Ilene R. Berson

Emerging Risks of Violence in the Digital Age: Lessons for Educators from an Online Study of Adolescent Girls in the United States.

Abstract This research focuses on the evolving area of cyberviolence and draws on a pioneering study to discuss benefits and risks of online interaction among adolescent girls. This new area of inquiry introduces educators to the social and cultural communities of the Internet, a virtual venue with unique perspectives on power, identity, and gender for children and youth. This research focuses on the evolving area of cyberviolence and draws on a pioneering study to discuss benefits and risks of online interaction among adolescent girls. This new area of inquiry introduces educators to the social and cultural communities of the Internet, a virtual venue with unique perspectives on power, identity, and gender for children and youth.

Grooming Cybervictims: The Psychosocial Effects of Online Exploitation for Youth

Abstract The social and cultural communities of the Internet provide a virtual venue with unique perspectives on power, identity, and gender. This paper presents an overview of the benefits and risks of Web-based interactions for youth. As an illustrative example, the psychosocial effects of online grooming practices which are designed to lure and exploit children are discussed. Constructive solutions and a plan of action which foster protective and productive learning experiences are explored.

Challenging online behaviors of youth: findings from a comparative analysis of young people in the United States and New Zealand

Child-serving professionals have struggled to understand the often complex emotional and behavioral responses of children and youth who are immersed in interconnected environments and consumed by digital technologies. Acomparative analysis on challenging online behaviors of adolescent girls in the United States and New Zealand was completed. Survey results confirm that when online, a significant number of adolescent girls are engaging in risky activities including disclosing personal information, sending personal photos to online acquaintances, and arranging face-to-face meetings. Many respondents continue potentially problematic offline practices as a result of these online interactions. The data also suggest that there is a lapse in preventative intervention to create and maintain awareness and safety for young people. Implications of this research for preparing youth to successfully harness the potential of the Internet are explored.

Profiles of Child Maltreatment Perpetrators and Risk for Fatal Assault: A Latent Class Analysis

This study examined characteristics and profiles of 196 child maltreatment perpetrators in Florida, including 126 who committed fatal assaults during 1999–2002. Results of logistic regression suggest that being a biologically unrelated caregiver is the strongest predictor of fatal child maltreatment. Latent Class Analysis (LCA) was used to classify perpetrators, and three classes were identified: Biological Mothers with Health Problems, Male Perpetrators with Domestic Violence History, and Multiple-Problem Perpetrators. Results of LCA showed that compared to Biological Mothers with Health Problems, Multiple-Problem Perpetrators were seven times more likely and Male Perpetrators with Domestic Violence History were 12 times more likely to commit a fatal assault. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Building Resilience to Trauma: Creating a Safe and Supportive Early Childhood Classroom

Abstract On Monday morning, a collective shock was felt throughout the school as news spread of a students death. John, a playful 5-year-old, had died in a car accident. One child in the class had witnessed the accident, but others had also heard of the tragedy from their parents or television news reports. Even children who were not classmates of the deceased student were affected by the emotionally charged environment as the caregivers around them became distracted and often overwhelmed by the compelling events that resulted in the childs death. Few of the early childhood teachers had specific training or experience in responding to traumatic events, and many struggled to address the emotions associated with the loss. Fear, shock, and anger filled many hearts on this dark day and in the ensuing weeks. The event attacked the sense of safety and security among the teachers and students. The day of this tragedy, the day after, and the following weeks and months all brought new transformations of the childrens responses to such trauma and new opportunities for recovery.

Studying Child Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation in Middle School Social Studies

or many years, child abuse and neglect were largely F unaddressed issues. Although awareness of child maltreatment has increased, estimates regarding the pervasiveness of abuse indicate that the victimization of children remains critically underreported, with the vast majority of cases never reaching the attention of professionals (Crosson-Tower 1999; Finkelhor 1984). Although under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1974; the Child Abuse Prevention, Adoption, and Family Services Act of 1988; and various state laws, children are entitled to services regarding and protection of their emotional and physical safety, the provision of these services is dependent on whether people intervene on behalf of children who are at risk. Creating caring and safe environments for children requires a communitywide effort in which open discussion is fostered and the taboo and secrecy of abuse are overcome by awareness and motivated intervention. In this article we explore the study of child maltreatment in the middle school social studies classroom for the purposes of alerting young people to the problem of abuse and initiating them into their civic role as advocates for those who need protection and safety.

September 11: Children's Responses to Trauma.

Teachers can help children deal with confusing emotions during times of crisis by listening to them and creating a comfortable environment. F ear, shock, sadness, and anger filled so many hearts on 11 September 2001, and in the ensuing weeks the void from grief and a sense of loss has been buffered with sentiments of patriotism, pride in the selfless acts of many, and a powerful need to take action on behalf of the country. Anne Frank (1952) noted, “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.” Yet it has been a struggle for many of us—adults as well as children— to confront the violent atrocity that abruptly interrupted our illusion of peace and safety. As the country and world have struggled with a new awareness of the horrific event, our children have watched the images of devas-

Exploring Developmental Appropriateness of Multitouch Tables in Prekindergarten: A Video Analysis

Abstract This study explored how developmentally appropriate practices influenced the affordances of a multitouch surface in an early childhood classroom. Children, ages 4 to 5 years old, were videotaped while engaged in a storymaking application on a multitouch table. As a result of the study, we found that some challenges with the functionality undermined childrens autonomous control. The researchers observed numerous instances of issues with control of the medium, including height of the table, sensitivity to multiple types of touch, and limited instructions and prompts. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Factors Predicting Child Maltreatment Fatalities: A Competing Risk Model

This study examined different types of child maltreatment fatalities and factors associated with child death in Florida. The study design consisted of a two-group comparison: children who died as a result of abuse and those who died as a result of neglect. Predictors for abuse- versus neglect-related death were analyzed using competing-risks survival analysis. Findings revealed a unique trend associated with maltreatment fatalities: While child’s enrollment in daycare or school served as a protective factor, being seen by a child protection agency at the time of the incident predicted the earlier fatal outcome. Implications of the findings were discussed.

To transform or to reproduce: Critical examination of teacher inquiry within early childhood teacher preparation

ABSTRACT The purpose of this research is to examine how and to what extent preservice teachers (PSTs) who engage in teacher inquiry develop a critical reflective stance towards their teaching practices in early childhood classrooms. As we, a team of early childhood teacher educators, incorporated teacher inquiry into our reformed early childhood teacher preparation program and adopted critical reflection as our theoretical framework, we were interested in investigating our PSTs’ engagement and enactment of teacher inquiry. This study analyzed early childhood PSTs’ final teacher inquiry projects to examine their understanding of the inquiry cycle, selection of inquiry topics and rationales, and varying roles inquiry played in their professional learning. The findings suggest that careful and critical considerations should be given to PSTs’ teacher inquiry so that its full potential to transform teaching and learning may be optimized and avoid use as a reproduction tool to reinforce existing school culture and practices.