Identifying affective domains that correlate and predict mathematics performance in high-performing students in Singapore

Past studies have shown that distinct yet highly correlated sub-constructs of three broad mathematics affective variables: (a) motivation, (b) attitudes and (c) anxiety, have varying degree of correlation with mathematics achievement. The sub-constructs of these three affective constructs are as follows: (a) (i) amotivation, (ii) external regulation, (iii) introjection, (iv) identification, (v) intrinsic motivation; (b) (i) enjoyment of mathematics, (ii) self-confidence in mathematics, (iii) perceived value of mathematics; (c) (i) anxiety with mathematics and (ii) ease with mathematics. This study identifies, both within and across these three affective variables, the key sub-constructs that educators should focus upon when selecting learning process variables for mathematics achievement. Results were analysed using a series of stepwise regression analyses using data from 1018 Grade 12 students enrolled in a top pre-tertiary institution in Singapore, both for concurrent and predictive relationships, and also for both genders. Results of this study showed that after taking into account self-confidence in mathematics and ease with mathematics, all other sub-constructs of mathematics motivation, attitudes and anxiety were not significantly correlated with mathematics achievement. This is true for both concurrent and predictive relationships, and for both genders. Implications of the results of this study are twofold. First, results of this study provide educators with priority affective variables to focus upon in their efforts to enhance performance in mathematics via the affective domain. Second, in situations where administration time is limited, it may be possible to consider only self-confidence and ease with mathematics when investigating relationships between affect and mathematics achievement.     

Peer review and national need

In this paper a quantitative look is taken at some of the latent conflicts between the Canadian government's changing expectations of university research and the peer review process by which the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the major funder of scientific research in the universities, allocates its resources. Focusing on the granting histories of individual grantees, it is shown that, statistically, an individual's funding level is a function of the period of time over which he has been funded by the Council. Studies of other systems of decision making make these findings unsurprising in that they reflect the incremental outcomes of group decisions. However, the do point to the structural problems inherent in a top-down approach to stimulating research in areas of national need within a system involving diffuse focal points for decision making. If future government funding is to be ensured, it will be important to either clarify expectations in order to take account of the traditional autonomy of research councils or, if need is to be explicitly defined as customer oriented, to explore alternative funding mechanisms.     

Forced Disruption of Anatomy Education in Australia and New Zealand: An Acute Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic

Australian and New Zealand universities commenced a new academic year in February/March 2020 largely with “business as usual.” The subsequent Covid-19 pandemic imposed unexpected disruptions to anatomical educational practice. Rapid change occurred due to government-imposed physical distancing regulations from March 2020 that increasingly restricted anatomy laboratory teaching practices. Anatomy educators in both these countries were mobilized to adjust their teaching approaches. This study on anatomy education disruption at pandemic onset within Australia and New Zealand adopts a social constructivist lens. The research question was “What are the perceived disruptions and changes made to anatomy education in Australia and New Zealand during the initial period of the Covid-19 pandemic, as reflected on by anatomy educators?.” Thematic analysis to elucidate “the what and why” of anatomy education was applied to these reflections. About 18 anatomy academics from ten institutions participated in this exercise. The analysis revealed loss of integrated “hands-on” experiences, and impacts on workload, traditional roles, students, pedagogy, and anatomists' personal educational philosophies. The key opportunities recognized for anatomy education included: enabling synchronous teaching across remote sites, expanding offerings into the remote learning space, and embracing new pedagogies. In managing anatomy education's transition in response to the pandemic, six critical elements were identified: community care, clear communications, clarified expectations, constructive alignment, community of practice, ability to compromise, and adapt and continuity planning. There is no doubt that anatomy education has stepped into a yet unknown future in the island countries of Australia and New Zealand.     

The Effect of Initial Knee Angle on Concentric-Only Squat Jump Performance

Purpose: There is uncertainty as to which knee angle during a squat jump (SJ) produces maximal jump performance. Importantly, understanding this information will aid in determining appropriate ratios for assessment and monitoring of the explosive characteristics of athletes. Method: This study compared SJ performance across different knee angles—90º, 100º, 110º, 120º, 130º, and a self-selected depth—for jump height and other kinetic characteristics. For comparison between SJ and an unconstrained dynamic movement, participants also performed a countermovement jump from a self-selected depth. Thirteen participants (M_age = 25.4 ± 3.5 years, M_height = 1.8 ± 0.06 m, M_weight = 79.8 ± 9.5 kg) were recruited and tested for their SJ performance. Results: In the SJ, maximal jump height (35.4 ± 4.6 cm) was produced using a self-selected knee angle (98.7 ± 11.2°). Differences between 90°, 100°, and self-selected knee angles for jump height were trivial (ES ± 90% CL = 90°–100° 0.23 ± 0.12, 90°–SS ?0.04 ± 0.12, 100°–SS ?0.27 ± 0.20; 0.5–2.4 cm) and not statistically different. Differences between all other knee angles for jump height ranged from 3.8 ± 2.0 cm (mean ± 90% CL) to 16.6 ± 2.2 cm. A similar outcome to jump height was observed for velocity, force relative to body weight, and impulse for the assessed knee angles. Conclusions: For young physically active adult men, the use of a self-selected depth in the SJ results in optimal performance and has only a trivial difference to a constrained knee angle of either 90° or 100°.     

