Completing the picture: the effects of video game practice on verbal and performance I.Q. scores in high functioning children

The strength and nature of the video game practice effect on tests of visual and perceptual skills were examined using high functioning Grades Four and Five students who had been tested with the WISC-R .for the purpose of gifted identification and placement. The control group, who did not own and .play video games on a sustained basis, and the experimental group, who did own a video game system and had some mastery of video games, including the -Nintendo game, "Tetris", were each composed of 18 juniorg:r;-ade students and were chosen from pre-existing conditions. The experimental group corresponded to the control group in terms of age, sex, and community. Data on the Verbal and Performance I.Q. Scores were· collected for both groups and the author was interested in the difference between the Verbal and Performance Scores within each group, anticipating a P > V outcome for the experimental group. The results showed a significant P > V difference in the experimental, video game playing group, as expected, but no significant difference between the Performance $cores of the control and experimental groups. The results, thus, indicated lower Verbal I.Q. Scores in the experimental group relat'ive to 'the control group.' The study conclu~ed that information about a sUbject's video game experience and "learhing style pref~rence is important for a clear interpretation of the Verbal and Performance I.Q. Scores of the WISC-R. Although the time spent on video game play may, 'indeed, increase P~rformance Scores relative to Verbal Scores for an individual, the possibilities exist that the time borrowed and spent away from language based activities may retard verbal growth and/or that the cognitive style associated with some Performance I.Q.subtests may have a negative effect on the approach to the tasks on the Verbal I.Q. Scale. The study also discussed the possibility that exposure to ,the video game experience, in pre-puberty, can provide spatial instruction which will result in improved spatial skills. strong spatial skills have been linked to improved performance and preference in mathematics, science, and engineering and it was suggested that appropriate video game play might be a way to involve girls more in the fields of mathematics and science.

Elementary computer-mediated online distance education : identification of criteria for successful implementation and practice

This study had three purposes related to the effective implem,entation and practice of computer-mediated online distance education (C-MODE) at the elementary level: (a) To identify a preliminary framework of criteria 'or guidelines for effective implementation and practice, (b) to identify areas ofC-MODE for which criteria or guidelines of effectiveness have not yet been developed, and (c) to develop an implementation and practice criteria questionnaire based on a review of the distance education literature, and to use the questionnaire in an exploratory survey of elementary C-MODE practitioners. Using the survey instrument, the beliefs and attitudes of 16 elementary C'- MODE practitioners about what constitutes effective implementation and practice principles were investigated. Respondents, who included both administrators and instructors, provided information about themselves and the program in which they worked. They rated 101 individual criteria statenlents on a 5 point Likert scale with a \. point range that included the values: 1 (Strongly Disagree), 2 (Disagree), 3 (Neutral or Undecided), 4 (Agree), 5 (Strongly Agree). Respondents also provided qualitative data by commenting on the individual statements, or suggesting other statements they considered important. Eighty-two different statements or guidelines related to the successful implementation and practice of computer-mediated online education at the elementary level were endorsed. Response to a small number of statements differed significantly by gender and years of experience. A new area for investigation, namely, the role ofparents, which has received little attention in the online distance education literature, emerged from the findings. The study also identified a number of other areas within an elementary context where additional research is necessary. These included: (a) differences in the factors that determine learning in a distance education setting and traditional settings, (b) elementary students' ability to function in an online setting, (c) the role and workload of instructors, (d) the importance of effective, timely communication with students and parents, and (e) the use of a variety of media.

Exploring the effects of change on nursing practice in acute ambulatory care settings : a qualitative study

