Statistical Power of Piecewise Regression Analyses of Single-Case Experimental Studies Addressing Behavior Problems

In intervention research, single-case experimental designs are an important way to gain insights into the causes of individual changes that yield high internal validity. They are commonly applied to examine the effectiveness of classroom-based interventions to reduce problem behavior in schools. At the same time, there is no consensus on good design characteristics of single-case experimental designs when dealing with behavioral problems in schools. Moreover, specific challenges arise concerning appropriate approaches to analyzing behavioral data. Our study addresses the interplay between the test power of piecewise regression analysis and important design specifications of single-case research designs. Here, we focus on the influence of the following specifications of single-case research designs: number of measurement times, the initial frequency of the behavior, intervention effect, and data trend. We conducted a Monte-Carlo study. First, simulated datasets were created with specific design conditions based on reviews of published single-case intervention studies. Following, data were analyzed using piecewise Poisson-regression models, and the influence of specific design specifications on the test power was investigated. Our results indicate that piecewise regressions have a high potential of adequately identifying the effects of interventions for single-case studies. At the same time, test power is strongly related to the specific design specifications of the single-case study: Few measurement times, especially in phase A, and low initial frequencies of the behavior make it impossible to detect even large intervention effects. Research designs with a high number of measurement times show robust power. The insights gained are highly relevant for researchers in the field, as decisions during the early stage of conceptualizing and planning single-case experimental design studies may impact the chance to identify an existing intervention effect during the research process correctly. Copyright © 2022 Wilbert, Börnert-Ringleb and Lüke

Die Wetterschacht-Detektive: Eine Hörspielserie zur Sprachförderung

In diesem Jubiläumsheft finden Sie ein Hörspiel zur Sprachförderung: Die Wetterschacht-Detektive. Das Hörspiel wurde unter Leitung der TU Dortmund in Kooperation mit der Hoffbauer Berufsakademie und der Folkwang Universität konzipiert und produziert. Das Projekt wurde von der Dortmund-Stiftung gefördert. Mit diesem Hörspiel, das sich an ein- und mehrsprachig aufwach-sende GrundschülerInnen der dritten und vierten Klassen sowie SchülerInnen im Übergang zur Se-kundarstufe I richtet, wird eine bislang einzigartige Verbindung wissenschaftlicher und künstlerischer Ansprüche erfüllt. Auf der Grundlage mehrerer empirischer Studien zum Sprachför-derpotenzial von Hörspielen wurden sechs Episoden einer Hörspielserie produziert, die sich insbe-sondere zur Förderung der konzeptionellen Schriftlichkeit eignen. Gleichzeitig sind die Episoden so unterhaltsam gestaltet, dass sich das Sprachförderpotenzial beiläufig entfalten kann. In diesem Bei-trag werden die künstlerischen und linguistischen Konstruktionsprinzipien erläutert, die dieser O-pen-Access-Produktion zugrunde liegen.This anniversary issue contains a narrative audio story fostering language development: "Die Wetterschacht-Detektive" ("The Air Pit Detectives"). The audio play has been designed and pro-duced under the direction of the Technical University Dortmund in cooperation with the Hoffbauer University of Cooperative Education and the Folkwang University. The Dortmund Foundation funded the project. The audio play, which adresses mono- and multilingual primary school children in third and fourth grade as well as pupils in the first years of transition to secondary school, realiz-es a hitherto unique fulfilment of both scientific and artistic criteria. Based on several empirical studies proving the beneficial potential of narrative audio tapes to language development, six epi-sodes of a narrative audio series have been produced, which are especially suitable to enhancing the academic performance of conceptual writtenness. At the same time, the episodes are of such enter-taining design that the potential to assist in language development can be displayed in a casual way. The following article illustrates the artistic as well as linguistic principles of construction underly-ing this open access production

Erprobung eines Gruppentests zur Überprüfung des Grammatikverständnisses auf der Basis des TROG-D

Zur Erfassung der rezeptiven grammatischen Kompetenzen liegt mit dem TROG-D (deutsche Version [D], basierend auf dem englischsprachigen Test for Reception of Grammar; Bishop, 1989) ein anerkanntes Verfahren vor, das im Einzelsetting durchgeführt werden muss und so einschließlich Auswertung etwa eine halbe Stunde pro TeilnehmerIn beansprucht. In der vorliegenden Studie wurde ein auf dem TROG-D basierender Gruppentest erprobt, der den Einsatz beispielsweise in Schulklassen ermöglichen soll. Die überarbeitete Testversion wurde an 93 Zweit- und Drittklässlerinnen und -klässlern erprobt. Zwei Wochen später wurden alle Teilnehmenden mit dem TROG-D im Einzelsetting getestet. Eine ROC-Analyse (Receiver Operating Characteristic) und etablierte Screening-Gütekriterien lieferten klare Belege dafür, dass es mit dem Gruppentest gelingt, diejenigen Kinder zu identifizieren, die sich auch in der Einzeltestung mit dem TROG-D als unterdurchschnittlich erweisen. Die Ergebnisse belegen das grundsätzlich große Potential eines solchen Gruppentests und geben Ansatzpunkte zur Weiterentwicklung dieser Vorgehensweise.The TROG-D (a German [D] adaption of the Test for Reception of Grammar; Bishop, 1989) is an accepted measure for the reception of grammar in German. However, it has to be conducted in an individual setting and requires about 30 minutes. We adapted a group test based on the TROG-D, which allows the measurement of grammatical competencies in large groups of children, e.g. in classrooms. In the present study, we applied the new test to a sample of 93 primary-school pupils in a group setting. Two weeks later, we assessed the participants' grammatical skills using the TROG-D (individual setting). Receiver operating characteristic analysis and established screening quality criteria support the idea that the group test successfully identifies children with low grammatical performance in the TROG-D. Our results confirm the high potential of such a group test and offer insights for the advancement of this approach