Academic self-concept in elementary learning disabled children: Study with the student's perception of ability scale

Academic self-concept as measured by the Student's Perception of Ability Scale (SPAS) was compared for 81 learning disabled (LD) and 81 normally-achieving control children in grades three to six. The results show that LD children hold significantly more negative self-perceptions of ability in reading, spelling, and arithmetic than do the control children. Further, these negative school subject-related attitudes in the LD children had generalized to lower self-perceptions of ability in general, to expressions of less confidence in school, and more negative attitudes toward school. No grade level or sex effects were observed. It was concluded that the SPAS is able to discriminate between normally-achieving children and those experiencing problems in school, and, accordingly, that the SPAS has good external validity. The results were discussed in terms of using the SPAS for evaluating affective components of remediation, and for identifying high-risk elementary school children. Continuing external validity studies being undertaken by the authors also were noted.     

School-Based Programs for Increasing Connectedness and Reducing Risk Behavior: A Systematic Review

School connectedness has a significant impact on adolescent outcomes, including reducing risk-taking behavior. This paper critically examines the literature on school-based programs targeting increased connectedness for reductions in risk taking. Fourteen articles describing seven different school-based programs were reviewed. Programs drew on a range of theories to increase school connectedness, and evaluations conducted for the majority of programs demonstrated positive changes in school connectedness, risk behavior, or a combination of the two. Many of the reviewed programs involved widespread school system change, however, which is frequently a complex and time-consuming task. Future research is needed to examine the extent of intervention complexity required to result in change. This review also showed a lack of consistency in the definitions and measurement of connectedness as well as few mediation analyses testing assumptions of impact on risk-taking behavior through increases in school connectedness. Additionally, this review revealed very limited evaluation of the elements of multicomponent programs that are most effective in increasing school connectedness and reducing adolescent risk taking.     

The biomedical doctorate in the contemporary university: education or training and why it matters

The form and function(s) of doctoral education continue to be a subject of much debate by stakeholders internal and external to the university. Notable concerns driving this debate derive from a seemingly discursive array of factors including increasing student numbers, increased understanding of the economic value of doctoral graduates, capitalisation of the academic market and a focus on allocating funding using ostensibly narrow, arbitrary measures of ‘program success’ such as completion rates/time to completion, all framed by a wider debate regarding precisely what constitutes valid knowledge in contemporary society. Within the university, the biomedical sciences are one area of scholarship undergoing rapid change in this respect. One of the salient outcomes of these internal and external dialogues is the apparent transition of biomedical doctoral education towards a ‘training model’ that places increasing emphasis on rapid completion and the generation of ‘industry ready graduates’; a transition that is, potentially, occurring at the expense of the edifying and transformative aspects of biomedical doctoral education. Focusing on the effects of academic capitalisation, this paper draws on data from Australia and Europe to examine the drivers and potential effect(s) of this shift on contemporary doctoral education in the biomedical sciences. This paper acknowledges the potential benefit of contemporary developments whilst simultaneously concluding that by progressing too far towards a quantitatively assessed, industry-driven training model we risk eliminating the intellectual and societal transforming aspects of biomedical doctoral education that make graduates increasingly valuable to our economy and, just as importantly, to our society as a whole.     

The simple view of reading redux: vocabulary knowledge and the independent components hypothesis

This study investigated the hypothesis that the contributions of oral language comprehension (C) and word recognition (D) to reading comprehension (R) in the simple view of reading (SVR) are not independent because a component of C (vocabulary knowledge) directly contributes to the variance in D. Three analysis procedures (hierarchical regression analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling) were used to analyze data obtained from a sample (N = 122) of 7-year-old students who were administered tests of vocabulary knowledge, nonword reading, word recognition (two standardized tests), and parallel forms of listening and reading comprehension. Results from the regression analysis indicated that vocabulary made a contribution to R beyond that made by word recognition and listening comprehension; results from the exploratory factor analysis showed that two factors (Decoding and Linguistic Comprehension) were extracted, with vocabulary and listening comprehension loading highly on the Linguistic Comprehension factor; and results from structural equation modeling revealed that the latent construct, C, influenced R not only directly but also indirectly through the latent construct, D.