E-Learning Used in a Training Course on Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART) for Brazilian Dentists

The purpose of this study was to assess the benefits of using e-learning resources in a dental training course on Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART). This e-course was given in a DVD format, which presented the ART technique and philosophy. The participants were twenty-four dentists from the Brazilian public health system. Prior to receiving the DVD, the dentists answered a questionnaire regarding their personal data, previous knowledge about ART, and general interest in training courses. The dentists also participated in an assessment process consisting of a test applied before and after the course. A single researcher corrected the tests, and intraexaminer reproducibility was calculated (kappa=0.89). Paired t-tests were carried out to compare the means between the assessments, showing a significant improvement in the performance of the subjects on the test taken after the course (p<0.05). A linear regression model was used with the difference between the means as the outcome. A greater improvement on the test results was observed among female dentists (p=0.034), dentists working for a shorter period of time in the public health system (p=0.042), and dentists who used the ART technique only for urgent and/or temporary treatment (p=0.010). In conclusion, e-learning has the potential of improving the knowledge that dentists working in the public health system have about ART, especially those with less clinical experience and less knowledge about the subject.

LEARNING A COMPLEX MOTOR SKILL FROM VIDEO AND POINT-LIGHT DEMONSTRATIONS

The aim of this Study was to compare the learning process of a highly complex ballet skill following demonstrations of point light and video models 16 participants divided into point light and video groups (ns = 8) performed 160 trials of a pirouette equally distributed in blocks of 20 trials alternating periods of demonstration and practice with a retention test a day later Measures of head and trunk oscillation coordination d1 parity from the model and movement time difference showed similarities between video and point light groups ballet experts evaluations indicated superiority of performance in the video over the point light group Results are discussed in terms of the task requirements of dissociation between head and trunk rotations focusing on the hypothesis of sufficiency and higher relevance of information contained in biological motion models applied to learning of complex motor skills

Constant-random practice and the adaptive process in motor learning with varying amounts of constant practice

The adaptive process in motor learning was examined in terms of effects of varying amounts of constant practice performed before random practice. Participants pressed five response keys sequentially, the last one coincident with the lighting of a final visual stimulus provided by a complex coincident timing apparatus. Different visual stimulus speeds were used during the random practice. 33 children (M age=11.6 yr.) were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups: constant-random, constant-random 33%, and constant-random 66%. The constant-random group practiced constantly until they reached a criterion of performance stabilization three consecutive trials within 50 msec. of error. The other two groups had additional constant practice of 33 and 66%, respectively, of the number of trials needed to achieve the stabilization criterion. All three groups performed 36 trials under random practice; in the adaptation phase, they practiced at a different visual stimulus speed adopted in the stabilization phase. Global performance measures were absolute, constant, and variable errors, and movement pattern was analyzed by relative timing and overall movement time. There was no group difference in relation to global performance measures and overall movement time. However, differences between the groups were observed on movement pattern, since constant-random 66% group changed its relative timing performance in the adaptation phase.

Parameter setting and statistical learning

Three main models of parameter setting have been proposed: the Variational model proposed by Yang (2002; 2004), the Structured Acquisition model endorsed by Baker (2001; 2005), and the Very Early Parameter Setting (VEPS) model advanced by Wexler (1998). The VEPS model contends that parameters are set early. The Variational model supposes that children employ statistical learning mechanisms to decide among competing parameter values, so this model anticipates delays in parameter setting when critical input is sparse, and gradual setting of parameters. On the Structured Acquisition model, delays occur because parameters form a hierarchy, with higher-level parameters set before lower-level parameters. Assuming that children freely choose the initial value, children sometimes will miss-set parameters. However when that happens, the input is expected to trigger a precipitous rise in one parameter value and a corresponding decline in the other value. We will point to the kind of child language data that is needed in order to adjudicate among these competing models.

Behavior and interactions of children in cooperative groups in lower and middle elementary grades

The study investigated the behaviors and interactions of children in structured and unstructured groups as they worked together on a 6-week social studies activity each term for 3 school terms. Two hundred and twelve children in Grade 1 and 184 children in Grade 3 participated in the study. Stratified random assignment occurred so that each gender-balanced group consisted of 1 high-, 2 medium-, and 1 low-ability student. The results show that the children in the structured groups were consistently more cooperative and they provided more elaborated and nonelaborated help than did their peers in the unstructured groups. The children in the structured groups in Grade 3 obtained higher reading and learning outcome scores than their peers in the unstructured groups.

