Teachers’ use of class time and student achievement

We study teachers’ choices about how to allocate class time across different instructional activities, for example, lecturing, open discussion, or individual practice. Our data come from secondary schools in England, specifically classes preceding GCSE exams. Students score higher in math when their teacher devotes more class time to individual practice and assessment. In contrast, students score higher in English if there is more discussion and work with classmates. Class time allocation predicts test scores separate from the quality of the teacher's instruction during the activities. These results suggest opportunities to improve student achievement without changes in teachers’ skills.     

Does student engagement in self-assessment calibrate their judgement over time?

One of the implicit aims of higher education is to enable students to become better judges of their own work. This paper examines whether students who voluntarily engage in self-assessment improve in their capacity to make those judgements. The study utilises data from a web-based marking system that provides students with the opportunity to assess themselves on each criterion for each assessment task throughout a programme of study. Student marks were compared with those from tutors to plot changes over time. The findings suggest that overall students’ judgements do converge with those of tutors, but that there is considerable variation across achievement levels, with weaker students showing little improvement. Whilst the study is limited by the exigencies of voluntary participation and thus consequential gaps in the data set, it shows how judgement over time can be demonstrated and points to the potential for more systematic interventions to improve students’ judgements. It also illustrates the use of the web-based marking and feedback software (ReView) that has considerable utility in aiding self-assessment research.     

Are student exchange programs worth it?

The number of university students participating in exchange programs has risen sharply over the last decade. A survey of Swiss university graduates (classes of 1999 and 2001) shows that participation in student exchange programs depends significantly on the socio-economic background of students. We further analyze whether the participants benefit from additional advantages caused by these exchange programs. Analyses show that student exchange programs are associated with higher starting salaries and a higher likelihood of opting for postgraduate degrees. Analyses using instrumental variable estimations (IV), however, show that these outcomes are not causally related to participation in exchange programs.      

Is their class in this room?: Focusing on class in diverse classrooms

Carlos Hiraldo shares his story of shifting from a pedagogy based on racial identity to one focused on issues of class and how his students benefited from the change.     

The effect of time‐on‐task on student grades and grade expectations

The effects of students’ attitudes on time devoted to a course (i.e. time‐on‐task), and the subsequent effects of this time‐on‐task on their performance in the course and their overall grade point average (GPA) were studied. Over a three‐year period, engineering students (N = 231) were surveyed in weeks one, three, seven (after midterms) and 10 (before finals) of a 10‐week quarter in six sophomore and junior engineering classes (eight different sections). Results of this study show that most students are optimistic about their future performance in a new course, regardless of their previous overall GPA. All students appear to devote a relatively high and equal amount of time‐on‐task during the first week of the term. The students who earned grades between ‘B+’ and ‘A’ appear to optimise this time by the third week. Students who earned a final grade of ‘B’ study similar to ‘A’ students before midterms but significantly increase their efforts after midterms while the ‘C’ students decrease their time devoted to the course. This study finds that ‘A’ students know they will earn an ‘A’ as long as they do the work. In contrast, ‘C’ students are resigned to the fact that they will earn a ‘C’ and, thus, devote far less time to a course. The ‘B’ students want better grades and will devote the most effort towards achieving these grades.     

Does your approach to time matter for your learning? The role of time perspectives on engagement and achievement

Time perspectives have been found to be related to a wide range of psychological phenomena. However, in the educational context, there remains to be a lack of research on how they relate to important academic outcomes. Therefore, the aim of this research was to examine how time perspectives are related to educational outcomes such as engagement, its opposite disaffection and achievement. A model positing time perspectives as antecedents, engagement and disaffection as mediators, and academic achievement as an outcome was proffered. Filipino university students were recruited to answer relevant questionnaires. Results showed that future and past-positive time perspectives were positively associated with engagement and negatively associated with disaffection. Past negative and present fatalistic time perspectives were associated with disaffection. Interestingly, present fatalistic time perspective was related to both positive (engagement) and negative (disaffection) outcomes. A cultural explanation was proposed. Moreover, engagement positively predicted academic achievement, while disaffection negatively predicted it. Implications for integrating research on individual differences in time perspectives and academic outcomes are discussed.     

