Praxeological education: What are the teacher perceptions of service-learning in early childhood education in Ohio?

Faced with increasing pressures from district and state administrations, and the need to improve assessment scores, early childhood education (ECE) teachers are often forced to adopt didactic curriculum materials and pedagogical approaches, rather than look to the local community to provide invaluable collaborations (Lake and Winterbottom, 2009). This transference has been especially difficult for teachers who strive to use experiential approaches that focus on issues closely related to collaborative practices, which can involve service-learning. In this chapter, we examined teachers’ viewpoints on the following three questions: (i) Is service-learning an appropriate and successful teaching method? (ii) Do teachers through service-learning develop a better understanding of the connection between standards and real-life learning? and (iii) Is service-learning a means of providing a better understanding of their strengths and weaknesses as teachers? Through a quantitative lens, we analyzed the perceptions of a diverse population of teachers working with young children in early childhood settings in Ohio

Are narcissists more attracted to people in relationships than to people not in relationships?

Does grandiose narcissism predict greater attraction for others in relationships? We examined this question by replicating previous work implicating grandiose narcissists as mate poachers (Studies 1 and 2). We then used an experimental paradigm (Studies 3 and 4) to assess the extent to which grandiose narcissists indicate a greater interest in someone who is already in a relationship compared to someone who is single. Results suggest that although grandiose narcissism related to reports of more frequent mate poaching attempts, grandiose narcissists did not appear to be more interested in taking someone away from an existing relationship. Instead, participants took their own relationship status into consideration (rather than the relationship status of a target) when evaluating their interest in a target for a short-term fling or a long-term relationship. Thus, although grandiose narcissists report more frequent mate poaching attempts, they do not appear to be more interested in people in relationships compared to those who are single

Regression analyses of personality variables predicting mate poaching in men and women (Study 1).

<p>Regression analyses of personality variables predicting mate poaching in men and women (Study 1).</p

Regression analyses of personality variables predicting mate poaching in men and women (Study 2).

<p>Regression analyses of personality variables predicting mate poaching in men and women (Study 2).</p

Regression analyses predicting mate poaching variables (Study 3).

<p>Regression analyses predicting mate poaching variables (Study 3).</p

A new measure of interpersonal exploitativeness

Measures of exploitativeness evidence problems with validity and reliability. The present set of studies assessed a new measure (the Interpersonal Exploitativeness Scale) that defines exploitativeness in terms of reciprocity. In Studies 1 and 2, 33 items were administered to participants. Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis demonstrated that a single factor consisting of six items adequately assess interpersonal exploitativeness. Study 3 results revealed that the Interpersonal Exploitativeness Scale was positively associated with normal narcissism, pathological narcissism, psychological entitlement, and negative reciprocity and negatively correlated with positive reciprocity. In Study 4, participants competed in a commons dilemma. Those who scored higher on the Interpersonal Exploitativeness Scale were more likely to harvest a greater share of resources over time, even while controlling for other relevant variables, such as entitlement. Together, these studies show the Interpersonal Exploitativeness Scale to be a valid and reliable measure of interpersonal exploitativeness. The authors discuss the implications of these studies

Correlations between predictor variables and mate poaching outcome variables (Study 4).

<p>Correlations between predictor variables and mate poaching outcome variables (Study 4).</p

Correlations between mate poaching measures and personality variables in men and women (Study 1).

<p>Correlations between mate poaching measures and personality variables in men and women (Study 1).</p