Vulnerability and Resilience: A Study of High-Risk Adolescents

Factors that allow children to maintain socially competent behaviors despite stress were examined among 144 inner-city ninth-grade students with a mean age of 15.3 years. Stress was operationalized by scores on a negative life events scale, and definitions of social competence were based on peer ratings, teacher ratings, and school grades. Moderator variables examined included intelligence, internal locus of control, social skills, ego development, and positive life events. Following theoretical models by Garmezy and Rutter, distinctions were made between compensatory factors (which are directly related to competence) and protective/vulnerability factors (which interact with stress in influencing competence). Ego development was found to be compensatory against stress. Internality and social skills proved to be protective factors, while intelligence and positive events were involved in vulnerability processes. This study also revealed that children labeled as resilient were significantly more depressed and anxious than were competent children from low stress backgrounds.     

The relationship between protective factors and outcomes for children investigated for maltreatment

ObjectivesThis research explores the relationship between hypothesized protective factors and outcomes for children investigated for maltreatment.MethodsUsing data from the National Survey on Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW), we ran logistic regression models to examine the relationship between hypothesized protective factors (social competence, adaptive functioning skills, and peer relationships) and outcomes (externalizing behavior, internalizing behavior, reading competence).ResultsFor each hypothesized protective factor, we found variation in individual scores and sample mean scores at the lower end of the scales, indicating that these children fare worse than most children. However, many children experienced large changes in their individual scores over time suggesting that children can and do improve on these hypothesized protective factors. In examining the relationship between hypothesized protective factors and outcomes, children with higher levels of social competence were significantly more likely to be in the normal range for both externalizing and internalizing behaviors. Children with higher mean adaptive functioning skills were more likely to be in the normal range for both externalizing behavior and reading competence. The positive nature of the child's peer relationships was also related to externalizing behavior and reading competence.ConclusionsOverall, our analyses support the idea that social competence, adaptive functioning skills, and peer relationships are related to outcomes for children investigated for maltreatment. While further research is needed to establish a causal link, this work identifies three individual-level hypothesized protective factors as potential sources of variation in outcomes.Practice implicationsTo prevent or alleviate the harmful consequences maltreatment, it is necessary to understand factors that help children move beyond poor outcomes. Our analyses suggest that a strong relationship exists between a child's social competence, adaptive functioning skills and positive peer relationships and select outcomes three years after being investigated for maltreatment. With these individual-level protective factors related to more positive outcomes, it suggests that intervening to increase protective factors could improve outcomes for maltreated and at-risk children.     

Long-term effects of leisure education on leisure needs and stress in older adults

We examined whether a 12-week leisure education program could promote leisure autonomy and leisure competence and reduce stress in older adults. Forty subjects were randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group. Before the experiment, pretest data were collected using leisure autonomy, leisure competence, and stress scales. After the experiment, posttest data were collected using the same scales; follow-up test data were collected a year later. These data were evaluated through an analysis of covariance. The results indicated that the average posttest and follow-up test scores of leisure autonomy and leisure competence in the experimental group were significantly higher than the corresponding scores in the control group and that the average posttest and follow-up test scores of stress in the experimental group were significantly lower than the corresponding scores in the control group. In the experimental group, the average posttest and follow-up test scores of leisure autonomy and leisure competence were significantly higher than the average pretest scores of leisure autonomy and leisure competence, whereas the average posttest and follow-up test scores of stress were significantly lower than the average pretest scores of stress. Therefore, health care practitioners should adopt the provision of leisure education as a priority to promote leisure autonomy and leisure competence and reduce stress in older adults.     

Mothers' Social Coaching, Mother-Child Relationship Style, and Children's Peer Competence: Is the Medium the Message?

Contributions of mothers' social coaching and responsive style to preschoolers' peer competence were evaluated in 2 studies. In Study 1, 43 mother-child dyads participated in 3 laboratory tasks; videotapes were coded for responsive interaction style in play, advice regarding videotaped peer dilemmas (coaching), and nonsocial teaching in a puzzle task. Coaching and style were largely independent and were correlated with measures of social competence. In Study 2 ( n = 62), coaching and style uniquely predicted teacher ratings, but only style predicted peer acceptance. To investigate whether coaching mediated the effects of style and/or whether style moderated the effects of coaching, the samples were combined. No evidence was found for mediation, but coaching was a more powerful predictor of lower levels of boys' aggression when the mother-child relationship was less responsive. Discussion focuses on models of socialization that stress the interplay of general style and specific socialization practices in promoting social competence.     

