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In this study, teaching materials related to the history of science (HOS) related to the Boyle-Hobbes debate were developed through the analytical lens of framing theory. Further, this study developed the teaching materials for learning the social-institutional aspects of the reconceptualized family resemblance approach (FRA) to the nature of science (NOS)--(RFN)--emphasizing the social and institutional aspects of scientific practice. For this purpose, the following three research questions were investigated in this study. First, the Boyle-Hobbes debate was re-examined using Goffman's dramatic frame analysis; second, teaching materials corresponding to RFN were developed as a result of the reexamined Boyle-Hobbes debate; third, with the educational materials developed from this perspective, a curriculum was proposed to solidify the educational effects. This study suggests that the drama of the Boyle-Hobbes debate can serve as a rich source for concrete teaching materials concerning the hitherto-overlooked social-institutional aspects of RFN.

With the aim of providing holistic approaches to education, social and emotional learning (SEL) has gained significant attention within school systems across the world. SEL has been defined as the process through which individuals understand and regulate emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy towards others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. In an effort to integrate SEL into the academic domains of science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) and to promote cross-cultural collaboration, three institutions came together to deliver a groundbreaking program for elementary school students from California and South Korea: the Global Summer Academy. The impact of SEL is even greater when students observe adults collaborating to establish a nurturing environment, modeling positive behaviors, and consistently promoting social and emotional concepts and skills. Thus, forming community partnerships across contexts and settings is an ideal strategy for enriching student learning and development. SEL activities such as mindfulness practice can aid students in regulating their emotions during STEAM tasks, enabling them to better reflect on and address their successes and failures. Such a reflective process not only improves student learning outcomes, but also facilitates the development of persistence, resilience, critical thinking, and growth mindset. Therefore, integrating SEL principles within STEAM activities not only enriches the academic experience, but also equips students with the social and emotional skills necessary for personal growth. To assess students' learning (i.e., what they learned, what they enjoyed, challenges they faced), brief interviews were conducted with all participants at the end of the week-long program. This feedback suggested four key themes -- problem solving, relationship skills, self-awareness, and emotion awareness.

In this study, researchers investigated the library experiences of Black undergraduate students at Penn State in University Park, a predominately white institution. Their goal was to improve services and spaces and to highlight and validate experiences with race, racism, and microaggressions on campus and in the library. Twenty undergraduate students were interviewed and asked to talk about their experiences and how these affected their perception of the University Libraries. Using the lens of critical race theory, which sees race as a socially constructed category used to oppress people of color, this study seeks to present a counternarrative to the prevailing dominant view of the library as a neutral space. Several consistent themes were identified. The themes included, but were not limited to, a low awareness of library services, lack of Black representation in the University Libraries, and a general lack of comfort within the library space.

Business Analytics has gained the attention of academia and industry due to three main trends namely, availability of data, methodological developments, and explosion in computing power and storage capacity. Many higher education institutes show interest in developing an undergraduate business analytics program. This paper develops a framework including all the detailed steps needed to create and implement such a program for a business college in a state-funded public university. It first focuses on program justification and program development process. Then, it tackles program structure, learning outcomes, and resources. Finally, the lessons learnt are shared.

To date, research on traumatic stress and treatment-seeking behavior has primarily focused on Western populations. Despite experiencing similar levels of symptomatology, mental health service utilization appears lower among East Asian populations. Stigma toward mental health services may be one barrier to treatment-seeking, especially among individuals who have experienced potentially traumatic events; however, previous research has been primarily conducted in the United States. Less is known about predictors of treatment-seeking attitudes among populations residing in East Asia, particularly college students. The present study examined the relationship between trauma, mental health services stigma, and treatment-seeking attitudes among undergraduate students in Southwestern China. Self-report measures of trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder symptomatology, mental health services stigma, and treatment-seeking attitudes were administered. We hypothesized that students with greater severity of traumatic symptoms would endorse more positive attitudes toward treatment-seeking if they reported lower levels of mental health services stigma. Mental health services stigma was a strong predictor of negative attitudes toward treatment-seeking, whereas neither trauma exposure nor traumatic symptomatology were associated with treatment-seeking attitudes. The significant association between mental health services stigma and treatment-seeking attitudes underscores the importance of destigmatizing mental health to encourage treatment-seeking among the Chinese college student population.

