Abstracts - Earli

environmental sensitivity: (1) Love for nature, (2) Nature conservation and (3) Environmentfriendlyconsumer habits. Second, we reduced the number of items from nine to three to create theEnI component for the MIPQ. Results of the reliability analysis showed that the 9-item solutionwas the most adequate to operationalize the EnSS. Both MIPQ and EnI had good reliabilitycoefficients in all three sub samples. Bayesian Dependency Modeling confirmed that the EnSSconsisted of suggested three dimensions in all three sub samples. The results of confirmatoryfactor analysis showed that both scales fitted all three sub samples well.Concepts and methods to diagnose and develop Bloom’s taxonomy mental processesDieudonne Leclercq, University of Liege, BelgiumFor large groups of students (300 to 600) it is not easy to implement examinations that conciliatequalities such as objectivity of correction, , practicability, rapidity, predictivity, reliability and,above all, theoretical construct validity in terms of mental processes. For each of the six levels ofBloom et al.’s (1956) taxonomy of the cognitive processes, we have refined the concepts, on thebasis of cognitivists’ and epistemologists’ works (Reder, 1987 ; Bredart & Modollo, 1998 ; Park &Reder, 2004 ; Perry, 1970) . For instance, at Knowledge level, we have designed a new instrumentcalled "Large MCQ", mid-term way between recall and recognition. At comprehension level, wehave developed Smedslund’s (1997) definition of comprehension, designing "interchanges intranslations". At the application and analysis levels, we stress the distinction between questionsand problems, suggested definitions to classify questions and propose the concept of cognitivevigilance. At the synthesis level, we propose a multicriterial self evaluation procedure in openended answers and essays. At the evaluation level, we propose the use of Degrees of Confidence(De FInetti, 1965) and the representation of quality of answers as a spectral distribution of quality(Leclercq, 2003). Given those concepts and instruments, we made steps towards assessment resultsthat can be diagnostic and distinctive (Engelhart, 1994) in terms of Bloom’s taxonomy. We use acombination of new forms of MCQs, of Open Ended Questions and of Degrees of Certainty in thesame testing session. Students have been trained by simulated exams and the effect of this hasbeen measured through the evolution of 80 students in 3 parallel tests taken in 3 month time.Results are analysed instrument by instrument.Children’s school readiness: predicting school competence before first gradeLoredana Mihalca, Department of Psychology, Babes-Bolyai University, RomaniaYiannis Laouris, Cyprus Neuroscience & Technology Institute, CyprusMircea Miclea, Department of Psychology, Babes-Bolyai University, RomaniaThe assessment of school readiness is a priority aspect of early childhood education. Because theconstruct of school readiness is multifaceted, we decided to examine children’s patterns usingmultiple indicators previously found to be both theoretically and empirically linked to schoolreadiness. These include physical health, social/emotional development, approach learning,language development, cognitive and general knowledge. By focusing on patterns of functioningacross diverse domains of children’s development shown to predict future performance in school,our experimental study aims to develop a comprehensive methodology towards the examination ofthe construct of school readiness.In addition, we also examine whether these multidimensionalpatterns can predict achievement functioning in the first grade of schooling. In discussions aboutcognition and learning in early childhood (Blair, 2002), memory and attention are consideredcrucial for the conceptualization of executive function. We have therefore decided to evaluate suchabilities using a validated computer-based instrument known as MAPS (Mental AttributesProfiling System). Specifically, we have used MAPS’ auditory and visual memory tests, and– 536 –