As a result of the current changes taking place in the delivery of acute care services, the emergence of acute ambulatory care (AAC) settings is expanding. According to a literature review, the volume, acuity, and complexity of patient care in these settings is increasing while the time the patients spend under the care of nurses is decreasing. Two forces, hospital downsizing and advancing technology, are identified as the major contributors to the shift in acute care delivery. The effects that these changes are having on the clinical nursing practice of registered nurses working in AAC settings are not known. Given that AAC settings are rapidly expanding, it can be anticipated that the delivery of nursing care will continue to be compressed into a shorter time frame. Therefore, the following qualitative research question was formulated: What are the problems and issues related to clinical nursing practice in acute ambulatory settings? The purpose of this study was to explore the problems and issues associated with change and clinical nursing practice including the educational needs of nurses working in MC settings. Specific objectives of the study included the following: (a) to explore the problems and issues related to nursing practice in select AAC settings; (b) to explore the similarities and differences in perspectives related to role expectation between nurse managers, nurse educators, and staff nurses; and (c) to develop a conceptual framework that will guide the construction of an instrument needed for further research. This study used semistructured individual interviews and focus group sessions to collect data from the three categories of registered nurses. More specifically, data were collected from one nurse manager, two charge nurses, two nurse educators and fifteen staff nurses, working in three different MC settings of a major teaching hospital. Collected data were separately analyzed by the researcher and an external rater following grounded theory methodology. By using open and axial coding, the problems and issues identified by nurses were grouped into several major and minor themes. In final analysis, by using selective coding, the four core themes (intensification, moderation, frustration, and adaptation) were extracted. Each core theme was presented and discussed in relation to hospital downsizing and advancing technology. The relationships among the four core themes were discussed and depicted in a model termed the "Impact and Consequence Model on Nursing Practice in MC Settings." Implications for further research are discussed and research hypotheses, based on the research findings, are presented.

Verbal ability, previous practice and load on short-term memory as determiners of differences in a complex learning task: an experimental study

Traditional psychometric theory and practice classify people according to broad ability dimensions but do not examine how these mental processes occur. Hunt and Lansman (1975) proposed a 'distributed memory' model of cognitive processes with emphasis on how to describe individual differences based on the assumption that each individual possesses the same components. It is in the quality of these components ~hat individual differences arise. Carroll (1974) expands Hunt's model to include a production system (after Newell and Simon, 1973) and a response system. He developed a framework of factor analytic (FA) factors for : the purpose of describing how individual differences may arise from them. This scheme is to be used in the analysis of psychometric tes ts . Recent advances in the field of information processing are examined and include. 1) Hunt's development of differences between subjects designated as high or low verbal , 2) Miller's pursuit of the magic number seven, plus or minus two, 3) Ferguson's examination of transfer and abilities and, 4) Brown's discoveries concerning strategy teaching and retardates . In order to examine possible sources of individual differences arising from cognitive tasks, traditional psychometric tests were searched for a suitable perceptual task which could be varied slightly and administered to gauge learning effects produced by controlling independent variables. It also had to be suitable for analysis using Carroll's f ramework . The Coding Task (a symbol substitution test) found i n the Performance Scale of the WISe was chosen. Two experiments were devised to test the following hypotheses. 1) High verbals should be able to complete significantly more items on the Symbol Substitution Task than low verbals (Hunt, Lansman, 1975). 2) Having previous practice on a task, where strategies involved in the task may be identified, increases the amount of output on a similar task (Carroll, 1974). J) There should be a sUbstantial decrease in the amount of output as the load on STM is increased (Miller, 1956) . 4) Repeated measures should produce an increase in output over trials and where individual differences in previously acquired abilities are involved, these should differentiate individuals over trials (Ferguson, 1956). S) Teaching slow learners a rehearsal strategy would improve their learning such that their learning would resemble that of normals on the ,:same task. (Brown, 1974). In the first experiment 60 subjects were d.ivided·into high and low verbal, further divided randomly into a practice group and nonpractice group. Five subjects in each group were assigned randomly to work on a five, seven and nine digit code throughout the experiment. The practice group was given three trials of two minutes each on the practice code (designed to eliminate transfer effects due to symbol similarity) and then three trials of two minutes each on the actual SST task . The nonpractice group was given three trials of two minutes each on the same actual SST task . Results were analyzed using a four-way analysis of variance . In the second experiment 18 slow learners were divided randomly into two groups. one group receiving a planned strategy practioe, the other receiving random practice. Both groups worked on the actual code to be used later in the actual task. Within each group subjects were randomly assigned to work on a five, seven or nine digit code throughout. Both practice and actual tests consisted on three trials of two minutes each. Results were analyzed using a three-way analysis of variance . It was found in t he first experiment that 1) high or low verbal ability by itself did not produce significantly different results. However, when in interaction with the other independent variables, a difference in performance was noted . 2) The previous practice variable was significant over all segments of the experiment. Those who received previo.us practice were able to score significantly higher than those without it. J) Increasing the size of the load on STM severely restricts performance. 4) The effect of repeated trials proved to be beneficial. Generally, gains were made on each successive trial within each group. S) In the second experiment, slow learners who were allowed to practice randomly performed better on the actual task than subjeots who were taught the code by means of a planned strategy. Upon analysis using the Carroll scheme, individual differences were noted in the ability to develop strategies of storing, searching and retrieving items from STM, and in adopting necessary rehearsals for retention in STM. While these strategies may benef it some it was found that for others they may be harmful . Temporal aspects and perceptual speed were also found to be sources of variance within individuals . Generally it was found that the largest single factor i nfluencing learning on this task was the repeated measures . What e~ables gains to be made, varies with individuals . There are environmental factors, specific abilities, strategy development, previous learning, amount of load on STM , perceptual and temporal parameters which influence learning and these have serious implications for educational programs .

