The antecedents of low-level classroom disruption: a bio-ecological perspective

Low-level classroom disruption (LLCD) is the fundamental behavioural issue in primary schools across England. Typically defined as surface-level behaviours (Esturgó-Deu & Sala-Roca, 2010), LLCD includes talking unnecessarily, fidgeting, distracting others, rocking on the chair and daydreaming (Ofsted, 2014). Educational literature has extensively referenced LLCD, making inferences about the potential antecedents, from within the classroom to the wider contexts (home and societal factors). However, and contradicting this, LLCD is viewed as a concept controllable by effective teachers at classroom level. Thus, research is typically classroom based, and centred round the management and control of LLCD. To date no psychological research has investigated the bio-ecological antecedents of LLCD. This mixed methods study pioneers this line of enquiry. By applying the Person, Process, Context Time Model of Development (Bronfenbrenner, 1985) processes that influence behaviour were considered. Key Stage Two pupils aged 8-11 years (N=274) from 3 schools in England, provided quantitative data at two time points (with a year lag between) recording: gender, peer pressure, executive function, global self-worth, appropriate conduct, home chaos, screen time, sleep, television in bedroom, and extra-curricular activity. A sub-sample of these pupils’ parents (N=58) reported on their own personal screen time use, parenting practices and the family’s socioeconomic status. Semi-structured interviews with members of teaching staff (N=8) provided an in-depth account of the lived experience of LLCD in the classroom providing evidence of the impact LLCD on staff and pupils. Results show a significant increase to the presentation of LLCD across the two time points for the whole pupil sample, with male pupils displaying significantly higher levels of LLCD than the female pupils at both times. Findings also indicated at both time points that higher screen time use in the home context was directly associated with increased LLCD in the school context for the whole pupil sample. For the male pupils only this association was partially mediated through increase in proneness to boredom. The repeated measures investigations found the relationship between screen time and LLCD to then be converse, with increases in LLCD significantly related to higher screen time for the male pupils, suggesting a cyclical reciprocal pattern of influence. Repeated measures analysis also suggested converse gender differences between the pupils’ self-perceived appropriate conduct and LLCD. For the male pupils a significant result was found indicating that a lower self-perception of appropriate conduct was associated with a higher presentation of LLCD whereas, for the female pupils a higher perception of their own appropriate conduct was associated with a lower presentation of LLCD. The semi-structured interviews with teaching staff (N=8) supported the Ofsted (2014) report of LLCD having a negative impact on both the teaching and learning that takes place in the classroom. These and other results indicate that consideration needs to be given to the influences of low-level classroom disruption not only from the classroom context but also from outside the classroom, such as in the home

A global optimization approach to solve multi-aircraft routing problems

"This chapter appears in Computational Models, Software Engineering and Advanced Technologies in Air Transportation edited by Dr. Li Weigang and Dr. Alexandre G. de Barros. Chap.12 pp.237-259. Copyright 2009. Posted by permission of the publisher."This paper describes the formulation and solution of a multi-aircraft routing problem which is posed as a global optimization calculation. The paper extends previous work (involving a single aircraft using two dimensions) which established that the algorithm DIRECT is a suitable solution technique. The present work considers a number of ways of dealing with multiple routes using different problem decompositions. A further enhancement is the introduction of altitude to the problems so that full three-dimensional routes can be produced. Illustrative numerical results are presented involving up to three aircraft and including examples which feature routes over real-life terrain data

Using DIRECT to solve an aircraft routing problem

“The original publication is available at www.springerlink.com”. Copyright Springer DOI: 10.1023/A:1013729320435Peer reviewe

A general multivariate latent growth model with applications in student careers Data warehouses

The evaluation of the formative process in the University system has been assuming an ever increasing importance in the European countries. Within this context the analysis of student performance and capabilities plays a fundamental role. In this work we propose a multivariate latent growth model for studying the performances of a cohort of students of the University of Bologna. The model proposed is innovative since it is composed by: (1) multivariate growth models that allow to capture the different dynamics of student performance indicators over time and (2) a factor model that allows to measure the general latent student capability. The flexibility of the model proposed allows its applications in several fields such as socio-economic settings in which personal behaviours are studied by using panel data.Comment: 20 page

ERISA Preemption of Medical Malpractice Claims in Managed Care: Asserting a New Statutory Interpretation

If Congress wants the American citizens to have access to adequate health care, then Congress must accept its responsibility to define the scope of ERISA preemption and to enact legislation that will ensure every patient has access to that care.\u27 Congress enacted the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ( ERISA) to protect employee interests and ensure a uniform body of law for pension and benefit plans. The statute\u27s expansive preemption clause and preclusion of extra-contractual damages have since been used to immunize Managed Care Organizations ( MCOs ) from liability for patients injuries resulting from medical malpractice. Because plaintiffs with preempted claims may receive only the remedies provided for under ERISA-the right or benefit due under the plan-many injured patients have been left with no meaningful remedy. [N]ot a model of legislative drafting, the statute\u27s broad preemption clause provides that state law claims that relate to an ERISA plan are preempted. The ambiguous phrase relate to has been the primary focus of the Supreme Court\u27s attempts to determine the reach of the preemption clause.\u27 Relying primarily on a textual interpretation of the statute, the Court has held that, while ERISA does not preempt run-of-the-mill state-law claims, those plans that have a connection with or reference to \u27 an ERISA plan, without being a tenuous, remote, or peripheral connections, are preempted. The Supreme Court\u27s tortured attempts to give effect to the statutory language have led to doctrinal confusion and chaos in the lower courts.\u27 Little judicial guidance, therefore, currently exists for interpreting ERISA\u27s poorly constructed preemption clause. ERISA is implicated in medical malpractice claims through its regulation of employee welfare plans. An employee welfare benefit plan under ERISA is a plan, fund, or program that an employer establishes or maintains to provide medical, surgical, or hospital care or benefits to participants through the purchase of insurance.\u2

Imide and isatin derivatives as β-lactam mimics of β-lactam antibiotics

Activated γ-lactams, which are derivatives of succinimide, phthalimide and isatin with suitable elements of molecular recognition, have been synthesised as mimics of the ß-lactam antibiotics and their chemical and biological reactivity determined

Seasonal variations in Greenland Ice Sheet motion : Inland extent and behaviour at higher elevations

Peer reviewedPreprin