This paper examined the effects of online English-medium instruction (EMI) on high school students' performing English face threatening speech acts, by assessing indirect expressions and token agreement (agreement plus but). Participants completed an English placement test and English pretest and posttest through a Google survey. English proficiency, required for study participation was measured using the English placement test. An English pretest and posttest measured English pragmatic performance. The students were given approximately four weeks to complete eight online lectures. The experimental group completed eight online lectures which taught five face threatening speech acts, based on formal situations in the United States. The control group completed eight online lectures about worldwide cultures. The experimental group showed a significant improvement in the English posttest compared with the control group, based on improvements observed in the use of indirect expressions and token agreement. A difference between groups using indirect expressions was observed in an unfamiliar person scenario but not in a familiar person scenario.

This study investigated the impact of teaching materials developed using the reconceptualized family resemblance approach to the nature of science (RFN) on pre-service chemistry teachers views about the nature of science (NOS). The materials were based on the book "Leviathan and the Air-Pump: Hobbes, Boyle, and the Experimental Life" by Shapin and Schaffer (1985), which covers various aspects of NOS emphasized by the RFN. The pre-service teachers underwent 15 weeks of constructivist learning, including lectures, discussions, and essay writing, and their understanding of NOS was evaluated using a pre- and post-test. The results revealed changes in their understanding of NOS, particularly in the social aspects of science. This study is significant in shedding light on the specific challenges that participants encountered when grappling with the idea of science as a social and institutional system.

School closures can occur not only during a pandemic, but also during disasters, which can impact students' social and emotional well-being and lead to detrimental behavioral outcomes and trauma-related symptomatology. Such negative impacts can potentially be alleviated by inclusion of effective virtual or blended SEL programming that supports social and emotional well-being and provides meaningful interactions among peers to foster students' ability to process and navigate through emotions during and after the event has occurred. To this end, the authors strongly argue for the importance of building community partnerships and collaborations early on and applying community-based participatory action approach to implementing and studying social and emotional learning (SEL) programming. This article explores the online delivery of a SEL program (the Global Classroom SEL) based at San Francisco State University that features collaboration between school and university staff, including involvement of undergraduate SEL Coaches. Detailed description of the program and materials may be found on the program's website (https:// globalclassroom.sfsu.edu).

Purpose: The present study aims to examine how a group of young leaders in Indonesia developed their leadership throughout their early and later years. In particular, the study examined focused motivation ("undeterred, intentional perseverance"), which is a common trait found in high-achieving individuals (Paik, 2013, p. 106). The study further investigated the nurturance of focused motivation through key support networks in home and school environments. Design/methodology/approach: Using the productive giftedness model (Paik, 2013, 2015) as its theoretical framework, the study used a mixed-method design comprising a structured interview and survey. The final sample included 38 high-achieving Indonesian leaders. Findings: Findings from the study demonstrate that focused motivation can be cultivated through a combination of opportunities, support and resources. More specifically, the home and school are integral in the development of characteristics contributing to focused motivation, such as resilience and mastery-orientation. In the study, positive characteristics and support networks of young leaders enabled them to overcome a variety of personal and professional challenges, including overcoming social barriers experienced by some of the leaders. Social implications: Findings from the study can inform practice and policy efforts in creating nurturing home and school environments that will help children and young adults achieve their leadership potential, especially in developing countries where access to education and resources is often limited. Originality/value: The study highlights the sociocultural context in Indonesia to discuss the opportunities and barriers in talent and leader development.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to discuss the significance of "contextual factors" on the talent development of underserved populations. Understanding the "context" and background of an individual provides greater insight into their life experiences (Paik, 2013). Race, class and gender, in particular, play a role in one's life, providing both barriers and opportunities. Design/methodology/approach: To examine contextual and other factors, in-depth biographical case studies were systematically studied across 10 diverse notable artists and scientists. Over 85 autobiographies, biographies and other sources were carefully content-analyzed for commonalities and differences in artists' and scientists' lives. Findings: Because of their ascribed statuses (e.g. race, class, gender), these individuals had to navigate their unique school and life circumstances. Within their sociocultural contexts, however, key relationships (e.g. parents, teachers, mentors and peers) helped mitigate the challenges. All artists and scientists had a "village" -- key stakeholders who invested in them at every stage of their talent development. Practical implications: Parents, teachers, mentors and peers are not only critical, but they are lifelines for talent development. Key implications discuss the role of contextual factors and support networks for aspiring diverse artists and scientists. Originality/value: The theoretical framework for this study is based on the productive giftedness model (PGM) (Paik, 2013, 2015). PGM includes 10 key psychosocial and environmental factors and how they influence "productive giftedness" (e.g. achievements, accomplishments, leadership). Within the model, both "alterable" and "contextual factors" provide access to different opportunities, support and resources. The model is considered generalizable and applicable for diverse populations.