Economic security & reconstruction: utility, history and practice in post-conflict environments

Please consult the paper edition of this thesis to read. It is available on the 5th Floor of the Library at Call Number: Z 9999 P65 D53 2007

Early childhood pedagogical practice within a cultural kaleidoscope

Please consult the paper edition of this thesis to read. It is available on the 5th Floor of the Library at Call Number: Z 9999 E38 K39 2006

Community Recreation and Leisure Activities in Adults with Developmental Disabilities who have Recently Relocated to Community-based Residences in Ontario

In 2009, the Ontario Government closed the last three remaining large-scale institutions for people with Developmental Disabilities (DD). The purpose of this study is to examine the community-based recreation and leisure activities of 87 adults with DD who have recently moved into the community. Study 1 provided a descriptive insight into the community recreation and leisure activities, and revealed that people with DD engage in low levels of community activities, however are reported to have the desire to engage more often. Staff reported that people with DD do not have the opportunities to engage in their preferable activities. Study 2 investigated the prbspective predictors of the number and frequency of community, recreation and leisure activities and found that a higher level of functioning predicted a greater number of community activities ([beta] = .26, P < .05), while both a higher level of functioning ([beta] = .38,p < .001) and greater preference ([beta] = .23. p < .05) predicted more frequent access to community activities. Future research and the implications of the findings for clinical practice and policy development were discussed.

Adult Learning in the Transformational Environments of the Digital Revolution: Connecting Theory and Practice

The purpose of this study was to investigate the learning preferences and the post-secondary educational experiences of a group of Net-Gen adult learners, aged between 18 and 35, currently working in the knowledge economy workplace, and their assessment of how adequately they were prepared to meet the requirements of the knowledge economy workplace. This study utilized an explanatory mixed-method research design. Participants completed a questionnaire providing information on their self-reported learning style preferences, their use of digital tools for formal and informal learning, their use of digital technologies in postsecondary educational experiences, and their use of digital technologies in their workplace. Four volunteers from the questionnaire respondents were selected to participate in interviews based on the diversity of their experiences in higher education, including digital environments, and the diversity of their knowledge economy workplaces. Data collected from the questionnaire were analyzed for descriptive and demographic statistics, and categorized so that common patterns could be identified from information gathered from the online questionnaire and interviews. Findings based on this study indicated that these Net-Gen adult learners were fluent with all types of digital technologies in collaborative environments, expecting their educational experiences to provide a similar experience. Participants clearly expressed an understanding that digital/collaborative aptitudes are essential to successful employment in the knowledge economy workplace. The findings of this study indicated that the majority of participants felt that their post-secondary educational experiences did not adequately prepare them to meet the expectations of this type of working environment.

A Mixed-Method Study of Educator Knowledge and Practice Related to Student Socio-moral Development

The purpose of this study was to explore elementary educators’ knowledge of moral development, how this knowledge relates to their beliefs and sense of efficacy pertaining to character education practices and the socio-moral reasoning of their students. It was hypothesized that educators’ beliefs and practices related to character education would reflect their pedagogy rather than knowledge of moral development theory. It was further hypothesized that there would be differences in student socio-moral reasoning specifically the beliefs and desires that guide actions would differ based on grade and gender. This mixed-method study employing self-report questionnaires, open response vignettes, and semi-structured educator interviews yielded quantitative and qualitative data. Findings indicated socio-moral reasoning of students differed according to grade (age) and gender. Knowledge of moral development theory was found to vary among participants however some practices employed by educators did align with a social cognitive approach to moral development. Significant variables identified consistently among educator and student participants included, autonomy, social competence, sense of school community, and supportiveness. These variables, in conjunction with a sense of fairness, have been identified elsewhere as foundational to moral development (Nucci, 2009), and intrinsic motivation (Ryan & Deci, 2000) and are relevant to educators working to develop student socio-moral reasoning as an aspect of character.

