Effects of Three Levels of Early Intervention Services on Children Prenatally Exposed to Cocaine

Cocaine use during pregnancy is a high-risk indicator for adverse developmental outcomes. Three levels of intervention (center, home, and primary care) were compared in a full service, birth to age 3, early intervention program serving children exposed to cocaine prenatally. Data were collected on 130 children from urban, predominantly poor, primarily minority families. At 36 months, statistically significant, moderate to large intervention effects were found for cognition, receptive and expressive language, and gross motor development. Small effects were observed for behavior problems, and no statistically significant effects were found for fine motor or prosocial skills. Center-based care was most effective for improving language. These findings provide support that the center- and home-based early intervention programs examined in this study had positive effects on children at risk due to prenatal cocaine exposure

Mathematics in physics education: scanning historical evolution of the differential to find a more appropriate model for teaching differential calculus in physics

Despite its frequent use, there is little understanding of the concept of differential among upper high school and undergraduate students of physics. As a first step to identify the origin of this situation and to revert it, we have done a historic and epistemological study aimed at clarifying the role and the meaning of the differential in physics and at improving curricular and teaching models in the sense of Gilbert et al. (Gilbert J.K., Boulter C., & Rutherford, M.: 1998a, International Journal of Science Education 20(1), 83–97, Gilbert J.K., Boulter C., & Rutherford, M.: 1998b, International Journal of Science Education 20(2),187–203). We describe the contributions of Leibniz and Cauchy and stress their shortcomings, which are overcome by the alternative definition proposed by the French mathematician Frechet, dating from early 20th century. As a result of this study, we answer to some fundamental questions related to a proper understanding of the differential in physics education(for 17–19 years old students)