An Investigation of the Contingent Relationships Between Learning Community Participation and Student Engagement

This study examined the contingent relationships between learning community participation and student engagement in educational activities inside and outside the classroom using data from the 2004 administration of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). Results indicated that learning community participation was positively and significantly related to student engagement, both for first-year students and seniors. For some types of engagement, relationships were significantly stronger for seniors than for first-year students. Analyses also revealed there was substantial variability across institutions in the magnitude of the relationships between learning community participation and first-year students’ levels of engagement. Although institutional characteristics accounted for some of the variability across institutions, a substantial amount of the variability in engagement–learning community relationships remained unexplained.     

Visual spatial representation in mathematical problem solving by deaf and hearing students

This research examined the use of visual-spatial representation by deaf and hearing students while solving mathematical problems. The connection between spatial skills and success in mathematics performance has long been established in the literature. This study examined the distinction between visual-spatial "schematic" representations that encode the spatial relations described in a problem versus visual-spatial "pictorial" representations that encode only the visual appearance of the objects described in a problem. A total of 305 hearing (n = 156) and deaf (n = 149) participants from middle school, high school, and college participated in this study. At all educational levels, the hearing students performed significantly better in solving the mathematical problems compared to their deaf peers. Although the deaf baccalaureate students exhibited the highest performance of all the deaf participants, they only performed as well as the hearing middle school students who were the lowest scoring hearing group. Deaf students remained flat in their performance on the mathematical problem-solving task from middle school through the college associate degree level. The analysis of the students' problem representations showed that the hearing participants utilized visual-spatial schematic representation to a greater extent than did the deaf participants. However, the use of visual-spatial schematic representations was a stronger positive predictor of mathematical problem-solving performance for the deaf students. When deaf students' problem representation focused simply on the visual-spatial pictorial or iconic aspects of the mathematical problems, there was a negative predictive relationship with their problem-solving performance. On two measures of visual-spatial abilities, the hearing students in high school and college performed significantly better than their deaf peers.     

German trainees' reflections on two approaches to initial teacher training

Two German native speakers come to England to undertake a course of initial teacher training. They complete the course successfully. Instead of seeking and finding jobs as teachers, however, they return to Germany to undertake a second course of initial teacher training. This is unusual. This article reviews their reasons for taking two routes in two countries leading to the same goal of qualified teacher status and their experiences of these routes. It uncovers interesting issues relating, for example, to teaching in an education system in which one has not been educated oneself, perceptions of workload, differences in approaches to mentoring in Germany and England, differences in the perceived status of trainees in each of the two countries and the impact of pupil behaviour and collegial support. In spite of the sample being small, the reflections of these two trainees provide messages which teacher trainers would be unwise to ignore.

Deux personnes dont la langue maternelle est l'allemand sont venues en Angleterre afin de pousuivre une formation pédagogique des enseignants. Elles ont réussi leur qualification avec succès. Cependant, plutôt que de chercher et trouver un emploi en tant que professeurs, elles sont reparties en Allemagne pour faire une deuxième formation pédagogique. Cela est inhabituel. Cet article passe en revue les raisons pour lesquelles elles ont choisi ces deux parcours dans les deux pays, sachant qu'ils concourent vers le même objectif, celui du statut d'enseignant. L'article rapporte également leurs expériences des deux formations. Il révèlera des points intéressants tels que: enseigner dans un système éducatif dans lequel l'intéressé n'a pas été éduqué lui‐même, leurs perceptions de la charge de travail, les différences du soutien professionnel en Allemagne et en Angleterre, les différences relatives à l'image des stagiaires et de leur statut dans les deux pays en question, et l'impact du comportement des élèves ainsi que du soutien collégial. Hormis le petit panel sur lequel cette étude a été menée, les réflexions de ces deux stagiaires fournissent des données qu'il serait imprudent pour les professeurs d' ignorer.

Dos alemanes nativos se desplazan a Inglaterra para realizar un curso de formación de profesorado. Finalizan el curso con éxito. Sin embargo, en lugar de buscar y encontrar trabajo como profesores, regresan a Alemania para llevar a cabo un segundo curso de formación de profesorado. Esto no es muy común. El presente artículo analiza sus razones a la hora de la elegir dos caminos en dos países diferentes con el objetivo común de conseguir la capacitación de profesor y sus experiencias. Se desvelarán aspectos interesantes relacionados, entre otros, con el hecho de enseñar en un sistema educativo ajeno al de uno mismo, con las percepciones sobre la cantidad de trabajo, con los diferentes enfoques de la figura del tutor de prácticas en Alemania y en Inglaterra, con las diferencias de estatus de los estudiantes en prácticas en ambos países, con el impacto en el comportamiento del alumnado y con el apoyo del resto de profesores. A pesar de la brevedad del artículo, las reflexiones de estos estudiantes nos proporcionan mensajes que los estudiantes aspirantes a profesores no deberían pasar por alto.