This paper examines the level of multicultural education awareness among Korean pre-service teachers (PSTs) and suggests a teaching and learning approach to enhance their multicultural competencies. This research utilized a South Korean educational television and radio network, Educational Broadcasting System (EBS), particularly, its programme called Multicultural biographies of a mother-in-law and a daughter-in-law [Korean characters omitted] as a diagnostic tool to assess PSTs' recognition of multicultural education. The programme focuses on the challenges faced by married migrant women in Korea. The study used survey materials based on the EBS docudrama to investigate PSTs' perceptions of multicultural education. The results showed that most PSTs understood the significance of teaching and learning about cultural diversity but had limited understanding beyond the dichotomies of the mainstream and minorities or Korean and immigrant students. The study recommends the use of docudramas as an effective tool for promoting multicultural education among PSTs in Korea.

Science is the activity of studying the natural world in various ways to construct theories and models to explain phenomena. Windschitl et al. reported that model-based inquiry includes the connection between observable aspects of the target phenomenon and conjectured underlying causal processes. In addition, they insisted that learners are motivated to create final arguments that explain observations in terms of these underlying processes. Passmore et al. presented a framework for practice in science from the model-based inquiry perspective. The framework focuses on the central role of models in asking questions, recognizing data patterns, constructing explanations, and the criteria for evaluating knowledge claims. The framework emphasizes the need to establish models in scientific inquiry.

Research Findings: Although crucial in early childhood, social and emotional learning (SEL) was seldom integrated in preschool classrooms until recently. This study reports the implementation and evaluation of an SEL program devised to assist Chinese preschoolers, a population that has been understudied. With cultural values/practices impacting social and emotional development, cross-cultural studies are needed to understand the transferability and efficacy of early SEL. As one of the first SEL cluster-randomized studies with Chinese preschoolers, emotion knowledge and social awareness (i.e., theory of mind understanding) were examined -- two areas which have shown lower competencies among Chinese children. Further, differential training effects between children with lower and higher baseline skills were investigated. A group of 33 children were given the Global Classroom SEL training over 2 weeks while 38 children remained in "usual practice" classrooms. Pre- and posttests were conducted for both SEL training and control groups. A significant increase in emotion knowledge and a trend toward significance in theory of mind was found for children with lower baseline skills. No such increase was observed for children with higher baseline skills. Practice or Policy: This study suggests the positive impact of early SEL for low-performing Chinese children. Further, the findings shed light on advancing research in early SEL programming across cultures.

Genetics, environment, and their interactions impact autism spectrum disorder etiology. Smoking is a suspected autism spectrum disorder risk factor due to biological plausibility and high prevalence. Using two large epidemiological samples, we examined whether autism spectrum disorder was associated with prenatal paternal smoking in a Discovery sample (N = 10,245) and an independent Replication sample (N = 29,773). Paternal smoking was retrospectively assessed with questionnaires. Likelihood of having autism spectrum disorder was estimated with the Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire at three levels: low (<10), intermediate (10-14), and high ([greater than or equal to]15). Ordinal regression was used to examine the relationship between prenatal paternal smoking and likelihood of having autism spectrum disorder, adjusting for confounders. A total of 36.5% of Discovery sample fathers and 63.3% of Replication sample fathers smoked during the pregnancy period; 7% of the Replication sample smoker fathers smoked during the pre-conception period but quit during pregnancy period. Discovery sample prenatal paternal smoking significantly increased the likelihood of having autism spectrum disorder in their offspring (adjusted odds ratio=1.27). This was confirmed in the Replication sample with adjusted odds ratio of 1.15 among smoking pre-conception period + pregnancy period fathers; 14.4% and 11.1% increased high likelihood of autism spectrum disorder was attributable to prenatal paternal smoking in Discovery sample and Replication sample, respectively. Smoking prevention, especially in pregnancy planning, may decrease autism spectrum disorder risk in offspring.

