Cognitive and Psychological Factors Underlying Secondary School Students' Feelings Towards Group Work

ABSTRACT Two-hundred-and-ninety secondary school students from Years 7, 9 and 11 completed questionnaires relating to motivational goals, metacognitive awareness, need for affiliation, social anxiety and feelings towards group work. Factor analysis revealed three attitudes towards participation in group work: a preference for group environments, a preference for individual work environments, and a sense of discomfort in group environments. Students reporting a preference for group work also indicated higher levels of sociability, lower levels of social anxiety, stronger mastery and performance goals, and greater levels of metacognitive awareness. Students expressing a preference for individual work environments reported lower levels of sociability and higher levels of social anxiety, but were not differentiated on any of the cognitive measures. Students reporting discomfort in groups similarly reported enhanced levels of social anxiety combined with lower levels of sociability, but also indicated lower levels of metacognitive awareness. Results are discussed in the context of current theoretical and empirical work on group-based learning.     

Persönlichkeitsentwicklung als ziel der Bildung: Aus der Sicht eines Psychologen

Zusammenfassung Die Persönlichkeit, die fast überall positiv verstanden wird, besteht nicht von Geburt an, sondern entwickelt sich unter Einfluß von Anlagen und Umwelt. Die Jugend, die als Übergang zwischen Kindheit und Erwachsenenalter bezeichnet wird, wirft in vielen modernen Industriestaaten Probleme auf, die aus der oftmals schwierigen Suche nach der eigenen Identität resultieren. Identität wird hier als Wechselwirkung zwischen Anlagen und Umwelt verstanden. Der Jugendliche muß auf dem Weg zur eigenen Persönlichkeit vor sich selbst, der Gesellschaft und dem Leben insgesamt bestehen. Die Psychologie definiert die Persönlichkeit als Summe vieler psychologischer Eigenschaften, in denen sich Unterschiede zwischen den Menschen zeigen. Die Entwicklung dieser Eigenschaften ist in Umwelt, Reifung und Handlung des Individuums zu sehen. Sie wird in Ursachen, Bedingungen und Verläufe unterschieden. Als letzten Punkt führt der Artikel verschiedene Aspekte der Bildungsproblematik an. Der Verfasser kommt zu dem Schluß, daß Persönlichkeitsentwicklung zwar Ziel der Bildung sein sollte, dieses Ziel aber aufgrund des heutigen unklaren Bildungskonzeptes nicht erreichbar ist.

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Personality, which is a term almost always used in a positive sense, does not exist from the moment of birth, but it develops under the influence of heredity and environment. Adolescence, which is seen as a transition from childhood to adulthood, raises difficulties in many modern industrialized countries as a result of the often arduous search for individual identity. In this context identity is seen as an interaction between heredity and environment. While developing his own personality, the young person has to maintain an integral existence vis-à-vis himself, society and life. Psychology defines the personality as the sum of numerous psychological characteristics, through which differences between people are revealed. The development of these characteristics is to be seen in the environment, maturation and actions of the individual. It can be subdivided into causes, conditions and processes. Finally the article discusses various aspects of the general question of education. The author concludes that the development of the personality should be an aim of education, but that this aim is presently unattainable because of a lack of clarity in the concept of education.

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Résumé La personnalité, qui est un terme presque toujours employé dans un sens positif, n'existe pas dès la naissance, mais se développe sous l'influence de l'hérédité et de l'environnement. L'adolescence, que l'on considère comme une période de transition entre l'enfance et l'âge adulte, crée des difficultés dans de nombreux pays modernes industrialisés en raison de la recherche souvent ardue d'une identité individuelle. Dans ce contexte, on entend par identité l'interaction entre hérédité et environnement. Tout en développant sa propre personnalité, l'adolescent doit continuer d'exister par rapport à lui-même, la société et la vie. La psychologie définit la personnalité comme la somme de nombreuses caractéristiques psychologiques, à travers lesquelles se dessinent les différences entre les personnes. On peut observer le développement de ces caractéristiques dans l'environnement, la croissance et les actions de l'individu. On peut les classer en causes, conditions et processus. Enfin, le présent article examine les divers aspects de la problématique de l'éducation. L'auteur conclut que le développement de la personnalité devrait être un but de l'éducation, mais que celui-ci n'est pas présentement réalisé en raison du manque de clarté du concept de l'éducation.

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Höchstes Glück der Erdenkinder sei nur die Persönlichkeit (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe,Westöstlicher Diwan)     

Key non-controversial concepts of population education

The important components of population education should focus on sexuality rather than sex education; content for inclusion depends upon whether the goal is population awareness or critical awareness. Population awareness is the better understanding of the nature, causes, and consequences of population changes experienced by a community, country, region. Critical awareness is the intent and ability to change the sociocultural or educational characteristics that influence fertility, mortality, and migration. 6 basic concepts with universal applicability are discussed, because if not handled properly, the topic become controversial. The concepts are linked to developing thinking or reasoning ability. The concepts are as follows: 1) respect for others, particularly those of the opposite sex; 2) development of self-esteem for both boys and girls; 3) the knowledge that planning is possible and desirable; 4) postponement of first pregnancy; 5) acceptance of responsibility for the consequences of behavior; and 6) the ability to recognize and withstand social pressure. When children learn respect for others, there is little likelihood that others will be harmed. Respect for girls and women is particularly important, and harmful stereotyping and their effects should be pointed out. The key is to develop healthy attitudes and values toward people, not just an intellectualization of gender issues. Self-esteem is used here to mean self-worth in the present and the future. Children can be helped to develop confidence, perseverance, and optimism. Children need to understand that carefully thought out decisions should precede a birth; fatalism and destiny is a choice. Postponing the first pregnancy can lead to economic, emotional, and physical benefits. Risk to the health of the mother and baby occurs during the teen years. The best time for pregnancy is between the ages of 20 and 30 years. A pregnancy in the teen years may have longterm consequences such as more pregnancy and delivery complications or infertility. Social pressure may force behavior that does not conform to one's own convictions or be applicable to best options for the individual.     

TEACHING AND LEARNING ABOUT MATTER IN GRADE 6 CLASSROOMS: A CONCEPTUAL CHANGE APPROACH

The purpose of this study was to enhance the teaching and learning of matter and its properties for grade 6 students. The development of a conceptual change approach instructional unit was undertaken for this purpose. Pre- and post-concept surveys, classroom observations, and student and teacher interviews were used to collect data. The teaching activities not only challenged and encouraged students’ conceptual change but also indicated that teachers needed to develop their content knowledge and teaching strategies. The participants developed more scientific conceptions and were able to apply these in appropriate contexts. This study illustrates how a conceptual change approach can be accomplished in the Thai context.     

Antenatal prediction of mother-infant difficulties

A prospective study of 143 "low risk" pregnant women expecting their first baby was conducted in Newcastle, Australia. The study was designed to examine the contribution of a woman's perception of her own childhood experiences, her trait anxiety level, socioeconomic status, and social support network to difficulties in her relationship with her baby during the baby's first year. The women were initially interviewed during pregnancy and followed up 3 and 12 months postpartum. Follow-up measures included the Dimensions of Perinatal Adjustment, the Neonatal Perception Inventory, the Ainsworth Strange Situation, and information from hospital records, family doctors, and baby health centre sisters. Women who perceived their social network as less supportive during pregnancy were likely to see their one-year-old babies (p less than .05) as more difficult. The other antenatal measures were not significantly predictive of outcome.