Mark A. Constas

A Review of Empirical Literature on Inquiry Professional Development: Alignment with Best Practices and a Critique of the Findings.

This review brings together the literature on inquiry-based teaching and learning and science teacher professional development (PD). We present a targeted critical review of research focused specifically on the nature of PD programs purported to emphasize inquiry. Our review analyzes the features of each program and critiques the reported outcomes of each study. Findings from this review suggest a general alignment with recommended features of effective PD as outlined in the literature with a few notable exceptions, including: supporting teachers in developing inquiry-based lesson plans, providing authentic inquiry experiences, and focusing on science content for teachers. More importantly, our review reveals that no reported study has connected participation in inquiry-based PD with all the desired outcomes of teacher PD: enhanced teacher knowledge, change in beliefs and practice, and enhanced student achievement. Implications for future research on inquiry-based PD programs are discussed.

Is something better than nothing? An evaluation of early childhood programs in Cambodia.

This study evaluated the relative effectiveness of home-based, community-based, and state-run early childhood programs across Cambodia. A total of 880 five-year-olds (55% girls) from 6 rural provinces in Cambodia attending State Preschools, Community Preschools, Home-Based Programs, or no programs were assessed twice using the Cambodian Developmental Assessment Test. Controlling for baseline differences, children who participated in any early childhood programs performed significantly better in posttest than those of children who did not participate in any programs. Children in State Preschools scored significantly higher than those in either Community Preschools or Home-Based Programs; scores did not differ as a function of attending Community Preschools or Home-Based Programs. The results indicate that some preschool experience is better than none at all.

A Methodological Review of Research on Leadership Development and Social Capital: Is There a Cause and Effect Relationship?.

Recent interest in studying social aspects of leadership has brought attention to the relationship between leadership and social capital. There is also growing interest among stakeholders (researchers, practitioners, funders, and program participants) to improve evaluation methods for leadership development programs (LDPs). The purpose of the present review is to determine the extent to which recent LDP evaluation efforts can support a causal assertion that participation in an LDP enhances an individual’s or group’s social capital. Although they do not dispute that a relationship between leadership and social capital exists, using basic requirements for causal inference described by Shadish, Cook, and Campbell, the authors conclude that the existing literature does not support a causal inference that participation in an LDP necessarily enhances social capital. The limited corpus of work reviewed in this article is indicative of the dearth of scholarly writing on the matter of leadership development efforts and causal inference.

Reshaping the methodological identity of education research: early signs of the impact of federal policy.

The purpose of the present article is to assess the impact that recent federal policies have had on education research. Using published journal articles as a data source, the study examines reports on the frequency of use for terms representing federal priorities for education research (experimental, randomization, hypothesis, and quantitative) compared to the frequency of use for terms representing methodologies that are granted a lower priority within federal policy (ethnographic, narrative, postmodern, and qualitative). A comparison between the data for 2001 (pre-policy period) and data for 2005 (policy enactment period) shows increased use of all four terms representing federal priorities, whereas three of the four terms representing nonexperimental research are associated with decreased numbers of articles. Some of the ways in which the findings may be interpreted are discussed and additional analyses that may be conducted to help track the impact of federal policy on education research are described.

Educational Psychology: Origins of a Dichotomy and the Parallel Dependence Model.

The present paper demonstrates the integrative potential that exists for the field of educational psychology. The nature of the inquiry-application distinction is traced to its disciplinary origins. Specific elements associated with each of the two endeavours are captured in the form of a heuristic model. This model, designated the parallel dependence model, is designed to emphasize the interdependence between the inquiry and application functions. The implications of the model are discussed in light of the current status of educational psychology as an advancing field of study.