A multi-study examination of intra-individual feedback loops between competence and value beliefs,procrastination, and goal achievement

In the present study, we tested intra-individual feedback loops between competence beliefs, value beliefs, and goal achievement (virtuous circles), and intra-individual feedback loops between goal failure and procrastination (vicious circle). We analyzed data from five independent intensive longitudinal studies with university students (N = 841, k = 23,448 observations). Pre-registered hypotheses were tested across the five studies and aggregated using meta-analytic methods. Results provided support for virtuous circles in self-regulated learning: Students who reported higher competence and value beliefs in one study session reported higher goal achievement, and higher goal achievement predicted higher competence and value beliefs in the subsequent study session. Results provided only partial support for a vicious circle: Procrastination was associated with lower goal achievement but goal achievement did not predict subsequent procrastination. The results have theoretical implications for models of self-regulated learning and methodological implications for the design of experience sampling studies.     

Coping strategies for adaptation to new teacher appointments: Intervention for retention

Findings are presented from a qualitative longitudinal collective case study of 29 teachers newly appointed to rural or remote schools in Western Australia. All participants experienced stress and articulated coping strategies in response: direct-action, palliative and avoidant strategies. Where protective structures and processes existed in environments, teachers employed direct-action problem-solving strategies. Avoidant strategies were more common in young and mature-aged novices, rather than experienced teachers.Three critical times were identified to support adaptation: first weeks of appointment for information, first semester for assistance, support, feedback for development of competence and three months before the year-end for stability and certainty.     

数学课堂教学中数据分析核心素养的培育

培养学生数据分析素养是新时代教学变革对数学教学提出的新要求,同时,在数学课堂教学中培育学生的数据分析核心素养也是新时代教师面临的挑战。21世纪初各国提出的核心素养之一即包括数学与科学技术素养,我国数学课程标准也明确将数据分析列入数学学科核心素养。因此,数据分析的数学课堂教学应突破传统、单一的教学理论与方法,创设新维度的课堂教学及模式。数据分析知识体系是数学课堂教学及其建构的重要载体,建构的基本框架包括问题与情境、材料与数据、活动与经验、知识与技能、理论与方法五个维度。教师应通过数学问题解决教学、数据情境教学、案例式教学、探究式教学与开放式教学、数学思想方法的教学等多元化路径培育学生的数据分析核心素养。     

Mit welchem Auflösungsgrad können Kompetenzen modelliert werden? In welcher Beziehung stehen Modelle zueinander,die Kompetenz in einer Domäne mit unterschiedlichem Auflösungsgrad beschreiben?

Competence models are supposed to structure a competence into different sub-competencies and to describe different levels of competence with respect to these sub-competencies. In developing a competence model (and measuring the respective competence) the following questions need to be answered: How many sub-competencies can be meaningfully differentiated and at which grain size should different levels of competence be measured. The number of sub-competencies and the grain size of the competence levels define the level of detail of a competence model. Previous research in the field of competence modeling suggests that the same competence can be modeled at different levels of detail. This raises the question which relation such competence models have to each other. The following article presents the results of a discussion of these questions in scope of the priority program “Competence Models for Assessing Individual Learning Outcomes and Evaluating Educational Processes”.     

Inwiefern sind Kompetenzmodelle dazu geeignet kognitive Prozesse von Lernenden zu beschreiben?

The increasing use of competence models for modelling domain specific knowledge in school raises the question to what extent such models can represent cognitive processes. The article analyses the recent development of models for competence scales, competence stages, competence structures and so-called cognitive diagnostic models and taxes their value in the context of subject specific educational sciences and developmental psychology.     

Towards an Understanding of the Links between Conceptual Understanding of Computer Systems and Information Technology Competence

ABSTRACT

This paper claims that there is a need for an explicit model of how preservice students develop information technology competence in order to inform course design. It is tentatively suggested that there are links between students’ mental models of computer systems and their IT competence. A pilot feasibility study is described which uses a novel research instrument that attempts to quantify students’ mental models of computer systems on two scales: level of technical sophistication and level of abstraction. Students’ scores on these scales are correlated with their self‐ratings of their information technology competence on sixteen statements from an Association for Information Technology in Teacher Education questionnaire. The findings suggest that there is no relationship between students’ information technology competence and the level of technical sophistication of their mental model of computer systems but that there is a link between information technology competence and the level of abstraction of their mental models. Areas where further work is required are identified and implications for the design of information technology courses for preservice students are discussed.     

