Instructional effects on critical thinking: Performance on ill-defined issues

Undergraduate students in dyads (N = 72) were randomly and equally assigned to four groups, namely three teaching groups (General, Infusion, and Immersion) and the control group. Students were initially administered the California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST). After instruction, each dyad's critical-thinking performance on an ill-defined problem was tested. A one-way ANCOVA, with the mean CCTST score of each dyad as covariate, indicated that the covariate and the teaching method were significant. Post hoc comparisons showed that the Infusion and the Immersion groups outperformed only the control group. Other quantitative and qualitative analyses revealed that students assigned to the different teaching groups exhibited diverse understandings of critical thinking.     

Making the right connections: Differential effects of reading intervention for subgroups of comprehenders

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of different types of questioning interventions on students' reading comprehension. Fourth-grade students (n = 246) were identified as struggling, average, or good readers and assigned randomly within school to one of three questioning interventions: two inferential conditions (Causal or General) or one literal condition (“Who, What, Where, When” or W-questioning). Teachers delivered the interventions for 20–30 min, 2–4 times per week, for 8–10 weeks. All readers made reliable pre- to posttest comprehension gains as measured by story recall (ps < .001 to .04). Differential effects for intervention were found between two subgroups of struggling comprehenders—elaborators and paraphrasers. Elaborators benefited more than paraphrasers from Causal questioning (d = .86) whereas paraphrasers benefited more than elaborators from General questioning (d = 1.46). These findings suggest that identifying subgroups is important in developing and evaluating the effectiveness of reading comprehension interventions.     

Influence of grade level on perceptual learning style preferences and language learning strategies of Taiwanese English as a foreign language learners

The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between grade level, perceptual learning style preferences, and language learning strategies among Taiwanese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students in grades 7 through 9. Three hundred and ninety junior high school students participated in this study. The instruments for data collection were the Perceptual Learning Style Preference Questionnaire (PLSPQ) and the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL). Results showed that statistically significant relationships were found to exist between grade level and kinesthetic learning style preference (p = .001), tactile learning style preference (p = .047), and individual learning style preference (p = .02). Results also showed that statistically significant relationships were found to exist between grade level and the use of memory strategies (p = .005), cognitive strategies (p = .02), metacognitive strategies (p = .000), affective strategies (p = .000) and social strategies (p = .000). Implications are that it is critical for classroom teachers to be more aware of the differences in their students and ensure that their courses present information that appeal to students in different grade levels.     

Adolescent expectancy-value motivation and learning: A disconnected case in physical education

This study reports adolescent expectancy-value motivation, and its relation to fitness knowledge and psychomotor skill learning in physical education. Students (N = 854) from 12 middle schools provided data on expectancy-value motivation, fitness knowledge and psychomotor skill learning. Results from dependent t-test and MANOVA indicated that 8th grade students rated task values significantly lower than 6th grade while their expectancy beliefs did not significantly differ. Students gained sizable fitness knowledge (d = 0.58, p < 0.05) and badminton skill (d = 1.40, p < 0.05). Multiple regression analyses revealed that expectancy-value motivation did not significantly predict learning in fitness knowledge or psychomotor skills. These findings suggest that expectancy-value motivation might predict engagement and performance, but not necessarily learning achievement in physical education.     

Beyond teaching practice: Exploring individual determinants of student performance on a research skills module

The purpose of this study was to identify the extent to which intrinsic student factors such as cognitive learning style, learning strategies, motivation and statistics anxiety, as well as certain demographic factors, predict performance on a research design and analysis course (RDAIIA) in the Department of Psychology at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, with a view to developing future interventions for improving student performance. Using a sample of eighty students, it was established that the factors most predictive of RDA performance were secondary school performance (p < 0.0001) and age (p = 0.0106). Excluding demographic factors, self-efficacy (p < 0.0001), help-seeking (p = 0.0531) and a reflective learning style (p = 0.0071) were also found to be predictive. Performance also differed between students who had completed Mathematics on the higher grade in secondary school and those who had completed standard grade (p = 0.016). These findings present both possible directions and substantial challenges for future performance-intervention strategies.     