Water electrolysis is used to teach important and fundamental concepts in chemistry. In practical water electrolysis experiments, it is difficult to achieve the ideal 2:1 ratio of hydrogen to oxygen. This work demonstrates an experimental setup comprising multiple water electrolysis cells connected in series to simultaneously visualize the effects of various electrode materials and electrolytes on water electrolysis. The volumes of oxygen were lower when using stainless steel and graphite anodes, which corrode in the electrolytes containing SO[subscript 4][superscript 2-] and NO[subscript 3][superscript -]anions, compared to those in the presence of the noncorroding Pt electrode. In addition, the volumes of hydrogen in the presence of NO[subscript 3][superscript -]anions, which are catalytically reduced on the cathodes of stainless steel and graphite, were remarkably lower than those obtained with the noncatalyzing Pt cathode. These phenomena are attributed to side reactions which consume portions of the electrons intended for water electrolysis. This demonstration can help students to realize that the experimental results of water electrolysis should be carefully interpreted as they may include a contribution from electrode side reactions.

Water electrolysis, a well-known and simple experiment, confirms that a water molecule comprises hydrogen and oxygen atoms. In this experiment, hydroxide or hydrogen ions generated from each electrode were identified using an indicator based on the assumption that electrodes, electrolytes, and indicators do not participate in the water electrolysis reaction. However, KNO[subscript 3], which is considered as an electrolyte that is nonreactive during water electrolysis when considering the standard reduction potential, can affect electrolysis. Pencil graphite electrodes, which are commonly used in student experiments because of their low cost and easy availability, and indicators used to identify the products of water electrolysis can also influence this reaction. Therefore, students can observe various anomalies during the water electrolysis experiments. We have developed an experimental activity that allows students to observe anomalous phenomena in water electrolysis experiments. By performing this water electrolysis activity, students can participate in the process of scientific inquiry, create models, design their own research processes, conduct experiments, analyze and interpret data, and formulate evidence-based arguments based on the results of the proposed activity. By engaging in this activity, students can realize that water electrolysis is a complex process that is affected by a range of conditions.

Based on 11 diverse Asian American (AA) communities, this article discusses the similarities and differences across East, South, and Southeast Asians. Of two parts in this journal issue, Part 1 presents a review of literature and census data to understand the cultural and structural factors of different types of coethnic communities (strong, weak, or dispersed). Culturally, Asian families differ in culture, language, and religion. Structurally, class, education, and job skills also differ for diverse Asian families. Taken together, the article proposes a combined cultural-structural framework to understand unique characteristics in distinctive communities. The key findings from the literature and census data revealed differences in the types of communities and their resources. Lower achieving AA subgroups tend to have weaker communities with fewer resources and opportunities in general. Higher achieving AA subgroups have stronger coethnic networks with more resources and opportunities. This article challenges the monolithic view of AA students and finds more differences when comparing these communities. Educators and other practitioners need cultural and structural awareness to know how to best support AA students. Stakeholders and school officials can work together by building partnerships to support struggling AA families and communities. [For "Ethnic Afterschool Programs and Language Schools in Diverse Asian American Communities: Varying Resources, Opportunities, and Educational Experiences (Part 2: How They Differ)," see EJ1165624.]

Based on 135 ethnic afterschool programs and language schools, this descriptive study (Part 2 of 2 in this issue) revealed differences in the types of programs housed within East, South, and Southeast Asian coethnic communities (strong, weak, or dispersed) in the U.S. The article applies a combined cultural-structural framework to understand ethnic programs in distinctive communities. Cultural and structural factors converge tangibly within established ethnic programs, creating distinctive program characteristics (e.g., program goals, services, funding) which, in turn, influence their resources and opportunities (ethnic social capital). The findings showed ethnic programs were similar in strength to their respective communities, inevitably producing unequal resources and opportunities in higher and lower achieving communities. Weaker ethnic programs produced different and fewer resources in general. Ethnic programs in strong coethnic networks had more community support and resources. Ethnic programs emphasized the importance of education, leadership development, culture, language, ethnic identity, peer and community engagement, and other factors. Coethnic support, program expectations for parent involvement, and funding resources were not equal across programs. By understanding both higher and lower achieving Asian American communities, educators, researchers, and policymakers can better understand their resources, opportunities, and educational experiences. Stakeholders must work together and develop partnerships, especially to better support struggling students. [For "Diverse Asian American Families and Communities: Culture, Structure, and Education (Part 1: Why They Differ)," see EJ1165621.]

