Teachers often struggle to provide all students access to specific learning activities that work best for them—and what works best for some students will not work for others. Differentiating instruction makes sense because it offers different paths to understanding content, process, and products, considering what is appropriate given a child’s profile of strengths, interests, and styles. This study focused on teacher efficacy as a way to explain teacher willingness to differentiate instruction. We found that a greater number of professional development hours in differentiation of instruction was positively associated with both teacher efficacy and the teacher’s sense of efficacy beliefs. This study demonstrated that teacher efficacy is an important dimension in implementing the process of differentiation regardless of what level or what content area the teacher taught (elementary, middle, or high school). Implications and future directions for research are also discussed.

We have initiated a program using elemental superlattices as probes of the early stages of solid-state reactions. The main advantage of using superlattices as reactants is the ability to tailor their structure on an angstrom length scale to control reaction kinetics. Consequently, we designed and constructed a computer-controlled and monitored ultrahigh-vacuum chamber for the preparation of elemental superlattices. This system is capable of manufacturing three sets of three samples in one evacuation cycle. Up to six different elements can be incorporated into each sample. Elements can be deposited from independently controlled electron-beam sources, Knudsen, or evaporation cells. The sample drive mechanism combined with source shutters and computer control permit complex layer-repeat units within the composite. Layer thicknesses can be controllably varied from 4 Å upward. Various attributes of the chamber include its modular design, multiple layer thickness control options, reproducibility and quality of samples, flexibility, and extensive computer monitoring during sample preparation.

The present research builds upon the extant literature as it assesses psychophysiological factors in relation to empathy, conflict resolution, and romantic relationship satisfaction. In this study, we examined physiological reactivity of individuals in the context of emotionally laden interactions with their romantic partners. Participants (N = 31) completed self-report measures and attended in-person data collection sessions with their romantic partners. Participants were guided through discussions of problems and strengths of their relationships in vivo with their partners while we measured participants' skin conductance level (SCL) and interbeat interval (IBI) of the heart. We hypothesized that participants' level of empathy towards their partners would be reflected by physiological arousal (as measured by SCL and IBI) and relationship satisfaction, such that higher levels of empathy would be linked to changes in physiological arousal and higher relationship satisfaction. Further, we hypothesized that differences would be found in physiological arousal (as measured by SCL and IBI) based on the type of conflict resolution strategy used by participants. Finally, we hypothesized that differences would be found in empathy towards partner and relationship satisfaction based on the type of conflict resolution strategies used by participants. Results partially supported hypotheses and were discussed in light of existing knowledge based on empirical and theoretical sources.

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