Theoretical Dimensions of Bullying and Inappropriate Behaviour among Faculty Members

The aim of this study is to determine the features of bullying in Estonian universities. In the spring of 2014, 864 faculty members answered our e-mail questionnaire. This questionnaire was based on the Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised (NAQ-R22); eight additional items dealt with sexual harassment, cyberbullying, and work-related malpractice. Structural equation modelling was used to confirm a model composed of five first-order factors as well as a second-order model that encompassed these five first-order factors. According to these models, representative forms of bullying in Estonian universities included personal insults, work-related blame, professional understating, unreasonable work-related demands, and work-related malpractice. The Academic Bullying Inventory (ABI-10) that was developed is a reliable and valid instrument with which to measure workplace bullying in universities.     

Comparison of three generations of ActiGraph™ activity monitors in children and adolescents

Abstract In this study, we evaluated agreement among three generations of ActiGraph? accelerometers in children and adolescents. Twenty-nine participants (mean age?=?14.2?±?3.0 years) completed two laboratory-based activity sessions, each lasting 60?min. During each session, participants concurrently wore three different models of the ActiGraph? accelerometers (GT1M, GT3X, GT3X+). Agreement among the three models for vertical axis counts, vector magnitude counts, and time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical exercise (MVPA) was evaluated by calculating intraclass correlation coefficients and Bland-Altman plots. The intraclass correlation coefficient for total vertical axis counts, total vector magnitude counts, and estimated MVPA was 0.994 (95% CI?=?0.989-0.996), 0.981 (95% CI?=?0.969-0.989), and 0.996 (95% CI?=?0.989-0.998), respectively. Inter-monitor differences for total vertical axis and vector magnitude counts ranged from 0.3% to 1.5%, while inter-monitor differences for estimated MVPA were equal to or close to zero. On the basis of these findings, we conclude that there is strong agreement between the GT1M, GT3X, and GT3X+ activity monitors, thus making it acceptable for researchers and practitioners to use different ActiGraph? models within a given study.     

General and special education teachers’ knowledge about reading comprehension processes and instructional practices

Reading and Writing - The study investigated teachers’ knowledge of reading comprehension processes and reading comprehension instruction. The study was carried out among teachers...     

Psychomotor learning theory informing the design and evaluation of an interactive augmented reality hand hygiene training app for healthcare workers

Education and Information Technologies - Hand hygiene is critical for infection control, but studies report poor transfer from training to practice. Hand hygiene training in hospitals typically...     

The Systemic Impacts of New York's Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program: A Response to Ackerman,Apple, Barnett,and Goffin

We thank Debra J. Ackerman, Peggy L. Apple, W. Steven Barnett, and Stacie G. Goffin for their thoughtful commentaries on our article “Implementing New York's Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program: An Exploratory Study of Systemic Impacts” (this issue). Our response focuses on two main themes that emerged from the commentaries: (a) the generalizability of the sample and the study's methodological limitations and (b) protectionism of the existing early care and education system. In light of our study and the commentators' main points, we provide a set of policy recommendations for improving quality, accessibility, and affordability in the current early care and education system.     

Assessment for learning: Why assessment does not always support student teachers’ learning

Numerous studies have dealt with the importance of assessment for learning (AfL) in higher education, arguing that AfL helps to promote students’ learning and supports them in becoming self-directed learners. The majority of the recent literature focuses mainly on the role of individual aspects of AfL. Less attention has been paid to the interrelation of different aspects of AfL. The current study argues that AfL combines authentic assessment tasks given to students, feedback from teacher educators, peer assessment and self-assessment. The aim of the current study is to understand student teachers’ experiences of AfL practices in higher education, focusing on the reasons why student teachers do not always find the practices supportive. The study conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 student teachers and analysed them using an inductive content analysis method. The findings indicate that student teachers have had some experiences with individual aspects of AfL. A critical finding is that, when teacher educators continually dominate in the assessment process, summative assessment remains the principal way of assessing student teachers, thus hindering the supportive role of other AfL practices. The current study also finds that learning in higher education is still quite grade-centred, which affects student teachers’ learning.     

Academic bullying among faculty personnel in Estonia and Finland

This comparative study focuses on the prevalence, nature, and manifestations of experienced bullying among faculty personnel, that is, both academic and management staff of universities in Estonia and Finland. A total of 1,191 respondents from Estonia (n = 864) and Finland (n = 327) responded to identical questionnaires. The results show that 27 per cent of respondents in Estonia and 18 per cent in Finland had experienced bullying within six months prior to the study. In Estonia bullying is most commonly straightforward and may include insulting an individual in the presence of colleagues, while in Finland people typically get indirectly slandered behind their back. In Estonia, work-related threats of blame, violence, humiliation and ridicule are typical, whereas it is more ordinary to make negative work-related remarks in Finland. The dissimilar factor models and the categories based on open-ended answers also confirm the presupposition of academic bullying as a culture-related phenomenon.