The relationship between social support and student adjustment: A longitudinal analysis

This study is an examination of the relationship of perceived social support and adolescents' adjustment behaviors over time. The sample (n = 82) included students from two at‐risk urban middle schools. Utilizing two measures, the Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale (CASSS; C. K. Malecki, M. K. Demaray, & S. N. Elliott, 2000) and the Behavior Assessment System for Children, Self Report of Personality (BASC; C. R. Reynolds & R. W. Kamphaus, 1998), data were collected at three time points. Results point to a relationship between social support and student adjustment behaviors over time. Specifically, support from parents was related to clinical maladjustment and emotional symptoms one year later. In fact, parent support was still related to clinical maladjustment one year later even after students' earlier levels of clinical maladjustment were taken into account. Parent support was also related to personal adjustment in the short term (6 months). Classmate support was related to students' emotional symptoms one year later. Finally, school support was related to school maladjustment one year later even after students' earlier school maladjustment was taken into account. Implications for school psychologists are discussed. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 42: 691–706, 2005.     

Teacher and student: Designing a democratic relationship

Teaching is a practice that aims to develop appropriate relationships between the mature and the immature. The good teacher has learned to balance the personal and the impersonal dimensions of daily contact with young people. Classroom experiences are often so subtle and the time for reflection too frequently so minimal that teachers have to rely on momentary responses rather than careful analysis. But, when we tease out the meanings and the implications of our experience, we are able to spot the limitations of our assumptions, to examine the craft of our profession, and to contemplate the new horizons that our students open up. The moments considered in this paper all concern the opportunities and dangers of conversation in a school. The goal is to provide notes on the ways adults succeed or fail in their efforts to engage young people in meaningful conversation. The mutuality of the teacher/student relationship signifies the obligation of the mature to provide, as Dewey says, 'whatever capacity for sympathetic understanding' we have gained from our own experience to each educational occasion.     

Facilitating small-group learning: A comparison of student and staff tutors' behavior

This study focused on students' observations of student and staff tutors' behavior during two academic courses, using a thirtynine-item rating scale. The study took place within an integrated problem-based law curriculum. Six major factors in tutors' behavior were identified. Differences between student and staff tutors' performance were investigated. The results showed that student tutors were better at understanding the nature of the problems students face in attempting to master the subject-matter. Student tutors were also more interested in students' daily lives, study experiences and personalities. In addition, student tutors referred to end-of-course examinations more frequently than staff tutors to direct student learning. Alternatively, staff tutors used their subject-matter expertise more often and displayed more authoritarian behavior than student tutors. No differences were found with respect to tutors' focus on cooperation among group members. The results are interpreted in terms of the nature of the knowledge and experiences of students and staff with regard to problem-based learning and its requirements.     

Predicting student ratings: the relationship between actual student ratings and instructors’ predictions

This study examined the relationship between student ratings and instructors’ predictions of these ratings, taking into account other instructor, student, and course characteristics. Participants in the study were 198 instructors in the School of Education at a major teacher training college in Israel. Data corresponding to one randomly selected course per instructor were collected using student and instructor questionnaires and college records. Results indicate a systematic positive relationship between instructors’ predictions and actual student ratings with respect to overall ratings and the ratings of three dimensions of teaching. Results also demonstrate a systematic trend whereby low‐rated instructors tend to overestimate their student ratings, high‐rated instructors underestimated ratings, and moderately rated instructors gave accurate predictions. Results have implications for using predictions to motivate teaching improvement.     

A study of student perceptions of physics teacher behavior

This study investigates student perceptions of the behavior of physics teachers in relation to some other variables in the classroom situation. The research was carried out as a Dutch option of the Second International Science Study. Data were gathered in 65 classrooms of physics teachers with pupils 15 years old. Some of the teachers (21) used the new PLON curriculum and the others a traditional one. Student perceptions of teacher behavior were measured with a questionnaire based on the interpersonal theory of Leary (1957). The aspect of behavior measured is called interactional teacher behavior. We found remarkably high correlations between student perceptions of teacher behavior and affective outcomes such as appreciation of the lessons and motivation for the subject matter. Also, the correlations with cognitive outcomes measured with a standardized international test were significant. It appears that some differences exist between teacher behaviors that are favorable for high cognitive outcomes and behaviors favorable for high affective outcomes in physics lessons. Hardly any differences were found in teacher behavior between teachers using the traditional and the new physics curriculum.     

Considering student retention as a complex system: a possible way forward for enhancing student retention

This study uses multilayer minimum spanning tree analysis to develop a model for student retention from a complex system perspective, using data obtained from first-year engineering students at a large well-regarded institution in the European Union. The results show that the elements of the system of student retention are related to one another through a network of links and that some of these links were found to be strongly persistent across different scales (group sizes). The links were also seen to group together in different clusters of strongly related elements. Links between elements across a wide range of these clusters would have system-wide influence. It was found that there were no elements that are both persistent and have system-wide effects. This complex system view of student retention explains why actions to enhance student retention aimed at single elements in the system have had such limited impact. This study therefore points to the need for a more system-wide approach to enhancing student retention.     