英语语音水平与听力理解能力的相关研究

以31名非英语专业大学生为研究对象,对被试的英语语音水平和听力理解能力进行相关研究分析,结果发现：被试的语音测试和四级听力成绩均未达到理想水平,语音测试中连读、失去爆破和不完全爆破尤为薄弱;被试的语音水平与听力理解能力呈显著相关,尤其表现在意群停顿、单词发音、元音音素、辅音音素、连读和语句重音方面;在英语语音水平与听力理解能力的相关性上存在性别差异。     

Zwischen Schule und Universität: Argumentation in der Mathematik

Several studies show that university students in Germany still have problems in reasoning mathematically although this already should be fostered at high school since the implementation of standards for school mathematics. Mathematical argumentation is a core competence and highly important, especially in academic mathematics. To foster mathematical argumentation at the beginning of university studies, competence models are needed which give more detailed insights in the skills that are necessary for reasoning. As mathematical argumentation is a complex process, especially at the higher secondary level or at university, many little steps are needed to complete a competence model for argumentation at the secondary–tertiary transition gradually. A possible step can be to initially identify several aspects of mathematical argumentation competence that influence the reasoning quality. The empirical basis for identifying those aspects is a cross-sectional study with 439 engineering students who participate in a transition course in mathematics. We address the following questions: (1) how is the quality of student’s reasoning? (2) Which kind of arguments do students use? (3) What resources do students who reasoned correctly use for solving the problems? (4) Does the content of the tasks play an important role? The results show a great influence of the content on the reasoning quality, especially if the content is abstract or concrete. Argumentation quality of students decreases with an increasing level of abstraction of the content. Furthermore, the results reveal that students often use routines for solving the problems. That indicates that procedural approaches still play an important role in school mathematics. If procedures could be used for solving the tasks, students are more successful. Competence models for mathematical argumentation at the beginning of the tertiary level should, therefore, include these factors.     

Making sense of science in the reception class

In the context of growing awareness of young children's capabilities, and debates about the nature of their reasoning in science, this study set out to explore the ways in which reception children make sense of classroom experiences in science. A particular challenge of the study was to develop appropriate and productive approaches to investigating young children's developing thinking. The first phase of research, reported in this paper, concentrated on the topic of electricity. A series of case studies was undertaken to examine children's learning in a classroom context. Classroom sessions were video recorded and transcribed to examine the development of children's practical competence in circuit making, and interviews were carried out to elicit children's views about electric circuits. Analysis of the classroom sessions revealed children's growing competence in circuit making through their self‐directed efforts. The interviews prompted predictions and explanations that were not offered spontaneously. Responses indicated a range of models of the circuit and forms of explanation for what was happening in the circuit. The relationship between children's practical competence, predictions and explanations was not straightforward. Analysis revealed marked differences in models of the circuit and forms of explanation in children with the same levels of practical competence. This has important implications for the ways in which children's views are assessed.     

Teacher interpersonal competence for Dutch secondary multicultural classrooms

In the Netherlands, as in many European countries, classrooms display a growing cultural diversity. There are only very limited empirically supported data on the interpersonal competence teachers need in Dutch classrooms and studies from other countries cannot be generalized because of differences in the composition of the student population. This paper reports on an exploratory study in two schools on teachers' experiences in multicultural classes followed by an in‐depth case study of one expert teacher. We use this study to answer the question to what degree this teacher displays interpersonal competence (teaching behaviours, knowledge and attitudes) specific for teaching in multicultural classrooms by comparing this teacher's competence with generic interpersonal teaching competence. The teacher studied seems to be aware of special needs of students from different cultures and to use this knowledge to apply specific teaching strategies and interpersonal cues to create a positive classroom atmosphere and to cater for needs of diverse students. Further, the results indicate that many elements of this teacher's interpersonal competence in teaching a multicultural class can be considered aspects of generic teaching competence. It seems that the multicultural classroom puts heavier demands on this competence than a less diverse classroom.     

以职业能力培养为导向的翻译专业教学模式研究

翻译专业教学既要培养学生高层次的翻译能力、技术工具能力,又要培养学生自主学习、可持续发展以及交流合作、组织协调能力,要能帮助学生适应不断变化的社会需求,在翻译产业集群甚至相关职业群中顺利实现择业、从业、转岗甚至转业。基于此,以学生职业能力培养为导向构建翻译专业教学模式已成为必要的、合理的选择。     

System competence modelling: Theoretical foundation and empirical validation of a model involving natural,social and human‐environment systems