Perspectives of Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder on a Community-Based Parent Education Program

In 2012 a community-based agency that oversees Intensive Behaviour Intervention services for young children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) began delivering newly developed curricula to parents of eligible children. The curricula’s intent was to inform parents about ASD and Applied Behaviour Analysis, to increase their awareness of available community resources, and assist them to be active and engaged in their child’s learning. This mixed-method study used a program-specific survey and focus groups to explore the perspectives parents had on their involvement in these education sessions. Through constant comparison analysis 4 major and 3 minor themes emerged. In general, parents acknowledged that this parent education program included relevant content and a favourable delivery format. The study summarized a number of well-articulated, practical suggestions parents provided. Implications for practice would be applicable to educators interested in providing quality group-based education to parents of young children with ASD.

Critical incident analysis through narrative reflective practice: A case study

Teachers can reflect on their practices by articulating and exploring incidents they consider critical to themselves or others. By talking about these critical incidents, teachers can make better sense of seemingly random experiences that occur in their teaching because they hold the real inside knowledge, especially personal intuitive knowledge, expertise and experience that is based on their accumulated years as language educators teaching in schools and classrooms. This paper is about one such critical incident analysis that an ESL teacher in Canada revealed to her critical friend and how both used McCabe’s (2002) narrative framework for analyzing an important critical incident that occurred in the teacher’s class.

À propos de The Practice of Liberal Pluralism de William Galston : un dialogue avec l’auteur

Document de travail

Everyday Ethics: Framing youth participation in organizational practice

Much of the literature on ethical issues in child and youth participation has drawn on the episodic experiences of participatory research efforts in which young people’s input has been sought, transcribed and represented. This literature focuses in particular on the power dynamics and ethical dilemmas embedded in time-bound adult/child and outsider/insider relationships. While we agree that these issues are crucial and in need of further examination, it is equally important to examine the ethical issues embedded within the “everyday” practices of the organizations in and through which young people’s participation in community research and development often occurs (e.g., community-based organizations, schools and municipal agencies). Drawing on experience from three summers of work in promoting youth participation in adult-led organizations of varying purpose, scale and structure, a framework is postulated that presents participation as a spatial practice shaped by five overlapping dimensions. The framework is offered as a point of discussion and a potential tool for analysis in ecipation in relation to organizational practice.

