Self-report measures of the home learning environment in large scale research: Measurement properties and associations with key developmental outcomes

Favourable home learning environments (HLEs) support children’s literacy, numeracy and social development. In large-scale research, HLE is typically measured by self-report survey, but there is little consistency between studies and many different items and latent constructs are observed. Little is known about the stability of these items and constructs over time when used in either longitudinal research or studies with children with a wide range of ages. A review of the literature shows commonalities and differences between approaches in research on HLE. When we tested the psychometric properties of a short-form measure of HLE with a Rasch item-response-model using longitudinal data from over 1600 Australian families, there was support for two dimensions of HLE—formal and informal learning frequency. We found that this measure was stable over the transitional period from pre-K to school as well as between gender and family language background. There were small but significant associations between the HLE measures and cognitive and behavioural developmental outcomes. We recommend that other measures of HLE could be similarly validated to assess their suitability for use in longitudinal research on learning environments. Recommendations are made for the future development of measures of broader constructs of the HLE.     

试论高校体育教学研究性学习

高校体育教学实施研究性学习是改革教师教学方式和转变学生学习方法的需要,具有实践性、开放性、过程性、问题性、应用性和差异性特点,有一定的实施方法.研究性学习要求体育教师本身具有较强的研究性学习能力,需要教师及时吸纳新知识,更新自身知识结构,更新教育观念,加强研究性学习理念的学习.     

Advances in research on classroom dialogue: learning outcomes and assessments

The goal of this special issue is to examine how certain modes of classroom dialogue might contribute to students' learning outcomes. The articles in this special issue share the idea of classroom talk as a problem-oriented dialogue. In other words, an interactional configuration based on exchanges among students and teachers that go beyond the predominantly monologic approaches of classroom talk. In each of the contributions to this special issue, different types of learning outcomes were studied as a result of specific ways of orchestrating classroom dialogue. All in all, the studies in this special issue yield a picture of the field as a productive research area: they provide evidence for the plausibility of the assumption that dialogic orchestrations of classroom talk may produce various desired learning and developmental outcomes in students, depending on what outcomes we want to articulate, and how they are assessed. Although the studies in this special issue yield promising results for future improvements of classroom practice more (preferably longitudinal) research is required.     

论研究性学习的发展价值

研究性学习可以培养并发展学生的主体性 ,有利于使类主体的智力资源转化成个体的智力资源 ,有利于培养学生可持续发展的能力 ,有助于使学生养成良好的治学之道 ,明晓做人之理。     

Motivational interference in school-leisure conflict and learning outcomes: The differential effects of two value conceptions

It was hypothesized that students' value orientations are connected to their experience of motivational interference in a conflict between a school- and a leisure-related activity as well as to school marks as indicators of learning outcomes. In a self-report study with Italian adolescents (N = 433; M = 14.5 years) using a school-leisure conflict scenario, first, the relations between the 10 values introduced by Schwartz and the Inglehart-based Achievement and Well-being value orientations were investigated. Correlations and multidimensional scaling analysis showed overlaps as well as differences between the two sets of value variables. Regression analyses revealed that the Schwartz values were significantly related to the experience of motivational interference during studying and during leisure as well as to school marks. The inclusion of Achievement and Well-being value orientations explained additional variance of the three dependent variables. The relevance of individual values in explaining students' reactions to motivational conflicts is highlighted.     

The universities and the research councils in Britain

The British government supports five semi-independent research councils covering agriculture, medicine, science, social science and the environment. These councils do not follow the same procedure but are an important element in the support of research in universities and in the maintenance of postgraduate students. It is possible that some of these research councils may be brought to an end and this would mean that universities would have to deal directly with the government departments concerned. Their budgets have not expanded at the same rate as the universities; if the same proportion of undergraduates stays on to undertake research and if this increasing number continues to be maintained from council funds, the expenditure on research will decline.

