A Two-Year Longitudinal Study of Stressful Life Events, Social Support, and Social Problem-Solving Skills: Contributions to Children''s Behavioral and Academic Adjustment

We investigated the contributions of stressful life events and resources (social support and social problem-solving skills) to predicting changes in children's adjustment. At Time 1, 361 third through fifth graders completed measures of social support and social problem-solving skills. Their parents completed a stressful life events scale and a child behavior rating measure. The children's teachers provided ratings of behavioral and academic adjustment. 2-year follow-up data (Time 2) were obtained for approximately half of the sample on the same measures. Time 1 stressful life events and resources showed some significant but modest zero-order correlations with the Time 2 adjustment indices. Hierarchical multiple regressions revealed prospective effects for Time 1 social support on later teacher-rated competencies and grade-point average. In addition, increases over time in social support and social problem-solving skills (a composite score) were significantly related to improvement in behavioral and academic adjustment, whereas stressful life events were not predictive of adjustment.     

Constructing a Pragmatic Science of Learning and Instruction with Functional Contextualism

Constructivism has been embraced by many in the field of instructional design and technology (IDT), but its advocates have struggled to move beyond theory to practice or to empirically demonstrate the effectiveness of their approach. As an alternative to constructivism, a new perspective emerging in psychology, known as functional contextualism, is presented. Like constructivism, functional contextualism also rejects objectivist epistemology, but provides a much more coherent philosophical basis on which to build an empirical science of learning and instruction. The philosophical worldview known as contextualism is reviewed to outline the similarities and differences between constructivism and functional contextualism, and the key characteristics of functional contextualism and the science it supports, behavior analysis, are described. Implications of functional contextualism for research and practice in IDT are then explored. Eric Fox [eric.fox@wmich.edu] is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Western Michigan University. This article was written while he was a doctoral student in the Learning & Instructional Technology program at Arizona State University.     

Motivational climates: assessing and testing how science classroom environments contribute to undergraduates’ self-determined and achievement-based science goals

The current research examined the psychometric properties and utility of a measure of college classroom environment in predicting goal-related outcomes rooted in goal contents and achievement goal theories. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses in Studies 1 and 2, respectively, yielded support for two distinct and gender-invariant classroom environment constructs—professorial concern and affiliation. Results of multilevel regression analyses in Study 3 indicated that both constructs were positive predictors of intrinsic and self-approach goals. Additionally, professorial concern was a significant positive predictor of extrinsic goal adoption. Contrary to expectation, perceptions of affiliation in the science classroom were unrelated to task-approach goals. These findings illustrate the important role that socially dynamic classroom contexts play in fostering motivation and satisfying basic needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness.     

Applications of Augmented Reality in Informal Science Learning Sites: a Review

The importance of increasing interest in the STEM disciplines has been noted in a number of recent national reports. While many previous studies have focused on such efforts inside of the formal classroom, comparatively few have looked closely at informal learning environments. We investigate the innovative use of technology in informal learning by reviewing research on the incorporation of augmented reality (AR) at exhibit-based informal science education (ISE) settings in the literature. We report on the common STEM-focused topics that are covered by current AR applications for ISE learning, as well as the different devices used to support these applications. Additionally, we report on the prevalence of positive learning outcomes and engagement factors commonly associated with the use AR applications in informal environments. This review aims to foster continued development and implementation of AR technology in exhibit-based ISE settings by informing the community of recent findings and promoting additional rigorous research for the future.     

Math skills and labor-market outcomes: Evidence from a resume-based field experiment

We examine the link between math skills and labor-market outcomes using a resume-based field experiment. Specifically, we send fictitious resumes in response to online job postings, randomly assigning some resumes to indicate stronger math skills, and measure employer responses. The resumes that are randomly assigned to indicate stronger math skills receive more interest from employers than the comparison resumes. Our findings add to the body of evidence showing that stronger math skills positively affect labor-market outcomes.     

