What drives students to complete online courses? What drives faculty to teach online? Validating a measure of motivation orientation in university students and faculty

Although online student enrollment has shown double digit growth for almost a decade and academic leaders recognize that online education is necessary for enrollment growth, little is known about what motivates students to enroll in or faculty to teach face-to-face (F2F) versus online courses. The psychometric properties of a motivation scale were examined with students (n = 235) and faculty (n = 104) at a large, public, urban university in the southeastern USA. Analyses revealed that the scale was reliable as intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for online and F2F courses were similarly constructed for students and faculty; additionally, results revealed that motivations for online and F2F education are distinct concepts. Findings also demonstrated that online extrinsic motivation predicted the number of online courses students completed, while F2F intrinsic motivation negatively predicted the number of online courses a faculty member had taught. These results address several limitations with existing motivation measures and enhance the ability to predict student and faculty outcomes in online education.     

Feasibility of Conducting Child Abuse Research with Girls in Juvenile Detention Using Audio-Computer Assisted Self-Interview (ACASI) Technology

This paper presents a feasibility study of audio computer-assisted self-interview (ACASI) technology used to elicit self-reported histories of child maltreatment among detained adolescent girls (N?=?35). We focus on methodological, legal, ethical, and administrative challenges to the collection of sensitive information from minors who are wards of the state. We conclude that extensive collaboration with detention center staff was required to address and overcome these challenges. Pending the availability of additional evidence from demographically diverse samples, the extent to which the ACASI method improves the completeness and accuracy of child maltreatment histories reported by adolescent girls in juvenile detention remains unclear. Further research is needed to determine whether the advantages of the ACASI technology contribute to more valid and reliable reporting of maltreatment by detained girls in a setting where an empathetic interviewer, who may facilitate the disclosure process, is absent.     

Career choices and characteristics of criminal justice undergraduates

Four hundred undergraduate criminal justice students from twelve colleges and universities in seven states participated in an anonymous, written survey designed to determine career choices and expectations as well as other demographic information. Approximately half of the students surveyed indicated that they were pursuing a career in law enforcement. Almost one-third indicated that they had no career plans. We found that reasons for studying criminal justice vary by race and gender, as do career goals.     

The Development of Children’s Understanding of Speed Change: A Contributing Factor Towards Commonsense Theories of Motion

Previous research indicates children reason in different ways about horizontal motion and motion in fall. At the same time, their understanding of motion down inclines appears to result from an interaction between horizontal and vertical motion understanding. However, this interaction is still poorly understood. Understanding of speed change may shed further light due to its critical role in natural object motion. This is addressed by the present two studies. Children (n = 144) aged 5–11 years predicted whether a ball, either heavy or light, would accelerate, decelerate or move at unchanging speed along a horizontal, in fall and down an incline, both in a real-object task (Study 1) and a computer-presented task (Study 2). The results suggest understanding of speed change is typically limited to the expectation that change takes place between a point of no motion and any subsequent point in motion, but not between two subsequent points. Despite improvements with age, predictions of continued speed change barely exceeded chance levels in the oldest age group. Modest effects of object mass were noted. Response time data provide further insight regarding children’s predictions, highlighting similarities and differences in reasoning between motion dimensions. The overall findings are used to develop clearer ideas about the development of children’s understanding of speed change as well as to advance commonsense theories of motion.     

Coming to Voice: Preparing Bilingual-Bicultural Teachers for Social Justice

This study examined the development of bicultural voice in Latina/o preservice teachers. Researchers used survey, interview, and observational data to probe students' knowledge, beliefs, and orientations related to teaching culturally and linguistically diverse students. The researchers found that the bilingual cohort courses afforded students with opportunities to juxtapose personal narratives with broader social contexts, thereby allowing students to examine and critique the ideology and curricula of schools. The authors assert that cultivating social justice orientations in bilingual-bicultural preservice teachers is crucial to the empowerment of bilingual-bicultural teachers and their students.     

“Moving quietly through the door of opportunity”: Perspectives of College Students who Type to Communicate

Colleges and universities across the United States are becoming increasingly diverse. That increased diversity includes students who do not use speech as their primary means of expression. This qualitative study focuses on the experiences and challenges of higher education for individuals with autism who type to communicate using a method known as facilitated communication. This article focuses on the perspectives of these individuals as they make sense of their inclusion in and, at times, exclusion from higher education, particularly their academic and social access. In addition, the findings of this research indicate that while there are structural and classroom supports that are helpful for individuals who type to communicate, their participation and meaningful inclusion is also incumbent on attitudinal factors and how receptive faculty and staff are to the students’ method of communication. While there is still much work to be done in the area of higher education for individuals with more complex needs, this study highlights the promise of higher education for this new population of students.     

DEMOGRAPHIC AND ACADEMIC FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH FIRST‐TO‐SECOND‐TERM RETENTION IN A TWO‐YEAR COLLEGE

ABSTRACT

Two‐year public colleges are known to experience the lowest retention rates of all colleges and universities. In addition, the lowest rate of consecutive‐term retention within the two‐year college occurs from students’ first to second term. The literature on factors related to retention in two‐year colleges, however, is strikingly inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to determine demographic and academic factors associated with first‐to‐second‐term retention at a regional campus of a two‐year public technical institution. The interaction between these factors was also studied. Those demographic variables found to be significantly related to retention included educational objective, full‐time/part‐time enrollment status, employment status, and age. The only academic factor found to be related significantly to retention was first‐term GPA. No significant interaction effects between these variables were found. A list of target groups for retention strategies was developed from the results of the study.     

A Comparison of Diagonal Weighted Least Squares Robust Estimation Techniques for Ordinal Data

This study compared diagonal weighted least squares robust estimation techniques available in 2 popular statistical programs: diagonal weighted least squares (DWLS; LISREL version 8.80) and weighted least squares–mean (WLSM) and weighted least squares—mean and variance adjusted (WLSMV; Mplus version 6.11). A 20-item confirmatory factor analysis was estimated using item-level ordered categorical data. Three different nonnormality conditions were applied to 2- to 7-category data with sample sizes of 200, 400, and 800. Convergence problems were seen with nonnormal data when DWLS was used with few categories. Both DWLS and WLSMV produced accurate parameter estimates; however, bias in standard errors of parameter estimates was extreme for select conditions when nonnormal data were present. The robust estimators generally reported acceptable model–data fit, unless few categories were used with nonnormal data at smaller sample sizes; WLSMV yielded better fit than WLSM for most indices.     

Exploring a Community of Practice Model for Professional Development to Address Challenges to Classroom Practices in Early Childhood

This study explored whether or not, and how, an on-site and research–teacher community of practice model for professional development addressed the challenges to classroom practices in a Head Start program. Data sources included interviews with teachers, videos of planning and teaching sessions, and the researchers' fieldwork log and reflective notes. Qualitative analysis revealed (a) five major challenges to classroom practice that aligned with previous research—existing practices did not always cohere with research-based practice, lack of teacher buy-in, lack of planning between the lead and assistant teachers, lack of assistant teacher participation in instruction, and high teacher turnover; (b) five aspects of professional development that aligned with the community of practice model—sharing stories with teachers, being on-site and interacting with teachers and children, inviting all teachers to participate, beginning by building on existing practices, and negotiating practices by reflecting with teachers; and (c) how these aspects of our professional development model addressed the challenges to classroom practice in the focal classroom. Implications for in-service professional development and teacher education are discussed.