BA'S : The practice and law of bankers' acceptance

Au cours d'une transaction portant sur une acceptation bancaire (ci-après «BA» tel que dénommée dans le jargon juridique) différents types de relations peuvent s'établir entre les parties impliquées, certaines plus directes que d'autres. Dans une transaction donnée, à part le client et la banque, on peut trouver une ou plusieurs banques participantes et un ou plusieurs investisseurs, qui deviennent détenteurs de BA. La situation peut devenir complexe et les relations légales risquent de devenir assez compliquées. Cependant, il est important d'identifier si la relation s'est établie à travers l'instrument de BA, si elle existe par le biais d'une relation contractuelle ordinaire ou encore, si elle existe par le fait de la loi. Une bonne analyse des circonstances entourant la transaction, des facteurs connexes à la transaction et des droits et obligations qui existent entre les parties, sera nécessaire pour déterminer laquelle de la loi provinciale ou fédérale s'appliquera, et dans quelle mesure. Une fois accordée, la BA est gouvernée par la Loi sur les lettres de change. Toutes solutions apportées à un problème qui implique des BA, doivent, en principe, respecter la nature inhérente de la BA en tant qu'effet de commerce, gouverné par la loi fédérale. En matière de BA, c'est, soit la Loi sur les lettres de change soit la Loi sur les lettres et billets de dépôt (Depository Bills and Note Act) qui s'appliqueront à l'acte. Comme il existe des lois fédérales applicables à la BA, l'objet de notre étude est de déterminer si, et dans quelle circonstance la loi de la province, tel que le Code civil du Québec, trouvera application et éclaircira dans certains cas la disposition contenue dans la Loi sur les lettres de change, notamment lorsque les dispositions de ladite loi sont silencieuses ou ambigües. La solution la plus simple serait d'appliquer la loi provinciale aux matières qui ne sont pas traitées dans la loi, étant donné que les lois provinciales apportent souvent un complément à la législation fédérale. Cependant, la Loi sur les lettres de change contient des dispositions spéciales, tel que l'article 9 qui stipule : « 9. Les règles de la common law d'Angleterre, y compris en droit commercial, s'appliquent aux lettres, billets et chèques dans la mesure de leur compatibilité avec les dispositions expresses de la présente loi. » Cette disposition a crée une certaine confusion relativement à l'application du droit civil du Québec en matière de Lettres de change. En effet, il existe un doute quant à savoir si l'application de l'article 9 est une incorporation par référence qui exclue totalement l'application du droit civil. Cette question continue de se poser inexorablement dans la doctrine et la jurisprudence. Elle a en effet donné lieu à une série de théories quand au degré d'application de la common law en matière de lettres de change. Une revue de la jurisprudence dominante nous permet de conclure que les tribunaux ont accepté l'application du droit provinciale dans certaines questions impliquant les lettres de change. La question essentielle traitée lors de notre analyse est la suivante: lorsqu'un litige prend naissance dans une transaction de BA, quelle est la règle qui devra s'appliquer? Quel sera le droit qui gouvernera les problèmes émergeant dans une BA, celui du Code Civil du Québec ou celui de la common law d'Angleterre? Étant donne le nombre de cas qui sont portés devant les cours de justice en rapport avec des transactions de BA, comprendre quelle sera la loi applicable est d'une importance fondamentale. Pour répondre à cette question, nous commencerons par un examen de l'historique, du développement et de l'évolution de la BA. Afin de mieux comprendre la BA, nous débuterons par un bref survol des origines de cet instrument juridique. Dans le deuxième chapitre, nous analyserons la nature et le caractère légal de la BA. Cela constituera le cadre aux travers duquel nous pourrons identifier les règles et les principes qui s'appliquent aux différents aspects de la transaction de BA. Le chapitre trois fera l'objet d'un examen détaillé des mécanismes de l'opération de BA tout en étudiant de près les exigences imposées par la législation applicable. Après avoir examine l'aspect légal de la BA, nous procéderons au chapitre quatre, à l'étude de l'applicabilité de la loi provinciale relativement à certains aspects de la transaction de BA. A cet effet, nous examinerons les différentes approches de compréhension de la Loi sur les lettres de change et plus particulièrement la problématique rencontrée à l'article 9. Nous étudierons aussi l'application et l'interprétation de cette loi par les tribunaux du Québec au cours du siècle dernier. Les juges et les juristes se sont penchés sur les sens qu'a voulu donner le législateur lorsqu'il a stipulé dans l'article 9 «Le règles de la common law d'Angleterre, y compris en droit commercial, s appliquent aux lettres, billets et chèques dans la mesure de leur compatibilité avec les dispositions expresses de la présente loi ». Cette section doit-elle être appliquée à la lettre, nous obligeant à appliquer la common law d'Angleterre a chaque problème qui peut se poser en relation avec les lettres et les billets? Le Parlement a-t-il l'intention que cette disposition s'applique également au Québec, dont le droit privé est basé sur le système du Code Civil? Notre étude portera sur les différentes approches d'interprétation qui offrent une diversité de solutions au problème posé par l'article 9. Finalement, compte tenu des nouveaux développements législatifs, au chapitre cinq, nous proposons une méthode en vue de déterminer la loi applicable aux différents aspects de la transaction de BA. Notre analyse nous a conduit à adopter la solution proposée par la majorité des juristes, à la différence que notre approche de l'article 9 est basée sur des raisons de politique. Nous avons donc adopté la stricte dichotomie (en tant qu'effet négociable d'une part, et d'une sorte de contrat et de propriété de l'autre) en prenant en compte les difficultés inhérentes à déterminer quand l'un finit et l'autre commence. En conclusion, selon notre opinion, il existe deux solutions. Premièrement, il y a la possibilité que l'article 9 puisse être écarté. Dans ce cas, toutes les matières qui ne sont pas expressément évoquées dans la loi tomberont dans la compétence de la loi provinciale, comme c'est le cas dans d'autres types de législations fédérales. Dans ces situations, le droit civil du Québec joue un rôle supplétif dans les applications d'une loi fédérale au Québec. Deuxièmement, modifier l'article 9 plutôt que d'en écarter son application offre une autre possibilité. Incorporer la large stricte dichotomie dans l'article 9 nous semble être une solution préférable. La disposition pourrait se lire comme suit: « Les règles de la common law d'Angleterre incluant le droit commercial dans la mesure ou elles ne sont pas incompatibles avec les dispositions expresses de la Loi, s’appliquent aux lettres, billets, et chèques au sens stricte. Pour plus de certitude, les lettres et les billets au sens strict, incluent la forme, la délivrance et I’émission des lettres, billets, et chèques.» Ce type de changement se révélera être un pas important dans le but de clarifier la loi et déterminer l'équilibre à trouver entre l'application des lois fédérales et provinciales en matière de BA.