Is My College Student Normal?

Considerable disagreement exists among mental health experts as to what constitutes normal adolescent behavior. Some clinicians believe that turmoil and crisis should be expected. Others who have studied young people in high schools and colleges have discovered that the vast majority pass through this period of life without notable psychic instability. The primary features of adolescent behavior most likely to reflect the quality of an individual's psychological adaptation are identified. A model of normalcy is presented. It is contrasted with three other psychological states-temporary adjustment reaction, neurotic symptoms, and severe maladjustment. Case examples illustrate each of these mental states.     

Learning by drawing: When is it worth the time and effort?

Two experiments compared the effects of learning by drawing to studying instructor-provided visuals on learning outcomes, learning time, and cognitive load. College students studied a text on the human circulatory system and completed comprehension and transfer tests. In Experiment 1 (N = 107), students studied the text with provided visuals (provided visuals) or generated their own drawings from the text with text-based support (verbally-supported drawing) or without support (unsupported drawing). Results showed that while the verbally-supported drawing condition spent significantly more time and experienced significantly higher cognitive load than the provided visuals condition, there were no differences across the three conditions in learning outcomes. In Experiment 2 (N = 85), students studied the text with provided visuals (provided visuals) or generated drawings from the text with provided visuals as feedback (visually-supported drawing). Results showed that the visually-supported drawing condition spent significantly more time and experienced significantly higher cognitive load than the provided visuals condition but also performed significantly better than the provided visuals condition on the comprehension test. These findings suggest generating drawings prior to studying provided visuals is worth the time and effort.     

Individual differences and course attendance: why do students skip class?

Individual differences are theorised as being key predictors of students’ lecture attendance. Understanding students’ (lack of) motivation for studying is an essential first step in supporting these individual differences and potentially increasing class/lecture attendance. The current study explored the role of students’ deficits in motivations (ability/effort/task value) for studying and their predictive relationship with course attendance, while controlling for prior competence and academic self-concept. Second-year students (n = 219; Female = 40) undertaking three semester-long courses in English as a foreign language participated in the year-long study. The structural model tested included prior achievement and self-concept (Time-1; 15 weeks prior), the motivational deficits for studying in the course (Time-2; ability, effort and task value), and class attendance across the two semesters of study. Self-concept negatively predicted all motivational deficits (moderate-large effects), and positively predicted attendance. Two of the motivational deficits (ability and effort) also had strongly contrasting effects (positive and negative respectively) on attendance. The implications and practical suggestions for intervention are discussed.     

Instructors’ perspectives on the utility of student ratings of instruction

This study investigates instructors’ attitudes about student ratings of instruction. The sample consisted of 357 instructors at a major Canadian university, where student evaluation is carried out in all courses at the end of each term. Instructors tend to agree that the student rating practice is an acceptable means of assessing institutional integrity, and is useful to administrators in making summative decisions. However, they consider the student evaluations only marginally valuable in their impact on enhancing instruction. Implications for the development of student ratings are discussed.     

Different children’s perspectives on their learning environment

This article reports and discusses findings from an ethnographic case study, aiming to gain a deeper understanding of how different children perceive their learning environment in the first grade of primary school, with regard to social as well as academic aspects. The theoretical framework is based on an interactional perspective, where children’s learning and development are considered to take place in a dynamic and ecological system. The reported results are based on interviews with 16 children, and observed teaching situations during the first year of primary school. Research among children demands special ethical considerations, such as how to avoid questions and interest from the researcher affecting the position of children being vulnerable in some way. The findings show that, within a group of children, facing a similar learning environment, there are significant differences between the experiences expressed. The findings presented support the importance of listening to children when planning educational settings. Listening to and taking into account the children’s different voices is an essential part of research and education that strives for inclusion, learning and well-being of all children.     