The effect of blended learning on student performance at course-level in higher education: A meta-analysis

The present paper analyzes the impact of blended learning (BL) on the academic achievement of higher education students. A meta-analysis (k = 51 effect sizes) was conducted to perform a statistical synthesis of studies contrasting student performance in BL conditions with traditional classroom instruction. We include disciplines and instructors’ end-of-course evaluation method as moderating variables. The results show that BL demonstrates a small summary effect (g⁺ = 0.385, p < 0.001) compared to traditional teaching methods A significantly higher mean effect size was found in STEM disciplines (g⁺ = 0.496) compared to that of non-STEM disciplines (g⁺ = 0.210). Nevertheless, the weighted mean effect sizes reveal no significant differences regarding of end-of-course assessment methods, namely one-moment and multiple-component assessment. The finding confirms that BL is significantly associated with greater learning performance of STEM-disciplined students than with traditional classroom practice. Accordingly, discussion concerning the findings and implications for future research are elaborated.     

Childhood disclosure of sexual abuse: Necessary but not necessarily sufficient

Prevention programs often encourage sexually abused children to disclose without fully considering the potential for adverse consequences. This study examined the impact of disclosure on abuse cessation and later adult symptomatology. A clinical sample of 301 adult survivors completed the Impact of Event Scale (IES/IES-R), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). Participants were divided into 3 groups: Nondisclosure (n = 221), Disclosure/Abuse Ended (n = 25), and Disclosure/Abuse Continued (n = 55). Multivariate analyses of covariance, adjusting for abuse characteristics (age of onset, penetration, and number of perpetrators) and other trauma exposure, revealed significant differences in psychiatric symptom severity among the three groups, Wilks’ λ = 0. 95, F (6, 584) = 2.69, p = 0.014, η_p² = 0.03. Specifically, those in the Disclosure/Abuse Continued group scored significantly higher on the IES/IES-R Intrusion subscale (p = 0.04) and the BDI-II (p = 0.01), as compared to the Nondisclosure group. The Disclosure/Abuse Ended group did not differ significantly from the other groups. Results suggest that disclosure may be detrimental unless adequate steps are taken to ensure abuse cessation and appropriate treatment.     

Measuring teachers’ perceptions about differentiated instruction: The DI-Quest instrument and model

Within a democratic and multicultural society, diversity is a reality, and differences between students are a fact which teachers have to deal with on a daily basis. Differentiated instruction aims to meet these differences in learning in order to provide all students with the best possible learning opportunities. However, to date no validated instruments exist to measure teachers’ perceptions of differentiated instruction and their related classroom practices. This study, therefore, examined the factor structure and reliability of the Differentiated Instruction Questionnaire, called the DI-Quest instrument. A list of 87 items was constructed, building on existing prevalent theoretical models of Differentiated Instruction (e.g. Tomlinson, 2014; Hall, 2002). An exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was undertaken to investigate the factor structure of the questionnaire. As a result, five factors emerged: two factors related to the teachers’ philosophy of differentiated instruction (the teachers’ mindset and their ethical compass), two factors referred to the practical principles that teachers apply to differentiate (flexible grouping and output = input) and the last factor (differentiated instruction) covered the self-reported extent to which teachers differentiated their instruction related to three types of differences in learning (students’ interests, readiness and learning profile). As a result, the DI-Quest instrument entailed 31 items with a five-factor structure indicating a good fit (CFI = 0.919; TLI = 0.911; RMSEA = 0.041 [0.037–0.044 – 90% confidence interval, p(0.05) = 1.000]; SRMR = 0.048; χ² = 5888.338, df = 465, p = 0.000). In addition, assuming theoretical relatedness between the factors, the validation of a DI-Quest model was empirically validated. We compared the model fit for two models by investigating which model had a lower BIC and AIC value and by comparing their chi square values. The best-fitting DI-Quest model showed four factors (teachers’ mindset, ethical compass, flexible grouping and output = input as dependent variables) functioning as significant predictors of the fifth factor (the self-reported adoption of Differentiated Instruction, which served as an independent variable). Moreover, this paper also discusses the psychometric properties of the DI-Quest instrument and the implications of the model for schools, educators and researchers.     

