Bielefeld longitudinal study on learning in inclusive and exclusive forms of special needs education (BiLieF). Key findings

In der Bielefelder Längsschnittstudie zum Lernen in inklusiven und exklusiven Förderarrangements (BiLieF) wurden die psychosoziale und die Leistungsentwicklung bei Kindern mit sonderpädagogischem Förderbedarf im Förderschwerpunkt "Lernen" von der 3. bis zur 5. Klasse in unterschiedlichen Fördersettings untersucht. Die Ergebnisse quantitativer und qualitativer Zugänge zeigen, dass vor allem proximale Faktoren auf der Ebene der Einzelschule - weniger die Form der Beschulung - für die Entwicklung der Kinder relevant sind. (DIPF/Orig.)The Bielefeld Longitudinal Study on Learning in Inclusive and Exclusive Forms of Special Needs Education (BiLieF) compared the psychosocial development and the performance growth of children with special educational needs in the field of learning, starting in third grade through fifth grade. Results from quantitative and qualitative methods showed that proximal factors affect children\u27s development, whereas educational setting is less influential. (DIPF/Orig.

High concentration Er-doped phosphate glass optical fibers for single-frequency fiber amplifiers

The continuous improvement of interferometric gravitational-wave detectors (GWDs) and the preparations for next generation of GWDs set highly demanding requirements on their laser sources. A promising candidate to fulfill the challenging requirements of GWD laser sources is the hybrid master-oscillator power fiber amplifier (MOPFA) configuration. The implementation of a MOPFA relies principally on commercial silica glass-based optical fiber technology, which has been key in the successful development of high-power fiber amplifiers but that poses also a limitation to power scaling of these devices. It is well known that erbium (Er) ions tend to cluster in silica glass leading to ion-ion interactions and degradation of performance. The limited concentration of RE ions per unit length implies a limited optical gain per unit length and thus the requirement for long amplifying fiber lengths that enforce deleterious nonlinear effects, foremost stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS). Numerous SBS suppression techniques have been proposed, alongside investigation of specialty optical fibers. One of the most promising solutions is the use of highly doped optical fibers based on multicomponent phosphate glass that allows the fabrication of ultra-compact active devices with minimized nonlinearities. To realize compact optical fiber amplifiers operating at 1.5 µm, a series of highly Er3+-doped custom phosphate glass compositions was designed and fabricated to be used as active materials for the core of the fiber amplifiers. Suitable cladding compositions were explored. Core and cladding glasses were synthesized by melt-quenching method. The core glass was cast into a cylindrical mold to form a rod, whereas the cladding tube was fabricated by extrusion technique. Phosphate fibers were then manufactured by drawing the preform assembled by rod-in-tube technique. Preliminary results of the application of the Er3+-doped phosphate fiber as laser active medium in a fully monolithic single-mode single-frequency core-pumped MOPFA setup resonantly pumped at around 1480 nm are presented

Encourage grade-level teams to cooperate with parents - a task for teacher training? Results of the Bielefeld Training on Cooperation in inclusive Schools

