The work values of first year Spanish university students

This study analyzes the work values of 2,951 first-year university students in Spain enrolled in degree programs within the five major areas of university studies. For our research, participants were asked to respond to a Scale of Work Values in which intrinsic, social, and pragmatic extrinsic values as well as extrinsic values related to geographic mobility are differentiated. Our findings show these students to have high levels of intrinsic and pragmatic extrinsic values as well as differences that vary according to their gender, major area of study and their chosen study program. By means of cluster analysis, we have also identified seven distinct types of students aligned with the work values under study. This paper explores the implications of this study for the development of work values and the education of students at the university level as well as the study’s possible utility as a means of providing orientation to students that will prepare them better for their entry into the labor market.     

Improving pre-laboratory preparation of first year university chemistry students

This study uses an action research approach to investigate how different modes of pre-laboratory preparation contribute towards a fruitful laboratory experience for first year students on an access programme. We considered the experience to be fruitful if the students successfully acquired procedural understanding, communicative competence and were able to apply the conceptual understanding to make the purpose of the labs meaningful. A group of students was observed by participant observers during 1996. Data was gathered during laboratory sessions and from written pre-laboratory work. These data were analysed and changes were instituted in the running and conceptualization of the laboratory in the subsequent year. A group of students was again observed and data collected. Two important factors emerged from the analysis of the data. One finding was the importance of adequate student preparation for the laboratories, regardless of the mode of preparation employed. Another was that the ability to prepare depended on the conceptual and procedural understanding of the laboratory as a whole. Preparedness is also important if conceptual benefit is to be obtained from the practical experience.     

The effect of poverty on the verbal scores of gifted students

A nonexperimental design was used to determine whether the verbal scores of low-income gifted fifth graders (n = 38) differed from those of their higher income peers (n = 83). The Otis–Lennon School Ability Test, Eighth Edition and the Stanford Achievement Test-Tenth Edition were used to collect student data. Results of a MANOVA showed a statistically significant difference between the verbal scores of the two groups, with low-income students scoring significantly lower. A large effect size for the multivariate main effect of income level on verbal intelligence and verbal achievement scores was found (η² = .19). The existence of verbal–nonverbal score discrepancy in low-income students questions the practice of using only nonverbal or nonverbal parts of an IQ test to identify and place students in gifted programmes. These results also underscore the need to nurture underdeveloped verbal abilities when they occur in low-income students.     

高校图书馆的情报信息教育与大学生素质教育的关系

在信息化时代背景下,高校图书馆的情报信息教育在大学生素质教育中扮演着重要的角色,本文分析了二者的内涵、现状及关系,并进一步阐述了情报信息教育为大学生素质教育的提高发挥着重要作用。     

大学生情绪智力、成就动机及学业成绩量化研究

应用情绪智力量表(EIS)、成就动机量表(AMS)等随机调查的方式探究是否担任过学生干部、是否独生子女对大学生情绪智力、成就动机、学业成绩方面的影响及情绪智力与成就动机、学业成绩之间的关系.其结果表明:担任过学生干部的同学情绪智力水平显著高于未担任过学生干部的同学;是否独生子女对情绪智力没有显著影响;大学生情绪智力和成就动机显著正相关,和学业成绩不存在显著相关.     

基于SPSS分析的考试焦虑与大学生英语测试成绩相关性研究——以英语专业四级考试为例

文章以106名英语专业本科大学二年级的学生为研究对象,分析考试焦虑与英语专业学生测试成绩的相关性。研究结果表明:英语专业本科生在轻微程度上存在考试焦虑。轻微焦虑与专业四级考试成绩之间存在低负相关,表明轻微的焦虑对考试成绩的影响不是很大。     

The use and frequency of verbal and non-verbal praise in nurture groups

Nurture groups are a form of provision for children with social, emotional, behavioural and learning difficulties. The study examines the interactions between children and staff – in particular, the frequency and effects of verbal and non-verbal praise – and discusses how this contributes to its effectiveness as a positive intervention instrument for all children. Results from structured observations confirmed that interactions in four nurture groups were positive and likely to enhance the self-esteem of pupils. Staff in all nurture groups used a higher frequency of specific verbal praise compared to non-verbal praise, despite results from children's responses to praise revealing that nearly a half of the children responded to non-verbal praise by continuing with appropriate behaviours. An interesting and unexpected finding revealed that as time passed the frequency of both verbal and non-verbal praise reduced. The study highlights how the frequency of certain behaviours such as non-verbal praise can impact on children's behaviour.     

