Evaluation of e‐learning outcomes: experience from an online psychotherapy education programme

SEPTIMUS is a one‐year Europe‐wide postgraduate theoretical course for psychotherapists and counsellors provided entirely via the Internet. It may be used as part of a training course, with face‐to‐face elements provided locally, or for continuing professional development. The course was developed at the University of Sheffield in collaboration with psychotherapy training institute partners in seven other European countries. Two studies involving 167 SEPTIMUS students and 60 comparable face‐to‐face students were undertaken. ? Study 1. Drop‐out rates for the SEPTIMUS programme were found to be low, and comparison between those dropping out and those completing did not highlight any significant factors linked to distance learning. However, students cited finance, distance from training centre, lack of practical experience, family commitments and the intensity of their working weeks as having been barriers to taking face‐to‐face learning courses in the past.

? Study 2. SEPTIMUS students (e‐learners) were compared with students taking comparable attending (face‐to‐face) theoretical courses also being provided by partners in the project to psychotherapy trainees. Significant differences were found in distance from training institute and ability to visit training institute. SEPTIMUS students had higher levels of computer ownership, frequency of Internet use and IT skills than attenders; these factors when examined in Study 1 did not have an impact on the drop‐out rate of e‐learners.

e‐Learning can overcome barriers to traditional learning in psychotherapy, particularly distance from a training centre, without loss of student satisfaction or student performance. Factors sometimes thought to be obstacles to e‐learning, such as information technology skills, were not found to be significant barriers – although they may have affected recruitment. Certain aspects of e‐learning, such as the tendency to facilitate self‐disclosure, were found to be very beneficial, particularly in the context of psychotherapy programmes.     

The contribution of the diaspora to the reconstruction of education in South Sudan: the challenge of being involved from a distance

Conflicts all over the world result in people living in diaspora, usually maintaining strong ties with their countries of origin. As many of them are well educated and dedicated to their country, expectations of the role they can play in the development of their home country are high. This article reflects on the contribution of the South Sudanese diaspora to the reconstruction of the education system, which was badly affected by over 40 years of civil war. Theories of capacity development, human capabilities and transnationalism are used to build a framework to analyse micro-development projects in the education sector initiated by the South Sudanese diaspora. Case studies and in-depth interviews led to the identification of opportunities and challenges as experienced in these projects. The conclusion points to the need to rethink partnerships in the reconstruction of the education sector in South Sudan.     

The salient history of Dalton education in the Netherlands

In the Netherlands there are 400 Dalton schools, while Dalton education has all but disappeared elsewhere, including in its country of origin: the USA. Following a brief period in the 1920s in which it enjoyed strong international interest, it disappeared from the scene. How can it be that the Dalton Plan still exists only in the Netherlands? This article compares the history of Dalton education in the Netherlands with that in Britain and the USA. Circumstances were more favourable in the Netherlands in the 1920s, although the growth was modest. Factors that inhibited the increase of Dalton education in the Netherlands in these early days are similar to those that presumably hastened its disappearance elsewhere. There was a growth spurt in the Netherlands from the 1980s onwards. This seems to be a side effect of the introduction of a new Education Act and the pressure on schools to market themselves.     

Avoidance-oriented students’ development in motivation for maths,self-regulated learning behaviour and achievement: a person-centred study in the lowest level of secondary education

Performance-avoidance orientation has been found to undermine students’ academic motivation and achievement. Recognising groups of students with different levels and developments of performance-avoidance orientation makes it possible to try to intervene early in their school careers. In this study, 1168 12–13?year-old students attending the first and second year of the lowest level of secondary education, participated. Questionnaires on goal orientations, self-efficacy, investment in maths and well-being at school were administered four times. Report marks were collected at school. Using growth mixture modelling, four groups of students were distinguished: group 1 had an intermediate and a slightly increasing performance-avoidance orientation; group 2 a low and clearly increasing performance-avoidance orientation; group 3 an intermediate and clearly decreasing performance-avoidance orientation; and group 4 a low and slightly decreasing performance-avoidance orientation. We found that groups1 and 2 had less favourable development in their well-being at school, self-efficacy and performance-approach orientation.     

