Student Engagement at Two-Year Institutions: Age and Generational Status Differences

This study examined the relationship between participation and location of dual-credit enrollment and the educational aspirations of high school students. A total of 304 students from 5 rural Kansas high schools were surveyed. The return rate was 80.9%. Results indicated that participation in dual-credit programs had a positive and significant relationship with educational aspirations. Other independent variables that demonstrated strong predictive importance for educational aspirations were parents’ educational levels and grades. The findings further indicated that concurrent enrollment location was a significant predictor of educational aspirations.     

Transfer paths and academic performance: The primary school merger program in china

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, China's Ministry of Education embarked on an ambitious program of primary school mergers by shutting down small village schools and opening up larger centralized schools in towns and county seats. The goal of the program was to improve the teacher and building resources in an attempt to raise the human capital of students in poor rural areas, although it was recognized that students would lose the opportunity to learn in the settings of their own familiar villages. Because of the increased distances to the new centralized schools, the merger program also entailed building boarding facilities and encouraging or mandating that students live at school during the week away from their family. Given the magnitude of the program and the obvious mix of benefits and costs that such a program entails there has been surprisingly little effort to evaluate the impact of creating a new system that transfers students from school to school during their primary school period of education and, in some cases, making student live in boarding facilities at school. In this paper, our overall goal is to examine the impact of the Rural Primary School Merger Program on academic performance of students using a dataset from a survey that we designed to reflect transfer paths and boarding statuses of students. We use OLS and Propensity Score Matching approaches and demonstrate that there is a large “resource effect” (that is, an effect that appears to be associated with the better facilities and higher quality of teachers in the town and county schools) that appears to be associated with the transfers of students from less centralized schools (such as village schools) to more centralized schools. Boarding, however, is shown to have negative impacts on academic performance. However, students who transfer to county school benefit from the transfer no matter where they start and whether they board or not.     

Meaningful education for returning-to-school students in a comprehensive upper secondary school in Iceland

Dropout from upper secondary education in Iceland is higher than in the neighboring countries, but varied options to re-enter school have also been on offer. This article focuses on how students, who had returned to a selected upper secondary school after having quit in one or more other schools, benefited from an innovative pedagogical approach used in the school. The article draws upon interviews, in which the interviewees expressed their pleasure with the school, reporting three main assets of its pedagogy: firstly, a supportive school ethos and student–teacher relationships expressed by the ways in which teachers worked, and also in teachers’ views towards students; secondly, an online learning platform, used by all teachers, which the students could use to structure their studies; and thirdly, the use of formative assessment and no final end-of-term examinations. This pedagogy comprises a whole school approach, and the article concludes that such a school culture and practice enables teenagers and young adults to exercise their right to re-enter academic upper secondary education, which prepares for college, rather than directing them to an industry vocational or practical study program they take little or no interest in.     

Secondary School Teachers’ Perception of Corporal Punishment: A Case Study in India

This article examines secondary school teachers’ perceptions of corporal punishment in India. Although it has been banned in Indian schools, various types of corporal punishment are still used by teachers. It has been mainly used as a mechanism for controlling disciplinary problems in schools. Based on a pilot study of 160 secondary teachers, the result of the research reveals that teachers still perceive corporal punishment as an effective method of controlling indiscipline in class. However, some teachers state that corporal punishment is ineffective in deterring students from misbehaving. Corporal punishment is not a good method to maintain discipline. Adopting harsh methods indicates a lack of proper training in managing students in a classroom situation and a poor understanding by the teachers of students’ mental states. An awareness program for secondary school teachers about the effects of corporal punishment on children is needed. The solution is proper training for teachers and student-teachers in the use of counseling to manage behavioral problem. Also full-time counselors can be appointed in schools.     

A case study of integration and destreaming: Teachers and students in an Ontario secondary school respond

The direction that secondary school reform should take has become a contested question in the province of Ontario, Canada, during the 1990s. This case study of one secondary school examines some of the issues surrounding the transition years. Two policies, destreaming and integration, mandatedbythe OntarioMinistryof Education in 1993, and fully implemented by 1995, are examined by means of interview and survey. Administrators, teachers and students commented on the transition from elementary to secondary school. We discuss questions related to destreaming (especially how teachers contend with mixed-ability classes) and integration (with a particular focus on mathematics, science and technology).     