IFPRI 2020 Conference: Building Resilience for Food and Nutrition Security, Addis Ababa, 15–17 of May 2014: a Synthesis

Since 1995, The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) has organized several 2020 conferences where major stakeholders gather to address the challenges of poverty and hunger. In recognition of the heightened interest in resilience as a framing concept for development and humanitarian aid, IFPRI organized a 2020 event for 2014 where more than 140 experts and practitioners spoke and shared their experiences and insights. The 800 participants in the 2014 conference, held May 15 through May 17, represented an international community and drew on knowledge from a wide range of actors, sectors, and disciplines. The event provided an opportunity to exchange ideas, build networks, and helped establish a common vision for building resilience. The conference was notable in the way it brought together a varied audience of stakeholders. Speakers and participants at the conference included highlevel political figures, key individuals from national and international governing bodies, representatives from United Nations organizations, leaders and practitioners from nongovernmental organizations, key staff from technical assistance firms, and academically-based researchers. Several major themes emerged from the 2020 conference. The conference highlighted an emerging consensus with respect to the definition of resilience, centering on the three dimensions of absorptive, adaptive, and transformational capacities. Key among the themes that emerged to effectively promote resilience is the necessity for coordination over time, across different levels of society, and across disciplines and at different points of implementation. Perhaps the most discussed topic focused on the measurement of resilience, emphasizing the need to continue and improve our capacity to measure it, as needed, on a more frequent basis and at multiple levels. Innovative forms of technology and data collection, such as information technology solutions and sentinel site early-warning systems, were proposed as options to improve both the support of resilience capacities and resilience measurement. There was also general recognition that building resilience requires increased levels of coordination across short-term humanitarian assistance activities and longterm development programming. It was suggested that attention needs to be paid to the short-term requirements of vulnerable populations—their food and nutrition security and their economies—particularly when confronted by shocks, without compromising development activities that promote sustainable improvements in health and nutrition and alleviation of poverty. Investments also need to be made in development activities in areas that have historically been reserved for humanitarian assistance. It was argued that investments in resilience enhancement can bemore effective than those being made in recovery and rehabilitation. In the words of one speaker, we should “manage risk, not disasters”. Panel members and conference presenters frequently spoke of the necessity to focus on risk management versus crisis management. This suggests that we should be implementing integrated approaches that have long-term commitments, including funding mechanisms that span beyond the common 1 and 2-year cycles in their support of vulnerable areas and populations. Reflecting a position that was frequently asserted, another panel cited the benefits of integrating resilience activities into development programming, including their inherent multi-disciplinary focus and the bridging of research and practice across sociology, anthropology, political science, agricultural science, economics, nutrition and environmental science. The importance of environmental T. R. Frankenberger (*) TANGO International, Tucson, AZ, USA e-mail: tim@tangointernational.com

The Pathways from a Behavior Change Communication Intervention to Infant and Young Child Feeding in Bangladesh Are Mediated and Potentiated by Maternal Self-Efficacy

Abstract Background Although self-efficacy is a potential determinant of feeding and care behaviors, there is limited empirical analysis of the role of maternal self-efficacy in low- and middle-income countries. In the context of behavior change interventions (BCIs) addressing complementary feeding (CF), it is possible that maternal self-efficacy can mediate or enhance intervention impacts. Objective In the context of a BCI in Bangladesh, we studied the role of maternal self-efficacy for CF (MSE-CF) for 2 CF behaviors with the use of a theoretically grounded empirical model of determinants to illustrate the potential roles of MSE-CF. Methods We developed and tested a locally relevant scale for MSE-CF and included it in a survey (n = 457 mothers of children aged 6–24 mo) conducted as part of a cluster-randomized evaluation. Qualitative research was used to inform the selection of 2 intervention-targeted behaviors: feeding green leafy vegetables in the last 24 h (GLV) and on-time introduction of egg (EGG) between 6 and 8 mo of age. We then examined direct, mediated, and potentiated paths of MSE-CF in relation to the impacts of the BCI on these behaviors with the use of regression and structural equation modeling. Results GLV and EGG were higher in the intensive group than in the nonintensive control group (16.0 percentage points for GLV; P < 0.001; 11.2 percentage points for EGG; P = 0.037). For GLV, MSE-CF mediated (β = 0.345, P = 0.010) and potentiated (β = 0.390, P = 0.038) the effect of the intensive group. In contrast, MSE-CF did not mediate or potentiate the effect of the intervention on EGG. Conclusions MSE-CF was a significant mediator and potentiator for GLV but not for EGG. The divergent findings highlight the complex determinants of individual specific infant and young child feeding behaviors. The study shows the value of measuring behavioral determinants, such as MSE-CF, that affect a caregivers capability to adopt intervention-targeted behaviors.