Beyond English language proficiency scores: understanding the academic performance of international undergraduate students during the first year of study

ABSTRACT

Past research into the relationship between English proficiency test (EPT) scores and score profiles, such as the IELTS and the TOEFL, has shown that there is not always a clear relationship between those scores and students’ subsequent academic achievement. Information about students’ academic self-concept (ASC) may provide additional information that helps predict future academic success. Research has consistently shown a positive relationship between students’ ASC and subsequent academic achievement and educational attainment in both school and higher education settings. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between the academic performance of international students and their language proficiency and academic self-concept as well as other characteristics related to academic success. The study focused on first year international students in undergraduate business programs at an English-medium university in Canada. The following information was collected about the student participants: grades in degree program courses, annual GPA, and EPT scores (including subscores). In addition, students completed an academic self-concept scale. To obtain additional information about success in first-year business courses, instructors in two required courses were interviewed about the academic and language requirements in their courses and the profile of successful students. Correlations between the students’ course grades, GPA, EPT scores, and ASC score were calculated. The instructor interviews were analyzed using a content analysis procedure. The findings from all data sources were triangulated and show that language ability, ASC, and other factors impact academic success during the first year in a business program. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

Correlations between WISC-R subtests and verbal,performance, and full scale IQ scores for minority group children

The relationship between WISC-R subtest scores and Verbal, Performance, and Full Scale IQs was investigated for a sample comprised of rural Appalachian children. The sample was comprised of both white and black children who might be described as culturally different by virtue of low family income and residence in the mountainous areas of Virginia and North Carolina. Data analysis consisted of computing product-moment correlations (rs) between each of the ten subtests and the Verbal, Performance, and Full Scale IQs. Correlations between individual subtests and the FS IQ ranged from.49 through.63, but none of the differences between these rs were large enough to attain significance. Correlations between the verbal subtests and Verbal IQ ranged from.64 for Comprehension up to.78 for Vocabulary. For the performance subtest, the rs ranged from.54 between Coding and the Performance IQ up to.72 for Object Assembly.     

Commuting,transitions and belonging: the experiences of students living at home in their first year at university

In this study, our cross-case analysis of students’ lives challenges the conventional home–university model of transition and highlights the importance of acknowledging the influence of this complex symbiotic relationship for students who attend university and live at home. We argue that as with stay-at-home holidays, or “staycations”, which are of such crucial importance to the tourism industry, so stay-at-home students or commuter students are vital to higher education and the term utilised here is “stayeducation”. Through the narratives of “stayeducation” students, we see how family and community aspects of students’ lives are far more significant than previously realised, and our study suggests that these heavily influence the development of a student sense of belonging. Drawing upon biographical narrative method, this paper introduces three first-year Business and Economics students enrolled at different universities in London and explores their journeys through their transition through home, school and early university life. Ways in which key themes play out in the transition stories of our students and the challenges and obstacles for the individual are drawn out through the cross-case analysis. Findings support the existing literature around gender, class and identity; however, new insights into the importance, for these students, of family, friendships and community are presented. Our work has implications for academic staff, those writing institutional policies, and argues for the creation of different spaces within which students can integrate into their new environment.     

Improving emotional intelligence and emotional self-efficacy through a teaching intervention for university students

Emotional intelligence continues to receive a substantial amount of attention from researchers who argue that it is an important predictor of health, wellbeing and in particular, work-related outcomes. Emotional self-efficacy, which is concerned with beliefs in one's emotional functioning capabilities, has recently been shown to be important in relation to graduate employability. However, there are very few empirical studies which demonstrate that emotional functioning ability is something that it is possible to teach and develop. This study investigates whether it is possible to improve levels of emotional intelligence and emotional self-efficacy in university students through a teaching intervention. The findings show that it is possible to increase emotional self-efficacy and some aspects of emotional intelligence ability. These findings are considered within the framework of graduate employability, as improving emotional functioning may be particularly important to young people who will shortly join the graduate working population.     

浅谈学生分组活动在大学英语教学中分量

学生分组活动是大学英语教学过程中的一个主要手段,受到老师和同学们的广泛认可,然而不恰当的分组和活动策略会导致学生缺乏能动性和积极性,如何更好的开展学生分组活动是大学英语老师所关心的焦点,文章以多年的英语教学经验为基础,通过分析目前分组教学中存在的一些问题,提出问题的解决方案,为广大大学英语教师提供参考。     

The influence of emotional intelligence on academic progress and achievement in UK university students

Previous research has found relationships between higher levels of emotional intelligence (EI) and academic success in both adolescents and adults. This study examines the relationship between overall EI and specific EI competencies in 135 undergraduate psychology students in the UK. EI was measured at the start of a psychology degree course using the Emotional Competence Inventory-University Edition (ECI-U II). Performance was assessed using retention statistics and students’ final average percentage mark (APM) at the end of their degree course. Results showed that there were no differences in overall EI or specific EI competencies in those students who graduated compared to those who failed to graduate. Whilst global EI did not significantly predict final APM, specific EI competencies (conscientiousness, adaptability, empathy, organisational awareness, and building bonds) significantly predicted APM after controlling for gender. Recommendations for the implementation of EI training in higher education institutions are considered.     

