Assessing students’ intercultural competence: Construction and psychometric evaluation of a brief measure

Intercultural competence has been placed increasing attention in globalized educational systems. The study presents a series of qualitative and quantitative investigations to construct and validate scores on a brief self-report measure assessing intercultural competence of university students. Following a comprehensive literature search and qualitative expert reviews in the scale construction process, 50 potential items were classified based on the attitudinal, cognitive, and behavioral intercultural competence framework. In the psychometric evaluation process, a unidimensional structure was obtained to represent the 50 items. Item response theory analysis was performed to yield a brief measure of five content-specific items measuring intercultural competence, capturing cross-cultural self-efficacy, cultural knowledge application, perspective taking/suspending judgment, and behavioral regulation in intercultural situations. Not just contributing to measurement advancement, but the newly developed and validated instrument holds promise for guiding the design of intercultural competence educational programs and assessing students’ intercultural competence performances/gains.     

Assessing students’ perception of parental career-related support: development of a new scale and a new taxonomy

The object of this study was to assess students' perceptions of their parents’ career-related behaviours and their influence on the students’ behaviours. In study 1 (528 students), we developed the SIL Scale (support, interference and lack of engagement), a nine-item questionnaire applied to educational and job contexts. In study 2 (1204 students), we tested a person-centred approach and developed a new model called the WID Types (willing, involved and in difficulty), which identifies three clusters of students. The associations between the clusters and career choice difficulties, level of career exploration and stage of the vocational choice confirmed its validity.     

Assessing the psychometric properties of a scenario‐based measure of achievement guilt and shame

In this study, the psychometric properties of the scenario‐based Achievement Guilt and Shame Scale (AGSS) were established. The AGSS and scales assessing interpersonal guilt and shame, high standards, overgeneralization, self‐criticism, self‐esteem, academic self‐concept, fear of failure, and tendency to respond in a socially desirable manner were completed by 322 undergraduate students. A confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a 12‐scenario model had an acceptable fit to the data, with guilt and shame items forming separate, weakly correlated subscales. Each of the guilt and shame subscales of the AGSS demonstrated good internal and test–retest reliability. Good construct validity was also evident, with each subscale uniquely correlating with constructs in ways that were consistent with predictions. Acceptable discriminant validity was also evident. These outcomes provide support for the utility of the AGSS in assessing guilt and shame reactions in achievement situations.     

Skill and will: test‐taking motivation and assessment quality

An achievement test score can be viewed as a joint function of skill and will, of knowledge and motivation. However, when interpreting and using test scores, the ‘will’ part is not always acknowledged and scores are mostly interpreted and used as pure measures of student knowledge. This paper argues that students’ motivation to do their best on the assessment – their test‐taking motivation – is important to consider from an assessment validity perspective. This is true not least in assessment contexts where the assessment outcome has no consequences for the test‐taker. The paper further argues that the quality of assessment of test‐taking motivation also needs attention. Theoretical and methodological issues related to the assessment of test‐taking motivation are presented from a validity perspective, and findings from empirical studies on the relation between test stakes, test‐taking motivation and test performance are presented.     

Assessing pre‐university students through extended individual investigations: teachers’ and examiners’ views

This paper reports a study of the views of teachers and Examination Board staff on the introduction of individual investigative work into pre‐university (Advanced level) Chemistry courses in England. The move towards investigative work at this level represented a significant change in emphasis in the nature of assessed practical work in pre‐university courses, and was initially a feature of only two courses, the Salters’ Advanced Chemistry course and the Cambridge Modular Science course. In this study, data were collected through the use of interviews with selected teachers of the two courses, and also with key staff in the relevant Examinations Boards. The findings of the study suggest that both teachers and Examination Board staff view the move towards investigative work at this level as having a number of benefits for students, though teachers reported some difficulty with their joint roles of teacher and assessor.     

