An investigation into the role played by research assessment in the socio-geographic fragmentation of undergraduate economics education in the UK

Student engagement in academic activities is a critical factor contributing to the overall success of students studying in higher education institutions. Yet the factors influencing student engagement in academic activities are still largely unknown. This study begins to address this knowledge gap by investigating the influence of student connectedness (relationships with peers and teachers), motivation to study (sense of purpose) and perception of workload upon student engagement in academic activities. During 2015, a total of 209 students responded to a survey distributed to first-year undergraduate students enrolled in a university business school in Queensland, Australia. Structural equation modelling was used to investigate the proposed relationships. Results suggest that student-student (peer) relationships, teacher-student relationships, and students’ sense of purpose for studying a higher education degree, were central to student engagement in academic activities. In addition, teacher-student relationships, and a strong sense of purpose were central to perceptions of student workloads. Finally, sense of purpose was found to moderate the relationship between both teacher-student and student-student relationships and also, perceptions of workload and student engagement. The findings from this study support the importance of developing effective teacher-student relationships, facilitating positive student-student relationships and communicating a clear sense of purpose to students, so as to improve their engagement in academic activities and optimise perceptions of workloads.     

The sexually mistreated child: Diagnostic evaluation

Ten children, ages five through eleven, who had been sexually abused, were seen for diagnostic evaluations. The children represented a wide spectrum of sexual abuse. Nine of the children had numerous behavioral symptoms, the most frequent of which were sleep disturbances and school problems. Nine of the families were viewed as dysfunctional. The children displayed similar psychodynamic themes and were preoccupied in obtaining adequate parental care and affection of which they were deprived. The presence of unmet affectional needs in the child cut across all types of sexual abuse giving rise to the conclusion that a child with unmet affectional needs is at high risk for sexual abuse.Evaluations of sexually mistreated children should focus on family dynamics. The Kinetic Family Drawing test and the Conger Sentence Completion test are effective diagnostic tools. All children who have been sexually abused should be carefully evaluated and provided with appropriate treatment in their own right.     

School district merger,busing, and the courts: Implications for school administrators

Many city school systems are faced with a situation of declining tax base, declining enrollments, and disproportionate minority ratios. Merger of city with surrounding school systems is one alternative to improve this situation. When city and surrounding systems contain disproportionate minority ratios the question may arise whether busing to achieve racial balance will likely be required by the courts. Review of desegregation litigation indicates that in the absence of intention to discriminate, the courts are not likely to require busing as a desegregation strategy. Further, school systems having achieved unitary status under court-approved desegregation plans may be allowed to adopt neighborhood school policies despite indications such policies would lead to partial resegregation.     

Assessing the Quality of University Teaching in Croatia

Abstract

Although there has been a growing literature which explores the thinking of teachers at the school level, no such parallel literature exists for university teachers. In this paper, interviews with four academics who received awards for ‘excellent teaching’ are used to explore the way these university teachers view their teaching. The themes which emerged include: a clear sense of what they were on about at teachers and a willingness to manipulate the learning environment accordingly; an emphasis on student learning and the importance of students learning the subject matter; an enjoyment of teaching; and a lack of perceived constraints to change their teaching and experiment with new ideas.     

Humor: A preventive health strategy

Some functions of humor in the counselling process are presented as a preface to a discussion of the role that a humorous life attitude can play in mental health. The author suggests that facilitating the development of client humor constitutes a preventive health strategy in promoting coping behaviours and developing social support systems.Paper presented at the XIIIth International Round Table for the Advancement of Counselling.     

Participation in Higher Education in Scotland: A Geographic and Social Analysis

In this paper we relate participation in full-time Higher Education in Scotland to the geographic and social characteristics of the areas where people reside. National data on students at Higher Education institutions in all parts of the UK are used to calculate the rates, with areas of residence defined by their addresses at the times of applying to the institutions. Population data and the social characteristics of the areas were derived from the 1991 Census. The smallest geographic area considered was the Post-Code Sector, consisting of around 5000 households. Economic factors, social class, unemployment and housing tenure were strongly related to participation in the expected direction. However, different strengths of effect were found in different parts of the country. The analyses also suggest that cultural factors may be important, especially away from the major cities, and that aspects of accessibility to the institutions may also be of relevance in some areas.     

Improving Teaching in Higher Education: Student and teacher perspectives

Using a phenomenological approach, the study sets out to discover whether it can derive a concept of good teaching from a group of university lecturers and the extent to which it compares and contrasts with a corresponding student concept of good teaching. The subjects were all mature adults, usually postgraduate, and often practising professionals with a wide experience of the university system. A single concept of what the students thought of as good teaching, and two categories ('pre-existing' and 'reflective') of what the teachers thought of as good teaching were developed. The extent to which these concepts overlap-and fail to overlap even after reflection-is used to discuss the importance of developing appropriate metacognitive strategies in human adult learning so that each group (teachers and learners) becomes more aware of what the other is attempting to do. The importance of out-of-class behaviours is seen as particularly valuable in this respect.