Whispered voice test for screening for hearing impairment in adults and children: systematic review

Objective To determine the accuracy of the whispered voice test in detecting hearing impairment in adults and children. Design Systematic review of studies of test accuracy. Data sources Medline, Embase, Science Citation Index, unpublished theses, manual searching of bibliographies of known primary and review articles, and contact with authors. Study selection Two reviewers independently selected and extracted data on study characteristics, quality, and accuracy of studies. Studies were included if they had cross sectional designs, at least one of the index tests was the whispered voice test, and the reference test (audiometry) was performed on at least 80% of the participants. Data extraction Data were used to form 2x2 contingency tables with hearing impairment by audiometry as the reference standard. Data synthesis The eight studies that were found used six different techniques. The sensitivity in the four adult studies was 90% or 100% and the specificity was 70% to 87%. The sensitivity in the four childhood studies ranged from 80% to 96% and specificity ranged from 90% to 98%. Conclusion The whispered voice test is a simple and accurate test for detecting hearing impairment. There is some concern regarding the lower sensitivity in children and the overall reproducibility of the test, particularly in primary care settings. Further studies should be conducted in primary care settings to explore the influence of components of the testing procedure to optimise test sensitivity and to promote standardisation of the testing procedure.

Episodic and semantic memory in children with mesial temporal sclerosis

The aim of this study was to analyze semantic and episodic memory deficits in children with mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) and their correlation with clinical epilepsy variables. For this purpose, 19 consecutive children and adolescents with MTS (8 to 16 years old) were evaluated and their performance on five episodic memory tests (short- and long-term memory and learning) and four semantic memory tests was compared with that of 28 healthy volunteers. Patients performed worse on tests of immediate and delayed verbal episodic memory, visual episodic memory, verbal and visual learning, mental scanning for semantic clues, object naming, word definition, and repetition of sentences. Clinical variables such as early age at seizure onset, severity of epilepsy, and polytherapy impaired distinct types of memory. These data confirm that children with MTS have episodic memory deficits and add new information on semantic memory. The data also demonstrate that clinical variables contribute differently to episodic and semantic memory performance. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phonological sensitivity as a proximal contributor to phonological recoding skills in children's reading

Because it permits self-teaching, phonological recoding (the efficient translation of letters or letter groups into sound) is arguably the key skill acquired in learning to read an alphabetic writing system. Deficits in this skill are the most common source of children's reading difficulties. In addition, poor readers tend to perform at a lower level than good readers on a wide variety of phonological processing tasks. These findings have been widely interpreted as implying a latent phonological processing ability as a distal cause of variation in reading skill. Clearly, such an interpretation does not imply that all phonological processing skills contribute directly to the phonological recoding process. This paper outlines a series of studies conducted at the University of Queensland. This work consistently suggests that children's phonological sensitivity contributes more directly than other phonological processing abilities to the development of phonological recoding skills.

Speech disorder in preschool children exposed to Cantonese and English

Speech disorder in monolingual Cantonese- or English-speaking children has been well described in the literature. There appear to be no reports, however, that describe speech-disordered children who have been exposed to both languages. Here we report on the error patterns of two preschool speech-disordered children who were learning two languages. Both children's first language was Cantonese, but they were also exposed to English through the media and child care. Their disorders were of unknown aetiology. The following questions were asked of the data: (a) Do bilingual children, suspected of having speech problems, make errors in Cantonese and English that reflect delay or disorder when compared with normative data on monolingual speech development in each language? (b) How does the children's speech differ from other bilingual children from the same language learning background? (c) Are the children's speech difficulties apparent in both languages? (d) Is the pattern of errors the same in both languages or do language-specific processes operate? The results bear on theories of acquisition, disorder and bilingualism; they also have clinical implications for speech-language pathologists whose caseloads include bilingual preschool children.

Children's cooperative behavior and interactions in trained and untrained work groups in regular classrooms

This study examined group and individual factors that facilitate changes in cooperation and learning outcomes in trained and untrained work groups of elementary school-age children. The study had two foci. The first was to determine if the cooperative behaviors and interactions of children in classroom groups who were trained in cooperative learning skins were different from those of children who were given no training, and the second was to investigate small group interactions and achievement in these groups over time. The results showed that there were observable differences between student interactions in the two conditions and these differences were maintained over time. Compared with children in the untrained groups, those in the trained groups were consistently more cooperative and helpful to each other; they actively tried to involve each other in the learning task by using language which was more inclusive (e.g., frequent use of ''we''), and they gave more explanations to assist each other as they worked together. It appeared that as the children worked together over time, they became more responsive to the learning needs of each other. Furthermore, the children in the trained groups performed significantly better on the learning outcomes questionnaire than those in the untrained groups. (C) 1997 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