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Résumé Le gouvernement brittannique entretient cing conseils de recherche, relativement autonomes, qui couvrent l'agriculture, la médicine, la science, les sciences sociales et l'environnement. Ces conseils n'utilisent pas les mêmes procédures, mais ils aident puissament la recherche dans les universités ainsi que l'entretien des étudiants de troisième cycle. On envisage de mettre fin à l'existence de certains de ces conseils de recherche et, en ce cas, les universités auraient directement affaire aux départements gouvernementaux qui les concernent. Leurs budgets ne se sont pas étendus au même degré que les universités; si la même proportion d'étudiants reste à l'université pour faire de la recherche et si l'on continue à entretenir sur les fonds des conseils une population croissante, il est évident que les dépenses de recherche iront en diminuant.

     

社会主义核心价值体系视阈中的高校学习型学生党组织建设

社会主义核心价值体系是中国社会意识形态的主体和灵魂,是优秀中华文化在当前时代条件下的重要体现。加强和改进新时期学习型学生党组织建设,高校必须坚持以社会主义核心价值体系为指导,切实增强高校学生党建工作的实效性。     

The research function of universities in Japan

Japan has long led the trend towards privatization of Research andDevelopment (R&D). With the recent establishment of corporate R&Dfacilities overseas, this has become more international in character. Therelative impoverishment of Japanese academic science has only recently begunto be addressed by the government. Despite the neglect, there appears to bea gradual increase in Japanese academic research, but international researchcollaborations are still quite limited in number. There are growing tieswith industry, but industry has been slow to recognize the value of graduateschool training. Stronger links may promote greater research activity, butwithout reforms to the structure of the education system and Ministry ofEducation policies, Japan will not be prepared to meet the challenge of the21st century, and the need for a highly-skilled, innovative workforce.     

民办学院学风养成教育模式之我见

学风建设是民办高校工作永恒的主题,也是学生工作的重点,学风养成教育更是重中之重。学风养成教育模式的构建有利于促进人才培养质量的提高,因此有着重要的意义。本文即针对此从民办学院学风现状、其学风养成教育模式等方面展开分析论述。     

The complexities of conducting ethnographic race research

This paper explores the challenges and dilemmas of conducting ethnographic race research in the context of the South African situation, forming part of my ethnographic race research PhD project, conducted in two historically white, single-sex schools in South Africa. First, it critically examines the theoretical dilemmas on crucial issues of objectivity and subjectivity in conducting ethnographic race research. It then explores the role of gatekeepers in determining who does research in predominantly white educational institutions; and shares the challenging accounts on what it was like to break the invisible barriers of difference in order to build social relationships for the purpose of research in very antagonistic environments. Finally, the paper provides some brief critical reflections. Pseudonyms are used for all the respondents, together with the official South African classification system, which refers to Africans as people of African descent and to whites as people of European descent.     

The research orientation of British universities

British universities differ considerably in the strength of their research orientation. Those of higher prestige tend to have a stronger orientation towards research, while those of lower prestige have a weaker research orientation, A university that is strongly research oriented in one group of subjects is likely to be so in the others it teaches too. It is the conventional wisdom that a good researcher is likely to be a good teacher at undergraduate level, and the negative relationship between the degree of research orientation and undergraduate wastage rates provides some slight support for this. The relationship between research and teaching seems to be more an indirect one (that anyone with the ability to do good research is likely to have the ability to teach well at university level) than a direct one (research makes a university teacher a better teacher).     

Black and other minority admissions to large universities: A four-year national survey of policies and outcomes

A survey of 108 large universities indicated that median new black freshmen enrollment has increased nationally to 5% in Fall 1972, from 4% in 1971 and 1970 and 3% in 1969. Open admission for all students was employed by 16% of the schools in 1972 compared to 12% in 1971. Schools were generally employing fewer selection variables in 1972 than previously. Schools with special programs for blacks were down to 54% in 1972 from 60% in 1971, although more special programs for American Indian and Spanish speaking students existed (14% in 1972, 8% in 1971), while private universities cut back considerably in all special programs. Results are discussed in terms of literature on minority admissions and current social trends.This study was sponsored and partially funded by Commission IX (Assessment for Student Development) of the American College Personnel Association. Portions of this study were presented at the American College Personnel Association Convention in Cleveland, April 6, 1973.     

