulties with the "constraint" concept in examining word learning. Concludes that the effect of so-called constraints cannot be separated from a wide range of cognitive and contextual influences on children's inferences about novel word meanings. Offers…

Investigates women's perceptions of generational influences of incest on their skills, abilities, and attitudes toward parenting their own children. Overarching themes that emerged were classified as unbalanced development, disconnected lives, and disowned dramas. Implications for clinical intervention, parent training, and future research are…

Compared reality monitoring of interactive events among children and adults. Found that 4-year-olds had more difficulty discriminating imagined actions than 12-year-olds and adults. Imagined actions were more often confused with performed ones than the reverse for 4- and 8-year-olds. Reality monitoring decreased over time. Object use during…

In light of globalization-driven educational demands and growing student alienation, there is a pressing need to reevaluate the cultural context of schooling and learning. Comparative education studies have potential to illuminate the complex interplay of personal, social, and structural factors that influence student engagement in particular…