Outcomes of first year secondary students in a computer‐augmented physics program on measurement

Measurement is a foundational topic in secondary school physics that must be taught to all beginning secondary education students in Kenya. The secondary level offers education for students who are aged between 12‐ and 18‐years‐old. Physics teachers in the Rift Valley province identified the topic of measurement as an area that is difficult to teach through traditional methods. This study explored the effectiveness of a computer‐augmented physics (CAP) program on teaching the topic of measurement to first year secondary students. A total of 118 secondary education students (65 males and 53 females) participated in the study. They were randomly selected and randomly assigned to three similar classrooms situated in three schools easily accessible by the Njoro‐Menengai and Nakuru‐Marigat roads better and served as the treatment and control groups. Except for the treatment group, all groups received the same course content for a period of six weeks. The findings of the study affirmed the impact of innovation on the students’ learning outcomes in that the mean gains of the participants in the CAP treatment were significantly higher than that of their counterparts in the regular program. Also, the results indicated that the mean differences between the experimental group and the control group were statistically significant in favour of the treatment group. The findings also showed no relationship between the participants’ gender and their learning outcomes. The study concludes that the use of the computer to augment conventional physics teaching has major implications for secondary physics in this area.     

高中学生建立创新个性特色档案的优势

学生档案作为学生成长发展与升学的一个重要考评项目,一直以来在我国中学教育中占有重要地位。随着社会的不断发展和教育理念的不断多元化,学生综合素质的培养和归档重要性已经越来越凸显。今年我国中央级领导已提出对我国教育进行全程大规模的改革,其中高中教育被视为改革中重点,为顺应改革,基于学校档案工作的存在宗旨,本文将致力于探讨档案工作创新的必要性及其优势。     

Achievements and challenges: Implementing a 1:1 program in a secondary school

This longitudinal study explores one secondary school’s approach towards implementing a one computer to one student (1:1) program, which commenced in 2011. Prior to 2011, the school was not very technologically advanced, mainly due to financial constraints which impacted on infrastructure, procurement of hardware and software, the availability of computers to students and learning and teaching. This study considers the perceptions of student and teachers about the integration of the 1:1 program across the School. A mixed methodology was employed comprising qualitative interview data and questionnaires to provide quantitative responses. This enabled an exploration of the effect of the 1:1 program as reported by teachers and the students themselves, as well as the examination of a range of related issues, such as the use of the devices, as well as issues about the implementation of the program. The findings are presented in a thematic style and provide insight into how the 1:1 program was deployed each year through the lens of students and teachers. The paper concludes with recommendations for the successful implementation of a 1:1 program.     

Catching them before they fall: a Vygotskian approach to transitioning students from high school to university

University enabling programs, worldwide, generally target high school students who excel at school, or post-secondary students who have underperformed in their university entry examinations. Murdoch University provides an access program for Year/Grade 12 students who are not on a university pathway during their final year of high school. This intervention engages students at a transitional stage of cognitive development to: (a) determine their readiness to move to the next level of their cognitive thinking; (b) facilitate that process through collaborative learning; (c) support and nurture university aspirations and (d) provide a direct transition pathway from secondary to higher education. The influence of Vygotsky's zones of proximal development in the context of this program is discussed, and by comparing the performance of these students in their first year of university with other domestic-entry students, we argue that this enabling program prepares them for successful transition into higher education.     

Cultivating constructivist science internships for high school students through a community of practice with cogenerative dialogues

Working with scientists has been suggested as an effective way for high-school students to learn authentic science. However, little research has involved students’ perceptions of science learning environments in a university internship. This study drew on the theoretical framework of community of practice with cogenerative dialogues to design an internship program that aims to build a constructivist internship for students. Students who learned science in the internship program developed stronger constructivist learning perceptions than those who learned science in school. Specifically, students perceived that they had more opportunities to think independently of the instructors and other students. Three effective principles for program design are: (a) high school students conduct open-inquiry projects with the support of scientists; (b) high school students and scientists conduct cogenerative dialogues regularly to address issues and share experiences; and (c) high school students present their project proposals and scientific findings at open house events. Implications of the results are discussed.     

90后职校生心理发展表征与青春期教育

90后职校生这一特殊青年群体的诞生,挑战着职业学校的办学理念、教育模式、管理制度和实践策略.青春期教育是中等职业学校素质教育的重要内容.职业学校教师要理解90后职校生青春期的心理世界,实施科学的青春期教育,与90后职校生携手走过青春期,追求职业教育管理的艺术与智慧.     