Constituting a metacognitive strategy, system competence or systems thinking can only assume its assigned key function as a basic concept for the school subject of geography in Germany after a theoretical and empirical foundation has been established. A measurement instrument is required which is suitable both for supporting students and for the evaluation of methodical‐didactic measures. Such a tool is theoretically anchored in an empirically validated geography‐didactic and cognition‐psychological competence model, providing a differentiated representation of both the internal structure of a competency and the proficiency levels. The starting point of this foundation was the development of a normative‐theoretically derived model of geographic system competence. Its empirical validation was performed in different phases aimed at operationalising the competence model by means of test problems. In order to analyse the factor structure of the theoretical model, various item response models were estimated. The item levels of difficulty expected in the competence model were related to the empirical levels of difficulty and predicted by means of ordinary least squares regression to verify the model for proficiency levels. The two‐dimensional competence model – with the two dimensions ‘system organisation and behaviour’ and ‘system‐adequate intention to act’ – exhibits a better fit in reference to the model fit criteria than the one‐dimensional and three‐dimensional models. The correlations between the expected and empirical item difficulties are positive. Items that should be more difficult according to the competence model are actually shown to be more difficult. These findings suggest the reliability and validity of this new measurement instrument for diagnosing and promoting geographical system competence. It has to be implemented in practice as the next step.     

Deinstitutionalising school science: Implications of a strong view of situated cognition

Psychological models of learning have been shaped by information processing models for four decades. These models have led to teaching models based on information transfer from teachers to students. However, recent research in many fields shows that information processing models do not account for much of human competence in everyday scientific and lay contexts. At the same time, situated cognition models have been developed that better account for competence in widely differing situations. The implications of situated cognition are rather different from those of information processing. Teaching and learning are no longer conceived simply in terms of information transfer but as increasing participation in everyday practices. Conceiving of science learning as a trajectory of increasing participation asks educators to rethink the purpose of science education from preparing scientists to preparing citizens to participate in public enactments of science, and this entails deinstitutionalising school science to take science beyond the classroom walls.     

建构主义学习理论指导下非英语专业学生跨文化交际能力的培养——浅谈抛锚式教学模式

随着科学技术和经济全球化的进一步发展,2008年奥运会在北京的成功举办以及2010年上海世博会的胜利落幕,越来越多的英语教育者已经意识到跨文化交际能力的培养在英语教学中的重要性,很多教育学家也从国外引进了一些该领域的理论和教学方法,同时也提出了他们自己的观点以及符合中国实际的教学模式。但很多介绍都是针对英语专业学生,很少有论文涉及非英语专业学生跨文化交际能力的提高,结合建构主义学习理论的教学方法更为罕见。因此,本文试图结合建构主义学习理论在语言教学中一些优点来培养非英语专业学生的跨文化交际能力。     

Exploring the effects of training facilitators of dementia-family support programs

Dementia patients have various caregiving needs, which can be serious sources of stress for their families. The increasing numbers of dementia patients and their families mean that new interventions are required to help families provide these complex caregiving needs. Facilitators of dementia-family support programs struggle to provide various health and social services while facing diverse challenges when running these programs. The purpose of this study was to determine the self-efficacy, competence, and target complaints when operating a dementia-family support program among facilitators who had participated in a facilitator training program. The study had a one-group pretest and posttest design, and data from 32 facilitators at 28 community dementia centers were analyzed. We used a self-reported questionnaire to collect quantitative and qualitative data before and after participating in the training program. The self-efficacy and competence of the facilitators increased after participating in the training program and operating their own dementia-family support program. Target complaints that represented challenges to operating a dementia-family support program were divided into five categories, and most of them decreased at the posttest. This study has demonstrated the advantages of providing a training program to facilitators, which resulted in improvements in self-efficacy, competence, and difficulties when they were operating a dementia-family support program.     

Perception of competence: risk and protective predictors following an e‐self‐advocacy intervention for adolescents with learning disabilities

The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of competence among adolescents with learning disabilities (LD) who participated in a virtual supported self‐advocacy programme within the risk and protective paradigm. The sample consisted of 374 adolescents with and without learning disabilities, students of the 7th to 9th grades, at 15 schools across Israel. The adolescents were divided into three groups, matched by age and gender: 111 adolescents with LD who participated in a five‐month virtual‐supported intervention, and two comparison groups: adolescents with LD (N = 115) who did not participate in the program and adolescents without LD (N = 148). The self‐perceptions of adolescents were assessed using the following questionnaires: basic psychological skills (competence and relatedness); hope and loneliness. Following the intervention, higher competence scores were reported by students with LD who participated in the programme. At that time (the end of the academic year), the predictors of the groups of students with LD for the competence measure were their level of competence at the beginning of the period, their belonging to the group who participated in the intervention, their loneliness and hope. Comparisons with predictors of the group of students without LD, and with predictors of competence at the beginning of the year, emphasized the importance of risk factors (loneliness) and the protective factors (hope) for students with LD. In addition, the results focused attention at the contribution of the participation in an e‐supported self advocacy programme for enhancing competence among students with LD.