INTERNAL FACTOR STRUCTURE AND CONVERGENT VALIDITY EVIDENCE: THE SELF‐REPORT VERSION OF SELF‐REGULATION STRATEGY INVENTORY

Using a sample of 348 middle school students, we gathered evidence regarding the internal consistency of scores, as well as the internal factor structure and convergent validity evidence for inferences from a self‐report questionnaire called the Self‐Regulation Strategy Inventory–Self Report. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the fit indexes for a hierarchical model (composite, three factors) and a single‐level, three‐factor model were highly similar but mixed. Respecification of the hierarchical model based on conceptual overlap of items led to substantial improvement in the overall fit of the model, as indicated by the root mean square error of approximation, chi‐square/df, and the comparative fit index. Correlational analyses also provided strong convergent validity evidence, as the three subscales exhibited statistically significant relations with four motivation beliefs (i.e., self‐efficacy, perceived instrumentality, task interest, perceived responsibility) and two distinct markers of regulation‐related behaviors (i.e., teacher ratings, office discipline referrals).     

USING SELF‐MANAGEMENT INTERVENTIONS TO ADDRESS GENERAL EDUCATION BEHAVIORAL NEEDS: ASSESSMENT OF EFFECTIVENESS AND FEASIBILITY

A comprehensive self‐management intervention was utilized to increase the on‐task behavior of three African American students within an urban middle‐school setting. The intervention was designed to necessitate minimal management on the part of the general education classroom teacher by utilizing an electronic prompting device, as well as a centralized intervention coordinator for the management of training, implementation, and progress monitoring. Results suggested that implementation of the intervention resulted in improvement in on‐task behavior across all three students; however, problems with inconsistent implementation necessitated that modifications be made to the intervention procedures. Implications for the design and implementation of self‐management interventions within general education secondary‐level settings are discussed.     

PRESERVICE TEACHERS’ CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING: A SURVEY OF SELF‐REPORTED TRAINING EXPERIENCES,CONTENT COVERAGE,AND PREPAREDNESS

Many teachers report that their preservice training in classroom management was inadequate or ineffective, but little is known about the types of training they receive. In this exploratory study, 157 preservice teachers from throughout the United States were surveyed about the training sources through which they obtained knowledge and skills in classroom management as well as the content and their attitudes toward the training. A majority of students took stand‐alone courses in classroom management, which were reported to provide the most comprehensive content, but the most frequently reported sources were mentoring and fieldwork. Participants reported that a combination of didactic coursework and hands‐on training were associated with the highest sense of preparedness to use classroom management strategies. Implications for future research and school psychological services are discussed.     

INDIRECT EFFECTS IN THE PEER VICTIMIZATION‐ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT RELATION: THE ROLE OF ACADEMIC SELF‐CONCEPT AND GENDER

Peer victimization is a concern because victimized youth are more likely to have social, emotional, and academic difficulties. The current study examined the link between peer victimization and academic achievement by exploring the indirect effect of academic self‐concept on two variables. The sample consisted of 140 middle school students (40% male, 60% female). Using structural equation modeling, a mediation model revealed a significant indirect effect of victimization on academic achievement through academic self‐concept; however, when tested for gender differences, the indirect effect was only significant for girls. Interpretation of these results and suggestions for future studies are discussed.     

SOCIAL PERSUASIONS BY TEACHERS AS A SOURCE OF STUDENT SELF‐EFFICACY: THE MODERATING ROLE OF PERCEIVED TEACHER CREDIBILITY

The primary purpose of this study was to ascertain whether the degree to which Korean middle school students perceived their teachers to be credible made a difference in the effectiveness of teachers’ persuasion as a source of students’ academic self‐efficacy. In the contexts of both general school learning and a specific subject of Korean language and literature, social persuasions by teachers were a significant predictor of student self‐efficacy. Students’ academic self‐efficacy, in turn, was a significant predictor of students’ expected final examination scores. Although perceived teacher credibility did not predict student self‐efficacy directly, it interacted significantly with teacher persuasion in the prediction of student self‐efficacy, as determined by the latent interaction analysis. Consistent with Bandura's assertion and our hypothesis, students reported stronger academic self‐efficacy as they perceived the teachers who delivered the social persuasion to be more credible.     