Retention challenges for indigenous Peruvian college students on Beca 18 scholarship and strategies to improve their experiences and academic success

ABSTRACT

This paper analyzes challenges indigenous Peruvian college students face in completing their studies, based on field research that included interviews with Peruvian higher education leaders, administrators, researchers, and faculty, and a review of published research. Since 2012, the government of Peru has sponsored Beca 18, a comprehensive scholarship designed to attract and support students from underrepresented populations, namely impoverished and largely indigenous communities. While the program has provided opportunities to thousands of students from all provinces, the struggles they have mirror those of other indigenous students around the world, including discrimination, unpreparedness, and attrition. The analysis pinpoints areas in which lessons from international scholarship and success strategies with other indigenous populations may enhance the success of the Beca 18 scholarship program and the experiences of its students. It discusses the critical role higher education institutions play in developing future leaders through future identity formation.     

Using scenarios to identify and manage allocation decision risks

This paper employs the solver function in Microsoft Excel? to make a ‘what-if' analysis of library materials budgetary allocation decisions. Two sets of allocation constraints are presented and used to describe two different theoretical scenarios: (1) a slight materials budget increase and (2) a significant materials budget decrease. In each scenario, the associated allocation ‘parity' risks are identified using solver and the outcomes of different risk management strategies are considered. Sensitivity to context requires different risk management solutions to minimize conflicts between stakeholders with competing interests. By pre-managing allocation risks, the decisions allow library materials budgets to be optimized.     

Hierarchical Models of Social Competence in Preschool Children: A Multisite,Multinational Study

The generality of a multilevel factorial model of social competence (SC) for preschool children was tested in a 5‐group, multinational sample (N = 1,540) using confirmatory factor analysis. The model fits the observed data well, and tests constraining paths for measured variables to their respective first‐order factors across samples also fit well. Equivalence of measurement models was found at sample and sex within‐sample levels but not for age within sample. In 2 groups, teachers’ ratings were examined as correlates of SC indicators. Composites of SC indicators were significantly associated with both positive and negative child attributes from the teachers’ ratings. The findings contribute to understanding of both methodological and substantive issues concerning SC in young children.     

Comprendre l'éducation physique à partir de la comparaison: le cas de la France et de l' Espagne

Le but principal de cet article est de comparer à partir des textes législatifs, des enquêtes ministérielles et européennes, et des revues spécialisées en France et en Espagne les propriétés de deux organisations scolaires singulières nommées «éducation prioritaire» ainsi que les mises en ?uvre de l'éducation physique. En nous appuyant sur l'approche de la construction sociale, nous présentons comment ces deux pays européens organisent cet enseignement dans les milieux défavorisés. Une analyse des aspects visibles du système éducatif à l'aide d'indicateurs généralistes (organisation des études, formation des enseignants, dépenses publiques) aurait laissé envisager d'importantes différences. Cependant, la comparaison à l'aide d'indicateurs «plus fins» des mises en ?uvre de l'éducation physique dans les écoles traditionnelles (poids de l'éducation physique, préoccupations gouvernementales et celles des enseignants, programmes d'enseignement) puis dans les milieux difficiles ZEP et CAEP (choix didactiques et pédagogiques) indique de fortes similitudes. Ces différences de résultats soulignent l'intérêt des analyses comparatives secondaires et la nécessité de considérer des analyses détaillées.

The main aim of this study is to compare two particular school organisations labelled ‘priority education’ in France and Spain, in relation to physical education using laws, ministerial and European surveys, and specialised journals. The social constructivist approach has been used to describe how both these European countries organise the teaching of physical education in under‐privileged environments. The analysis of the visible aspects of these educational systems with general indicators (organisation of studies, teacher education, public expenses) seems to imply differences. However, the comparison using more detailed data in the implementation of physical education in traditional schools (weight of the physical education in the system, governmental and teachers concerns, teaching programmes) indicates strong similarities. In addition, didactic and pedagogic choices in physical education in under‐privileged schools appear to be quite similar. These results underline the interest of secondary comparative studies and the necessity of taking into account detailed analyses.