Für eine gelingende Umsetzung schulischer Inklusion gilt eine professionelle Weiterbildung der Lehrkräfte und des weiteren Schulpersonals als unverzichtbare Voraussetzung, um eine effektive Teamarbeit sowie die Einbindung von Eltern[i] in Erziehungs- und Bildungsprozesse zu gewährleisten. Im Projekt BiFoKi[ii] (Bielefelder Fortbildungskonzept zur Kooperation in inklusiven Schulen) wurde eine Fortbildungsmaßnahme für inklusive Schulen entwickelt, die sowohl die intrainstitutionelle Kooperation innerhalb der Schule als auch die interinstitutionelle Zusammenarbeit mit den Eltern der Schüler*innen mit und ohne sonderpädagogischen Unterstützungsbedarf adressiert. Die Fortbildung zielt u.a. darauf ab, durch eine im Jahrgangsteam gemeinsam geplante und verantwortete Elternarbeit eine einladende Atmosphäre zu schaffen, Kommunikationswege an diverser werdende Bedarfe der Eltern und der Schüler*innen anzupassen und Eltern stärker in schulische Bildungsprozesse einzubeziehen. Zur Evaluation der Fortbildung wurde eine quasi-experimentelle Studie mit einem Prä-Post-Kontrollgruppendesign realisiert. Längsschnittliche Daten liegen für 55 Lehr- und Fachkräfte vor. Die Ergebnisse der varianzanalytischen Auswertung zeigen, dass sich die Einschätzungen zur Kooperationsbereitschaft der Eltern sowie das selbstberichtete Kooperationsverhalten im Bereich der Erziehungs- und Bildungskooperation in der Interventionsgruppe nach der Teilnahme an der Fortbildung signifikant positiver entwickelt hat als in der Kontrollgruppe. [i] Mit dem Begriff Eltern sind hier alle erziehungs- bzw. sorgeberechtigten Personen gemeint. [ii] Hinweis zur Finanzierung: Das diesem Beitrag zugrunde liegende Vorhaben BiFoKi (Bielefelder Fortbildungskonzept zur Kooperation in inklusiven Schulen) wurde mit Mitteln des Bundesministeriums für Bildung und Forschung unter dem Förderkennzeichen 01NV1732in der Förderlinie "Qualifizierung der pädagogischen Fachkräfte für inklusive Bildung" gefördert (Projektleitung: Birgit Lütje-Klose, Elke Wild, Julia Gorges und Phillip Neumann). (DIPF/Orig.)To implement inclusive education successfully, it is crucial that teachers and other school staff are trained to cooperate effectively as a team and to involve parents in educational processes. In the project BiFoKi (Bielefeld Training on Cooperation in inclusive Schools), the authors developed an in-service training for inclusive schools that addresses the intra-institutional cooperation within schools and the inter-institutional cooperation with the parents of students with and without special educational needs. The training aims to prepare grade-level teams to create a welcoming atmosphere, adapt communication ways to the diverse needs of parents and students and to involve parents more strongly in school educational processes. To evaluate the effectiveness of the training, a quasi-experimental study with a pre-post control group design was implemented. Longitudinal data is available for 55 teachers and other professionals. The results indicate that the intervention group demonstrated a more positive development in terms of satisfaction with parents\u27 willingness to cooperate as well as self-reported cooperative behavior in the area of educational cooperation, compared to the control group. (DIPF/Orig.

Recent progress on monolithic fiber amplifiers for next generation of gravitational wave detectors

Single-frequency fiber amplifiers in MOPA configuration operating at 1064 nm (Yb3+) and around 1550 nm (Er3+ or Er3+:Yb3+) are promising candidates to fulfill the challenging requirements of laser sources of the next generation of interferometric gravitational wave detectors (GWDs). Most probably, the next generation of GWDs is going to operate not only at 1064 nm but also at 1550 nm to cover a broader range of frequencies in which gravitational waves are detectable. We developed an engineering fiber amplifier prototype at 1064 nm emitting 215 W of linearly-polarized light in the TEM00 mode. The system consists of three modules: the seed source, the pre-amplifier, and the main amplifier. The modular design ensures reliable long-term operation, decreases system complexity and simplifies repairing and maintenance procedures. It also allows for the future integration of upgraded fiber amplifier systems without excessive downtimes. We also developed and characterized a fiber amplifier prototype at around 1550 nm that emits 100 W of linearly-polarized light in the TEM00 mode. This prototype uses an Er3+:Yb3+ codoped fiber that is pumped off-resonant at 940 nm. The off-resonant pumping scheme improves the Yb3+-to-Er3+ energy transfer and prevents excessive generation of Yb3+-ASE

A pedagogic appraisal of the Priority Heuristic

We have explored how science and mathematics teachers made decisions when confronted with a dilemma in which a fictitious young woman, Deborah, may choose to have an operation that might address a painful spinal condition. We sought to explore the extent to which psychological heuristic models, in particular the Priority Heuristic, might successfully describe the decision-making process of these teachers and how an analysis of the role of personal and emotional factors in shaping the decision-making process might inform pedagogical design. A novel aspect of this study is that the setting in which the decision-making process is examined contrasts sharply with those used in psychological experiments. We found that to some extent, even in this contrasting setting, the Priority Heuristic could describe these teachers' decision-making. Further analysis of the transcripts yielded some insights into limitations on scope as well the richness and complexity in how personal factors were brought to bear. We see these limitations as design opportunities for educational intervention