大学生社会实践活动的意义、存在问题及对策

大学生社会实践是高等教育的重要组成部分,是提升大学生综合素质的重要载体.进入新世纪,大学生社会实践受到党和国家的高度重视,并取得了丰硕成果,但实践中也出现了一些问题,诸如形式实践、过度实践、虚假实践等消极现象拉低了实践活动的质量.基于此,笔者对大学生社会实践活动重入高质量、高价值轨道提出了相关对策.     

Guidance needs of black first year students in a developing country

The guidance needs of 348 Black first year university students were investigated. The results indicate that help with academic problems (subject and course choice and study skills) should receive priority in planning university guidance services for this population group. The need for adequate financial support also proved to be a significant problem with the students. As predicted, help with making career plans did not figure as a major need, although the time variable (first week of the academic year) may have influenced the results. Contrary to a stated hypothesis, help needed with personal problems proved to be the least required service. Another important need identified was a lack of sufficient educational, occupational and personal information. Some of the recommendations made to provide adequate guidance services include sufficiently staffed guidance bureaus, the lengthening of the academic year for freshmen, non-technical information pamphlets, combining computer scoring of standardized tests with the do-it-yourself approach in order to provide reliable information and a mobile career guidance unit.     

The readiness of high school students to pursue first year physics

Abstract

A high failure rate at first year physics is often attributed to the lack of readiness of high school students to pursue such studies. This research explores this issue and reports on the perceptions of five physics lecturers at a South African university on the preparedness of high school students for first year physics. Qualitative data was collected through in-depth, non-directive, semi-structured interviews and analyzed for emerging themes using the Atlis.ti software. Readiness factors that were identified included the ability to engage with physics problems qualitatively rather than merely assuming an algorithmic approach, having a sound understanding of basic physics concepts, and competence in reading and speaking the scientific language. Other factors related to personal attributes and behavior and these were work ethic, perseverance, working independently and time management. These findings and their implications are discussed.     

大学生情绪智力与气质类型的关系

用情绪智力量表、气质量表研究了410名大学生的情绪智力和气质类型及其二者的关系。结果显示:男生在黏液质上的得分显著低于女大学生;不同气质类型大学生的情绪智力具有显著的差异,胆汁质和多血质得分越高的大学生,其情绪智力也越高。     

The relationship between adaptive behavior and intelligence for special needs students

This study employed the technique of factor analysis to study the relationship between social system adaptive behavior, as measured by the Adaptive Behavior Inventory for Children, and intelligence, as measured by the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised, in a sample of 100 special needs students, ages 6–11. The results clearly supported the existence of two distinct factors among the WISC-R and ABIC subscales, with each factor composed primarily of either intelligence or adaptive behavior subscales. Thus, the data supported the discriminant validity of the two measures. Implications for the evaluation of special needs students are discussed.     

Students' Perception of Biology Fieldwork: The example of students undertaking a preliminary year at a UK university

It is widely held among biology teachers that fieldwork is valuable, but little is heard about students' perception of fieldwork or about the reasons for their liking or disliking fieldwork. This paper uses data from students to explore the hypotheses (1) that biology students with a positive perception of fieldwork have a less positive perception of laboratory work and vice versa and (2) that perception of fieldwork is related to demographic/personal factors and/or to pre-university perceptions and experience of fieldwork. Numeric indices of appreciation of biology field and laboratory work (I _field and I _lab) were determined using questionnaire information from 54 students. I _field and I _lab were positively correlated and there was no evidence of polarization of views; the problem that some students have a poor perception of both needs to be addressed. Mature students had a more positive view of fieldwork than 18–20-year-olds. However, regression analysis of I _field against principal components suggested that demographic/personal factors had relatively little overall influence (< 20%) on appreciation of fieldwork. Perception of fieldwork at university was related to the rank given to fieldwork when choosing a university course. However, students who had participated in pre-university fieldwork did not have a more positive perception of university fieldwork; although students who recalled a worst memory of pre-university fieldwork had a less positive perception of fieldwork at university. The seeming mixed relevance of pre-university fieldwork suggests that the relationship between perception of fieldwork undertaken at university and quality of pre-university fieldwork is an area for future research.