Approaches to improve the diagnosis and management of infertility

Recent advances in our understanding of the causes of infertility and of assisted reproductive technology (ART) have led to the development of complex diagnostic tools, prognostic models and treatment options. The Third Evian Annual Reproduction (EVAR) Workshop Meeting was held on 26-27 April 2008 to evaluate evidence supporting current approaches to the diagnosis and management of infertility and to identify areas for future research efforts. Specialist reproductive medicine clinicians and scientists delivered presentations based on published literature and ongoing research on patient work-up, ovarian stimulation and embryo quality assessment during ART. This report is based on the expert presentations and subsequent group discussions and was supplemented with publications from literature searches and the authors' knowledge. It was agreed that single embryo transfer (SET) should be used with increasing frequency in cycles of ART. Continued improvements in cryopreservation techniques, which improve pregnancy rates using supernumerary frozen embryos, are expected to augment the global uptake of SET. Adaptation and personalization of fertility therapy may help to optimize efficacy and safety outcomes for individual patients. Prognostic modelling and personalized management strategies based on individual patient characteristics may prove to represent real progress towards improved treatment. However, at present, there is limited good-quality evidence to support the use of these individualized approaches. Greater quality control and standardization of clinical and laboratory evaluations are required to optimize ART practices and improve individual patient outcomes. Well-designed, good-quality studies are required to drive improvements to the diagnosis and management of ART processes

The effects of a teaching methods course on early childhood preservice teachers' beliefs

This study examines the effectiveness of an educational methods course for changing early childhood preservice teachers' instructional beliefs. The teaching methods course emphasized constructivist teaching principles. Seventy-eight of the early childhood education preservice teachers who were enrolled in this course filled out the Teacher Belief Survey at the beginning and end of the 15-week course. The results of both quantitative and qualitative data analysis indicated that participation in the teaching methods course had significantly changed preservice teachers' beliefs. As a result of the course, preservice teachers' constructivist beliefs increased, and these beliefs became more concrete and coherent. Results are discussed in relation to the literature, and the implications of examining early childhood education programs are explored

rash measurement model

Quality of early childhood education institutions specifically, dimensions of process quality, should be evaluated. Purpose of this study is to analyze process quality of early childhood education by using many-facet Rasch measurement model (MFRM). In this study, data were collected from twelve early childhood education institutions by four independent judges. Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECER) was used to evaluate the process quality of the institutions. MFRM was applied to analyze the data. The results indicated that early childhood education institutions were below the desirable level of process quality. It has been found that judges exhibited similar behaviors and when item statistics were examined they served the purpose Of the evaluation. Standardized measurement tools and measurement models were recommended to increase process quality of early childhood education

A Turkish view on fathers' involvement in children's play

The purpose of this study is to examine fathers' participation in and views about play. This study was conducted in the southwestern part of Turkey and its sample consisted of 97 fathers who had a child attending randomly chosen public early childhood institutions. The Parents' Participation and Views on Play instrument was developed and used to collect data. Independent sample t tests and a series of repeated measures analysis of variance procedures were conducted to assess the influence of independent variables on the fathers' participation in and views on play. The results of the study indicated that fathers frequently participated in their children's play, and they hold positive views about play. Fathers' socio-demographic characteristics such as income, working status, family type and children's gender influenced their participation and views about play. Results are discussed in relation to the literature on parent-child play and suggestions for further research are presented. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

rash measurement model

Quality of early childhood education institutions specifically, dimensions of process quality, should be evaluated. Purpose of this study is to analyze process quality of early childhood education by using many-facet Rasch measurement model (MFRM). In this study, data were collected from twelve early childhood education institutions by four independent judges. Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECER) was used to evaluate the process quality of the institutions. MFRM was applied to analyze the data. The results indicated that early childhood education institutions were below the desirable level of process quality. It has been found that judges exhibited similar behaviors and when item statistics were examined they served the purpose Of the evaluation. Standardized measurement tools and measurement models were recommended to increase process quality of early childhood education