Testing psychometric properties of the CFT 1-R for students with special educational needs

Heine J-H, Gebhard M, Schwab S, Neumann P, Gorges J, Wild E. Testing psychometric properties of the CFT 1-R for students with special educational needs. Psychological Test and Assessment Modeling. 2018;60(1):3-27

„Jede*r von uns sieht die Situation eben unterschiedlich – das ist zwar eine Schwierigkeit, aber auch eine Bereicherung“

Die Rollenspiel-Methode ist ein handlungs- und anwendungsbezogenes Instrument, um Studierende bereits während der universitären Ausbildung für unterschiedliche professionelle Sicht- und Handlungsweisen zu sensibilisieren. In diesem Sinne stellt der folgende Beitrag ein Rollenspiel vor, welches als hochschuldidaktisches Material für die inklusionssensible Lehrer*innenbildung genutzt werden kann und Studierende auf zukünftige multiprofessionelle Kooperationshandlungen in der schulischen Praxis vorbereiten soll. Dieses bietet einen geeigneten Anlass, um die professionsübergreifende Zusammenarbeit „gefahrlos“ im Rahmen einer fiktiven kollegialen Fallkonferenz zu erproben sowie unterschiedliche pädagogische Professionsverständnisse aufzudecken und zu reflektieren. Darüber hinaus werden erste Durchführungserfahrungen und Evaluationsergebnisse diskutiert, die im Zuge der wissenschaftlichen Begleitforschung der Teilmaßnahme „Multiprofessionelle Kooperation in inklusiven Ganztagsschulen“ des Bielefelder QLB-Projekts BiProfessional erhoben wurden

Decrease in Anogenital Distance among Male Infants with Prenatal Phthalate Exposure

Prenatal phthalate exposure impairs testicular function and shortens anogenital distance (AGD) in male rodents. We present data from the first study to examine AGD and other genital measurements in relation to prenatal phthalate exposure in humans. A standardized measure of AGD was obtained in 134 boys 2–36 months of age. AGD was significantly correlated with penile volume (R = 0.27, p = 0.001) and the proportion of boys with incomplete testicular descent (R = 0.20, p = 0.02). We defined the anogenital index (AGI) as AGD divided by weight at examination [AGI = AGD/weight (mm/kg)] and calculated the age-adjusted AGI by regression analysis. We examined nine phthalate monoester metabolites, measured in prenatal urine samples, as predictors of age-adjusted AGI in regression and categorical analyses that included all participants with prenatal urine samples (n = 85). Urinary concentrations of four phthalate metabolites [monoethyl phthalate (MEP), mono-n-butyl phthalate (MBP), monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP), and monoisobutyl phthalate (MiBP)] were inversely related to AGI. After adjusting for age at examination, p-values for regression coefficients ranged from 0.007 to 0.097. Comparing boys with prenatal MBP concentration in the highest quartile with those in the lowest quartile, the odds ratio for a shorter than expected AGI was 10.2 (95% confidence interval, 2.5 to 42.2). The corresponding odds ratios for MEP, MBzP, and MiBP were 4.7, 3.8, and 9.1, respectively (all p-values < 0.05). We defined a summary phthalate score to quantify joint exposure to these four phthalate metabolites. The age-adjusted AGI decreased significantly with increasing phthalate score (p-value for slope = 0.009). The associations between male genital development and phthalate exposure seen here are consistent with the phthalate-related syndrome of incomplete virilization that has been reported in prenatally exposed rodents. The median concentrations of phthalate metabolites that are associated with short AGI and incomplete testicular descent are below those found in one-quarter of the female population of the United States, based on a nationwide sample. These data support the hypothesis that prenatal phthalate exposure at environmental levels can adversely affect male reproductive development in humans