Attitudes,beliefs, and perceived norms about corporal punishment and related training needs among members of the “American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children”

Hitting children for disciplinary purposes (i.e., spanking or corporal punishment [CP]) is a strong risk factor for child physical abuse and is highly prevalent in the U.S. Yet, little is currently known about the relevant attitudes, beliefs, or training needs of key professionals who often advise parents regarding child discipline strategies. A survey of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC) membership, comprised of mental health professionals, physicians, child welfare professionals, and other professionals in the child maltreatment field, was conducted to assess attitudes, beliefs, perceived norms, training needs, and motivations to change norms regarding CP (N = 571, response rate = 51%). Most respondents agreed that spanking is a bad disciplinary technique (82%), is harmful for children (74%), and leads to negative outcomes (M = 3.0, SD = 0.6) more frequently than positive outcomes (M = 2.1, SD = 0.6; t = 20.8; p < 0.0001) for children. Professionals reported perceiving that their colleagues’ level of endorsement of CP (M = 2.4, SD = 1.0) was higher than their own (M = 1.9, SD = 1.0; t(568) = −10.7, p <0.0001) though still below the midpoint. Professionals reported high levels of preparedness to effectively advise parents on non-physical child discipline strategies, but reported perceiving lower levels of preparedness amongst their colleagues. They reported highly valuing giving such advice to parents and being very motivated to participate in activities designed to change social norms regarding CP. Most APSAC members are poised to change these norms and, in doing so, to help reduce rates of child physical abuse in the U.S.     

Childhood adversity and adult depression: The protective role of psychological resilience

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as childhood abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction, have been identified as salient risk factors for adult depression. However, not all individuals who experience ACEs go on to develop depression. The extent to which resilience- or the ability to demonstrate stable levels of functioning despite adversity- may act as a buffer against depression among individuals with a history of ACEs has not been adequately examined. To address the associations between ACEs, depression, and resilience, 4006 adult participants were recruited from primary care clinics. Participants completed self-report questionnaires including: the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire, a retrospective measure of childhood adversity; the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, a measure of the presence and severity of the major symptoms of depression; and the Connor Davidson Resilience Scale, a measure of psychological resilience. Results from regression analyses indicated that, while controlling for a range of demographic variables, both ACEs and resilience independently predicted symptoms of depression, F(9, 3040) = 184.81, R² = 0.354. Further, resilience moderated the association between ACEs and depression, F(10, 3039) = 174.36, p < 0.001, R² = 0.365. Specifically, the association between ACEs and depression was stronger among individuals with low resilience relative to those with high resilience. This research provides important information regarding the relationships among ACEs, resilience, and depression. Results have the potential to inform the development of treatments aimed to reduce symptoms of depression among primary care patients with a history of childhood adversity.     

History of sexual abuse and suicide attempts in alcohol-dependent patients

History of child abuse is considered one of the important risk factors of suicide attempt in general population. At the same time it has been shown that suicide attempts appear significantly more frequently in alcoholics than in healthy individuals. The objective of this study was to investigate associations between history of childhood sexual abuse and suicide attempts in a sample of Polish alcohol dependent patients. A sample of 364 alcohol-dependent subjects was recruited in alcohol treatment centers in Warsaw, Poland. Information was obtained about demographics, family history of psychiatric problems, history of suicide attempts, sexual and physical abuse during childhood and adulthood and severity of alcohol problems. When analyzed by gender, 7.4% of male and 39.2% of female patients had a lifetime history of sexual abuse; 31.9% of the study group reported at least one suicide attempt during their lifetime. Patients who reported suicide attempts were significantly younger (p = 0.0008), had greater severity of alcohol dependence (p = 0.0002), lower social support (p = 0.003), and worse economic status (p = 0.002). Moreover, there was a significant association between history of suicide attempts and family history of psychiatric problems (p = 0.00025), suicide attempts in the family (p = 0.0073), childhood history of sexual abuse (p = 0.009) as well as childhood history of physical abuse (p = 0.002). When entered into linear regression analysis with other dependent variables history of childhood sexual abuse remained a significant predictor of suicide attempt (OR = 2.52; p = 0.035). Lifetime experience of sexual abuse is a significant and independent risk factor of suicide attempts in alcohol-dependent individuals.     

Professional development of teachers in the implementation of a strategy-focused writing intervention program for elementary students

In this study we examined the effectiveness of Tekster [Texter], a comprehensive program for writing for the upper elementary grades, combining strategy instruction, text structure instruction, and the teaching of self-regulation skills with observational learning, explicit instruction, and (guided) practice to address both the focus of instruction (what is taught) and the mode of instruction (how it is taught). Further, we investigated the added value of a professional development program for teachers on the effectiveness and implementation of the intervention in the classroom, by adopting a teachers-training-teachers approach. One group of teachers (N = 31) was trained by experts, and subsequently trained their colleagues (N = 37). Quasi-experimental results showed that students’ writing performance improved after the intervention (ES = 0.55), while generalizing over tasks, students, and teachers. Further, teachers became more positive and felt more efficacious about teaching writing after the intervention. There were no differences between trainers and trainees, which provides evidence for the spillover effect of professional development. To get more insight in how teachers implemented the intervention in their classroom and in the social validity of the intervention and the teachers-training-teachers approach, we triangulated post-intervention questionnaires with classroom observations and interviews. This mixed methods approach revealed that both trainers and trainees were highly satisfied with the program and easily adapted their focus of instruction. However, for adjusting the mode of instruction more teacher support seems to be needed.     