Cultural and Linguistic Investment: Adolescents in a Secondary Two-Way Immersion Program

This qualitative study inquired into secondary students' perceptions of their participation in a secondary Spanish-English two-way immersion (TWI) program, triangulating data from 166 surveys and 24 focus interviews across grades 6–12. After reviewing current research on secondary two-way immersion programs, the article describes the study and its findings. The first finding stresses the continuous link between language and identity and how this link differs within the Latino group. A second theme centered on how students viewed the linguistic and cultural capital the TWI program aims to develop, with the Anglo students identifying bilingualism for better job opportunities as the most important capital. Latino students also envisioned better job opportunities; however, Spanish was valued foremost for its connection to their families and roots. Finally, the third theme discusses linguistic and cultural equity. Though all students evaluated their experiences in the TWI program positively, they acknowledged that as they moved through the secondary years, their exposure to Spanish declined and English dominated their school day. The authors urge educators to consider how the academic, linguistic, and cultural benefits of TWI programs are distributed for various groups enrolled in the program.     

The de-facto privatization of secondary education in Egypt: a study of private tutoring in technical and general schools

Most secondary school students in Egypt enrol in private tutoring in almost all subjects throughout the school year. A large proportion of students have stopped attending school altogether due to their reliance on tutoring. This study of how educational markets are perpetuated at school level finds that in the technical track catering to the working classes, the market is forced upon students through physical and verbal intimidation by teachers receiving below subsistence wages. In the more middle class general secondary track, pressure to enrol in tutoring is less direct and the market is promoted as a necessity for competitive exam readiness, despite its unclear dividends. The result has been a de-facto privatization of secondary education facilitated by a state that has determined the material conditions of teachers, failed to prevent related abuse and corruption, and reduced its investment in education to the point that the market has effectively emptied out and displaced public schooling.     

Goals for Effective Schools: The View from the Field

This paper reports on findings related to the perceptions held by members of school communities with respect to the tasks and role of effective schools. The data are from a study conducted in Melbourne, Australia in 1990‐91. Findings from this research indicate that members of school communities: principals, teachers, school council members, parents and students believe that the tasks of an effective school are more than those related to the academic program and include the development of citizenship and self concept, personal development and employment skills and a concern for the educational development of all members of the school community.     

Career guidance needs assessment of black secondary school students in the transvaal province of the republic of South Africa

