The Canada Research Chairs Program: the good,the bad,and the ugly

Drawing on 60 qualitative interviews with Canada research chairs (CRCs), we explore their careers in context. We develop a model to understand the intersection of individual and institutional factors that shape the everyday experiences of the CRCs. The model shows the dialectical relationship between faculty identity, research, relations with colleagues and students, and institutional practices and structures. We classify individuals’ experiences as “good,” “bad,” or “ugly.” The interviews show that while a majority of CRCs have a positive experience, others have a negative experience that is prone to becoming ugly when institutional practices and systemic factors impede the work of the CRC. We discuss the perceived problems with the CRC program from the standpoint of Chairholders, and the implications of our findings for the CRC program and universities. As well, we propose that additional research on the professoriate is needed to determine whether or not the model from our study is generalizable beyond our sample.     

Using a situative perspective to gain a deeper understanding of how children’s strengths are related to social context

Over the last twenty-five years, there has been an increase in the availability of published checklists and schedules which allow practitioners to identify the strengths of children and young people, including those with special educational needs. While helpful, these assessments are unable to tell us about the nature of contextual factors which support the expression of particular strengths. In this study, we took a situative perspective to explore how specific classroom practices facilitated strengths. A multiple case study design was used to analyse practices nominated by three children/young people with special educational needs. Qualitative analysis revealed how aspects of practice afforded the opportunity for each child to participate in ways which they equated with their strengths. This style of strength-based assessment led to a more sustained examination of supportive practice features than would have been achieved through interview alone.     

Development of mental attention in gifted and mainstream children: the role of mental capacity, inhibition, and speed of processing

The study examined performance of 6- to 11-year-old children, from gifted and mainstream academic programs, on measures of mental-attentional capacity, cognitive inhibition, and speed of processing. In comparison with mainstream peers, gifted children scored higher on measures of mental-attentional capacity, responded more quickly on speeded tasks of varying complexity, and were better able to resist interference in tasks requiring effortful inhibition. There was no group difference on a task requiring automatic inhibition. Comparisons between older and younger children yielded similar results. Correlations between inhibition tasks suggest that inhibition is multidimensional in nature, and its application may be affected by task demands. Measures of efficiency of inhibition and speed of processing did not explain age or group differences on a complex intellective measure of mental-attentional capacity.     

Measuring teaching quality: some key issues

Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability -     

Undergraduate Physical Education Majors' Perceptions of the Roles of Teacher and Coach

Abstract

This investigation examined undergraduate physical education majors' perceptions of the roles of teacher and coach. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of 80 physical education majors at a large urban university. Subjects were asked to rate the importance of twelve characteristics or abilities for teachers and for coaches. Results indicated that the subjects viewed the abilities needed for each of the roles as similar. Subjects were asked to indicate their job preference, and to estimate their ability to perform each of the roles. Gender was significantly related to role preference, with males indicating a greater preference for the coaching role. Students indicating a preference for teaching only have less experience in athletics than the coaching only and the teaching/coaching groups.

A significant relationship was found for selected background variables with estimated role performance. The variables most highly related to confidence in one's ability to teach were positive role models and skill in a wide range of activities, and those most related to estimated ability to coach were positive role models and very high skill in at least one activity.     

Effects of student‐generated diagrams versus student‐generated summaries on conceptual understanding of causal and dynamic knowledge in plate tectonics

This research examines the beneficial effects of student‐generated diagrams versus student‐generated summaries on conceptual understanding in the domain of plate tectonics. Fifty‐eight Grade 5 students read a brief expository text about plate tectonics. During their reading of the text, students were asked to either draw diagrams, produce written summaries, or simply read the text (control). Conceptual understanding was measured by the diagrams and summaries which were generated during students' reading of the text, as well as by a posttest which assessed students' understanding of both spatial/static and causal/dynamic knowledge of the domain. Results indicated that the summaries generated during the reading of the text contained more domain‐related information than the diagrams which were generated during the reading of the text. However, on the posttest measures, the diagram group outperformed both the summary and text only groups in terms of understanding both the spatial/static as well as causal/dynamic aspects of the domain. Results are discussed with regard to the differential effects that generating diagrams as compared to generating summaries or simply reading has on both on‐line comprehension during reading and resulting conceptual understanding of the domain. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 36: 39–53, 1999.     

Gender differences in high school students' efficacy-expectation/performance discrepancies across four subject matter domains

This study investigated gender-related differences in the efficacy-expectation/performance discrepancies of high school students across four subject matter domains. Participants (N = 131) completed American College Testing (ACT) assessments in English, mathematics, reading, and science. Additionally, prior to each domain-specific test, students rated their perceived self-efficacy expectation for successful performance on that test. As anticipated, most students reporting greater efficacy expectation also tended to perform at higher levels, particularly in mathematics. Unexpectedly, the majority of student efficacy/performance discrepancy scores fell outside the congruent range in all content areas. Approximately equal numbers of male and female students inaccurately estimated their performance capabilities, with most noncongruent students tending to fall into either the extreme overestimation/underestimation categories. Implications are discussed regarding the application of these findings to refining educational methods, and enhancing self-motivation in educational settings.