Burnout in Teachers of Young Children

The purpose of this study was to identify variables or combinations of variables that are related to burnout in teachers of young children. The 353 participants were teachers who worked with young children more than 20 hours a week. The Maslach Burnout Inventory, a 22-item semantic differential measuring burnout, and a questionnaire about personal and job characteristics were administered to the subjects. A factor analysis, one-way analyses of variance, and maximum regression were used to analyze data. The factor analysis showed that the Maslach Burnout Inventory measures burnout and competence of teachers. The variables which account for burnout and competence are discussed.     

The power of political talk: how and when it mobilizes politically efficacious citizens’ campaign activity during elections

Political communication scholarship has investigated the mobilization effect of citizens’ political discursive behaviors during elections. With the recent advent of SNSs Social Networking Sites (SNSs) in the political communication environment, citizens’ discursive behaviors on SNSs have received increasing academic attention. This study examines (1) whether offline political talk mediates the relationship between political self-efficacy and election campaign activity (a type of political participation); (2) whether its mediation effect differs from that of SNS political talk; and (3) how those mediation effects vary according to citizens’ endorsed political ideologies. The results reveal that the effects of both offline and SNS political talk are statistically significant among conservatives, liberals, and moderates. Interestingly, the mediation effect of SNS political talk was substantially larger among liberals than among conservatives or moderates (i.e. a moderated mediation effect), while the effect of offline political talk was consistent across all three ideological groups. This study demonstrates that the electoral mobilization effect of SNSs is ideology-dependent, and is particularly based on the mismatch between SNS users’ political ideology and the current government's political orientation. Implications and limitations of the study are also discussed.     

In search of a future: A critical analysis of research on web-based teaching and learning

Despite the explosion of interest in Web-based teaching and learning,many criticisms of research with past technologies have re-surfaced.Research efforts are often so diffuse and contradictory as toconfuse rather than enlighten. We have failed to break much newpedagogical ground with our collective effort to date. In thiscommentary, we briefly examine research questions and methods onand with technology, analyze current Web-based research focus andpractice, and identify directions we believe to be especiallypromising.     

Senior high students’ career plans for the future: outcomes of the comprehensive career needs survey in Southern Alberta, Canada

The Comprehensive Career Needs Survey was used to assess the career plans of senior high students in Southern Alberta, Canada. This article examines senior high student perceptions regarding (a) their future plans; (b) confidence in attaining their career goals, (c) importance of remaining in their community; and (d) where they anticipate working. The majority of respondents planned to combine full time education with part time work, were confident in achieving their career plans, and anticipated finding work in their country. Results indicate a need for programs addressing career decision making and combining education and work experience.     

Hyperlocal News Coverage: A Population Ecology Perspective

Adopting a population ecology perspective, this study tests the influence of population-level factors on news coverage in hyperlocal websites. Specifically, level of legitimacy of the hyperlocal website population is assessed as a predictor of frequency and favorability of coverage of local businesses and government organizations. Traditional “field-level” predictors from media sociology are also examined. Among the field-level factors tested, professional background of staff and affiliation with traditional media organizations proved most important in explaining favorability of coverage, and level of advertising was an important predictor of frequency of coverage. The level of the population’s legitimacy also corresponded significantly with frequency of coverage. Results suggest that factors related to the population level and to institutionalization over time are relevant, even for the hyperlocal website, a relatively young and idiosyncratic media form. These factors warrant attention in future research.     

Understanding pickleball as a new leisure pursuit among older adults

For older adults, participating in leisure activities has psychosocial benefits, increases social interactions, and promotes well-being. Among various leisure activities, pickleball is an activity that fosters positive social interaction and health benefits in older adults. Pickleball is regarded as one of the fastest growing sports in the USA, and it is reported to be popular among people of all ages, especially among older adults. The purpose of this study was to gather demographic details of older pickleball participants and elucidate the psychosocial benefits of playing the sport, such as life satisfaction, optimism, and social integration. To this end, we gathered information from 153 older adults who competed in pickleball tournaments. Multivariate analysis of variance and Hotelling’s T² test were used to compare the differences that emerged in experiential factors such as life satisfaction, optimism, and social integration among the different demographic characteristics. The results showed that life satisfaction was significantly different among the following three age groups: 50–59 years, 60–69 years, and ≥70 years. Results of Hotelling’s T² test showed a significant difference in social integration between male and female participants. The test also revealed a significant difference in terms of life satisfaction between retired and employed participants. The results suggest that playing pickleball can be an enriching leisure activity for retirees and may help them cope with the transition that retirement typically entails.