This study investigates the career guidance needs of 600 Black secondary school students. It also examines how Black secondary school principals perceive the guidance programs in their schools. The results indicate sixteen categories of career guidance needs which should receive priority in planning guidance services for this population. The students consistently felt their needs were not being met. Not less than 60% expressed a need for additional help with finding jobs and careers, understanding the guidance program, developing self-understanding, career awareness, exploration and planning, interpersonal relationships, value clarification, selection of courses and acquisition of decision-making skills in sharp contrast to the help they feel they have received. Career guidance in Black South African schools has not received proper attention for a long time. It has only been in recent years that this phenomenon has attracted the attention of educationists (Cloete and le Roux 1978). Students have always experienced difficulties when making decisions about their careers. Tenuous choices seemed to be a result of the students' lack of sufficient knowledge regarding themselves (i.e. their abilities, attitudes, interests and values) as well as vocational careers, school preparatory subjects and courses leading to those careers, educational and vocational opportunities available to them and financial assistance (Prediger et al., 1973). Self-understanding is the single basic goal of school guidance programs. Through self-understanding, students can begin to know, appreciate and utilize their aptitudes, interests, values and limitations. It improves analytical and critical thinking, growth and development. Students who understand themselves are characterized by their ability to make more rational educational and vocational plans. McDaniel and Shaftel (1956) maintained that every individual should be helped to study and understand himself as a unique person and to respond to the pressures and stimuli of the time and place in which he lives; Holland (1973) suggested that one needs appropriate and accurate information about oneself as well as the occupational field in order to make a realistic choice of vocation. Self-understanding and acceptance is a pre-requisite for the process of choosing an occupation. Super (1957) observed that along this road to self-knowledge every young person needs assistance and that success in understanding oneself is a sine qua non for the development of independence and decisionmaking skills. Interests are important in that they can help students begin thinking seriously about educational planning, vocational exploration and eventually about career development. Ginzberg (1966) believed that many young people do not know enough about the world of work to be able to translate their interests and capacities readily into occupational choices. Hoppock (1967) holds the view that one develops interest in an occupation because one has been exposed to it before. The same is still true today. Many young people are unaware that the choices of subjects they make and the activities they participate in at school can influence vocational choices which will affect their future lives. Super (1957) further contends that probably no other decision a young person makes is as crucial for happiness in life as his or her choice of work, including the educational preparation for it. Carlyle says that ‘it is the first of all problems for man to find out what kind of work he is to do in this universe’. Illuminating the importance of work in one's existence, Karl Marx said ‘man becomes man through his work’. Boy and Pine (1971) speak of work as ‘a therapeutic and personally integrating experience’. A careful look at the secondary educational system of South Africa reveals emphasis on an academic curriculum that is designed for college-bound students though not all Black students go to college. For most, secondary school is the terminal point in their formal education. This being so, the secondary school curriculum ought to provide them with sufficient self-knowledge concerning their aptitudes, interests, aspirations and skills to become successful and productive members of society. Napier (1972) contends that a society which fails to nurture the capabilities and talents of its youth fails in its obligation to them and to itself. As Tyler (1970) has observed, high school students are generally concerned about becoming independent adults, getting jobs, marrying, gaining status with their peers and helping to solve the ills of the world. Generally speaking, this is also true for South African youth. To assist them with these concerns, career guidance is essential for Black South African secondary school students today. With the help of adequate career guidance, every student should leave the school system equipped with the ability to think critically and make realistic personal decisions and plans for their future. However, this need students have for career guidance in their schools is sometimes overlooked. It is also conceivable that the degree to which individual students need guidance should vary. Differences in need seem to depend largely on differences in physical maturity, socioeconomic and cultural forces, and personality characteristics. Available evidence suggests that although there may be a common set of students' needs their priority for certain students varies and shifts in accordance with age, sex, experience and geographic location (Prediger et al., 1973; Crites, 1974, Carney and Barak 1976). According to Herr and Cramer (1979) guidance has been defined ‘as that part of pupil personnel services — and therefore of elementary and secondary education — aimed at maximal development of individual potentialities through devoting school-wide assistance to youth in the personal problems, choices and decisions each must face as he moves towards maturity’. There seems to be a consensus among guidance authorities that the following major services constitute the guidance program: the inventory service, the information service, the counselling service, the placement service and the follow-up and evaluation services. These services are an intergral part of the total school curriculum and they facilitate the instructional program as it attempts to help each student attain the maximum level of his or her potential. Research studies (Super, 1949 and 1968; Holland, 1973; Boy and Pine, 1971; Hoppock, 1967, Napier, 1972) indicate that out of an effective guidance program grows the capacity and freedom of the participants to contend more assertively for their beliefs and plan and execute strategies for making vocational decisions more efficiently and effectively. It is, therefore, imperative that each student be helped to reach the highest level of his or her potential as a human being. The present study sought to investigate the career guidance needs of Black South African secondary school students and the degree to which these needs are being met by the present guidance services in the schools. In addition, the views of the principals of the selected schools regarding the present status of guidance services were sought.     

“U-G-S”师范生协同培养机制及其实践探索

师范生培养在整个国民教育中具有非常重要的作用,其培养机制是教育供给侧改革的重要部分,是教师教育改革的重要环节。当前,师范生培养机制中仍存在人才培养方案设计不完善,地方政府督导力度不够,中小学实践科学性不足等问题。"U-G-S"协同培养机制的建立对改革高校人才培养范式、提升地方政府的教育调控力度、增强中小学教师人才储备、塑造师范生职业认同感以及促进高校与中小学资源共享具有重要作用,将有利于各主体参与协同,解决传统师范生培养模式中的弊端。"U-G-S"师范生协同培养机制可采取优化培养方案、加强教育教学实践基地建设、增强各方主体合作制度保障等措施。     

Free lunch for all? The impact of universal school lunch on student misbehavior

South Korean primary and secondary schools have been providing free lunches only to low-income students since the 1980s. In the early 2010s, the Free School Meal Program (FSMP) expanded the provision of free lunches to all students, without altering the nutritional content of the school meals or the school meal take-up rate, which has always been very high. We investigate the impact of this universal school lunch program on the incidence of misbehavior in schools. We find that FSMP reduces the number of behavioral incidents, particularly physical fights between students, by about 35%.