Role of morphological awareness in biliteracy development: Within- and cross-language perspectives among Korean ESL learners in grades five and six

The study investigated the within- and cross-language contribution of morphological awareness (MA) to vocabulary and reading comprehension among students learning to read two typologically different orthographies at the same time: Korean and English. Fifty Korean ESL learners in grades five and six were administered Korean and English measures of MA (derivational and compound morphemes), vocabulary, and reading comprehension (narrative and expository texts), in addition to measures of phonological awareness (PA) and orthographic awareness (OA). Information about home language environment was also obtained from a parental questionnaire. Path analysis showed that MA was the most significant contributor to vocabulary (β = 0.33, p < 0.05) and reading comprehension (β = 0.46, p < 0.01) in English; and in Korean (β = 0.62 and β = 0.54, respectively, all ps < 0.01), controlling for effects of PA and OA. Unidirectional cross-language transfer was found from Korean MA to English vocabulary (β = 0.27, p < 0.05) and reading comprehension (β = 0.22, p < 0.05) and multiple determining factors are discussed. Educational implications and research recommendations are also presented.     

Adolescents’ preparedness and motivation across the transition to post-comprehensive education

This longitudinal study aims to test the concept of transition preparedness in the context of educational transitions. The study investigates how adolescents’ transition preparedness, conceptualized as their self-efficacy beliefs and their inoculation against setbacks, before an educational transition affect the adolescents’ school value and effort related to educational goals after the transition through the effects on achievement goal orientations. Student data from three waves of a longitudinal study are used, first collected in 2004 (before the students’ transition from comprehensive school to upper secondary education) and then collected twice after the transition. The students included in the analyses are those who participated at all three measurement points (N = 588; 49.5% girls; age M_T1 = 15.01, SD = 0.13). Longitudinal structural equation modeling revealed that adolescents’ self-efficacy beliefs (Time 1) positively predicted school value and effort (Time 3) through their effect on mastery goal orientation (Time 2). Furthermore, self-efficacy moderated the relation between performance-approach goal orientation (Time 1) on school value (Time 2). Results are discussed in terms of their relevance for enhancing adolescents’ adaptive motivational development across educational transitions.     

Domestic violence and immigration status among Latina mothers in the child welfare system: Findings from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being II (NSCAW II)

Many children involved with the child welfare system witness parental domestic violence. The association between children's domestic violence exposure and child welfare involvement may be influenced by certain socio-cultural factors; however, minimal research has examined this relationship. The current study compares domestic violence experiences and case outcomes among Latinas who are legal immigrants (n = 39), unauthorized immigrants (n = 77), naturalized citizens (n = 30), and US-born citizen mothers (n = 383) reported for child maltreatment. This analysis used data from the second round of the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being. Mothers were asked about whether they experienced domestic violence during the past year. In addition, data were collected to assess if (a) domestic violence was the primary abuse type reported and, if so, (b) the maltreatment allegation was substantiated. Results show that naturalized citizens, legal residents, and unauthorized immigrants did not differ from US-born citizens in self-reports of domestic violence; approximately 33% of mothers reported experiences of domestic violence within the past year. Yet, unauthorized immigrants were 3.76 times more likely than US-born citizens to have cases with allegations of domestic violence as the primary abuse type. Despite higher rates of alleged domestic violence, unauthorized citizens were not more likely than US-born citizens to have these cases substantiated for domestic violence (F(2.26, 153.99) = 0.709, p = .510). Findings highlight that domestic violence is not accurately accounted for in families with unauthorized immigrant mothers. We recommend child welfare workers are trained to properly assess and fulfill the needs of immigrant families, particularly as it relates to domestic violence.     