The development of children with ADHD in day treatment centres after school hours

The behavioural and emotional development of children with ADHD visiting day treatment centres after school hours is described and the childrearing factors that govern positive development explored. Test scores on the Child behaviour checklist (CBCL) and ADHD behavioural symptoms rating scale were obtained over a period of nine months, in a sample of 86 children with ADHD, and related to the activities of the professional care‐givers. Behavioural control mixed with affectionate and emotional support reduced the ADHD symptoms at the follow‐up. According to the CBCL measures, the overall emotional and behavioural problems of the children did not improve. This suggests that prolongation of the day treatment is still required after nine months.     

Dynamics of Individual Television Viewing Behavior: Models,Empirical Evidence,and a Research Program

Television viewing often is a sequence of a multitude of activities that can vary tremendously from the moment the TV set is turned on until it is turned off again. Previous models of individual viewing behavior as well as empirical studies have focused on isolated aspects of viewing only, such as the frequency and duration of viewing or patterns of selecting a specific program. This paper draws attention to the complete process of TV viewing. We develop a process model to describe whole viewing sessions. Furthermore, a review of the empirical evidence on viewing behavior and a typology of factors influencing the viewing process are presented, concluded by a research program.     

Antecedents of organizational citizenship behavior among blue- and white-collar workers in Turkey

This study investigated the relationship between employees’ beliefs about their social world (social axioms: reward for application, social cynicism, religiosity, social flexibility, and fate control), their relational identification with their supervisor, and their organizational citizenship behavior (OCB; i.e., interpersonal facilitation, job dedication and organizational support) within collectivistic Turkish society. We expected OCB to depend upon one's relational identification with the supervisor and also to depend on several social axioms, given their salience in collectivistic cultures. We also investigated these relationships across white- and blue-collar workers, as this has not been studied much. To this end, we conducted a survey among 376 Turkish blue-collar and 147 white-collar factory employees. A series of hierarchical regression analyses confirmed our expectations that for both blue- and white-collar workers the reward for application belief was positively related to job dedication and organizational support. Religiosity was positively related to job dedication and organizational support only among blue-collar employees. As hypothesized, relational identification with the supervisor related positively to all dimensions of OCB in blue-collar employees and to interpersonal facilitation and organizational support in white-collar employees. However, the relationship between relational identification with the supervisor and organizational support appeared stronger for blue-collar than for white-collar employees. Apparently, relational identification with the supervisor is an important antecedent of OCB, particularly for blue-collar employees. Theoretical and practical implications of the study findings are discussed.     

Strengthening parental self-efficacy and resilience: A within-subject experimental study with refugee parents of adolescents

Post-migration stress and parenting adolescents can reduce parental self-efficacy. This study tested the effects of strengthening parental self-efficacy in refugee parents of adolescents and whether this makes parental self-efficacy less impacted by post-migration stressors. Using a within-subject experimental design, experience sampling data were collected in 2019 from 53 refugee parents of adolescents (M_age = 39.7, SD_age = 5.59, 73% Syrian, 70% mothers) in the Netherlands. Data were analyzed by dynamic structural equation modeling using interrupted time-series analysis. The single-session personalized intervention strengthened parental self-efficacy (small effect: between case standardized mean difference = 0.09) and made refugee parents less vulnerable to post-migration stressors. Findings suggest that parental self-efficacy is malleable and strengthening it fosters refugee parents' resilience. Replications with longer-term follow-ups are needed.     

Assessing the learning of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities in mainstream school physical education

In the UK, one consequence of neoliberalism has been the development of test cultures in schools and standardised assessment strategies used to judge all pupils against within and across curriculum subjects. Few studies to date have explored the influence of this on assessing the learning of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and none have centred physical education (PE). This study used the concept of ableism and semi-structured interviews to explore mainstream secondary school PE teachers’ views and experiences of assessing the learning of pupils with SEND. Based on the findings, we discuss the importance of schools disrupting hegemonic, ableist modes of thinking that cast pupils with SEND as being of inferior ability when compared with their peers and thus being disadvantaged by standardised, normative assessment practices. Specifically, we identify a need for senior leaders and teachers in schools to recognise the needs and capabilities of pupils with SEND, through more holistic assessment approaches that focus on social, affective, cognitive and physical learning and development. We end by discussing the significance of initial teacher education and teacher networks to support this endeavour and advocating for the amplification of the voices of pupils with SEND, given that they have expert knowledge about the perceived inclusivity of assessment in PE because they can draw upon their lived and embodied experiences.