This article discusses the challenges and consequences of family separation and reunification during immigration from Latin America to the U.S. The historical pattern of paternal immigration as well as the recent rise in maternal immigration are discussed. The article addresses the impact of length of separation and how separation impacts family dynamics and school success. Recommendations are given for how schools can address the challenges that students face related to family separation and reunification during immigration including creating and fostering school-based mental health services, teacher training, school-caregiver and school-family partnerships, teacher-student relationships and peer relationships, and other supports.

We present a critical discussion of how chemistry textbooks treat the electrolysis of water and aqueous salt solutions, based on a survey of general chemistry textbooks in English and Korean at secondary and tertiary levels, also informed by the historical background of 19th-century debates. English-language textbooks present various and contradictory accounts of the electrolysis of water; a key point of disagreement is whether hydrogen and oxygen gases originate from pre-existing H[superscript +] and OH[superscript -] ions, or from the direct reduction and oxidation of H[subscript 2]O molecules. School textbooks in South Korea all present the same account, with no indication of alternative views. A vast majority of all texts ignore the possibility that H[subscript 2] and O[subscript 2] may result from secondary reactions, which was a standard view in the late 19th century following the works of Daniell and Miller. Concerning the electrolysis of aqueous salt solutions, all texts give oversimplified views of competing reactions based on standard reduction/oxidation potentials. It is understandable that textbooks try to present sufficiently simple pictures that students at each level can handle; however, this should not be done in a way that shuts down questions. We recommend that students should be made aware that textbook accounts are only models, and encouraged to extend their learning beyond the models. The plausibility of our recommendations is shown in a pilot study we conducted with secondary school students in South Korea.

Numerous previous studies have reported the difficulties associated with learning the Brønsted-Lowry acid-base model. The Brønsted-Lowry acid-base model requires complex systems thinking because it considers random interactions between reactant and product particles and effective particle collisions in forward and reverse reactions. The system elements are dynamic, complex, and mutually independent. Furthermore, phenomena constantly change and interconnect with all elements of the system. Despite these difficulties, previous studies, thus far, have not reported methods that can effectively teach students the Brønsted-Lowry acid-base models, which require systems thinking. To solve this problem, we must understand the ontological attributes of science concepts, such as the Brønsted-Lowry acid-base model. In this study, we propose a Scratch program to help students understand the Brønsted-Lowry acid-base model.

What is "productive giftedness" and why does it matter in talent development? Using the Productive Giftedness Model, the current study examines key environmental and psychosocial factors that influence productive outcomes (e.g., achievements, accomplishments, leadership, eminence). Defined as mastery and excellence, the "productive giftedness" of ten notable artists, athletes, innovators, scientists, and writers was systematically studied. Findings highlight both commonalities and differences across three developmental stages identified in this study: early exposure and support, talent cultivation, and continuous cultivation. The article focuses on home and school learning environments, key relationships, motivation, and time factors. In particular, parents (or caregivers), teachers, and mentors played a key role in their talent development. The model also highlights the role of alterable and contextual factors, which enhance or hinder access to opportunities, support, and resources. The overall findings confirm the greater importance of supportive conditions rather than innate talent alone.

A hands-on experiment to obtain atomic and ionic radii with lumps of metal and ionic compounds is reported here. The experiment is performed with industrial-grade typical metals (iron, copper, aluminum, and lead) and single-crystal lumps of ionic compounds (sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and potassium bromide). Students measure the dimension of the given lumps with Vernier calipers and weigh them with a precision balance. After measuring the dimension and mass of the given lumps, students can calculate the atomic and ionic radius of each corresponding atom and ion with the obtained density values and information about the lattice structures. The obtained values of the metal atomic radii and the ionic radii of the ionic compounds are very close to the values in the literature. After this activity, the students came to appreciate that atomic radii, as typical submicroscopic and symbolic representations, are actually existing features and not an abstract concept. The experiment reported here is suitable for a first-year undergraduate general chemistry class as well as an introductory class at the high school level.

