Validating a model of effective teaching behaviour and student engagement: perspectives from Spanish students

Research consistently shows that teaching behaviour is a highly-important indicator of learning environments. Based on a teacher effectiveness model with six observable teaching behaviour domains (safe learning climate, efficient classroom management, clarity of instruction, activating teaching, teaching–learning strategies, and differentiation), the present paper examines the psychometric quality of the My Teacher questionnaire for capturing student perceptions of teaching behaviour in the Spanish secondary-education context. Additionally, this study validated the model of teaching behaviour and student engagement and its relevance in Spain. 7114 students of 410 teachers attending 56 public and private Spanish schools constituted the sample. The six teaching behavioural dimensions model were confirmed in the Spanish context. Regarding student academic engagement, the presence of two domains (behavioural and emotional engagement) were confirmed. Furthermore, results of a multiple-group structural equation modeling path analysis, examining the relationship between teaching behaviour and student engagement across different teaching experiences, revealed differential effects of teaching behaviour influences on students’ engagement. The percentage of explained variance was larger for emotional engagement than for behavioural engagement. Furthermore, teachers’ teaching experience explained differences in the relationship between perceived teaching behaviour and engagement. Two domains (learning climate and activating teaching) appeared to be the two most-important teaching domains for students’ behavioural engagement while, for emotional engagement, the most important domains for student engagement were learning climate and teaching learning strategies.

     

Procesos cognitivos en el aprendizaje de la multiplicación

Resumen

En este trabajo se aborda el estudio de los procedimientos y estrategias desarrollados por los niños para solucionar situaciones problemáticas relacionadas con la multiplicación aritmética. El análisis de dichos procedimientos nos muestra cómo dicha noción comporta un nivel de mayor complejidad que la adición, lo que es necesario tener en cuenta en el momento de enseñarla.     

Information-seeking behavior of economics graduate students: If you buy it,will they come?

The information-seeking behavior of social science graduate students has been the subject of many studies, but none have concentrated only on the economics graduate student population and their unique needs. The purpose of this focus group study was to use group discussions to understand the actual online behavior of graduate economics students when conducting research. The results provide insight and information about the skills and characteristics of economics graduate students, their first steps in conducting research online, their use of publicly available and library resources, challenges to finding information, and resources used to overcome these challenges.     

Teachers’ perspectives on integration of visually impaired children

ABSTRACT

The aim of this article is to show the result of research into the situation of the integration of visually impaired children in Seville (Spain). This work refers to both classroom and peripatetic teachers’ perspectives. We have worked with four peripatetic teachers and nine classroom teachers from Seville. We have used qualitative methodological procedures for data collection and analysis. The results indicate that classroom organization is the most important problem in integration, and within this problem the relationship between classroom and peripatetic teachers becomes a fundamental issue.     

‘I’m older but I can still do this job’: the experiences of mature women in an age-sensitive occupation

This paper explores how mature female flight attendants [FAs] use Selection, Optimization and Compensation [SOC] strategies to cope with age-related diminishing resources at work. The role of FAs is an age-sensitive occupation, and in some organizations, women are under constant pressure to look young and attractive. This Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis study aims to add depth and nuance to our understanding of SOC strategies qualitatively; most published studies are quantitative. A homogenous sample of 5 mature single Filipina FAs, foreign workers employed by Arabian Gulf-based airlines, were interviewed through a semi-structured protocol. Recruitment was through a snowball process. The study found that FAs use SOC strategies to compensate for age-related decline. Off-duty, their focus is directed to activities that help them to meet the organizations’ expectations of youthful appearance and productivity. To achieve this, resources from other life domains are diverted, which leads to negative outcomes from focusing SOC strategies on only one aspect of life. Despite negative personal implications and concerns about the future, the participants still felt attached to their work identities. This shows the importance of understanding the use of SOC strategies within and across life domains, as well as their implications for career sustainability and workability. The use of such strategies at work when detrimental to other life roles is unsustainable. The findings highlight the importance of conducting more qualitative studies on SOC behaviors of specific groups, so the experiences of aging at work can be explored in more depth, allowing areas of concern to be identified.     

Strategies to Survive and Thrive in Academia: The Collective Voices of Counseling Faculty of Color

This qualitative study investigated the survival and coping strategies employed by 17 faculty of color teaching in counseling programs across the United States. Results indicated that for participants, the meaning of survival extends beyond the ability to meet expectations for tenure and promotion and achieve professional longevity. Survival entails engaging in a variety of actions that allow them to withstand and rise above the damaging effects of microaggressions. Framed as conscious strategies, individual actions become collective acts of resistance against racism and other forms of discrimination. Implications for multicultural faculty development are discussed.