Choices and changes: Eccles’ Expectancy-Value model and upper-secondary school students’ longitudinal reflections about their choice of a STEM education

During the past 30 years, Eccles’ comprehensive social-psychological Expectancy-Value Model of Motivated Behavioural Choices (EV-MBC model) has been proven suitable for studying educational choices related to Science, Technology, Engineering and/or Mathematics (STEM). The reflections of 15 students in their last year in upper-secondary school concerning their choice of tertiary education were examined using quantitative EV-MBC surveys and repeated qualitative interviews. This article presents the analyses of three cases in detail. The analytical focus was whether the factors indicated in the EV-MBC model could be used to detect significant changes in the students’ educational choice processes. An important finding was that the quantitative EV-MBC surveys and the qualitative interviews gave quite different results concerning the students’ considerations about the choice of tertiary education, and that significant changes in the students’ reflections were not captured by the factors of the EV-MBC model. This questions the validity of the EV-MBC surveys. Moreover, the quantitative factors from the EV-MBC model did not sufficiently explain students’ dynamical educational choice processes where students in parallel considered several different potential educational trajectories. We therefore call for further studies of the EV-MBC model's use in describing longitudinal choice processes and especially in investigating significant changes.     

Refutational text and multiple external representations as a method to remediate the misinterpretation of box plots

The ability to interpret graphs is highly important in modern society, but has proven to be a challenge for many people. In this paper, two teaching methods were used to remediate one specific misinterpretation: the area misinterpretation of box plots. First, we used refutational text to explicitly state and invalidate the area misinterpretation of box plots. Second, we used multiple external representations (MERs): Histograms were used as an overlay on box plots in order to give students a better insight in the way box plots represent data distributions. Third, we combined refutational text and MERs. We found that refutational text was successful in improving students’ interpretation of box plots, but that the use of MERs did not improve students’ interpretation of box plots. The addition of MERs also did not increase the effect of refutational text.     

The effect of a computer on preschool children's activities

Activity preferences of 29 preschool children were recorded over a 2-week period while children were engaged in self-selected activities. Subsequently a microcomputer was introduced into the classroom, and the children were given 3 weeks to accustom themselves to this new activity area. Another 2-week observation period followed, during which activity preferences were again recorded, this time including the computer as an activity choice. Analyses indicate that involvement in art activity decreased during the second observation, and that the same children who decreased this activity also switched to involvement with the computer. No sex or age difference in computer use was found, and the computer did not appear to affect socialization. The need for further study of the impact of the computer in preschool settings is discussed.     

Distinguishing Multiple Dimensions of Conceptions of Ability: Implications for Self-Evaluation

Three separate lines of research have suggested that conceptions of ability may play a key role in the development of self-evaluation. Each line has focused on a different dimension of conceptions of ability: conceptions of ability as uncontrollable, conceptions of ability as constant, and conceptions of ability: as capacity. Unfortunately, there has been little attention to the convergences and divergences among the 3 dimensions. The present study examined this issue in 236 second- through fifth-grade children. Children indicated the extent to which they conceived of ability as uncontrollable, as constant, and as capacity. Two forms of self-evaluation (performance following failure and the extent to which self-perceptions of competence converge with external indicators of competence) were investigated. In addition, cognitive competence was assessed. The near-zero correlations, 3-factor solution yielded by confirmatory factor analysis, variability in age-related differences, differential links to cognitive competence, and diverse forms of self-evaluation among the 3 dimensions suggested that the 3 are relatively distinct, and that they may play different roles in the development of self-evaluation. Moreover, the 3 dimensions appear to interact with one another to influence self-evaluation.     

The short‐term and the long‐term effect of primary schools and classes on mathematics and language achievement scores

A considerable body of previous research has demonstrated that differences between schools and classes have an impact on students' learning and acquisition of skills. It is not yet clear, however, whether the effects persist in the longer term. The present study examines the effect of primary schools and classes on language and mathematics achievement over a period of two years after leaving primary education. Considerable short‐term effects of the primary school and class on achievement levels at the end of primary education were found. Multilevel models with a cross‐classified structure were constructed to estimate the long‐term effects. Differences between secondary schools and classes turned out to be much more important for achievement in secondary education than the long‐term effects of primary schools and classes, which were small and died out fast.     

