Predictors of academic success in medical school

This study was designed to determine the predictive validity of selected admissions variables used by the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. Data for the study were collected from 586 students admitted to the M.D. program from 1961 to 1968. These students were categorized into one of three groups (Successful [SUCC], Successful with Extended Study [SWES], and Lost to Medicine [LTM]) based upon their performance in medical school. A two-way analysis of variance and the use of a post hoc Scheffé method of multiple comparisons indicated significant differences between the SUCC group and the combined SWES and LTM groups. Therefore, the data revealed the predictive ability of two admissions variables and suggested the need for additional research into the subjective variables used in the admissions process.     

The influence of a response format test accommodation for college students with and without disabilities

Standardised and other multiple-choice examinations often require the use of an answer sheet with fill-in bubbles (i.e. ‘bubble’ or Scantron sheet). Students with disabilities causing impairments in attention, learning and/or visual-motor skill may have difficulties with multiple-choice examinations that employ such a response style. Such students may request and receive testing accommodations that intend to mitigate these impairments, such as circling responses in a test booklet, which contains both the questions and corresponding multiple-choice answers. The current study evaluated this test accommodation as compared to using a bubble sheet or Scantron on a multiple-choice vocabulary test. College students with (n = 25) and without (n = 76) disabilities completed a vocabulary test under both booklet (accommodated) and bubble sheet (standard) conditions. Results demonstrated that answering in a test booklet, a much preferred response mode, allowed students to attempt significantly more items than using a bubble sheet, improving their overall test scores. Booklet responding tends to improve overall performance, even for students without disabilities, calling into question the specificity and validity of this accommodation.     

The perceptions,policy, and practice of educating twins: A review

Twin births are increasing at a rapid rate, yet many educational personnel throughout the world are unaware of the needs of twins in school. Stereotypical views of twins as pathologically close or excessively dependent pervade educational policies and practices, despite the fact that twins do not differ from singletons on rates of psychological disturbance. Research shows that many schools implement strict policies for classroom placement of twins, yet the effects of such policies on twins' development and educational attainment are currently unknown. Recommendations for school personnel and future directions for this formative area are discussed. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 40: 429–438, 2003.     

The link between basing self-worth on academics and student performance depends on domain identification and academic setting

Two studies showed that the link between how much students base their self-worth on academics and their math performance depends on whether their identification with math was statistically controlled and whether the task measured ability or not. Study 1 showed that, when math identification was uncontrolled and the task was ability-diagnostic, basing self-worth on academics was unrelated to the students' math performance. When math identification was controlled, however, the more students based self-worth on academics the worse their math performance. Study 2 showed that, when math identification was uncontrolled and the task was ability non-diagnostic, the more students based self-worth on academics the better their math performance. When math identification was controlled, however, students' level of basing self-worth on academics was unrelated to math performance. These results held for females and males even when gender was made salient. In both studies, higher math identification linked to better math performance.     

Teacher collaborative learning through the lesson study: identifying pathways for instructional success in a Singapore high school

Research shows teacher collaborative learning to be a powerful vehicle to mobilise teacher instructional change and pedagogical practices, and to improve student achievement. For such undertakings to have positive impact, understanding the visible features of collaborative structures may not be sufficient to ensure sustainable practice. Instead, there is a need to identify underlying pathways that provide for successful instructional improvement. The purpose of this qualitative study is to obtain deeper insights into teacher outcomes arising from this practice and to identify aspects of the lesson study structure and processes that afford such opportunities. Three subject groups consisting of ten teachers from a Singapore high school participated in this study. Implications on staff development programs will be discussed in the light of these findings.     

Job satisfaction,school rule enforcement,and teacher victimization

Job satisfaction is an essential component of teacher motivation, performance, and retention. Teacher job satisfaction is primarily affected by workplace conditions. This paper analyzes data from over 37,000 public school teachers from the 2011–2012 Schools and Staffing Survey. Hierarchical ordinal logistic regression was utilized to analyze effects of school rule enforcement and teacher victimization on job satisfaction. Findings indicated that teachers who perceived higher enforcement of school rules had higher job satisfaction. In particular, consistent enforcement of rules by school administrators had a significantly greater effect on satisfaction than collegial enforcement of rules. Findings also indicated that teacher victimization has a significantly negative effect on job satisfaction. Consistent enforcement of school rules may reduce instances of student misbehavior and teacher victimization, helping reduce teacher stress and anxiety, leading to greater job satisfaction. Implications for policy and practice are explored, examining what administrators can do to protect teachers and improve satisfaction.