Le rôle de l’évaluation économique dans la pratique des médecins de famille = The role of economic evaluation in the practice of family physicians

L’évaluation économique en santé consiste en l’analyse comparative d’alternatives de services en regard à la fois de leurs coûts et de leurs conséquences. Elle est un outil d’aide à la décision. La grande majorité des décisions concernant l’allocation des ressources sont prises en clinique; particulièrement au niveau des soins primaires. Puisque chaque décision est associée à un coût d’opportunité, la non-prise en compte des considérations économiques dans les pratiques des médecins de famille peut avoir un impact important sur l’efficience du système de santé. Il existe peu de connaissances quant à l’influence des évaluations économiques sur la pratique clinique. L’objet de la thèse est de comprendre le rôle de l’évaluation économique dans la pratique des médecins de famille. Ses contributions font l’objet de quatre articles originaux (philosophique, théorique, méthodologique et empirique). L’article philosophique suggère l’importance des questions de complexité et de réflexivité en évaluation économique. La complexité est la perspective philosophique, (approche générale épistémologique) qui sous-tend la thèse. Cette vision du monde met l’attention sur l’explication et la compréhension et sur les relations et les interactions (causalité interactive). Cet accent sur le contexte et le processus de production des données souligne l’importance de la réflexivité dans le processus de recherche. L’article théorique développe une conception nouvelle et différente du problème de recherche. L’originalité de la thèse réside également dans son approche qui s’appuie sur la perspective de la théorie sociologique de Pierre Bourdieu; une approche théorique cohérente avec la complexité. Opposé aux modèles individualistes de l’action rationnelle, Bourdieu préconise une approche sociologique qui s’inscrit dans la recherche d’une compréhension plus complète et plus complexe des phénomènes sociaux en mettant en lumière les influences souvent implicites qui viennent chaque jour exercer des pressions sur les individus et leurs pratiques. L’article méthodologique présente le protocole d’une étude qualitative de cas multiples avec niveaux d’analyse imbriqués : les médecins de famille (niveau micro-individuel) et le champ de la médecine familiale (niveau macro-structurel). Huit études de cas furent réalisées avec le médecin de famille comme unité principale d’analyse. Pour le niveau micro, la collecte des informations fut réalisée à l’aide d’entrevues de type histoire de vie, de documents et d’observation. Pour le niveau macro, la collecte des informations fut réalisée à l’aide de documents, et d’entrevues de type semi-structuré auprès de huit informateurs clés, de neuf organisations médicales. L’induction analytique fut utilisée. L’article empirique présente l’ensemble des résultats empiriques de la thèse. Les résultats montrent une intégration croissante de concepts en économie dans le discours officiel des organisations de médecine familiale. Cependant, au niveau de la pratique, l'économisation de ce discours ne semble pas être une représentation fidèle de la réalité puisque la très grande majorité des participants n'incarnent pas ce discours. Les contributions incluent une compréhension approfondie des processus sociaux qui influencent les schèmes de perception, de pensée, d’appréciation et d’action des médecins de famille quant au rôle de l’évaluation économique dans la pratique clinique et la volonté des médecins de famille à contribuer à une allocation efficiente, équitable et légitime des ressources.