Teaching open and reproducible scholarship: a critical review of the evidence base for current pedagogical methods and their outcomes

In recent years, the scientific community has called for improvements in the credibility, robustness and reproducibility of research, characterized by increased interest and promotion of open and transparent research practices. While progress has been positive, there is a lack of consideration about how this approach can be embedded into undergraduate and postgraduate research training. Specifically, a critical overview of the literature which investigates how integrating open and reproducible science may influence student outcomes is needed. In this paper, we provide the first critical review of literature surrounding the integration of open and reproducible scholarship into teaching and learning and its associated outcomes in students. Our review highlighted how embedding open and reproducible scholarship appears to be associated with (i) students' scientific literacies (i.e. students’ understanding of open research, consumption of science and the development of transferable skills); (ii) student engagement (i.e. motivation and engagement with learning, collaboration and engagement in open research) and (iii) students' attitudes towards science (i.e. trust in science and confidence in research findings). However, our review also identified a need for more robust and rigorous methods within pedagogical research, including more interventional and experimental evaluations of teaching practice. We discuss implications for teaching and learning scholarship

Teaching open and reproducible scholarship: A critical review of the evidence base for current pedagogical methods and their outcomes

In recent years, the scientific community has called for improvements in the credibility, robustness and reproducibility of research, characterized by increased interest and promotion of open and transparent research practices. While progress has been positive, there is a lack of consideration about how this approach can be embedded into undergraduate and postgraduate research training. Specifically, a critical overview of the literature which investigates how integrating open and reproducible science may influence student outcomes is needed. In this paper, we provide the first critical review of literature surrounding the integration of open and reproducible scholarship into teaching and learning and its associated outcomes in students. Our review highlighted how embedding open and reproducible scholarship appears to be associated with (i) students' scientific literacies (i.e. students’ understanding of open research, consumption of science and the development of transferable skills); (ii) student engagement (i.e. motivation and engagement with learning, collaboration and engagement in open research) and (iii) students' attitudes towards science (i.e. trust in science and confidence in research findings). However, our review also identified a need for more robust and rigorous methods within pedagogical research, including more interventional and experimental evaluations of teaching practice. We discuss implications for teaching and learning scholarship

Teaching open and reproducible scholarship: a critical review of the evidence base for current pedagogical methods and their outcomes

In recent years, the scientific community has called for improvements in the credibility, robustness, and reproducibility of research, characterized by increased interest and promotion of open and transparent research practices. While progress has been positive, there is a lack of consideration about how this approach can be embedded into undergraduate and postgraduate research training. Specifically, a critical overview of the literature which investigates how integrating open and reproducible science may influence student outcomes is needed. In this paper, we provide the first critical review of literature surrounding the integration of open and reproducible scholarship into teaching and learning and its associated outcomes in students. Our review highlighted how embedding open and reproducible scholarship appears to be associated with (1) students’ scientific literacies (i.e., students’ understanding of open research, consumption of science, and the development of transferable skills); (2) student engagement (i.e., motivation and engagement with learning, collaboration, and engagement in open research), and (3) students’ attitudes towards science (i.e., trust in science and confidence in research findings). However, our review also identified a need for more robust and rigorous methods within pedagogical research, including more interventional and experimental evaluations of teaching practice. We discuss implications for teaching and learning scholarship

Parent’s satisfaction with special need education for their language impaired children. A comparison between inclusive vs. segregated schools in Germany

Seit dem Inkrafttreten der UN-Konvention über die Rechte behinderter Menschen wird zunehmend öffentlich über die Strukturen der sonderpädagogischen Förderung in Deutschland diskutiert. Anhand einer Befragungsstudie mit 542 Eltern sprachauffälliger GrundschülerInnen, bei der die Schulzufriedenheit im Gemeinsamen Unterricht und in der Förderschule vergleichend untersucht wird, soll ein empirischer Beitrag zu dieser Debatte geliefert werden. Die Befunde zeigen, dass die Zufriedenheit der Eltern in beiden schulischen Settings gleichermaßen sehr hoch ist. Weitere Analysen machen allerdings deutlich, dass die Stigmatisierung der Kinder im integrativen Setting geringer ausfällt als bei segregativer Beschulung. Darüber hinaus sind Eltern von integrativ beschulten Mädchen und Jungen zuversichtlicher, dass ihr Kind die Sprachprobleme überwinden wird, und optimistischer in Bezug auf dessen Bildungs- und Teilhabechancen. Weiterhin wurde festgestellt, dass einige Elterngruppen deutlich geringere Chancen haben, ihren Wunsch auf integrative Unterrichtung ihres Kindes durchzusetzen. (DIPF/Orig.)Special need education in Germany is a highly controversial topic as many favor segregated schools despite the recent UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities. A survey was conducted with 542 parents having a child with language impairment that is either enrolled in a special need school or in an integrative elementary school setting. Results indicate equally high parental satisfaction in both systems. Further analyses, however, demonstrate higher perceived stigmatization of children in the segregated compared to the integrative setting; more optimistic view in parents who are enrolled in integrative schools regarding language improvement, career options, and social participation. Further results reveal unexpected discrimination of some families in respecting their individual choices for a school setting they believe in. Results are discussed with respect to the importance of parental choice and the need for further empirical investigation on pedagogic strategies that really work for language impaired children. (DIPF/Orig.

Kurzskala Barrierefreiheit von Unterricht - Lehrkrafteinschätzung (KBU-L)

Lehrkraftselbsteinschätzung der Barrierefreiheit von Unterricht, basierend auf dem Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Framewor