Quantifying critical thinking: Development and validation of the Physics Lab Inventory of Critical thinking (PLIC)

Introductory physics lab instruction is undergoing a transformation, with increasing emphasis on developing experimentation and critical thinking skills. These changes present a need for standardized assessment instruments to determine the degree to which students develop these skills through instructional labs. In this article, we present the development and validation of the Physics Lab Inventory of Critical thinking (PLIC). We define critical thinking as the ability to use data and evidence to decide what to trust and what to do. The PLIC is a 10-question, closed-response assessment that probes student critical thinking skills in the context of physics experimentation. Using interviews and data from 5584 students at 29 institutions, we demonstrate, through qualitative and quantitative means, the validity and reliability of the instrument at measuring student critical thinking skills. This establishes a valuable new assessment instrument for instructional labs.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figure

Awareness of Contraceptive Availability at Valparaiso University

Despite contradictory perspectives, college students are having sex. College-age students engage in high-risk sexual behavior despite their relatively higher rates of both sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancy compared to other age groups. Several studies suggest that the majority of college students rely on campus health clinics or condom distribution programs for obtaining contraceptives. Because of the prevalence in college students, this study was targeted toward full-time, sexually-active Valparaiso University students (aged 18-24). The researchers hypothesized that sexually-active students at Valparaiso University who were unaware of campus availability of contraceptives participated in unprotected sex more often than sexually-active students who were aware of availability on campus. Based on the findings of this study, education and advertisement for contraceptives is likely inadequate. Since contraceptive use decreases the occurrence of both sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancy, it is beneficial that students be made aware of the availability on campus

Disablism and Diaspora: British Pakistani Families and Disabled Children

This paper explores the intersections of diaspora, disability and family. Drawing on qualitative interviews with the parents of three British Pakistani families we draw out three lines of enquiry. The first, disability and disavowal in Pakistan, explores parents’ relationship with ‘home’ and how this is complicated by the presence of disablism. The second, disability and the fight for care in Britain, explores the ways in which British Asian families are grounded not only in the cultures and traditions of their parents and the Asian subcontinent, but also in the social practices of Britain. The third, disability and diaspora - from isolation to ensembled caringscapes, examines the limits and possibilities offered through diaspora. One key affirmative element of this is the support of an extended family, which brings with it, the chance to look to the future with hope and possibility

Report on the Use of Telehealth in Early Intervention in Colorado: Strengths and Challenges with Telehealth as a Service Delivery Method

The use of telehealth as a service delivery method for early intervention (EI) is in its infancy and few studies have examined its use within the context of a statewide program.  The focus of this report was to determine the factors that influence providers’ utilization of telehealth in Colorado’s Part C Early Intervention program (EI Colorado).  This report presents information that was gathered through surveys sent to Part C program administrators, service coordinators, providers, and caregivers. Surveys were used to understand perceptions of telehealth, actual experiences with telehealth, and perceived benefits and challenges using this service delivery method.  Follow-up focus groups were conducted with program administrators and family members to gather more nuanced information. Participants identified several benefits associated with telehealth including its flexibility, access to providers, and more family engagement. The primary barriers included access to high speed internet and the opinion that telehealth was not as effective as in-person treatment. The results in the report served to identify next steps in the implementation of telehealth in Colorado’s Part C EI program.

Parents as advocates : the experience of parents who register an appeal with the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SENDisT)

The focus of this study is on the experiences of parents of children with special educational needs who advocate for their children in the special needs system. The Special Educational Needs Tribunal was set up in 1994 and since then more than 25,000 appeals have been registered (Hughes, 2005). In 2002, the Tribunal began hearing claims for disability discrimination and became known as the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SENDisT). The aim of this study is to foreground the parents' experiences of the system of SENDisT and to develop understanding of the experience of parenting a child with special educational needs and/ or impairments. SENDisT is more than ten years old, yet research into the workings of SENDisT has been very limited (Aldridge, 2003). A study which foregrounds parents' perspectives is, then, well overdue. As part of the narrative inquiry, parents were asked to tell their stories of going to SENDisT. Twenty four parents and eight professionals told their Tribunal stories. This study has key implications for the workings of SENDisT but it also contributes to the current debates in special education, including the system of statements, the policy of inclusion, and the working of parent-professional relationships. The study has relevance for the stake holders in the system of special education including children, parents, teachers, panel members, psychologists, LEA officers and academics. At the same time, the study reflects the uncertainty that parents who engage with Tribunals will face in the future. In a policy climate which reflects the abilist assumptions of the wider society (DfES, 2005), it is difficult to remain optimistic about the outcomes for children and their parents. However, it seems certain that some parents, at least, will continue to resist, contest and challenge the limitations and interpretations put upon their families' lives

‘Us’ and ‘them’: the limits and possibilities of a ‘politics of neurodiversity’ in neoliberal times

The neurodiversity movement claims that there are neurological differences in the human population, and that autism is a natural variation among humans – not a disease or a disorder, just ‘a difference’. A ‘politics of neurodiversity’ is based on the claim that the ‘neurodiverse’ population constitutes a political grouping comparable with those of class, gender, sexuality or race. This paper considers the limits and possibilities of neurodiverse political activism, and concludes by calling for a politics of identity that does not depend on a politics of ‘us’ and ‘them’