Separated and integrated perspectives on environmental,economic, and social dimensions – an investigation of student views on sustainable development

The sustainable development (SD) concept is based on the idea that economic and social development should be linked to the environment. However, controversies about various associated issues often arise due to the differences in protagonists’ viewpoints, depending partly on whether they focus mainly on environmental, economic, or social dimensions and partly on ideological stances related (for instance) to the optimal ways of promoting economic growth and social justice. This study investigates views of 638 Swedish upper secondary students who responded to a questionnaire probing their views of SD from two perspectives. In the first, the dimensions were separately introduced, so the respondents only had to consider one dimension at a time. In the second, the dimensions were introduced in an integrated fashion, so the respondents had to consider effects related to all three dimensions. The results strongly indicate that the students’ views and priorities concerning the dimensions depend on both the perspective and the context. Implications for teaching and learning are discussed.     

Prioritising student voice: ‘Tween’ children's perspectives on school success

This paper presents the findings of a study of the perspectives of Australian, English and New Zealand ‘tweens’ in response to one question, ‘what makes people muck up at school?’ Arguing for the increased prioritisation of children's voices in educational planning and provision, this paper provides, in children's own words, their perspectives on school success and classroom dynamics.     

Education deans’ perspectives on factors contributing to their longevity

Tertiary Education and Management - This study explored the construct of longevity for education deans and the perceived impact that endurance in the role exerts on the welfare of schools and...     

Beginning student teachers’ teacher identities based on their practical theories

In this article, we investigate first-year student teachers’ teacher identities through their practical theories and ask what these practical theories reveal about their emerging teacher identities? This study approaches teacher identity from a dialogical viewpoint where identity is constructed through various positions. The empirical part of this study analysed the practical theories of 71 first-year student teachers in order to determine what kinds of positions are involved in their teacher identity at the beginning of their teacher education and what positions are emphasised. The results showed that when student teachers begin their teacher education, the majority of positions concern didactical issues, that is, how to promote pupils’ studying and learning processes. In addition, student teachers’ teacher identities as teachers strongly emphasise the moral nature of teaching. Contextual issues about school and society and matters related to content, such as the curriculum, had little representation in first-year student teacher identities. On the basis of the results, the role of teacher education is considered in the process of promoting development of student teachers’ teacher identity during their studies.     

Too hot or too cold to study? The effect of temperature on student time allocation

This paper studies the causal effect of temperature on students’ time use for both college and high school students. Students substitute study time with leisure on days with extremely low and high temperatures. Extreme temperatures also have a noticeable heterogeneous effect on time allocation for both groups of students. College students respond to the unpleasant weather by substituting study time with weather-appropriate leisure. In comparison, high school students reduce both class and self-study time, which is more frequent during cold days. Lastly, students in cold and hot climates are observed to react more to the temperature to which they are not acclimatized. Our findings offer a different perspective by uncovering the black box behind the relationship between weather and test scores seen in recent literature.     

What's so inclusive about an inclusion room? Staff perspectives on student participation,diversity and equality in an English secondary school

This article by Gwen Gilmore, a lecturer in the School of Curriculum and Pedagogy at Massey University, draws on a research project which explored the nature, extent and characteristics of a disciplinary inclusion room (IR) in a secondary school in the south‐west of England using a Cultural Historical Activity Theory framework. In five years to 2010 this school reduced fixed‐term exclusion from a 10% rate to less than 0.01%. At the same time school attainment improved, with the percentage of students attaining grades A*–C in GCSEs increasing from 43% to 73%. The school under study was located within an Excellence in Cities and Behaviour Improvement Partnership initiative. The mixed methods used to inform this article include analysis of school documents, staff on‐line questionnaire and nine in‐depth interviews. Staff views of the IR indicated a dynamic, interactive model and the potential for increased discourse around inclusion informed by joint problem solving in context. This research suggests that a disciplinary IR and associated systems can complement educational goals. The findings prompt a reconsideration of the role of discipline provision and give strength to inclusive, educationally based practice. This article, the literature and research are also informed by a matched Year 8 and 9 student questionnaire and interviews with nine students who attended the IR.