Development of Children

Purpose: The numbers of early childhood education programs are dramatically increasing throughout Turkey, and the regulations to ensure quality are frequently changing. A very limited number of studies have examined the quality of Turkish ECE programs on children's development. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify the effects of classroom size and duration on the development of children.Research Methods: This is a relational survey study that was realized with 836 children attending 55 public early childhood programs in Denizli. These children were selected through a cluster sampling method. Data were collected through the "Ankara Developmental Screening Inventory" and "Informational questionnaire." Data were analyzed using repeated ANOVAs, factorial ANOVA (2X4) and independent t-test techniques.Findings: This research revealed that there were statistically significant interactions between children's development and the structural quality components of classroom size and duration of education. Our findings showed that classrooms containing 20 to 24 children had higher developmental scores than other groups. Additionally, the results indicated that children enrolled in full-day programs scored higher on the language and cognitive development subscale and total ADSI.Implications for Research and Practice: The findings revealed that the children attending full-day programs with classroom sizes averaging 20 to 24 differed significantly from the children in other groups. This suggests that full-day programs have positive effects on children's development; therefore, it is important to increase the number of full-day programs in Turkey. (C) 2017 Ani Publishing Ltd. All rights reserve

student-centered education: A Turkish perspective

The main purpose of this research is to examine in-service teachers' instructional beliefs about student-centered education. The inventory was designed to measure teachers' student-centered educational beliefs based on four components of the educational curriculum comprising of educational objectives, content, teaching strategies and instructional assessment. Data for the study were collected from 307 in-service teachers working at K-8 schools. A quantitative research analysis showed that in-service teachers held positive beliefs about student-centered education. In addition, the characteristics of teachers such as school level, teaching experience, teaching subject and educational background had statistically significant effects on their beliefs about student-centered education. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

candidate teachers

Problem Statement: Student teaching experience provides pre-service teachers with rich opportunities for integrating their theoretical knowledge base, teaching abilities and attitudes into teaching practice. While faculty supervisors and mentor teachers' view of student teaching process can maximize the professional development of candidates, it may also lead candidates' pre existing sources of stress to become problems.Purpose: This study aims to provide an in-depth description of the student teachers' experiences in K-5 schools during their practicum. By examining student teaching process through the eyes of student teachers, the study attempts to demonstrate the student teachers' experiences in depth and contribute to the teacher education literature.Methods: A qualitative case study research design was utilized. Participants were a total of 11 student teachers majoring in Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education and eight practicum teachers. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and field notes and treated using the technique of content analysis.Findings: Emerging themes in this study were: (1) action, (2) professional sociability, and (3) supervision. The first emergent theme indicated that student teachers struggle to prove their existence in the classroom. Second emergent theme revealed that student teachers mainly felt disengaged and challenged to establish professional relationships with mentor teachers and others in schools. The last emergent theme was consisted of constructive, destructive, and inadequate supervisions.Recommendations: In order to overcome the aforementioned challenges; (a) adequate faculty and school collaboration; (b) establishing communication network among the stakeholders; and (c) regular seminars and reflective journal keeping were suggested.C1 [Isikoglu, Nesrin; Ivrendi, Asiye] Pamukkale Univ, Okul Oncesi Egitimi, Denizli, Turkey.[Sahin, Abdurrahman] Pamukkale Univ, Egitimi Bilimleri, Denizli, Turkey

Do Parents Prefer Digital Play? Examination of Parental Preferences and Beliefs in Four Nations

Recently play environments and materials have changed with digital materials becoming increasingly available for young children. Parents’ preferences about the importance and appropriateness of digital play may influence the quality and the quantity of digital play opportunities children receive at home. The purpose of this research is to examine parents’ preferences and beliefs about their children’s digital play across four countries: USA, Turkey, China and South Korea. Participants of this mixed method research study were 500 parents who had a child aged 4–6 years old attending pre-schools or kindergarten in four countries. The data collected through the Parent Play Preferences Questionnaire (PPPQ) and semi-structured interviews with parents. The results revealed that digital play was the least preferred play across the four countries. Parents with college and above degree preferred digital play less than did parents with less than college education. Results are discussed in relation to the literature, with implications explored. © 2018, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature