Conceptual Scores Research Articles

공업계 특성화고 학생의 진화 및 유전 개념 분석

This study was carried out to explore the un-derstanding of evolution and genetic concepts of 596 male students attending at technical high school. These students did not take any more class about the life science concepts such as genetic and evolutionary concepts in junior high school. In order to measure the level of genetics and evolu-tion concept, we used 20 test items developed by AAAS. In order to confirm the validity and reliability of the items used, Rasch model analysis and internal consistency reliability analysis were conducted. In order to identify the change of conceptual understanding score between grades, independent test t-test, Mann-Whitney U test were used. A paired sam-ple t-test was used for comparison with previous research data for high school students. The results of this study confirm that the AAAS evolution and genetic concept assessment items are valid for measuring the conceptual understanding of technical high school students. It was confirmed that there is a degeneration of the concept understanding at a meaningful level when moving from the first grade to the second grade of technical high school. In particular, there is more con-ceptual degeneration in the genetic concept. Compared with the scores of the students in the high school, which were identified in the previous research, the concept of the first grade of the technical high school students was maintained, but it was confirmed that the conceptual degeneration pro-ceeded in the second grade. Based on the results of this study, the necessity of education on basic biology concept in tech-nical high school and concept change theory are discussed.

Peer Effects on Children’s Expressive Vocabulary Development Using Conceptual Scoring in Linguistically Diverse Preschools

ABSTRACTResearch Findings: This study examined associations between the expressive vocabulary of classroom peers and children’s own vocabulary knowledge using conceptual scoring in a linguistically diverse sample of 4-year-olds who attended universal preschool programs in a metropolitan area. Higher peer conceptually scored expressive vocabulary was associated with higher conceptually scored expressive vocabulary for all children. The association was stronger for children who were dual language learners (DLLs), such that higher peer ability was associated with stronger growth in conceptually scored expressive vocabulary for DLLs across languages than for children fluent in English. Practice or Policy: This research suggests that policymakers may want to investigate the advantages of setting aside slots in targeted programs for children who have stronger conceptual vocabularies. Administrators should consider conceptual and verbal ability and classroom composition when assigning children to classes. This research also suggests that greater use of intentional pairs or small groups and strategies such as coaching peers in supporting one another’s conceptual vocabulary may be particularly important for DLLs.

EPV 19. Dissociable regions for recognition and execution of conceptual and spatio-temporal action characteristics in acute stroke patients

The ability to recognize and respond to actions performed by others is fundamental for a wide range of activities involving social interactions. However, despite an enormous number of functional imaging studies, a precise delineation of the brain regions crucial for distinct aspects of action recognition has remained elusive. Moreover, the degree of overlap between regions involved in active action performance is controversial. To elucidate these issues, 98 acute stroke patients (68 male, age mean ± SD, 65 ± 13 years) were examined in the acute period after stroke (mean ± SD 4.4 ± 2 days after symptom onset). First, action recognition was assessed with a newly designed test which required patients to distinguish between correctly and incorrectly performed tool-associated actions depicted in short videos. Errors categories comprised conceptual (e.g., spreading jam on toast with a paint brush), and spatio-temporal errors (orientation of the tool, hand configuration, and movement kinematics). Second, actual use of tools was probed using an established test which, in analogy to the error categories for action recognition, included separate measures for the ability to match tools and recipients (e.g., hammer – nail; conceptual score), and for the quality of the executed action (e.g., hammering; spatio-temporal score). Lesions were delineated on diffusion-weighted scans for voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping. Impaired recognition of conceptual errors was associated mainly with lesions to the anterior middle temporal gyrus as well as to the caudal middle frontal gyrus. Conversely, the detection of spatio-temporal errors depended on the posterior superior temporal gyrus and sulcus, inferior parietal lobule (IPL) and ventral premotor cortex (vPMC). Analyses for distinct spatio-temporal error subcategories revealed that superior temporal lesions specifically affected the recognition of kinematic and tool orientation errors, while inferior parietal and premotor damage selectively impaired the discrimination of hand configurations. Lastly, compared to the recognition of conceptual and spatio-temporal errors, both active tool-recipient matching and action execution, respectively, were more dependent on the IPL and vPMC; conversely, action recognition deficits were more strongly associated with occipito-temporal and superior temporal lesions. The results demonstrate that action recognition is enabled by a network of dissociable regions that are specialized for the processing of distinct action features. While the decoding of conceptual action aspects relies mainly on anterior temporal regions, IPL and vPMC mediate the recognition of hand configurations, and the posterior superior temporal lobe is crucial for the processing of movement kinematics and tool orientation. Our findings show that, with the exception of the hand configuration, action recognition does not rely on the fronto-parietal regions that subserve the performance of actual tool use.

Does cognitive self-consciousness link older adults' cognitive functioning to obsessive-compulsive symptoms?

To elucidate how obsessional symptoms might develop or intensify in late-life, we tested a risk model. We posited that cognitive self-consciousness (CSC), a tendency to be aware of and monitor thinking, would increase reactivity to aging-related cognitive changes and mediate the relationship between cognitive functioning and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms. Older adults (Mage = 76.7 years) completed the Dementia Rating Scale-2 (DRS-2), a CSC measure, and an OCD symptom measure up to four times over 18 months. A model that included DRS-2 age and education adjusted total score as the indicator of cognitive functioning fit the data well, and CSC score change mediated the relationship between initial cognitive functioning and changes in OCD symptoms. In tests of a model that included DRS-2 Initiation/Perseveration (I/P) and Conceptualization subscale scores, the model again fit the data well. Conceptualization scores, but not I/P scores, were related to later OCD symptoms, and change in CSC scores again mediated the relationship. Lower scores on initial cognitive functioning measures predicted increases in CSC scores over time, which in turn predicted increases in OCD symptoms over the 18 months of the study. Implications for understanding late-life obsessional problems are discussed.

Conceptual Scoring of Lexical Organization in Bilingual Children With Language Impairment

The aim was to evaluate conceptual scoring of lexical organization in bilingual children with language impairment (BLI) and to compare BLI performance with monolingual children with language impairment (MLI). Word associations were assessed in 15 BLI and 9 MLI children. BLI were assessed in Arabic and Swedish, MLI in Swedish only. A number of syntagmatic (semantic link, different word class) and paradigmatic associations (semantic link, same word class) were calculated. Arabic and Swedish scores were compared with a conceptual score (total number of concepts from both languages). For BLI, the paradigmatic conceptual score was significantly higher than single language scores, confirming the distribution of lexical knowledge across languages. The BLI group had significantly higher conceptual paradigmatic scores than the MLI group. Conceptual scoring may reduce the over-identification of language impairment (LI) and underestimation of lexical knowledge in bilingual populations.

Measuring and comparing academic language development and conceptual understanding via science notebooks

ABSTRACTThe authors of this quantitative study measured and compared the academic language development and conceptual understanding of fifth-grade economically disadvantaged English language learners (ELL), former ELLs, and native English-speaking (ES) students as reflected in their science notebook scores. Using an instrument they developed, the authors quantified the student notebook language and concept scores. They compared language growth over time across three time points: beginning, middle, and end of the school year and across language-status (ELL, former ELL, and ES), and gender using mixed between-within subjects analysis of variance (ANOVA). The authors also compared students’ conceptual understanding scores across categories in three domains using ANOVA. Students demonstrated statistically significant growth over time in their academic language as reflected by science notebook scores, and we noticed conceptual trends in which scores for ELLs, former ELLs, and male students lagged behind at first, but caught up to their peers by the end of the school year.

The impact of a first-generation immigrant environment on the heritage language: productive vocabularies of Polish toddlers living in the UK and Ireland

ABSTRACTThe expressive lexical skills of 53 Polish bilinguals aged 24–36 months living in the UK and Ireland were assessed using Polish and British English adaptations of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories. Polish vocabulary scores were compared to those of 53 Polish monolinguals matched for age, gender and parental education. The bilinguals were born to two Polish parents and mostly lived outside Poland since birth. Results showed substantial differences in Total Conceptual Vocabulary and single-language vocabulary scores between the groups. However, the groups did not differ on Total Vocabulary measures. In the bilingual sample, there were significant correlations between children’s frequency of language use and their vocabulary scores in the same language. A negative correlation between children’s frequency of English use and their Polish vocabulary scores was found. A complex pattern of factors relating to children’s low performance in Polish emerged. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that low birth weight, parental concern about language, maternal educational level as well as maternal frequency of Polish and English use contributed to explaining children’s Polish vocabulary scores. Overall, results indicated the need for early additional support of the first language (L1) if long-term balanced bilingualism is to be attained.