The floating and sinking phenomenon related to buoyant force can readily be observed in everyday life and easily demonstrated to young students. However, many students believe that the buoyant force is determined by the object's attributes, such as the shape (e.g., ship) or material (e.g., wood). As a result, students find it challenging to understand that buoyant force changes when different volumes of the same object are submerged in water, or when the same object is submerged in different fluids. In response to the question concerning whether the weight of a cup changes when a tea bag is placed in a cup of water, 63.3% of first-year university students who majored in physics or chemistry were wrong. The problems related to buoyant force are difficult to understand even for college students, so the topic is used in the selection process for gifted students. Although numerous educational attempts have been made to help students understand the concept, buoyant force is still a difficult concept for them. Thus, an easy and clear approach to help students understand the buoyant force is desirable.

Introduction: This study aims to investigate the selection of information sources and to identify factors associated with the resource selection of undergraduate students for academic search tasks. Also, user perceptions of some factors, such as credibility, usefulness, accessibility and familiarity, were examined to classify resources by their characteristics. Method: A self-generated diary method was employed with 233 undergraduate students in achieving their academic search tasks. Analysis: The collected diary data were analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively. A qualitative analysis was used to explore factors influencing resource selection, while a quantitative analysis was used for investigating the characteristics of resources. Results: This study reaffirmed recent information usage trends that online sources are preferred by university students in their academic searches. This study identified twenty nine factors in four different dimensions, including information type, resource feature, search strategy, and interaction with others. Moreover, perceptions of users were investigated quantitatively focusing on usefulness, credibility, accessibility, familiarity with source, satisfaction, and intention of continuous use. Conclusions: Multiple factors are influencing the resource selection of undergraduate students and those factors vary in different types of sources in academic search tasks. The findings of the study suggest some insights in how to guide undergraduates to choose better information resources for their academic search tasks. (Contains 9 tables and 2 figures.)

America's low-income families struggle to protect their children from multiple threats to their health and growth. Many research and advocacy groups explore the health and educational effects of food insecurity, but less is known about these effects on very young children. Children's HealthWatch, a group of pediatric clinicians and public health researchers, has continuously collected data on the effects of food insecurity alone and in conjunction with other household hardships since 1998. The group's peer reviewed research has shown that a number of economic risks at the household level, including food, housing and energy insecurity, tend to be correlated. These insecurities alone or in conjunction increase the risk that a young child will suffer various negative health consequences, including increases in lifetime hospitalizations, parental report of fair or poor health, or risk for developmental delays. Child food insecurity is an incremental risk indicator above and beyond the risk imposed by household-level food insecurity. The Children's Healthwatch research also suggests public benefits programs modify some of these effects for families experiencing hardships. This empirical evidence is presented in a variety of public venues outside the usual scientific settings, such as congressional hearings, to support the needs of America's most vulnerable population through policy change. Children's HealthWatch research supports legislative solutions to food insecurity, including sustained funding for public programs and re-evaluation of the use of the Thrifty Food Plan as the basis of SNAP benefits calculations. Children's HealthWatch is one of many models to support the American Academy of Pediatrics' call to "stand up, speak up, and step up for children." No isolated group or single intervention will solve child poverty or multiple hardships. However, working collaboratively each group has a role to play in supporting the health and well-being of young children and their families.

Despite one-dimensional stereotypes and barriers experienced by Asian American women, many have achieved prominence. We know very little about these stories, their lives, or what helped them to achieve beyond expectations. Based on the Productive Giftedness Model, the article identifies the common traits and supportive conditions that influence their success. To help illustrate these experiences, the article highlights the lives of 10 notable Asian American women across diverse professions. These women displayed "productive giftedness" as girls; they were accomplished, determined, and skillful early on, which led to excellence, awards, and leadership opportunities. Many also had supportive conditions including the investment of one or more adults. Parents, teachers, and mentors can further enhance these opportunities for Asian American girls. These general principles can be learned and applied to other groups as well. Supporting individual, instructional, and environmental factors can influence learning and achievement for girls in the early and school years.

Youths who have deviant and delinquent friends are more likely to engage in delinquency. Interestingly, most quantitative studies of the association between deviant peers and deviant behavior have assumed that all peer connections have similar effects. Yet, it is possible that peer influence may vary depending on the characteristics of peers. Using social network data from two waves of the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent to Adult Health, this study examines the impact of same-sex and cross-sex friendships on deviance and delinquency in adolescent networks. The findings demonstrate that peer association is a significant predictor of delinquency for males, although its effects depend on the gender of boys' friends. For females, by contrast, the link between associating with deviant peers and behavior is minimal once the stable characteristics of individuals are taken into account. Rather, social bonds are the most important predictors of delinquency.

In this research brief, a team of four researchers report their observations on the changing role of university housing complexes and their evolution into learning communities designed to foster students' learning, development, and overall well-being. The observation also revealed that the role of the resident assistant (RA) had evolved in a similar manner. This team reviewed and discussed a sample of the literature on undergraduate residential life and housing services to identify prominent responsibilities associated with the position of a RA. The researchers analyzed research articles from the student leadership, student development, and residential assistance in university housing literature's. They also cross-referenced a syllabus from an RA training program with the goal of identifying common themes and critical features that define the duties and responsibilities associated with the contemporary RA role.

The four representative models that define oxidation-reduction reactions are often used differently in different situations or contexts in chemistry textbooks. Although integrated models have been suggested to overcome the confusion caused by this, they have not been successful. We therefore aim to interpret the causes for difficulties in the attempted integration of the various epistemological perspectives. The four key models, namely, the oxygen, hydrogen, electron, and oxidation state (or number) models, focus on the movement of matter. We, however, suggest the use of the Goodstein method, where the relative changes in the electronegativity orders in redox reactions should be employed rather than the properties of the reactants or products themselves. This requires a change of viewpoint from matter to process. We also suggest that the confusion of classifying redox reactions may occur from the viewpoint of matter. Therefore, new interpretations of redox reactions based on the relationship between reactants and products are suggested, considering the process viewpoint as a valuable criterion. While many researchers have tried to solve this problem by suggesting new models to classify redox reactions, we instead suggest a novel interpretation of the various redox models.

Extending new verbs is important in becoming a productive speaker of a language. Prior results show children have difficulty extending verbs when they have seen events with varied agents. This study further examines the impact of variability on verb learning and asks whether variability interacts with event complexity or differs by language. Children (aged 2½ to 3 years) in the United States, China, Korea, and Singapore learned verbs linked to simple and complex events. Sets of events included one or three agents, and children were asked to extend the verb at test. Children learning verbs linked to simple movements performed similarly across conditions. However, children learning verbs linked to events with multiple objects were less successful if those events were enacted by multiple agents. A follow-up study rules out an influence of event order. Overall, similar patterns of results emerged across languages, suggesting common cognitive processes support children's verb learning.

This study investigated how engineering integrated science (EIS) curricula affect first-year technical high school students' attitudes toward science and perceptions of engineering. The effect of the EIS participation period on students' attitudes toward science was also investigated via experimental study design. Two engineering integrated science curricula were purposefully designed and implemented for the study. Two important results emerged: (1) The EIS curriculum participation period (10 or 18 weeks) mattered in terms of changing students' attitudes toward science; and (2) A majority (>61%) of the students from both control and experimental groups who participated in the first EIS agreed that the curriculum positively affected their understanding of engineering practice. The results suggest that EIS is a potential pedagogical approach for reforming current science practice in technical high school programs to improve both students' interest in science and career readiness. Implications for implementing EIS in technical high school settings are addressed.

Cross-cultural research on children's theory of mind (ToM) understanding has raised questions about its developmental sequence and relationship with executive function (EF). The current study examined how ToM develops (using the tasks from Wellman & Liu, 2004) in relation to 2 EF skills (conflict inhibition, working memory) in 997 Chinese preschoolers (ages 3, 4, 5) in Chengdu, China. Compared with prior research with other Chinese and non-Chinese children, some general patterns in development were replicated in this sample. However, the children showed culture-specific reversals in the developmental sequence of ToM. For example, Chengdu children performed differently on the 2 false-belief tasks that were thought to be equivalent. Furthermore, conflict inhibition as well as working memory uniquely predicted ToM performance. We discuss the issues of ToM development as they relate to test items and cross-cultural--and subcultural--differences.

Many studies suggest that students have difficulties in learning acid-base concepts. This study presents some conflicts in the textbook descriptions of these concepts and proposes these to be the cause of the students' difficulties. This is especially true regarding the description of the relationship among the Arrhenius, Brønsted-Lowry, and Lewis concepts of acids and bases, which are represented schematically as a cumulatively developing figure. However, some reagents, such as NH[subscript 3], dry HCl, and H[subscript 2]SO[subscript 4], cannot be classified as acid or base according to these descriptions. A new relationship is suggested in this study based on the ontological category of scientific knowledge. Finally, it is suggested that all three concepts be taught for the purpose of understanding not only the concepts but also the developmental nature of scientific theories.

