The constructivist classroom learning environment and its associations with critical thinking ability of secondary school students in Liberal Studies

In this study, we investigated-secondary school students’ perceptions of their constructivist learning environment in Liberal Studies, and whether their perceptions were related to their critical thinking ability. A convenience sample of Secondary Three students (N = 967) studying Liberal Studies in Hong Kong participated in this research by completing a self-administered questionnaire which included the Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES), Cornell Critical Thinking Test Level X, and demographic information on age and gender. Students perceived their learning environment to be moderately constructivist in nature. Both age and school banding differences were identified in that younger students and students in band 1 schools tended to perceive a higher degree of constructivist characteristics in their learning environment. Multiple regression analyses indicated that three of the five scales of CLES were predictors of critical thinking ability. Shared Control was the strongest predictor and negatively associated with critical thinking ability, while Personal Relevance and Critical Voice were positively related to critical thinking ability. Findings of the study are discussed with reference to developing students’ critical thinking ability in Liberal Studies classrooms.     

Modifying Defining Issues Test (DIT) as a tool for assessing secondary students’ social–emotional competencies

This paper discusses the use of an alternative instrument to assess the social–emotional competence (SEC) of secondary school students in Singapore. The instrument was used in a larger study to explore an approach to infuse social–emotional learning in the curriculum for children in school. The design of this research instrument is based on the Rest’s (Development in judging moral issues. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, 1979) Defining Issues Test (DIT) originally developed based on Kohlberg’s moral dilemma (Kohlberg in child psychology and childhood education: a cognitive developmental view. Longman, New York, 1987). The modified DIT instrument which focuses specifically on social–emotional development presents scenarios that are most likely encountered by adolescents and seeks the students’ responses to five open-ended questions related to the scenarios. The verbatim written responses were coded and categorized to assess their SECs. The instrument was able to elicit the self-management strategies of the secondary students, which was not as easily assessable with alternative instruments measuring SECs. The findings also highlighted the psychosocial developmental stage and moral development of the adolescents in the study from the SEC responses that they made.     

难舍难分的乒乓球

正我们再来和大家分享一个有趣的物理实验。借助生活中的常见工具,你在家里也能重现出经典的力学场景。【实验材料】你需要准备:两个乒乓球,直尺,剪刀,橡皮泥,吸管,一把电吹风【操作步骤】     

Effects of motion control footwear on running: a systematic review

Excessive foot pronation is a risk factor of running injuries and motion control footwear is designed to control foot pronation. With the movement transfer between foot pronation and tibial rotation, motion control footwear may not only be confined to controlling foot pronation. In view of the controversies in the literature on effectiveness of motion control footwear, this paper reviewed the efficacy of motion control footwear functions as reported in the literature. Eligible studies were identified from seven electronic databases. Two independent authors extracted the data and assessed the methodological qualities using the Jadad Scale. A total of 14 quasi randomised controlled trials were included. Even though the included studies were rated as "low quality" according to the Jadad Scale, the data were pooled and analysed. Results revealed that motion control footwear was effective in reducing the amount of foot pronation and the peak vertical impact during landing. There is no evidence that suggests motion control footwear for controlling kinematics of the proximal segments.     

‘That happened to me too’: young people’s informal knowledge of diverse genders and sexualities

Abstract

This paper explores how young people of diverse genders and sexualities share information about sex, sexualities and genders. Formal approaches to education often fail to consider young people’s communication and information exchange practices, including the circulation of peer knowledge through social media. In the wake of recent Australian backlash against the Safe Schools Coalition, we can observe how homophobia and queerphobia in the broader community can impact upon young peoples’ ability to learn about themselves and their bodies through formal education. Yet young people of diverse genders and sexualities can be observed to support each other in peer spaces, utilising their knowledge networks. This paper explores young people’s informal learning practices, the capacity of peer networks to support and educate young people, and the challenges of recognising such networks in a culture in which health and education discourses present them as ‘risk subjects’ rather than ‘health agents’. These issues are discussed in relation to our own experiences in research and health promotion, including one author’s role as a youth peer educator. Drawing on our workplace experiences, we provide a number of anecdotal examples which highlight the complexities of informal knowledge practice and information circulation, and the ways these can challenge and reform professional health, education, and research approaches.     

Research Report RECSAM: Computers in Education Project,Singapore Study

From 1986 to 1988, Regional Centre for Education in Science and Mathematics (RECSAM) at Penang organised the Computers in Education Project with financial support from the Australian Government. The aim of the Project was to provide information on the use of computers in education among SEAMEO countries. Such information, it was thought, could be useful for educators who needed to formulate sound policies regarding the introduction, management, and use of computers in schools and the roles of computers in education in general. Six countries took part in this project including a team from Singapore.     

A behavior field approach to instrumental learning in the rat: II. Training parameters and a stage model of extinction

Three runway experiments tested a stage model of extinction which postulated an orderly succession of three qualitatively different stages: habit, trial and error, and resolution. The model predicted that Stage 1 should be characterized by perseveration of habitual routes (i.e., response persistence) and the absence of competing responses; Stage 2, by an increase in investigatory behavior (response variation and hole exploration) and biting behavior; Stage 3, by a decrease in the competing responses of Stage 2 and continued increase in goal avoidance and substitution behavior (e.g., sand-digging). These predictions were largely confirmed. Further, Experiments 1 and 2 showed that, as expected by the model, continuous reinforcement (CRF) resulted in more practice of habitual routes in acquisition and greater response persistence, while partial reinforcement (PRF) resulted in more route variation and hole exploration in acquisition and greater goal persistence which was attributable to prior reinforcement of a trial-and-error coping strategy. Results of Experiment 3, which combined training trials and reward magnitudes orthogonally, supported the prediction that response persistence was positively related to training trials, and goal persistence negatively related to reward magnitudes. All three experiments demonstrated an inverted-U function in investigatory and biting behavior, as predicted by the stage model.     

Factors associated with staff perceptions towards inclusive education in Singapore

In this study, we sought to examine the perceptions of teachers and other school professionals towards the inclusion of secondary school students with special educational needs (SEN), and the associated factors. The Sentiments, Attitudes and Concerns about Inclusive Education Revised scale (SACIE-R) was completed by 131 teachers and school professionals from two mainstream secondary schools in Singapore. The findings revealed an overall neutral attitude towards inclusion. Together, confidence in teaching students with SEN, the level of training SEN support, as well as experience teaching students with SEN account for a large proportion of the variance in ratings of inclusive perceptions. Further analyses revealed that confidence in teaching or supporting students with SEN was found to be a significant predictor of inclusive perceptions. The findings suggest that schools seeking to engage in inclusive practices should focus on ways to develop the confidence of personnel to support students with SEN. Professional development and mentorship were suggested as possible avenues.