Assessment of executive functions in bipolar depression

Introduction Cognitive functions in bipolar disorder have been assessed during acute mood episodes but also during remission. While other cognitive functions, such as verbal and working memory, attention, verbal fluency and psychomotor speed seem to recover after the acute episode, executive functions impairment remains also during remission; this aspect led to the assumption that executive functions may be a trait marker for bipolar disorder. Objective The purpose of this study was to assess the executive functions, such as cognitive flexibility, set shifting, problem solving and abstract thinking in bipolar depression compared to healthy subjects. Method Forty patients diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and Major Depressive Episode according to DSM IV-TR were included into the study. Executive functions were investigated using Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Results obtained by patients were compared with those of 30 healthy who underwent the same cognitive evaluation. Results Depressed bipolar patients scored significantly worse on the majority of WCST measures. Thus, for total trials, total errors, preservative errors and preservative responses (raw scores and percents) and failure to maintain set scores, the differences between the two groups were significant at the 1% threshold ( P =0.000). The patients and controls displayed similar behavior for total correct ( P =0.215) and conceptual levels scores ( P =0.421). Conclusions Patients with bipolar disorder show during a depressive episode difficulties in most cognitive tasks involving executive functions. Results obtained by patients at failure to maintain set score suggest frontal dysfunctions for this category of patients.

Vocabulary Skills of Spanish-English Speaking Elementary Students: A Pilot Study

Introduction Bilingualism is the norm worldwide. Despite the fact that nearly one in five individuals (17.9%; U.S. Census Bureau, 2007) speaks another language other than English in the home, knowledge regarding the nature of bilingualism and school performance, particularly vocabulary skills in bilingual children, is still needed. Purpose This study investigated vocabulary skills of bilingual, Spanish-English speaking students enrolled in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades. Methods Fifteen Spanish-English speaking students were administered English and Spanish receptive and expressive vocabulary measures. Total conceptual vocabulary scores were also obtained for both the English and Spanish measures. Results Results indicated significant differences for 3rd and 5th grade groups on the Spanish expressive vocabulary measure and also on the expressive total conceptual vocabulary measure. Conclusions The bilingual students, although the majority had been mainstreamed and exited from ESOL classes and services, appeared to be still acquiring English vocabulary skills and may have not attained complete cognitive academic English language proficiencies. Therefore, it is possible that incomplete vocabulary skills may affect overall academic language skills and overall academic performance. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) must strive to maintain native language skills that facilitate reading comprehension and English academic success.

Promoting Honesty: The Influence of Stories on Children's Lie‐Telling Behaviours and Moral Understanding

Moral stories are a means of communicating the consequences of our actions and emphasizing virtuous behaviour, such as honesty. However, the effect of these stories on children's lie‐telling has yet to be thoroughly explored. The current study investigated the influence of moral stories on children's willingness to lie for another individual. Children were read one of three stories prior to being questioned about an accidental wrongdoing: (1) a positive story, which emphasized the benefits of being honest; (2) a negative story, which outlined the potential costs of lying; and (3) a neutral story, which was unrelated to truth‐telling or lie‐telling. Initially, most children withheld information about the event. Older children were better able to maintain their lies throughout the interview. However, when asked direct questions, children in the positive story condition were more likely to tell the truth than those in the negative and neutral conditions. No significant differences were found between the negative and neutral story conditions. The present study also investigated the relationship between children's conceptual understanding and behaviour. The findings revealed that children's knowledge of truths and lies increased with age. Children who lied had significantly higher conceptual scores than those who did not lie. Furthermore, the type of story children were read had a significant impact on their evaluations of true and false statements. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Assessment of language impairment in bilingual children using semantic tasks: two languages classify better than one.

Significant progress has been made in the identification of language impairment in children are bilingual. Bilingual children's vocabulary knowledge may be distributed across languages. Thus, when testing bilingual children it is difficult to know how to weigh each language for diagnostic purposes. Even when conceptual scoring is used in vocabulary testing, bilingual children may score below that of their typical monolingual peers. The primary aim was to evaluate the classification accuracy of two approaches (total semantics score and two-dimensional bilingual coordinate score) that combined lexical-semantic knowledge across two languages. We investigated the classification accuracy of the English and Spanish semantics subtest using the experimental version of the Bilingual English Spanish Assessment (BESA) with bilingual children with and without language impairment. A total of 78 bilinguals with balanced exposure to English and Spanish (15 with language impairment, 63 with typical development) participated. Children were between 4;0 and 6;11 years old. Discriminant function analysis explored the extent to which these children were accurately classified when combining Spanish and English subtests. Discriminant analysis yielded above 85% correct classification for balanced bilingual children for both approaches. For the most accurate assessment and diagnostic decision-making for bilinguals, approaches that consider both languages together are recommended.

Development and transfer of vocabulary knowledge in Spanish-speaking language minority preschool children.