THE UNITED KINGDOM: A STAFF COLLEGE APPROACH TO THE MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF FURTHER AND HIGHER EDUCATION

Training and further education for ‐professionals involved in the. administration and management of higher education institutions can be considered as essential elements in the introduction of the concept of lifelong education, as well as important factors for promoting efficiency in higher education institutions.

We give below information on the Further Education Staff College Coombe’ Lodge, an institution providing this type of training for professional staff of higher education institutions in the United Kingdom.     

SCIENTIFIC SELF‐DEFENSE: TRANSFORMING DEWEY'S IDEA OF TECHNOLOGICAL TRANSPARENCY

In this essay, David Waddington provides a basic outline of John Dewey's often‐overlooked views on technology education and explores how these ideas could be updated productively for use in contemporary contexts. Some of the shortcomings of Dewey's ideas are also examined—his faith in the scientific method may have been excessive, and some critics have charged that his aspirations for a technology‐infused citizenship education were overly ambitious. However, Waddington contends in this analysis that by combining Dewey's ideas with the insights of contemporary thinkers such as Bruno Latour, it is possible to update the notion of technological transparency to create a fresh approach to science and technology education. This new approach, which Waddington calls “critical transparency,” aims to help citizens develop a healthy skepticism toward science and technology.     

THE CONTRIBUTION OF SCHOOL COUNSELORS’ SELF‐EFFICACY TO THEIR PROGRAMMATIC SERVICE DELIVERY

Self‐efficacy pertains to individuals’ belief about their capability to accomplish a task; consequently, school counselors’ positive self‐efficacy is a theoretically based prerequisite for their facilitation of school‐based interventions. In addition, school counselor‐led interventions and comprehensive, developmenta l guidance programs benefit students’ personal social, academic, and career development. Therefore, this investigation examined the contribution of practicing school counselors’ (N = 693) self‐efficacy in relation to the frequency of their programmatic service delivery. The findings indicate that participants’ self‐efficacy scores contributed to the frequency of their programmatic service delivery (48% of the variance explained). Implications for school counselors, supervisors, and educational researchers are discussed.     

THE POWER OF SOCIAL AND MOTIVATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS FOR TEST‐ANXIOUS ADOLESCENTS’ ACADEMIC SELF‐REGULATION

Based on cognitive evaluation theory (CET) and organismic integration theory (OIT) – both sub‐theories of self‐determination theory (SDT) – the present study examined whether the academic self‐regulation of youth with test anxiety can be strengthened through social and motivational relationships with peers and teachers. This study employed a large sample (N = 1088; MAge = 13.7) of early adolescents from secondary schools in Brandenburg, Germany. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the proposed associations. The results revealed a negative association between test anxiety and intrinsic motivation as well as test anxiety and identified regulation, which was fully mediated by teachers as positive motivators. Furthermore, both teachers as positive motivators as well as the teacher‐student relationship were found to be strong predictors of the self‐determined aspects of academic self‐regulation. Additionally, both peers as positive motivators and the student‐student relationship are essential for external self‐regulation.     

TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN THE NEW UNIVERSITIES: HOW TO APPROACH HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

The view taken in this article is that Total Quality Management (TQM) in the new universities (the former Polytechnics) and the development of a so‐called managerialist ideology has led to the inevitable adoption of an approach to Human Resource Management (HRM) policy and practice that is functionalist. The criteria favoured by managerialism represented by TQM is not only inappropriate in higher education, but more importantly, it limits the productive activity of individuals. This limitation occurs to the extent that at the level of the individual academic in higher education organizations, quality control and assurance, that has traditionally been a localized process of self‐ and close‐peer review, has become formalized by externally imposed systems and procedures ‐ a necessary condition under the current funding arrangements for enabling internal quality assurance systems to meet the requirements of external agencies. However, the authors suggest that only a truly professionalizing, soft, individualistic, and user‐focussed collegial culture will provide a sufficient condition for total quality enhancement to become a reality.     

AN EXAMINATION OF THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN OBSERVED AND SELF‐REPORTED CULTURALLY PROFICIENT TEACHING PRACTICES

A critical next step in advancing our understanding of teacher practices that can equitably engage and support learning in diverse classrooms is determining the effectiveness of culturally responsive interventions. Yet, quantitative measurement indicators of the effectiveness of culturally responsive teaching interventions are scarce. Most research relies exclusively on self‐reports, with limited attention to issues of social desirability, and few studies observe teacher practices. Data come from 142 K‐8 teachers in six schools who were assessed via the Assessing School Settings: Interactions of Students and Teachers (ASSIST), an externally‐conducted observation, and who also provided self‐report data of cultural responsiveness. Analyses indicated that teachers self‐reported higher rates of culturally responsive teaching strategies than were observed on the ASSIST. There were, however, significant associations between observations and teachers’ ratings of self‐efficacy. Findings suggest a need for additional research to develop and validate efficient, multi‐informant approaches for assessing cultural responsiveness in the classroom.     

