Affective and Cognitive Responses to Poetry in the University Classroom

Abstract

In universities, as in mainstream education more widely, cognitive approaches to poetry are often dominant. Far from being irrelevant to the serious study of literature, we argue that eliciting students’ affective responses to poetry can deepen their cognitive understanding and analytical skills. Drawing on recent research in psychology on the relationship between cognition and affect, we show that poetry has particular potential to make us aware of the crucial interrelation of our cognitive and affective processes; and that bringing those responses into balance can deepen our understanding of poetry. Building on recent educational studies of typical student (and teacher) anxieties and assumptions about working with poetry, and on our observations from our own initial, exploratory seminars, we explore some of the obstacles to rebalancing the cognitive and affective dimensions of poetry in higher education, and point to the potential value of such an approach if such obstacles are overcome.     

The development and validation of the Interpersonal Support in Physical Activity Consultations Observational Tool

This study describes the development and psychometric characteristics of an observational instrument that examines four aspects of interpersonal support (or lack of) provided during physical activity (PA) promotion consultations (i.e., Autonomy Support, Involvement, Structure and Interpersonal Control), as identified by Self-determination Theory (SDT). The reliability and validity of the Interpersonal Support in Physical Activity Consultations Observational Tool (ISPACOT) were examined within an exploratory randomised control trial. Recorded consultations (N = 42) conducted by qualified PA advisors (N = 14) at 13 leisure centres across the West Midlands (UK) were rated. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) indicated moderate to high inter-rater reliability for overall interpersonal support (0.80), and the Autonomy Support (0.74), Involvement (0.73) and Structure (0.91) dimensions, but low reliability for Interpersonal Control (0.35). The advisors, who conducted PA promotion consultations that were rated as low in their interpersonally supportive features, were perceived by their clients as being less supportive (F(1,10) = 5.0, p <.05). Ratings on the ISPACOT differentiated advisors who were trained in SDT principles and those who were not. Overall, the findings provided preliminary evidence for the reliability and convergent validity of the ISPACOT.     

找到心仪工作,只需六招

Whether your preferred destination is the executive suite or simply the nearest exit from your current position, don't let your job take you aimlessly down any path. In fact when it comes to career planning, don't think in terms of "jobs" at all, says corporate transitions expert William Bridges, Ph.D. Instead he suggests building your career plan on "doing the work you're best at for the employers who need it."     

Scaffolding literacies across the Bachelor of Education program: an argument for a course‐wide approach

Contemporary teacher educators often find themselves teaching large numbers of students from increasingly diverse backgrounds an expanded curriculum in a university environment characterised by cost‐cutting and a climate of “user pays”. Ensuring that students graduate with sufficiently well‐developed literacy skills to equip them to prepare future generations for the complex literacy requirements of contemporary society can be challenging. Informed by data from a longitudinal, qualitative study of 10 students' literacy development across the four years of a Bachelor of Education course, we propose a range of strategies that can be used to develop effective literacy practices. Through careful mapping of the assessment requirements over a four year degree, and by setting tasks which require students to engage with complex reading material and which offer a high degree of challenge coupled with adequate support, staff can assist students to develop the range of literacy practices required for success at university and in their future teaching careers.     

Linking to the infosphere: The telecommunications in Primary Science project

This article reports on the Telecommunications in Primary Science (TIPS) project. A central aim of the TIPS project was to explore the feasibility of tackling problems associated with some primary teachers' lack of confidence and competence in the physical sciences through a computer network linking together a small number of schools and a university. In the course of the project, teachers became convinced of the potential of using the Internet in the classroom and also valued the electronic delivery of pedagogical guidance.