In this study we evaluated the predictive validity of conceptual scoring. Two independent samples of Spanish-speaking language minority preschoolers (Sample 1: N = 96, mean age = 54·51 months, 54·3% male; Sample 2: N = 116, mean age = 60·70 months, 56·0% male) completed measures of receptive, expressive, and definitional vocabulary in their first (L1) and second (L2) languages at two time points approximately 9-12 months apart. We examined whether unique L1 and L2 vocabulary at time 1 predicted later L2 and L1 vocabulary, respectively. Results indicated that unique L1 vocabulary did not predict later L2 vocabulary after controlling for initial L2 vocabulary. An identical pattern of results emerged for L1 vocabulary outcomes. We also examined whether children acquired translational equivalents for words known in one language but not the other. Results indicated that children acquired translational equivalents, providing partial support for the transfer of vocabulary knowledge across languages.

Taking account of both languages in the assessment of dual language learners.

This article addresses the issue of "adjusted" assessment of bilingual children, a practice that acknowledges that children who know two languages have distributed knowledge of those languages. In recent work, at least three procedures have become common for taking into account this distributed knowledge: a conceptual score, in which children are given credit for knowing some feature of language in either language; a combined or total score, which adds units of knowledge from each language together; and a best score, in which the performance in the better language is taken as the most appropriate measure. The article begins with a discussion of the rationale behind the varied scores. After reviewing a sample of studies that used each type, I will argue that vocabulary and morphosyntax are fundamentally different types of knowledge that may need distinct kinds of adjusted measurement. The value of each kind of adjusted assessment must be considered relative to its purpose: is it to gauge the child's readiness for schooling? Or is it to detect language disorders? Finally, a plea is made for more basic research to answer the many questions that are raised.

A Leadership Trait Analysis of Osama Bin Laden on the Run

Bin Laden’s personality was measured from a distance with situations on the run to determine why he stayed in one place which contributed to his death. He was average in his belief in his ability to control events, conceptual complexity, and power needs, low in self-confidence, task orientation and in-group bias but high in his distrust of others. He was relationship rather than task focused which led to loyal friendships and facilitated his escape from Afghanistan because he did not trust outsiders. Because his conceptual complexity score was higher than his self-confidence score, bin Laden responded to contextual information and worked with others. He accepted constraints like the Taliban’s defeat, drone strikes, and the bounty on his head. Therefore, he deemed that a sedentary rather than a mobile life was safer, which ultimately led to his demise. Counterterrorism professionals can use leadership traits analysis and model strategies in response to terrorist behaviors.

Discriminant accuracy of a semantics measure with Latino English-speaking, Spanish-speaking, and English–Spanish bilingual children

We explored classification accuracy of English and Spanish versions of an experimental semantic language measure with functional monolingual–bilingual children with and without language impairment. A total of 441 children participated, including 78 balanced bilinguals (15 with language impairment, 63 with typical development); 179 monolingual Spanish (36 with language impairment, 143 with typical development); and 183 monolingual English (49 with language impairment, 134 with typical development) children between 4;0 and 6;11 years. Cut points derived for functionally monolingual children were applied to bilinguals to assess the predictive accuracy of English and Spanish semantics. Correct classification of English monolinguals and Spanish monolinguals was 81%. Discriminant analysis yielded 76% and 90% correct classification for balanced bilingual children in English and Spanish respectively. This semantics-based measure has fair to good classification accuracy for functional monolinguals and for Spanish–English bilingual children when one language is tested.Learning outcomes: As a result of this study, the reader will describe advantages of lexical-semantic tasks for identification of language impairment. They will be able to describe procedures for conceptual scoring and identify its benefits. Readers will also gain an understanding of similarities and differences in bilingual and monolingual performance on a semantics task in Spanish and English.

Conceptual scoring of receptive and expressive vocabulary measures in simultaneous and sequential bilingual children.

The authors examined the effects of conceptual scoring on the performance of simultaneous and sequential bilinguals on standardized receptive and expressive vocabulary measures in English and Spanish. Participants included 40 English-speaking monolingual children, 39 simultaneous Spanish-English bilingual children, and 19 sequential bilingual children, ages 5-7. The children completed standardized receptive and expressive vocabulary measures in English and also in Spanish for those who were bilingual. After the standardized administration, bilingual children were given the opportunity to respond to missed items in their other language to obtain a conceptual score. Controlling for group differences in socioeconomic status (SES), both simultaneous and sequential bilingual children scored significantly below monolingual children on single-language measures of English receptive and expressive vocabulary. Conceptual scoring removed the significant difference between monolingual and simultaneous bilingual children in the receptive modality but not in the expressive modality; differences remained between monolingual and sequential bilingual children in both modalities. However, in both bilingual groups, conceptual scoring increased the proportion of children with vocabulary scores within the average range. Conceptual scoring does not fully ameliorate the bias inherent in single-language standardized vocabulary measures for bilingual children, but the procedures employed here may assist in ruling out vocabulary deficits, particularly in typically developing simultaneous bilingual children.

