Evaluation of a Theory of Instructional Sequences for Physics Instruction

The background of the study is the theory of basis models of teaching and learning, a comprehensive set of models of learning processes which includes, for example, learning through experience and problem‐solving. The combined use of different models of learning processes has not been fully investigated and it is frequently not clear under what circumstances a particular model should be used by teachers. In contrast, the theory under investigation here gives guidelines for choosing a particular model and provides instructional sequences for each model. The aim is to investigate the implementation of the theory applied to physics instruction and to show if possible effects for the students may be attributed to the use of the theory. Therefore, a theory‐oriented education programme for 18 physics teachers was developed and implemented in the 2005/06 school year. The main features of the intervention consisted of coaching physics lessons and video analysis according to the theory. The study follows a pre‐treatment‐post design with non‐equivalent control group. Findings of repeated‐measures ANOVAs show large effects for teachers' subjective beliefs, large effects for classroom actions, and small to medium effects for student outcomes such as perceived instructional quality and student emotions. The teachers/classes that applied the theory especially well according to video analysis showed the larger effects. The results showed that differentiating between different models of learning processes improves physics instruction. Effects can be followed through to student outcomes. The education programme effect was clearer for classroom actions and students' outcomes than for teachers' beliefs.     

Social influence or selection? Peer effects on the development of adolescents’ educational expectations in Germany

Abstract

Educational expectations are a key predictor of educational attainment. Throughout adolescence, friends increasingly function as ‘significant others’ and, thus, can affect the development of these expectations. Although scholars often interpret the clustering of students with similar expectations within friendship networks as the outcome of peer influence, a similarity of friends can also be a result of friendship selection processes and preselection due to ability tracking. We apply multilevel social network models to panel data of adolescents from Germany (1,992 ninth-grade students in 91 classes) to disentangle these mechanisms. Beyond selecting similar friends (homophily), we find that adolescents adapt their expectations towards the average expectations of their friends (social influence) but only in secondary-school tracks that support diverse educational paths. We conclude that peer socialization is important for the development of students’ educational expectations in contexts that are sufficiently heterogeneous to allow for the emergence of distinct peer milieus.     

Can international elite sport success trickle down to mass sport participation? Evidence from Danish team handball

Many scholars do not find evidence of a trickle-down effect from elite sport success to mass sport participation. Contrary to what is assumed by the trickle-down effect “theorem”, successful elite sportspeople do not seem to inspire amateurs to take up sport themselves. However, recent studies present evidence that elite sport can have an influence. In this article, we apply regression models on time series data from one of the most successful Danish sports, team handball. Our findings are mixed, but lean towards supporting scholars who argue that trickle-down effects are not necessarily an inherent part of international sporting success. Further studies should examine more sports to identify where trickle-down effects occur and why.     

New technology-based firms in Germany: a survey of the recent evidence

The importance and contribution of new technology-based firms (NTBFs) to long-term economic development is at the centre of a controversial debate. This paper provides an overview of the current status of research on various issues concerning NTBFs in Germany. The issues covered include the incidence of start-up firms in Germany's technology-intensive sectors and their regional clustering. The review also shows that NTBFs play an important role with regard to the transfer, adoption and diffusion of technology. The public support and policy initiatives for NTBFs in Germany are also discussed.     

Informationen des Bundesinstituts für Sportwissenschaft (BISp)

BISp-Informationen

Informationen des Bundesinstituts für Sportwissenschaft (BISp)     

SEBD inclusion research synthesis: a content analysis of research themes and methods in empirical studies published in the journal Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties from 1996–2014

The present paper reports on findings from a systematic journal review study exploring research strategies to investigate inclusive education for pupils with social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties. From a total of 384 articles, published in 19 volumes of the journal Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties between 1996 and 2014, 39 research reports matched inclusion criteria. The sample consists of 22 qualitative, 8 mixed-method, and 9 quantitative studies analysed in terms of research designs, methodological issues, and content-related themes. The findings are discussed with a focus on perspectives for future research strategies.