Are online communities for young people an issue for education researchers? A literature review of Swedish and international studies within the educational field

Issues concerning children and young people are of interest for the educational field as question about fostering, up-bringing, learning and socialisation are core topics for academic researchers in education. Today many young people in Sweden and around the world spend an increasing amount of their time in online communities or social networking sites. This article aims to investigate whether it also is highlighted by the education researchers. Is it an area to which educational researchers currently contribute? The goal for this article is to present research that is done regarding these issues. My findings show that few academic studies deal with youth and their online environments. Foremost is the research about Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in formal learning situations: in higher education, in schools and classrooms, among professional groups such as teachers and about more general computer use rather than on questions about the fostering or up-bringing of children online. This study implies that online activities for children and young people is a topic currently lying outside the educational research field, resulting in a discussion on why that can be. My work consisted of three parts: a manual search in Swedish research journals at a university library and by searching one Swedish (Libris) and one international (ISI Web of Science) online database. This activity took place in 2009 and covered research conducted between 2003 and 2008. I conclude that this area is one where educational expertise is lacking; hence further research is strongly required.     

Additive and multiplicative effects of working memory and test anxiety on mathematics performance in grade 3 students

The aim of this study was to investigate the interplay between test anxiety and working memory (WM) on mathematics performance in younger children. A sample of 624 grade 3 students completed a test battery consisting of a test anxiety scale, WM tasks and the Swedish national examination in mathematics for grade 3. The main effects of test anxiety and WM, and the two-way interaction between test anxiety and WM on mathematics performance, were modelled with structural equation modelling techniques. Additionally, the effects were also tested separately on tasks with high WM demands (mathematical problem-solving) versus low WM demands (basic arithmetic). As expected, WM positively predicted mathematics performance in all three models (overall mathematics performance, problem-solving tasks, and basic arithmetic). Test anxiety had a negative effect on problem-solving on the whole sample level but concerning basic arithmetic only students with lower WM were affected by the negative effects of test anxiety on performance. Thus, students with low WM are more vulnerable to the negative effects of test anxiety in low WM tasks like basic arithmetic. The results are discussed in relation to the early identification of test anxiety.     

Group discussions and test-enhanced learning: individual learning outcomes and personality characteristics

This paper focuses on the factors that are likely to play a role in individual learning outcomes from group discussions, and it includes a comparison featuring test-enhanced learning. A between-groups design (N = 98) was used to examine the learning effects of feedback if provided to discussion groups, and to examine whether group discussions benefit learning when compared to test-enhanced learning over time. The results showed that feedback does not seem to have any effect if provided to a discussion group, and that test-enhanced learning leads to better learning than the discussion groups, independent of retention interval. Moreover, we examined whether memory and learning might be influenced by the participants’ need for cognition (NFC). The results showed that those scoring high on NFC remembered more than those who scored low. To conclude, testing trumps discussion groups from a learning perspective, and the discussion groups were also the least beneficial learning context for those scoring low on NFC.     

‘Strong is the new skinny’: navigating fitness hype among teenagers in northern Sweden

An increased interest in health, diet, and physical activity exist among young people, in this study termed ‘fitness hype’. Viewing the body and health as commodities can be understood as part of a healthism discourse. In this study, we explored how Swedish high school students perceive and negotiate the trend regarding exercise, diet and body ideals. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten high school students, aged 16–18 years, from various educational programs and with varying levels of physical activity. Using qualitative content analysis, we developd one overarching theme navigating life satisfaction in the face of an ‘unhealthy fitness hype’. Four additional, interrelated categories showed how the young people negotiated this developing trend through: (1) the quest for social recognition and value, (2) social media sets the standards, (3) the paradox of strong and skinny as the new standard, and (4) the need for new safety nets. Our results highlight the young people’s perceptions of an excessive and influential focus on health and exercise in contemporary society. They described a fitness hype as exorbitant and unhealthy ideals of body and exercise, and understood this as problematic. Social media was seen as contributing to this hype as a powerful arena for ‘the quest for social recognition and value’. While not all the young people felt negatively affected by the fitness hype, they perceived its influence on their lives. Further, body and fitness ideals were gendered. Teenage girls faced the paradox of shaping themselves as ‘strong and skinny’. Social ties were recognized as an important safety net, particularly classmates, sports mates, and coaches. Knowledge of these problems from the perspective of young people is crucially needed among health professionals and educators. Further research should explore additional support strategies, and young people’s experiences of fitness hype among additional youth groups.     

Effects of repeated testing on short- and long-term memory performance across different test formats

This study examined whether practice testing with short-answer (SA) items benefits learning over time compared to practice testing with multiple-choice (MC) items, and rereading the material. More specifically, the aim was to test the hypotheses of retrieval effort and transfer appropriate processing by comparing retention tests with respect to practice testing format. To adequately compare SA and MC items, the MC items were corrected for random guessing. With a within-group design, 54 students (mean age = 16 years) first read a short text, and took four practice tests containing all three formats (SA, MC and statements to read) with feedback provided after each part. The results showed that both MC and SA formats improved short- and long-term memory compared to rereading. More importantly, practice testing with SA items is more beneficial for learning and long-term retention, providing support for retrieval effort hypothesis. Using corrections for guessing and educational implications are discussed.     

The use of transparency in the ‘Interactive examination’ for student teachers

If the aim of education is for all students to learn and improve, then the expectations must be transparent to the students. In this study, three aspects of transparency are investigated in relation to an examination methodology for student teachers: self‐assessment criteria, a scoring rubric, and exemplars. The examinations studied were carried out in 2004, 2005, and 2006 respectively, all with a cohort of first year student teachers (n = 170, 154, and 138). There was a large difference in scores between the 2004 and 2005 cohorts (d = 3.21), when changes in the examination were implemented. The comparison between 2005 and 2006, when no changes were made, does not show a corresponding difference (d = .27). These results suggest that, by making the assessment more transparent, students’ performances could be greatly improved.     

TV: a threat or a complement to school?

The main purpose of this study is to examine relationships between children's TV use and their TV environment, on the one hand, and their school performance on the other. Children and their parents have been asked about their viewing habits, and parents have been asked about their attitudes and actions as regards their children's viewing habits. Data about school achievement and marks have also been collected. The study is longitudinal with data on 194 children from the age of six to the age of 12, which have been analysed with the aid of the Partial Least Squares method. Various connections between TV use and school results are demonstrated. For example, children who grow up in a more ‘cognizant’ TV environment, i.e. are encouraged to watch children's programmes for their age group and get help with assimilating the contents of a programme, also cope better with the cognitive requirements of school