Are all Pupils Equally Motivated to do Their Best on all Tests? Differences in Reported Test-Taking Motivation within and between Tests with Different Stakes

This study investigated changes in reported test-taking motivation from a low-stakes to a high-stakes test and if there are differences in reported test-taking motivation between school classes. A questionnaire including scales assessing reported effort, expectancies, perceived importance, interest, and test anxiety was administered to a sample of pupils (n?=?375) in 9th grade in direct connection to a national test field trial and then again to the same sample in connection to the regular national test in science. Two-level second-order latent growth modelling was used to analyse data. In summary, the results show a significant increase in reported test-taking motivation from the field trial to the regular test and a significant variability in test-taking motivation between classes.     

Parenting and childhood aggression in the Chinese context: an examination of parental responses,physical coercion and warmth

Parental response, physical coercion and warmth and their relationships with childhood aggression were assessed with 277 children (142 boys; M age = 56.5 months, SD = 10.93 months) in Hong Kong. Results indicated that both fathers and mothers reported significantly more intervention strategies in response to hypothetical vignettes of physical aggression than relational aggression. Both fathers’ and mothers’ self-reported physical coercion was positively correlated with boys’ and girls’ composite scores of physical and relational aggression as reported by teachers, fathers and mothers, whereas fathers’ self-reported warmth was associated with a lower level of physical and relational aggression in boys. Furthermore, maternal warmth moderated the association between physical coercion and girls’ relational aggression. Findings suggest that parents’ normative beliefs regarding relational aggression should be challenged and the general acceptability of parental control in the Chinese context does not necessarily imply the absence of a link with childhood aggression.     

Coparenting,Parenting Stress,and Authoritative Parenting among Hong Kong Chinese Mothers and Fathers

SYNOPSIS

Objective. This paper examines whether the effects of spousal coparenting on authoritative parenting are mediated through parenting stress. Design. A total of 166 married, heterosexual couples in Hong Kong with a preschool child provided information about their spouse’s level of cooperation and triangulation in their coparenting relationship at Time 1; their own parenting stress at Times 1 & 2; and their authoritative parenting at Times 1, 2, and 3. Results. Cooperation at Time 1 affected fathers’ authoritative parenting at Time 3 completely mediated through fathers’ parenting stress at Time 2. There were no mediated or direct effects on authoritative parenting for mothers, although triangulation at Time 1 predicted mothers’ parenting stress at Time 2. Conclusion. Parenting stress mediates the relation between coparenting and authoritative parenting for fathers, suggesting the need to encourage cooperation from mothers. In this way fathers’ stress related to their role as parent will decrease, helping to promote their authoritative parenting.     

The Development and Psychometric Properties of the Teacher Social Stress Scale-Student Related (TSS-Sr)

Teacher burnout is a growing phenomenon that may dramatically reduce the quality of life of both teachers and students. Many studies have conceptualized teaching as a high-contact profession and, focusing on the emotional exhaustion dimension of burnout, they have highlighted the relation with students as a key dimension of teachers’ stress. This paper presents an original instrument (TSS-Sr) to measure teachers’ stress related to the interaction with their pupils. It provides the psychometric characteristic of this scale. Results support a model of measurement of teacher social stress based on four dimensions: verbal aggression, dislike students, awkward reactions, demanding requests. Implications about the use and the applications of this instrument are discussed.     

A validation of the Dyslexia Adult Screening Test (DAST) in a post‐secondary population

In Ontario, Canada, there is a demand for psychometrically robust screening tools capable of efficiently identifying students with specific learning disabilities (SLD), such as dyslexia. The present study investigated the ability of the Dyslexia Adult Screening Test (DAST) to discriminate between 117 post‐secondary students with carefully diagnosed SLDs and 121 comparison students. Results indicated that the DAST correctly identified only 74% of the students with SLDs as ‘highly at risk’ for dyslexia. Although employing the cutoff for ‘mildly at risk’ correctly identified 85% of the students with SLDs, this also increased the percentage of students with no major history of learning problems identified as ‘at risk’ for dyslexia from 16% to 26%. These findings suggest that the DAST in its present form is limited in its ability to screen for SLDs. Implications for future research are discussed.     

On some difference sequence spaces defined by a sequence of Orlicz functions

INTRODUCTION Let w be the set of all sequences of real or com- plex numbers and R∞, c and c0 be the sequence spaces of bounded, convergent and null sequences x=(xk), respectively. A sequence x∈R∞ is said to be almost convergent (Lorentz, 1948) if all Banach limits of x coincide. Lorentz (1948) proved that 1 c? = ??? x =( xk ) :linm 1n ∑kn= xk s exists, uniformly in s???. Maddox (1967; 1978) has defined x to be strongly almost convergent to a number L if 1 linm 1n ∑k n= xk s? L=0,…     

Das Volksbildungswesen der Sowjetunion (UDSSR)

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

The Role of Executive Functions for Dyadic Literacy Learning in Kindergarten

The current study used a dyadic and coconstructive approach to examine how to embed exercises that support executive functioning into early literacy instruction to empower its effects. Using a randomized controlled trial design with 100 children, we examined the effects of dyadic activities in which children scaffolded each other’s learning and behavior through structured questioning procedures. This group was contrasted with a control group whose dyads observed each other while working with the same literacy exercises and with a business-as-usual control group. Research Findings: Results showed that the experimental group showed greater progress in letter knowledge. Further analyses indicated that these results were mainly driven by children with higher levels of executive functions. Practice or Policy: These results suggest that young children are able to regulate each other’s learning behavior during preacademic exercises in dyadic contexts but may need more external control from a teacher when their executive function levels are low.     

Inclusive practices at the teacher and class level: the experts’ view

One concern for teachers and schools is how to implement inclusion. This paper examines its implementation at the teacher and class level in Styria, (a state in Austria). To do so, a qualitative study with expert interviews was conducted. Twenty-five experts from seven schools and four Centres for Inclusion and Special Education were interviewed. This paper highlights four areas: (1) teachers’ attitudes; (2) co-teaching; (3) individualised instruction; and (4) classroom composition. The results showed that for the inclusion process to be successful, positive attitudes towards inclusion of children with special educational needs are critical. Furthermore, negative attitudes towards inclusion can change if resources and support systems are available. Like every change process, high reliability is necessary to promote inclusion. The special education teacher was seen as an important resource, thus meaningful cooperation between the general and special education teacher was considered as a first step in implementing inclusive education. The use of differentiated teaching methods, along with individual initiatives, were other indispensable practices. According to the experts, these differentiated teaching instructions are implemented better in heterogeneous classrooms, meaning that a classroom composition that corresponds to the normal heterogeneity of the student population is seen as an essential part of teaching.     

Change Readiness among Teaching Staff at Anadolu University,Turkey

Turkey’s Anadolu University is one of the world’s largest mega‐universities. It is engaged in strategic planning in response to changes in the expectations of the Turkish Higher Education Council and the community at large. In re‐examining its vision and strategic directions, Anadolu University needs to be informed on the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of its teaching staff, and the systems and support needed to assure their change readiness. This article examines the literature of organizational and educational change and its implications for the university. It reports on a study based on the relevant constructs from the literature and is designed to gauge the extent and nature of teaching staff knowledge, skills, practice, and research in educational and technological change, motivating and de‐motivating factors, change adopter types, and perceptions of the organizational climate for change. It considers the implications of these findings and draws conclusions about what would be needed to improve staff readiness for change.