The purpose of this study was to explore how examples used in teaching may influence elementary school students' conceptions of evaporation and boiling. To this end, the examples traditionally used to explain evaporation and boiling in Korean 4th grade science textbooks were analyzed. The functions of these published examples were explanation (empirical recognition, identification, and evidence) and reinforcement (applications). However, few reinforcement functions (such as comparison and supposition) or clarification functions (such as extension and contrast) were employed. The evaporation and boiling conceptions of 41 students in the 4th grade, 55 students in the 5th grade, and 28 students in the 6th grade were surveyed. Many students thought of evaporation phenomena under heating conditions as boiling, and the same phenomena without an obvious source of heating as evaporation. This meant that the presence of heating affected the students' conceptions of evaporation and boiling. In this study, the students were presented with clarifying functional examples that were not included in the textbooks. After exposure to these examples, many students revised their misconceptions and adopted scientific conceptions. Previous studies have argued that students must be able to reason from a microscopic point of view to understand evaporation and boiling phenomena; however, the tested students were able to classify the two different phenomena after experiencing appropriate functional examples.

The present study explores how engaging in modeling practice, along with argumentation, leverages students' epistemic and conceptual understanding in an afterschool science/math class of 16 tenth graders. The study also explores how students used mobile Internet phones (smart phones) productively to support modeling practices. As the modeling practices became more challenging, student discussion occurred more often, from what to model to providing explanations for the phenomenon. Students came to argue about evidence that supported their model and how the model could explain target and related phenomena. This finding adds to the literature that modeling practice can help students improve conceptual understanding of subject knowledge as well as epistemic understanding.

Korean teachers have been encouraged to use curriculum guides for subject matter when they develop lesson plans because curriculum guides helps teachers adapt to students' needs and local characteristics. To examine the current degree to which Korean middle school teachers pay attention to curriculum guides and textbooks as well as local characteristics and students' needs, a survey was conducted of 1,010 middle school teachers in South Korea. The results indicated that the teachers still paid considerable attention to textbooks and students' needs but paid little attention to curriculum guides and local characteristics. Teachers' beliefs about curriculum materials, their knowledge, and their collaboration with peer teachers significantly influenced their attention to curriculum materials. In addition, teachers' attention to curriculum guides and collaboration with peer teachers were significant factors in teachers' attention to local characteristics and students' needs. To encourage teachers to teach to curriculum guides instead of textbooks, it is necessary to provide teachers with learning opportunities through collaboration with peer teachers.

The current English-language research and educational program was driven by an initiative to create a more interactive, theme-based bilingual language education model for preschools in Chengdu, China. During a 2-week teacher education program centered at the Experimental Kindergarten of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Chengdu, China, a team of educational and developmental researchers and early childhood educators from the United States created and implemented a teacher education workshop centered on theme-based, child-centered early bilingual education curricula. The team conducted a series of classroom demonstrations, teaching observations, and focused group discussions and presented theoretical lectures to supplement and support the learning objectives of the workshop. Changes in teachers' understanding of the learning materials and perspectives on educational approaches were measured using pre- and posttest surveys with multiple-choice, Likert-type scale, and open-ended responses. Results showed increases in teachers' learning as well as positive responses to the researchers' model. Parent surveys were collected to understand their motivations and expectations for children's English-language learning, and the data showed unique patterns in Chinese parents' goals for their children's bilingualism. The authors describe how teacher and parent data can be used to give context to the local teaching approaches and conditions, and how these data can be used to refine, adapt, and implement Western-based models.

In South Korea, college-bound students are divided into two tracks: "Munka" (??) and "Yika" (??), and this tracking ("Munka-Yika" tracking; MY tracking) considerably influences students' choice of college majors and future careers. This study aims to examine how MY tracking and other factors influence students' postsecondary enrollment (2- or 4-year colleges) and college major choice (vocationally or academically oriented). The findings indicate that there was no significant effect of MY tracking on students' choice of a type of colleges, but the "Yika" students were more likely to study vocationally oriented majors more often than the "Munka" students. Male students had a higher probability of going to 4-year colleges and studying vocationally oriented majors than female students. Academic performance in high schools and fathers' education levels contributed to students' enrollment at 4-year colleges, and conversations with parents about academic or career plans influenced students choice of vocationally oriented majors.