Child sexual abuse research knowledge among child abuse professionals and laypersons

The purposes of this study were to: (1) Assess child abuse professionals’ and nonprofessionals’ knowledge of scientific research findings that are relevant to forensic child sexual abuse (CSA) evaluations and (2) describe associations between child abuse professionals’ levels of research knowledge and their education and experience. An 18-item multiple-choice test was administered to 188 child abuse professionals and 457 nonprofessionals (undergraduate college students) in Brazil and the United States. The nonprofessionals’ average percent correct, M = 44%, was not significantly different than what would be expected for random guessing (45%). The professionals’ average percent correct, M = 55%, was higher than that of nonprofessionals and random guessing (both ps < .001). The average percent correct score for the US-sample psychologists, M = 76%, was higher than the average score of the other professionals, M = 51%, p < .001. Professionals’ educational level, as measured by the highest academic degree obtained, was positively associated with percent correct scores, Spearman's ρ = .46, p < .001. Controlling for educational attainment, professional experience, as measured by the total number of CSA evaluations performed, was weakly associated with percent correct scores, partial r = .15, p = .04. Percent correct scores were low for both nonprofessionals and professionals. Most of the participants in this study were uninformed or misinformed about scientific research findings that are important for conducting optimal forensic CSA evaluations and for making accurate judgments about the validity of sexual abuse allegations.     

Mentoring as service-learning: The relationship between perceived peer support and outcomes for college women mentors

This study examined whether peer support was related to psychosocial outcomes for college women serving as youth mentors in the Young Women Leaders Program (YWLP), a service-learning mentoring program. The outcomes assessed were college students’ ethnocultural empathy and their sense of competence, relatedness, and autonomy. Data included questionnaires completed by YWLP mentors (YWLP; n = 227) and college women with (CS; n = 230) and without (no CS; n = 105) alternative community service involvement. Results showed that YWLP mentors’ level of perceived peer support was associated with stronger outcomes in autonomy as compared to the CS group and in ethnocultural empathy as compared to both comparison groups. These findings extend the literature on effective support for college service-learning participants.     

Situated assessment: Limitations and promise

We present some key findings of a four-year, two-phase writing assessment project at Central Michigan University: Phase One (2002), a survey of faculty members (n = 115) and subsequent focus groups (n = 14) and Phase Two (2005), an evaluation of two samples of student writing (n = 635 and 632). Major findings of Phase One reported here include the amounts and types of writing assigned by faculty members and their perceptions about the quality of their students’ writing. Phase Two revealed some surprising results about our students’ critical reading and writing abilities, confirmed the limitations of a timed-writing assessment methodology, and exposed an intriguing artifact of the data set. We reflect on the process of developing and conducting the assessment project, examine its strengths and weaknesses, and share our thoughts about the next phase of our assessment odyssey.     

Very long-term retention of the control of variables strategy following a brief intervention

Middle school students (n = 354) were tested for their understanding of the control of variables strategy (CVS) 2.5 years after participating in a study comparing three different interventions for teaching CVS. The key finding was that the pattern of effects observed in the 4^th grade continued to be observed in the 6^th grade. This was because (a) students who had mastered CVS in the 4^th grade were likely to continue to perform at mastery levels in the 6^th grade whereas (b) the learning of students who had not mastered CVS in 4^th grade was independent of the teaching intervention they had received in the 4^th-grade study. These findings demonstrate that a brief intervention of direct instruction in CVS can produce long-lasting learning of the principle of controlling variables.     

Factors that influence evidence-based program sustainment for family support providers in child protection services in disadvantaged communities

This paper evaluates program, workplace and process factors associated with implementation and sustainment of an evidence-based parenting support program (EBP) in disadvantaged communities. Correlation analyses and binary logistic regressions were used to assess the associations between key implementation support factors and program implementation (at 18 months) and sustainment (at 36 months) post training with (N = 35) Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family support providers using the Triple P – Positive Parenting Program in Indigenous child protection agencies. This study demonstrated that for implementation at 18 months, there was a trend for implementing providers to report higher levels of partnership support, perceived program benefit, workplace support and workplace cohesion. However, the only significant relationship was with partnership support (r = .31 p < 0.05), and regression analysis indicated that none of the variables were significant predictors of program implementation. For sustained implementation at 36 months, no relationship was found between sustainment and program characteristics, workplace characteristics, supervision and peer support or sustainability planning. Supportive coaching was the only significant correlate (r = 0.46, p < 0.01) and predictor [OR = 15.63, 95% CI (1.98–123.68), p = 0.009] in the program sustainment model. Overall, these findings suggest the need for further exploration of program and workplace variables and provide evidence to consider incorporating partnership support and supportive coaching in real world implementation models to improve the likelihood of EBP implementation and sustainment in Indigenous communities.