Academic Adjustment and Learning Processes: a comparison of international and local students in first‐year university

This article examines the academic adjustment and learning processes of international and local first‐year students. Twenty first‐year local and international students participated in a semi‐structured interview study upon the completion of their first year in a Faculty of Commerce and Management. Students reported positive and negative critical incidents which helped or hindered their learning during the first year. In addition, students described their feelings, thoughts and behaviours in relation to these incidents. Critical incidents were coded, themes identified, and comparisons made across local and international student groups. The impact of particular teaching processes are considered, and implications for teaching and learning in the first year are discussed.     

Assessing collaborative work in a higher education blended learning context: strategies and students’ perceptions

This study examines students' views on a blended learning module developed and offered at the University of Aveiro. The paper presents the module and the strategies, tools, activities and assessment. In order to examine the effectiveness of the module, data were collected from reflections, postings and questionnaires. Findings document students’ opinions concerning the module, the activities and their learning. Students valued the module but expressed concerns in using the wiki tool, assessing collaborative work and in engaging in peer assessment activities. The results have practical implications for the design of collaborative activities and innovative assessment in blended learning environments.

Bewertung kollaborativer Arbeit in einem gemischten Hochschulbildungs‐Lernkontext: Strategien und Wahrnehmungen der Studenten

Diese Studie untersucht die Ansichten von Studenten auf einem gemischten Lern‐Modul, entwickelt und angeboten von der Universität Aveiro. Das Papier stellt das Modul und die Strategien, Tools, Aktivitäten und Bewertung vor. Um die Wirksamkeit des Moduls zu untersuchen, wurden die Daten von Reflexionen, Notizen und Fragebögen gesammelt. Die Ergebnisse dokumentieren die Meinungen über das Modul, ihre Aktivitäten und ihr Lernen. Studenten schätzten das Modul hatten aber Bedenken beim Wiki‐Tool, bezüglich des kooperativen Arbeitens, Bewertungen und Peer‐Bewertungs‐Aktivitäten. Die Ergebnisse haben praktische Folgen für das Design gemeinsamer Aktivitäten und innovative Bewertungen ?gemischter Lernumgebungen”.

L’évaluation du travail collaboratif dans un contexte d’enseignement universitaire mixte: le strategies et les perceptions des étudiants

La présente étude examine les opinions des étudiants sur un module d’apprentissage mixte (blended) mis au point et assuré à l’Université d’Aveiro. Cet article présente le module et les stratégies, les outils, les activités et l’évaluation. Pour déterminer l’efficacité de ce module, on a rassemblé des données à partir des réflexions, des envois et des questionnaires. Les éléments recueillis illustrent les opinions des étudiants à propos du module, des activités et de ce qu’ils ont appris. Les étudiants ont apprécié le module mais exprimé leur inquiétude quant à l’usage de l’outil wiki, de l’évaluation du travail collaboratif et de l’engagement dans des activités d’évaluation de leurs camarades. Ces résultats ont des retombées pratiques pour la conception des activités collaboratives et d’un mode d’évaluation innovant dans des environnements d’apprentissage mixte.

La evaluación del trabajo colaborativo dentro de un entorno de aprendizaje mixto (Blended Learning) en la enseñanza superior: estrategias y percepciones de los estudiantes

El presente estudio examina las opiniones de los estudiantes acerca de un módulo de aprendizaje mixto desarrollado y propuesto por la Universidad de Aveiro. El artículo presenta el módulo y las estrategías, herramientas, actividades y evaluación. Para determinar la eficacia del módulo se hizo una recogida de datos, basandose en reflexiones, mensajes y cuestionarios. Los resultados ilustran las opinones de los estudiantes acerca del módulo, de las actividades y de lo que han aprendido.Los estudiantes valoran el módulo pero expresaron su preocupación acerca del uso de la herramienta wiki, de la evaluación del trabajo cooperativo y de la dedicación a actividades de evaluación mutual. Esos resultados conllevan consecuencias prácticas para el diseño de actividades cooperativas y la evaluación innovadora en entornos de aprendizaje mixto.     

Comparison of learning and study strategies of traditional and open‐learning‐system students in Turkey

This study compares the learning and study strategies of the students of the Faculty of Administrative Sciences of Cukurova University taking traditional on‐campus courses and those at the Open Learning Faculty of Anadolu University following an open learning programme. The evaluation was based on the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI), developed by Claire E. Weinstein (1987), together with a separate questionnaire to elaborate the findings.