The relationship among teacher classroom management behavior,student engagement,and student achievement of middle and high school science students of varying aptitude

This study was designed to determine the relationship among teacher classroom management behavior, student engagement, and student achievement of middle and high school science students. These variables were investigated across varying levels of academic aptitude. Two week long units were taught by 30 experienced science teachers. During this period of time teacher classroom management behavior, student achievement (n = 570), student engagement (n = 269), and student academic aptitude (n = 649) were measured. Twelve selected management indicators from Georgia Teachers Performance Assessment Indicators (TPAI) were used to measure teacher classroom management behaviors. Regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between the variables, and appropriate post hoc procedures were used. Analyses showed that there was a significant relationship among all variables. Post hoc analysis showed that these results were consistent across levels of aptitude. Other relationships found were between student engagement and achievement, student aptitude and achievement, and student aptitude and engagement. Correlation coefficients were obtained for each individual management indicators. Those particular management behaviors which were correlated with achievement and engagement are: identifies students who do not understand directions and helps them individually, maintains learner involvement in lessons, reinforces and encourages the efforts of learners to maintain involvement, attends to routine tasks, uses instructional time efficiently, provides feedback to learners about their behavior, manages disruptive behavior among learners.     

大学师生关系：问题与对策

当前，大学师生关系由于受到高校扩招和市场机制的影响，存在冷漠化、利益化、简单化、自由化、紧张化等问题。改善大学师生关系，教师一要确立知识上的实质性权威；二要真正成为学生的“益友良师”；三要不断进行教学创新。学生则既要“因教而学”，又要发展自主、主动意识。     

Science teacher characteristics by teacher behavior and by student outcome: A meta-analysis of research

A meta-analysis was conducted of studies which addressed characteristics (gender, course-work, IQ, etc.) as the independent factor, and: (1) their teaching behavior in the classroom (questioning behavior, teaching orientation, etc.); and (2) student outcome characteristics (achievement, attitude toward science, etc.) as the two dependent factors. The population under study was science classes, ranging from kindergarten through twelfth grade, located in the United States, and the teachers of these classes. The studies integrated were reported in dissertations, journal articles, and other forms. Relationship data obtained from the studies were converted to Pearson product moment correlations. In general, quite low relationships were found between teacher background characteristics and (1) their touching behavior in the classroom and (2) student outcome characteristics. Summary tables showing the relationships are presented along with discussion of the strongest relationships.     

Teacher attributions of student failure and teacher behavior toward the failing student

The aim of this study was to examine the relation between teacher attributions of student school failure and teacher behavior toward the failing student. A structural equation model was proposed and its ability to fit the data was tested. It was found that teachers tend to behave in ways that indicate more pity and less anger when they attribute a student's low achievement to her or his low abilities, whereas they express more anger when attributing low achievement to the student's low effort. In contrast to previous research that argues in favor of anger as a high ability cue, this study has found that the presence of anger was associated with a teacher tendency to give‐up efforts to help the student improve. This giving‐up behavior was negatively related to the tendency of the teachers to accept some responsibility for the student failure. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Teacher behavior and student outcomes: Results of a European study

This study investigates the extent to which the factors included in the dynamic model of educational effectiveness are associated with student achievement gains in six different European countries. At classroom level, the dynamic model refers to eight factors relating to teacher behavior in the classroom: orientation, structuring, questioning, teaching-modeling, application, management of time, teacher role in making classroom a learning environment, and classroom assessment. This paper presents results concerned with the impact of the teacher factors on student achievement. In each participating country (i.e., Belgium/Flanders, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Ireland, and Slovenia), a sample of at least 50 primary schools (n?=?334) was drawn. Written tests in mathematics and science were administered to all grade 4 students (n?=?10,742) at the beginning and at the end of the school year 2010–2011. Students were also asked to complete a questionnaire concerning the eight teacher factors of the dynamic model. Structural equation modeling techniques were used to test the construct validity of the student questionnaire. Both across and within country analyses revealed that student ratings are reliable and valid for measuring the functioning of the teacher factors included in the dynamic model. Multilevel analyses revealed that teacher factors are associated with student achievement gains in mathematics and science. Implications for the development of educational effectiveness research and for improving quality of teaching are drawn.     

Factors affecting hispanic student transfer behavior

Few studies examine transfer of nontraditional-age Hispanic community college students to four-year institutions. The present study examined attitudes, cognitive and noncognitive experiences, and transfer-related behaviors of students (N=277) who graduated from one two-year institution, in order to determine factors associated with successful transfer and make appropriate policy recommendations. An undergraduate survey based on Tinto's (1975, 1987) conceptual framework and Cabrera, Nora, and Castaneda's (1993) integrated model of student retention provided measures of family concerns, encouragement, social and academic integration, English communication skills, and educational and institutional commitments. Structural equation modeling via LISREL gave parameter estimates of causal links among variables in the hypothesized model. Variables significant for Hispanic transfer students were mathematics ability, academic achievement, and an intent to transfer.An earlier version of this paper was presented at the Association for Institutional Research Forum, Chicago, Illinois, May 1993.     

大学生心理资本与就业能力关系研究

采用心理资本量表和就业能力自评量表对7所本科院校2500名大学生进行调查,结果发现:大学生人际型心理资本和就业能力在性别和年级上差异显著;学生干部经历有利于提高大学生心理资本和就业能力;大学生心理资本与就业能力之间存在显著的正相关;心理资本对就业能力有很好的正向预测作用。