A LONGITUDINAL INVESTIGATION OF SELF‐ AND PEER REPORTS OF BULLYING VICTIMIZATION ACROSS MIDDLE SCHOOL

Cross‐sectional studies indicate how many students are victims of bullying at a single time, but do not tell us whether the same students continue to be bullied or whether there is a cumulative impact of bullying over time. This study examined the longitudinal stability and the cumulative impact of victimization in a sample of 382 students assessed in the fall and the spring of Grades 6, 7, and 8. Victimization assessed by both self‐ and peer reports indicated substantial variability in who was bullied, with nearly 51% of students reporting bullying victimization during at least one of the six assessments. The cumulative impact of victimization over 3 years was demonstrated on Grade‐8 outcome measures of absences, disciplinary infractions, suspensions, grade point averages, standardized test scores, reports of youth risk behavior, and perceptions of school climate. This study provides new information about the cumulative impact of peer‐ and self‐reported bullying across middle school.     

A DIALOGICAL APPROACH TO CRITICAL BIBLE STUDY: THE USE OF SCHWABIAN DELIBERATION TO INTEGRATE THE WORK OF BIBLE SCHOLARS WITH EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY

This article uses analytic tools provided by Joseph Schwab to address a “practical” problem faced by many liberal religious educational institutions: the tension between historical-critical study of the Bible and an affective connection to it. This problem is painted in broad strokes; then two contemporary Bible scholars, Jeffrey Tigay and Yair Zakovitch, are analyzed for the “principles of enquiry” used in their disciplinary orientations. This analysis is merged with a dialogical hermeneutics approach to text, using the work of Kepnes, Buber, and Gadamer. The article concludes by considering how this study might inform Bible curricula in liberal religious educational contexts.     

LEARNING TO LAUGH AT OURSELVES: HUMOR,SELF‐TRANSCENDENCE,AND THE CULTIVATION OF MORAL VIRTUES

In this essay Mordechai Gordon begins to address the neglect of humor among philosophers of education by focusing on some interesting connections between humor, self‐transcendence, and the development of moral virtues. More specifically, he explores the kind of humor that makes fun of oneself and how it can affect educational encounters. Gordon begins his analysis by discussing the nature and purpose of humor in general, while distinguishing it from laughter and amusement. In the next part of the essay, he takes a close look at the characteristics and benefits of the type of humor that we use when we make fun of ourselves. He then turns his attention to exploring the relation between laughing at ourselves, self‐transcendence, and a number of moral virtues. The final part of this essay briefly examines what might happen to the quality of educational encounters when teachers become more comfortable with laughing at themselves.     

THE MEDIATING ROLE OF ENGAGEMENT IN MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS AND SELF‐ESTEEM AMONG AFFLUENT ADOLESCENT GIRLS

This study examined the influence of growth‐fostering mentoring relationships on the self‐esteem of adolescent female students from affluent communities. Studies have demonstrated that this population of students is susceptible to psychological distress and self‐esteem problems, due to perfectionistic strivings and achievement pressures. Specifically, we hypothesized that growth‐fostering mentoring relationships (e.g., with teachers and school staff) would be positively associated with self‐esteem. Moreover, we expected that this association would be mediated by engagement in purposeful activities. The authors surveyed 207 girls from two independent secondary schools and found support for the mediation hypothesis. Using an ordinary least squares regression approach, the association between growth‐fostering mentoring relationships and self‐esteem was mediated by youth engagement in purposeful activities. Implications for future research and practice in schools are discussed.     

GUIDING THE OLDER LEARNER: A USE OF THE PERSONAL INVENTORY

This article suggests that the older learner, in either formal or informal study programs, benefits by participation in small group guidance sessions that are based on the personal inventory procedure. Two programs of this type were used in credit and noncredit classes with success. Wider use of this guidance method is proposed as an orientation process for individual learners and retirement career seekers.