Assessing deaf and hearing children`s communication in Brazil

In Brazil there are no specific tests for either signed or spoken language for deaf children. A protocol evaluating communicative abilities independent of modality of communication (sign language or spoken language), and comprising assessments of (a) pragmatic profile; (b) modality of communication and linguistic level; (c) complexity of communication; and (d) style and efficacy of communication between parent and child was administered to 127 deaf and hearing children. The children, aged 3-6 years old, were distributed in three groups: 20 with severe hearing loss, 40 with profound hearing loss and 67 normally hearing. Deaf children were found to be delayed, independent of their linguistic level and preferred modality of communication. The protocol in this study proved to be an useful instrument for gathering relevant information about the three groups of preschool children`s communicative abilities, and particularly suitable for use in countries where standardized assessments are not available. Learning outcomes: The reader will be introduced to the use of an assessment protocol comprising its development, application and data analysis. The reader will be informed about assessment of deaf children`s preferred modality of communication, by the participation of a bilingual (sign language user) professional. Communication abilities can be assessed independently of the linguistic modality. In developing countries in general, where simple and easy to administer assessments tools are scarce, such a protocol is of specific value. (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mental evolution and development: Evidence for secondary representation in children, great apes, and other animals

Recent interest in the development and evolution of theory of mind has provided a wealth of information about representational skills in both children and animals, According to J, Perrier (1991), children begin to entertain secondary representations in the 2nd year of life. This advance manifests in their passing hidden displacement tasks, engaging in pretense and means-ends reasoning, interpreting external representations, displaying mirror self-recognition and empathic behavior, and showing an early understanding of mind and imitation. New data show a cluster of mental accomplishments in great apes that is very similar to that observed in 2-year-old humans. It is suggested that it is most parsimonious to assume that this cognitive profile is of homologous origin and that great apes possess secondary representational capacity. Evidence from animals other than apes is scant. This analysis leads to a number of predictions for future research.

Nonword repetition and young children's receptive vocabulary: A longitudinal study

A longitudinal study investigated the claim that phonological memory contributes to vocabulary acquisition in young children. In the first phase, children were given tests of receptive vocabulary, receptive grammar, nonword repetition, phonological sensitivity (or awareness), and performance IQ. In the second phase, children were given the nonword repetition and receptive vocabulary tests. In Session 1, both nonword repetition and phonological sensitivity accounted for variation in receptive vocabulary and grammar after performance IQ effects were controlled. When phonological sensitivity was also controlled, nonword repetition did not account for significant additional variation in receptive vocabulary and grammar, When performance IQ and autoregression effects were controlled, all Session I verbal ability measures predicted Session 2 vocabulary, but only Session 1 vocabulary predicted Session 2 nonword repetition. When phonological sensitivity was also controlled. Session 1 nonword repetition (leniently scored) predicted Session 2 vocabulary. Overall, these findings show qualified support for the claim that the capacity component of nonword repetition contributes directly to vocabulary in young children. They suggest that the association between nonword repetition and vocabulary in young children may, to a substantial extent, reflect a latent phonological processing ability that is also manifest in phonological sensitivity.

Development of educational policy and early intervention for learning difficulties in Australia: In the case of Queensland

This paper aims to describe the historical outline and current development of the educational policy for students with learning difficulties in Australia, focusing especially on the state of Queensland. In order to develop educational policy of learning difficulities at the state level, the concept of learning difficulities had been discussed until the middle of the 1970's. Receiving the submissions which argued strongly against a diagnostically-oriented definition of learning disabilities, the Select Comittee concluded that there was much conceptual confusion regarding the definition and cause of learining difficulties that might take many years to resolve. Despite that it was recongnised that action was needed to assist children by looking at their "total learning environmerit", and recommended the development of an educational policy for students with learning difficulties. During 1980's, support teachers for students with learning difficulties were employed in many schools. Scince the early 1980's support teachers have been making their efforts in regular classrooms rather than in the resource rooms. Their roles have been to help students with learning difficulties using effective and specific skills, and to consult with the regular classroom teacher in solving the problems related to learning difficulties in regular classes. Currently, the support system for students with learning difficulties has been employed to organize a more systematic and broader approach in Queensland based on the accountability of schools. In the context of enphasizing literacy and numeracy, a systematic whole school approach and particular programs, such as the Year 2 Diagnostic Net and Reading Recovery, have been introduced into the educational system for early identification and early intervention.