Zwei deutsche Muttersprachler kommen nach England, um als Lehrer ausgebildet zu werden. Den Ausbildungskurs schliessen sie erfolgreich ab. Anstatt jedoch eine Stelle an einer englischen Schule zu suchen und anzunehmen, gehen sie nach Deutschland zurück und fangen noch einmal mit der Lehrerausbildung an. Das ist ungewöhnlich. Dieser Artikel beschäftigt sich mit den Gründen, die die beiden Deutschen dazu veranlasst haben, ausgerechnet zwei Lehrerausbildungskurse in zwei verschiedenen Ländern zu absolvieren sowie mit den Erfahrungen, die sie in den beiden Kursen gemacht haben. Er enthüllt interessante Aspekte, die mit diesen Erfahrungen verknüpft sind, z.B:

• die Herausforderung in einem Schulsystem zu unterrichten, in dem man selbst nicht groβ geworden ist;

• der Arbeitsaufwand des Referendariats in beiden Ländern;

• die unterschiedliche Rolle des Mentors in England und Deutschland;

• das Ansehen des Referendars bei Kollegen in englischen und deutschen Schulen;

• der Einfluss des Schülerverhaltens gegenüber Lehrern sowie der Unterstützung des Lehrerkollegiums auf den Referendar in England und in Deutschland;

Auch wenn sich dieser Artikel auf die Erfahrung von nur zwei Lehrern in der Ausbildung stützt, bringt die Reflexion der beiden Referendare Fragen hervor, mit denen sich Lehrerausbilder in England und Deutschland beschäftigen müssen.     

Parental experience of child protection intervention: a qualitative study

OBJECTIVE: To explore the ways in which parents experience and negotiate child protection intervention. METHOD: A qualitative grounded theory approach was used. In-depth qualitative interviews explored the experiences of 18 parents who had received child protection services. Grounded theory methods were used to build a model representing the ways these parents perceived and reacted to intervention. RESULTS: The ways parents perceive workers using power was shown to be the primary influence shaping parents' views of intervention and their reactions to it. Two perceptions of power emerged: parents perceived power being used over them as a form of control or power with them as a form of support. Three ways of responding to intervention emerged: parents fought workers by openly opposing them, "played the game" by feigning co-operation, or worked with them in collaborative relationships. Parents experiencing power being used over them tended to fight or play the game while parents experiencing power being used with them tended to work with intervention. No evidence was found linking case type (non-voluntary or voluntary cases) to whether parents perceived power being used by workers over them or with them. CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight the importance of practitioners and policy makers being aware of the impact power has on worker-parent interaction. Doubts are raised about the viability of policies separating policing and helping in child protection through differential response systems.     

The effects of different doses of caffeine on endurance cycling time trial performance

This study investigated the effects of two different doses of caffeine on endurance cycle time trial performance in male athletes. Using a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover study design, sixteen well-trained and familiarised male cyclists (Mean ± s: Age = 32.6 ± 8.3 years; Body mass = 78.5 ± 6.0 kg; Height = 180.9 ± 5.5 cm VO2(peak) = 60.4 ± 4.1 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1)) completed three experimental trials, following training and dietary standardisation. Participants ingested either a placebo, or 3 or 6 mg x kg(-1) body mass of caffeine 90 min prior to completing a set amount of work equivalent to 75% of peak sustainable power output for 60 min. Exercise performance was significantly (P < 0.05) improved with both caffeine treatments as compared to placebo (4.2% with 3 mg x kg(-1) body mass and 2.9% with 6 mg x kg(-1) body mass). The difference between the two caffeine doses was not statistically significant (P = 0.24). Caffeine ingestion at either dose resulted in significantly higher heart rate values than the placebo conditions (P < 0.05), but no statistically significant treatment effects in ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were observed (P = 0.39). A caffeine dose of 3 mg x kg(-1) body mass appears to improve cycling performance in well-trained and familiarised athletes. Doubling the dose to 6 mg x kg(-1) body mass does not confer any additional improvements in performance.     

The differential effects of two self‐managed math instruction procedures: Cover,Copy, and Compare versus Copy,Cover, and Compare

This study compared the fluency and error rates produced when using the Cover, Copy, and Compare (CCC) and a modified CCC procedure (MCCC) called Copy, Cover, and Compare to complete subtraction math problems. Two second‐grade classrooms consisting of 47 total students participated in the study. The following items were administered to participants: (a) a timed pretest, (b) a timed CCC worksheet, (c) a timed MCCC worksheet, and (d) a timed posttest. Then the participants were asked which procedure they liked best. Results revealed significantly higher digits correct per minute (i.e., fluency scores) on the posttest when compared with the pretest scores. Likewise, students' fluency scores were significantly higher under the CCC condition when compared to the MCCC condition. There were no significant differences in accuracy from pretest to posttest nor between the CCC and MCCC conditions. Discussion focuses on implications for modifying instructional strategies, measuring student progress, implications for practice, and directions for future research. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Attitudes of business college faculty and administrators toward distance education: a national survey

Educators’ attitudes towards distance education are known to be influenced by many factors. This study incorporated survey data that measured business educators’ attitudes toward distance education at both the baccalaureate and masters levels of instruction. Two simultaneous equations models were developed that described the relationship between the respondents’ attitudes and other factors relevant to their receptivity and support of distance education. Key influential factors were found to be the experience of the respondent and their perception of difficulties with and appropriateness of distance education. Key differences between the models were based on the teaching role and age of the respondent.