The origin of life is one of the most interesting and challenging questions in biology. This article discusses relevant contemporary theories and hypotheses about the origin of life, recent scientific evidence supporting them, and the main contributions of several scientists of different nationalities and specialties in different disciplines. Also…

Educational researchers have concluded that there are threshold concepts in a large number of disciplines. Yet, these researchers have not paid enough attention to the objection to the theory. It is beset with severe definitional and empirical problems. I will portray definitions of 'threshold concepts' provided by Land and Meyer, the founding…

The professionalisation of social care practice in Ireland, after a period of dormancy, has experienced rapid advancement toward statutory regulation and reform. Yet, the limited literature available in Ireland on the subject matter, almost exclusively predates these changes. This paper presents a theoretically informed commentary on the…

In the field of education, we bump constantly into buzzwords, pass unclear phrases in the hall, and greet acronyms as good friends. Yet rarely is it that we unpack or critically examine what is meant when phrases are uttered. What does it actually "mean" to "enhance institutional effectiveness"? To "foster synergy"?…

This brief describes why it is critical to continue to prioritize behavior support in addition to academic, social, and emotional supports. Without effective behavior support, research has documented that students and educators experience negative outcomes. With effective behavior support implemented within a PBIS framework, rigorous research has…

The purpose of this study was to examine the social validity of five different evidence-based and emerging pathways to employment (i.e., supported employment, customized employment, internships, apprenticeships, and postsecondary education) from the perspective of multiple stakeholders. A Delphi method was used to determine whether stakeholders…

Expert fingerprint examiners demonstrate impressive feats of memory that may support their accuracy when making high-stakes identification decisions. Understanding the interplay between expertise and memory is therefore critical. Across two experiments, we tested fingerprint examiners and novices on their visual short-term memory for fingerprints.…

Building proficiency with fraction arithmetic poses a consistent challenge for students with learning difficulties or disabilities in mathematics. This article illustrates how teachers can use the number line model to support struggling learners in making sense of fraction arithmetic. Number lines are a powerful tool that can be used to help…

The importance of adequate risk management is growing, whereas quality management unifies all managerial processes to direct and manage activities toward the achievement of organisational goals. The goal of this study is to validate the relevance of the link between the application of quality management principles and risk management maturity.…

The demand for preventive and easily implemented interventions to address the needs of children with significant behavioral challenges in general education settings is well-documented. First Step to Success is an evidenced-based program to address challenging behavior in preschool and elementary-school settings with a 20-year history of successful…

Intelligence-led policing (ILP) was introduced in the 1990s as a proactive approach to policing, but to date, there is a lack of studies that have synthesized and summarized the central characteristics and insights of (quasi-)experimental studies related to ILP. This study aims to address this gap by synthesizing and characterizing the central…

Embarking on an initiative to implement evidence-based reading instruction can be both exhilarating and daunting for school and district leaders. Some may think that adopting a curriculum grounded in the principles of the science of reading will automatically ensure success. Choosing a strong curriculum is a crucial step, but it is important to…

Systematic reviews of single-case experimental research (SCER) in special education often use the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Standards to assess the methodological rigor of studies within a given literature base. While significant changes were made between the two most recent versions of the WWC standards, no research to date has evaluated the…

Given the interdisciplinary influences on school psychology along with its requirement to comply with federal and state law in the United States, scientific progress in the area of cognitive assessment and specific learning disabilities (SLD) identification has experienced slow, if not stagnant, progress. Extrapolation of research from one…

Media coverage suggests that ChatGPT can pass examinations based on multiple choice questions (MCQs), including those used to qualify doctors, lawyers, scientists etc. This poses a potential risk to the integrity of those examinations. We reviewed current research evidence regarding the performance of ChatGPT on MCQ-based examinations in higher…