Findings reveal that students of both groups have considerably lower scores, especially in the affective domain, in relation to the other college students answering the same items in previous evaluations. However no important difference has been found between the groups belonging to the traditional and open learning systems evaluated in this study.     

English teachers of deaf and hard‐of‐hearing students in French schools: needs,barriers and strategies

This paper deals with English teachers who work with deaf and hard‐of‐hearing (D/HH) students. In France deaf students are required to attend foreign language classes – mostly English classes. The purpose is not to teach them British sign language (BSL) or American sign language (ASL), but written and/or spoken English. Indeed, sign languages are distinct from spoken languages and differ from country to country: there is no universal sign language. English teachers of the deaf are mostly hearing people. They work either in mainstream or special schools. Most of them have no specific qualifications. In this context, they are faced with the tremendous challenge of how to adjust their teaching to their students’ impairment and at the same time develop the latter's knowledge and skills in English. In order to analyse teaching practices in English classes, questionnaires, interviews and in‐class observations in several special and mainstream schools were conducted. Findings show that different teaching strategies are used in order to make English lessons accessible to D/HH students: teachers have to adapt their teaching language and also use written and visual supports to accommodate D/HH students. Obviously teacher training needs to be improved.     

Investigation of university students’ self-acceptance and learned resourcefulness: a longitudinal study

Self-acceptance and learned resourcefulness of university students are important concepts in coping with the environmental and developmental stressors and in the development of healthy personality. In this study, university students’ self acceptance and learned resourcefulness levels were investigated longitudinally. 198 university students’ self acceptance and learned resourcefulness scores were collected by Self Acceptance Scale and Rosenbaum’s Self-Control Scale in their first and eighth semesters. The findings revealed that in general, the students’ self-acceptance level increased significantly in the 4-year period. With respect to gender, the self-acceptance level of female students was found to increase during their university education, while no significant difference was observed in that of male students. Moreover, there was no change in the level of their learned resourcefulness in the 4-year period in terms of gender. As a result, it is understood that university life includes significant experiences for students’ self-acceptance, especially for female students, and that university life does not cause any significant increase in the level of learned resourcefulness. Therefore, there is a great need for programs that will increase the resourcefulness levels of university students during their university lives.     

Interrelations among university students’ approaches to learning, regulation of learning, and cognitive and attributional strategies: a person oriented approach

This study investigated the relationships among approaches to learning, regulation of learning, cognitive and attributional strategies, stress, exhaustion, and study success. University students (N = 437) from three faculties filled in a questionnaire concerning their self-reported study behaviour, cognitive strategies, and well-being. Their interrelations were examined in a variable- and a person-oriented way. Latent class clustering was used for clustering students into homogeneous groups. Three groups of students were identified: non-academic, self-directed, and helpless students. Helpless students reported higher levels of stress and exhaustion than non-academic or self-directed students. Self-directed students had the highest GPA. Our findings demonstrate the usefulness of combining cognitive and emotional aspects for investigations of students’ learning.     

The fear factor: students’ experiences of test anxiety when taking A-level examinations

This paper presents the findings of a pilot study that explored students’ experiences of test anxiety when taking A-level examinations. Four focus groups were convened with a sample of 19 participants in the south of England to explore the triggers of test anxiety and the perceived need for interventions to assist high test-anxious students cope with the examination process. The findings suggested that the participants experienced two types of anxiety: ‘pre-exam anxiety’ (relating to, for example, revision and mock examinations) and ‘exam-day anxiety’ (relating to practical concerns, such as school policy on the arrival of students and the time available to complete the examination). Only three participants reported feeling that their examination performance was significantly impaired by test anxiety; most reported that a degree of anxiety aided their performance. With test anxiety perceived by most participants as motivational and useful, there was little support for any interventions from examination boards, parents or teachers to help reduce or manage test anxiety. However, based on participants’ experiences of the pre-examination period, it is suggested that test anxiety may impede students’ ability to prepare for their examinations, and that interventions during this stage may be useful. The findings also imply that there are some practical steps that could be taken by the educational community to help reduce students’ test anxiety.     

