Proactive and Prudent: A Report of a Holistic Cyclical Electronic Resources Review Pilot at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

In 2016, The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Library piloted a cyclical review process for five academic departments. The goal was to go beyond the traditional library portion of a department’s accreditation/program review and holistically assess electronic resources for these departments and provide recommendations for changes when necessary. This article describes the need for this kind of review, the process used to review Engineering and Computer Science resources, suggestions and decisions made as a result of the review, reflections on the experience, and hopes for the future.     

网络课堂中非生理性别与生理性别对人际冲突的影响(英文)

本研究探讨了性别对网络课堂中学生间冲突程度的影响。研究者首先检查了文化和冲突间的关系,并且对性别和冲突间的关联做了文献分析,接着具体探索了生理和非生理性别（sex,gender）、网络学习经验（所上网络课程的多少）,和冲突在网络学习环境中的关联。虽然研究男女性别和冲突的文章有很多,但研究更深一步探求抽象性别（即gender,非生理性别）对冲突程度和态度的影响。研究中采用了专门研究性别和冲突的问卷调查工具。     

记录在笔记本里的爱

如果处在青春期的你与父母频发冲突该怎么办呢?那些成长的烦恼得不到解决,会给你和父母都带来很大的精神伤害。其实,最好的办法就是经常性地相互沟通,增进了解。那用什么办法沟通最好呢?不同的人也许会有不一样的最佳选择。     

Amazing race: Finding and correctly citing credible sources

Courses: Public Speaking and courses familiarizing students with finding/citing sources.

Objective(s): After completing the activity, students will understand how to find and cite information in print, online, and personal communication formats.     

App-Based Manipulatives and Explicit Instruction to Support Division with Remainders

ABSTRACT

In theory, both virtual manipulatives and explicit instruction are viable options to support students with disabilities as they learn mathematics. This study explored the effect of a treatment package—an app-based virtual manipulative (Cuisenaire® Rods) in conjunction with explicit instruction—on students’ acquisition and generalization of solving problems involving division of whole numbers with remainders. Three middle school students with disabilities participated in this multiple baseline, multiple probe across participants single case design study. Each of the students acquired the mathematical behavior of being able to solve division with remainders problems. In other words, a functional relation existed between the intervention package of explicit instruction and the Cuisenaire® Rods app-based manipulative and students’ accuracy in solving division with remainders problems. Yet, two students failed to generalize the skill without the explicit instruction and use of the app-based manipulative.     

Psychometric defensibility of the Intervention Selection Profile‐Social Skills (ISP‐SS) with students at risk for behavioral concerns

The purpose of the current study was to examine the validity and diagnostic accuracy of the Intervention Selection Profile—Social Skills (ISP‐SS), a brief social skills assessment tool intended for use with students in need of Tier 2 intervention. Participants included 160 elementary and middle school students who had been identified through universal screening as at risk for behavioral concerns. Teacher participants ( n = 71) rated each of these students using both the ISP‐SS and the Social Skills Improvement System—Rating Scales (SSiS‐RS), with the latter measure serving as the criterion within validity and diagnostic accuracy analyses. Confirmatory factor analysis supported ISP‐SS structural validity, indicating ISP‐SS items broadly conformed to a single “Social Skills” factor. Follow‐up analyses suggested ISP‐SS broad scale scores demonstrated adequate internal consistency reliability, with hierarchical omega coefficient equal to 0.86. Correlational analyses supported the concurrent validity of ISP‐SS items, finding each ISP‐SS item to be moderately or highly related to its corresponding SSiS‐RS subscale. Finally, analyses indicated three of the seven ISP‐SS items that demonstrated sufficient diagnostic accuracy; however, findings suggest additional revisions are needed if the ISP‐SS is to be appropriate for use in schools. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.     

Investigating the enactment of social presence in blended adult education

ABSTRACT

Background

While open-cohort blended education programmes allow for accessible and flexible study trajectories, they may present social challenges to learners. Social presence is a possible a way of enhancing adult learners’ success. It can lead to an increased perception of community, which may result in lower rates of dropping out.     

Secondary school educational practitioners’ experiences of school attendance problems and interventions to address them: a qualitative study

School attendance problems are associated with a range of adverse consequences, and educational practitioners play a role in identifying and responding to attendance problems. This qualitative study explored educational practitioners’ experiences of working with students with attendance problems and interventions to address them. Focus groups were conducted with sixteen practitioners across three secondary schools. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Attendance problems were considered resource-intensive and emotionally challenging. Practitioners expressed difficulty understanding causes, although individual/family factors were emphasised over school factors. A range of interventions were described, including adaptations to school context and providing emotional support. Views on punitive approaches were mixed. Individualised interventions implemented at the first sign of problems, and a team approach, were considered important. Findings highlight the important role of educational practitioners in identifying attendance problems and implementing interventions. Recommendations include early intervention, team-work, and emotional support for students with, and staff responding to, attendance problems.     

Major Differences: Variations in Undergraduate and Graduate Student Mental Health and Treatment Utilization Across Academic Disciplines

This article explores variations in mental health and service utilization across academic disciplines using a random sample of undergraduate and graduate students (N = 64,519) at 81 colleges and universities. We report prevalence of depression, anxiety, suicidality, and self-injury, and rates of help-seeking across disciplines, including results from multivariate logistic regressions. We find significant variations: Students in humanities and art and design are significantly more likely to have mental health problems; and for students with apparent mental health problems, treatment rates are lowest among those in business and engineering. Noting these variations could enhance efforts to promote student mental health, particularly within academic departments.