Solving arithmetic word problems. An analysis of Spanish textbooks / Resolución de problemas aritméticos verbales. Un análisis de los libros de texto españoles

This study analyses whether the primary school mathematics textbooks from two Spanish publishers show a varied instructional diet of addition and multiplication problems at different levels of complexity. To do so, it analyses the problems in all the primary grades by the publishers Santillana and SM according to two levels of complexity: (a) procedural (number of steps needed to solve the problem); and (b) semantic/mathematical (addition or multiplication structures, with their different subtypes). The results show that: (a) these problems are so simple that the books themselves cannot be regarded as a sufficient tool to teach students to solve the more complex problems; and (b) if we compare them with previous studies, the design of the problems has hardly changed in 10 years. These results show that the variety of problems in books should be expanded both procedurally and semantically/mathematically, and teachers should be given assistance to compensate for these shortcomings when using these textbooks in class.     

Expressions of agency within complex policy structures: science teachers’ experiences of education policy reforms in Sweden

We explore the experiences of school science teachers as they enact three linked national curriculum and assessment policy reforms in Sweden. Our goal is to understand teachers’ differing responses to these reforms. A sample of 13 teachers engaged in 2 interviews over a 6–9-month period. Interviews included exploration of professional background and school context, perceptions of the aims of the policy reforms and experiences of working with these reforms in the classroom. Analysis was guided by an individual-oriented sociocultural perspective on professional agency. Here teaching is conceptualised as an ongoing interplay between teachers’ knowledge, skills and personal goals, and the characteristics of the social, institutional and policy settings in which they work. Our analysis shows that navigating the ensuing continuities and contradictions results in many different expressions of teacher agency, e.g. loss of autonomy and trust, pushing back, subversion, transfer of authority, and creative tensions. Typically, an individual teacher’s enactment of these reforms involved several of these expressions of agency. We demonstrate that the sociocultural perspective provides insights into teachers’ responses to education policy reform likely to be missed by studies that focus largely on individual teacher knowledge/beliefs about reform or skills in ‘implementing’ reform practices.     

Die Bedeutung des pädagogisch-psychologischen Wissens für die Qualität der Klassenführung und den Lernzuwachs der Schüler/innen im Physikunterricht

In the present study it was investigated whether the pedagogical knowledge of teachers has an influence on the process quality of physics instruction and on the learning achievement of students as well. Pedagogical knowledge, conceptualized as knowledge about strategies in classroom instruction that is domain-general and relevant for teaching behaviors, was measured using a paper-and-pencil test with two scales: one scale on declarative knowledge, the other on conditional-procedural knowledge (Lenske et al. 2015). As a basic aspect of the process quality of classroom instruction, classroom management was assessed using video ratings of two lessons from each participating teacher. Students’ learning achievement was assessed using standardized domain-specific knowledge tests in a pretest-posttest design. The sample included 34 teachers from higher-track secondary schools and their students (N?=?993). A complex bootstrapping mediation model shows that teachers’ pedagogical knowledge, mediated by their classroom management, has a positive effect on their students’ learning achievement.     

Getting out the most of the combination of working and learning: the case of teachers-in-training in Flanders

The current study investigates the learning of student teachers in alternative programmes in which they combine a teaching job with an in-service teacher-training program at the university. The aim of this paper is to explore which work-related and training-programme related factors facilitate the learning of these teachers-in-training in the workplace. Starting from the framework of the Job-Demands-Control-Support model, a total of 11 teachers were interviewed. Results of the qualitative analyses indicated that high levels of job demands, autonomy and social support were important for in-service student teachers’ learning in the workplace. Social support and guidance from colleagues in the workplace seemed more relevant for learning than the support and guidance from the supervisors from the teaching program at the university. Implications for practice and for further research are discussed.     

‘It was,perhaps, the most important one’ students’ perceptions of national tests in terms of test-taking motivation

The aim of this study was to examine ninth-grade students’ perception of a Swedish national test in science (high-stakes for the students) and a field trial (low-stakes for the students), in terms of test-taking motivation. The study is based on semi-structured interviews with 12 students. Overall, the students had a positive perception of the national test; they were motivated to do their best, believed they did well and found the test important and good. Several students were nervous before the test and some during the test whereas others felt okay, or even enjoyed taking the national test. The students talked about less effort and test anxiety in the field trial and perceived the test as less important compared to the national test. The interviews provided a rich understanding of the different aspects of test-taking motivation as described by the expectancy-value theory. Furthermore, they indicated how the test administration could be adjusted so as to achieve higher test validity.