Baby boomers’ development of resources and strategies to engage as later life university students

ABSTRACT

To determine the resources baby boomers use or develop to strategise successful engagement as later life university students, informal semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 Australian baby boomers. The phenomenological data was analysed, themes identified and aligned with the volition phase stages of the adapted Health Action Process Approach model. Interviewees displayed varying levels of self-efficacy and coping strategies. Having a sense of purpose and involvement in the social environment of a university appears to create positive functioning that can contribute to healthy ageing and well-being. The findings from this study could assist university administrators and policy makers to develop strategies to attract and support this niche sector of university students.     

Strategies of alliance: Models and modes of post‐secondary‐university integration

Abstract

Late in 1996, Kalgoorlie College and the Western Australian School of Mines in Western Australia were merged to form an expanded campus of Curtin University, based in the state capital city of Perth. This paper uses a frame analytical approach to examining how differing and competing interpretations and commitments affected how the merger was played out. Three important frames, each of which had a major influence on the merger for periods of time are identified: one that emphasised regional social and economic development, another centred on education for industry and a third based on economic rationalism. This analysis connects changes in the direction of the merger to shifts in the way the merger was framed.     

Reading and Comprehension: a longitudinal study of ex‐Reading Recovery students

The paper reports the results of a longitudinal case study conducted in Australia and New Zealand. The study compares the reading and comprehension age of children in their fifth and sixth years in school. Reading and comprehension ages of 121 children who had Reading Recovery intervention at age 6 were compared with those of a Comparison group of 121 children, drawn from the same classes who, at age 6 years, had been better performers in literacy. Reading and comprehension assessment was conducted with the use of the Neale Analysis of Reading and analysed by means of a t‐test. Results show that the mean reading age of ex‐Reading Recovery children was nearly 12 months superior to that of the Comparison group and that the mean comprehension age was nearly 13 months superior at very highly significant levels. The results strongly suggest that Reading Recovery tuition at age 6 years enabled the 121 ex‐Reading Recovery children to make greater progress in literacy than children in the Comparison group.     

Conceptions of first‐year university students of the constituents of matter and the notions of acids and bases

Preconceptions of first‐year university students of the constituents of matter and the notions of acids and bases were investigated on a total of 400 students. The procedure used consisted of free interviews, semi‐structured interviews and questionnaires.

It was found that the constituents of matter were well known to students, but that interactions between these constituents were either totally unknown or were the subject of severe misconceptions. The students’ knowledge tended to be qualitative and formal, with a worrying lack of connection with everyday life.     

Academic self‐concept among business students in a recruiting university: definition,measurement and potential effects

This study sought to devise a parsimonious instrument for evaluating academic self‐concept (ASC) among British‐born students entering ‘mass‐market’ (post‐1992) universities that cater for diverse and ‘non‐traditional’ intakes. Three major facets of ASC were found to be particularly relevant to these students: self‐belief in one’s academic competence; self‐appreciation of one’s personal worth as a student (independent of ability‐related considerations); and self‐connection with being an undergraduate.     

Assessing students’ understanding of models of biological processes: a revised framework

Models are very important tools when learning and communicating about science. Models used in secondary school biology education range from concrete scale models, such as a model of a skeleton, to abstract concept-process models, such as a visualisation of meiosis. Understanding these concept-process models requires a profound understanding of the concept of models and how they are used in biology. This study evaluates an existing framework for its use in assessing students’ understanding of biological concept-process models. Four additions were required to extend the applicability of the framework to concept-process models. We were also able to give an indication of students’ current level of understanding of these models, showing room for improvement in all aspects of understanding. Since concept-process models have a central place in many scientific disciplines, it is important that students have a deep understanding of the nature, application and limitations of these models. The current study contributes to assessing the way students reason with concept-process models. Knowing how to improve students’ view on the use of concept-process models in biology may lead to higher scientific literacy.