Effectiveness of a parent-implemented language and literacy intervention in the home language

Few studies explore parent-implemented literacy interventions in the home language for young children with problems in language acquisition. A shift in children’s use of the home language to English has been documented when English is the only language of instruction. When parents are not proficient in English, such language shift can limit communication at home. In this study we examine a parent-implemented language-literacy intervention in the home language on building vocabulary in preschool children with difficulty acquiring language. Twenty-four mother–child dyads were randomly assigned to an intervention or to a comparison group. Mothers in the intervention group learned how to stimulate language literacy through play, reading, and routine activities at home. They received interactive picture books in Spanish. Findings showed substantial gains in expressive vocabulary in Spanish, in English, and for conceptual scores (total vocabulary minus duplets) for children in the intervention group. Mothers’ perceptions regarding use of the home language improved after the intervention. Findings suggest that mothers in the intervention group were able to transform their children’s home educational environment into an additive one, where the home language was valued.

Teaching How Light can be Refracted Using Simulation-based Inquiry with a Dual-situated Learning Model

Although light is an everyday phenomenon that we constantly observe, numerous research studies have reported that students display learning difficulties and hold unscientific conceptions about light waves. This paper presents the effects of using a simulation-based inquiry teaching method with a dual-situated learning model (DSLM) on Grade 10 students’ conceptual understanding of light refraction. The results showed that their conceptual scores for pre- test, post-test and a retention test were significantly different and they gained a better conceptual understanding after attending the simulation class. The findings suggests that this method could be used to help students learn science concepts in a more meaningful and understandable way.

Expanded Markers of Success in Introductory University Physics

As part of our Physics Education Research Group efforts to transform the physics instruction at Florida International University (FIU), we have focused attention on how to assess the reforms we implement. In this paper, we argue that the physics education community should expand the ways that it measures students' success beyond grades and conceptual inventory scores to include assessments of students' participation in a learning community and changes in their attitudes. We present case studies of three introductory undergraduate physics students' increasing participation in the physics learning community at FIU, which is a large, urban, Hispanic-serving institution. In previous work, we have reported gains in conceptual learning and attitudes about learning science in those students enrolled in the introductory courses at FIU taught with Modeling Instruction, which operates in a collaborative learning environment [Brewe, E., Kramer, L., & O'Brien, G. (2009). Modeling instruction: Positive attitudinal shifts in introductory physics measured with CLASS. Physical Review Special Topics—Physics Education Research, 5(1). doi: 10.1103/PhysRevSTPER.5.013102]. This paper expands upon those results in considering the variety of opportunities for participating in the physics learning community and by closely examining three aspect of student participation: students' attitudes about learning physics, their ties within the physics classroom, and their relationships within the physics learning community. This provides a more comprehensive understanding of how students in underrepresented groups may become successful physics learners.

Effect of Integrated Compute-based Laboratory Environment On Students' Physics Conceptual Learning of Sound Wave Properties

The integration of computerized science laboratory environments such as microcomputer-based laboratory (MBL) and computer simulation is mentioned in community of science educator and practitioner and utilized as being an integrated part of scientific inquiry-based classroom for enhancing teacher's teaching and student's learning process in science called “integrated cognitive tool”. An effect of structured-inquiry learning within the hybrid science laboratory environment on student's conceptual understanding and conceptual change on sound wave properties was reported in this paper. Thirty of Grade 11 Thai students participated in this research throughout two weeks. Mixed-method research methodology was conducted to explore both quantitative and qualitative outcome of the students' conceptual understanding at before and after participating in the environment, and to explain qualitatively the phenomena of change of their understanding. The qualitative result revealed that students' physics conceptual understanding of sound wave properties were achieved to be scientifically or more scientifically comparing between before and after, and the quantitative result based on Wilcoxon matched pair signed-ranks test showed that this achievement caused them significantly gaining a better conceptual score at the end of their learning. In addition, the qualitative analysis indicated that the students did change of conceptual understanding on physics of sound wave properties in three characteristics such as differentiation, class extension, and reconceptualization. These findings suggested that the hybrid science laboratory environment could help students to improve and comprehend their understanding of physics concept of sound wave properties through the process of conceptual change.