全面从严治党背景下高校廉政档案建立与管理研究——以广西高校为视角

开展廉政档案建设,是新形势下高校党委、纪委贯彻落实全面从严治党工作的重要抓手,是创新纪检监察监督方式的重要体现。本文立足高校纪检工作实际,着眼于廉政档案的建立与管理,重点探讨廉政档案收集、整理、保管、鉴定等内容。     

Learn before lecture: A strategy that improves learning outcomes in a large introductory biology class

Actively engaging students in lecture has been shown to increase learning gains. To create time for active learning without displacing content we used two strategies for introducing material before class in a large introductory biology course. Four to five slides from 2007/8 were removed from each of three lectures in 2009 and the information introduced in preclass worksheets or narrated PowerPoint videos. In class, time created by shifting lecture material to learn before lecture (LBL) assignments was used to engage students in application of their new knowledge. Learning was evaluated by comparing student performance in 2009 versus 2007/8 on LBL-related question pairs, matched by level and format. The percentage of students who correctly answered five of six LBL-related exam questions was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in 2009 versus 2007/8. The mean increase in performance was 21% across the six LBL-related questions compared with <3% on all non-LBL exam questions. The worksheet and video LBL formats were equally effective based on a cross-over experimental design. These results demonstrate that LBLs combined with interactive exercises can be implemented incrementally and result in significant increases in learning gains in large introductory biology classes.     

The potential contribution of distance teaching universities to improving the learning/teaching practices in conventional universities

The learning/teaching systems through which distance teaching universities (DTU) operate open up new avenues and possibilities of actions not available in conventional universities. Distance education has the potential to widen and expand the significance of higher education in many ways. This article analyzes the potential contribution of DTU to improving learning/teaching practices in traditional universities. It focuses mainly on the experience of Everyman's University, the Open University of Israel. More specifically it discusses seven potential areas of contribution: (1) improving the quality of university level textbooks; (2) enhancing independent study skills; (3) improving the pedagogy of university teaching; (4) promoting inter-disciplinary courses; (5) contributing to inter-university collaboration; (6) advancing the integration of multi-media into the learning/teaching systems of the universities; (7) promoting research on adult learning.     

研究性学习在普通高校排球选项课教学中的应用

采用专家访谈法和实地调查法对研究性学习在排球教学中的应用进行了研究.结果表明:学校层面要有效整合校内外教学资源,为排球选项课研究性学习提供必要的软、硬件设施;教师层面要转变观念,在研究性学习的设计、开展、实施、评价过程中发挥积极的作用;学生层面要提高学生积极性,掌握研究性学习的策略.     

The benefits of multi-year research experiences: differences in novice and experienced students' reported gains from undergraduate research

This mixed-methods study explores differences in novice and experienced undergraduate students' perceptions of their cognitive, personal, and professional gains from engaging in scientific research. The study was conducted in four different undergraduate research (UR) programs at two research-extensive universities; three of these programs had a focus on the biosciences. Seventy-three entry-level and experienced student researchers participated in in-depth, semi-structured interviews and completed the quantitative Undergraduate Research Student Self-Assessment (URSSA) instrument. Interviews and surveys assessed students' developmental outcomes from engaging in UR. Experienced students reported distinct personal, professional, and cognitive outcomes relative to their novice peers, including a more sophisticated understanding of the process of scientific research. Students also described the trajectories by which they developed not only the intellectual skills necessary to advance in science, but also the behaviors and temperament necessary to be a scientist. The findings suggest that students benefit from multi-year UR experiences. Implications for UR program design, advising practices, and funding structures are discussed.