A Meta-analysis of the Impact of Social and Emotional Learning Interventions on Teachers’ Burnout Symptoms

Educational Psychology Review - Over the last decades, extensive research has given considerable attention to teachers’ burnout. Owing to its negative personal, organizational, and social...     

The impact of personal educational experiences and communication practices on the construction of deaf identity in Cyprus

The aim of the study was to investigate for the first time the impact of educational experiences on the development of Cypriot deaf people's identity. To obtain relevant information in depth, semistructured interviews were conducted with 24 Cypriot deaf individuals ages 19-54 years who had graduated from a variety of school settings. The findings indicated that the type of school, and the academic and social experiences shared within the school between the participants and their classmates and teachers, played a crucial role in these deaf individuals' identity development. The findings have implications for curriculum development for deaf pupils, and for parents' counseling about their deaf children's development of "healthy" identities.     

Learning through collaboration: student perspectives

This research examines the effectiveness of collaborative learning pedagogies from the perspective of students. There is a rich history of research on collaborative learning demonstrating the effectiveness and this has led to indexing educational quality by student engagement. However, the findings from this study question the efficacy of collaborative pedagogies in their actual implementation. While collaboration was a part of the most highly rated learning experiences, these pedagogies were typically described as ineffective. Key factors that students see associated with effective collaboration are reported. The students’ perceptions of learning as reflected in their comments on collaborative learning, implications for setting expectations for college learning, and needs for faculty development are discussed.     

Hanging out in The Studio to challenge xenophobia: consolidating identities as community writers

This article examines findings from a Scottish Social Innovation Fund project carried out in an after‐school club known as The Studio. Researchers worked alongside artists to engage young people situated within their communities to challenge xenophobic discourses through the creation of positive narratives developed through story and arts‐based activities. The work used the “deep hang out theory” to generate a complex account of how the participants mediated the cultural tools surrounding them to produce a community text. Through engaging in an arts‐based process, the young writers and illustrators developed a sense of belonging within their communities, taking an active, engaged stance as literacy producers of texts that challenged xenophobic discourses. The lessons learned in this informal space are of relevance across contexts where young people wish to engage in creating positive narratives of community cohesion.     

An Investigation of Lebanese G7-12 Students’ Misconceptions and Difficulties in Genetics and Their Genetics Literacy

Lebanese educators claim that middle and secondary school students exhibit poor understanding of genetics due to misconceptions and difficulties that hinder progression in conceptual understanding of major genetics concepts and phenomena across different grade levels. They attributed these problems to Lebanon’s ill-structured genetics curriculum which needs a thorough revision in light of curricular reform models that take into account student misconceptions, cognitive abilities, and past experiences. Despite these claims, no empirical tests were done. Consequently, this study aimed to investigate G7-12 Lebanese students’ misconceptions and difficulties in genetics in an attempt to design a curriculum that would enhance student understanding of genetics. Using quantitative and qualitative data collection methods, we obtained an in-depth understanding of the nature of the misconceptions and difficulties encountered by students in grades 7–12, determined the level of students’ genetics literacy, and explored the progression of their level of conceptual understanding of major genetics concepts across grade levels. A questionnaire was administered to 729 students (G7-12) in 6 schools and was followed by semi-structured interviews with 62 students to validate the questionnaire results, gain further understanding of students’ misconceptions, and assess their level of genetics literacy. Findings showed that patterns of inheritance, the deterministic nature of genes, and the nature of genetic information were found to be among the most difficult concepts learned. Students also showed inadequate understanding of many basic genetics concepts which persist across grade levels. Furthermore, results indicated that students across all grade levels exhibited a low level of genetics literacy. Implications for practice and research are discussed.     

Child sexual and physical abuse among college students in Singapore and the United States

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to explore differences in rates and characteristics of child sexual and physical abuse experiences among women in Singapore and the US. METHOD: Participants (N=153) completed an anonymous questionnaire which assessed experiences of childhood sexual and physical abuse, abuse characteristics (e.g., victimization age, severity), and behavioral and subjective reactions to such experiences (e.g., labeling of experiences as abuse, psychological symptomatology). Exposure to other forms of traumatic life events was also assessed. RESULTS: In comparison to Singaporean women, US women were more likely to report a history of child sexual abuse, and to report experiencing more severe forms of sexual abuse. Women in Singapore were more likely than women in the US to report a history of child physical abuse, to report experiencing injury as a result of the abuse, and to disclose the abuse. Singaporean women with a history of child sexual abuse reported elevated psychological symptom levels relative to their nonabused peers and to US women with a history of child sexual abuse, even after controlling for exposure to other types of traumatic events. No significant differences in symptomatology with regard to child physical abuse were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Although preliminary in nature, the present findings are among the first to demonstrate differences in psychological adjustment between sexually abused and nonabused Asian women living in Asia. This study also provides some of the first support for cross-national differences in the psychological adjustment of child sexual abuse survivors.     

盐碱地土壤全氮含量的测定

将重铬酸钾-硫酸消煮土壤样品稀释到一定体积，再吸收一定量的土壤稀释液于克氏蒸馏瓶中，通过对蒸馏时间、碱用量、稀释液体积、样品体积等因素进行对比，同时与扩散皿法进行对比，得到了分析结果误差较小的最佳条件，并对盐碱土壤种植后全氮含量进行了测定，达到了令人满意的结果．     

Building Child Friendly Cities in the MENA region

The notion of Child Friendly Cities (CFCs) was first developed during the Second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (HABITAT II), held in Istanbul in 1996. The concept is based on four general principles of the United Nations Convention on the rights of the child: (1) fair treatment of every child, regardless of ethnicity, gender, religion, socioeconomic background etc.; (2) top priority of the best interests of the child; (3) the child’s right to a better life and development; and (4) respect of children’s views. In a CFC, children are encouraged to take part in the decision making processes that affect their lives. Instead of starting yet another programme for children, the development of a CFC mobilises and connects existing agencies and actors. Giving examples of some cities in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, this paper demonstrates that building CFCs has induced the development of mechanisms and structures which have enabled cities to address children’s issues in a systematic manner. These mechanisms and structures include: a municipal child-friendly legal framework, local development councils and NGO networks and local municipal development offices. The author argues that in building CFCs, the role of municipal authorities is indispensable in responding to the needs of children and young people within the municipalities’ mandates.     

Physical activity, nutrition, screen time and sleep associated with body weight and physical condition in young children

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore the possible relationship between (un)healthy behaviour and (over)weight and physical condition in families with young children (4–7 years), in a village (30,000 inhabitants) in the eastern part of the Netherlands, close to Germany. It is one of two pilot studies as a precursor of a cross-border project including six Dutch and six German villages, to counteract physical inactivity and possible future metabolic problems. In total, 459 children of five elementary schools and their parents were included. Parents were requested to fill in a questionnaire on the nutritional, physical, sedentary, and sleeping behaviour of their child. Relevant background characteristics were obtained and lifestyle classifications were made. At school, the children's height and weight (body mass index (BMI)) were measured, as well as their physical condition (two tests) and basic motor abilities (four physical exercise tests). The relationship between the standardized BMI z-scores and physical condition test scores, and nutritional, physical, sedentary and sleeping habits was analysed using independent sample t-test, bivariate correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis. Latent class analysis was used to identify clusters of people based on their nutritional, physical and sleep habits. Of the parents, 376 (82?%) were willing to fill out the questionnaire. High birth weight and a high BMI of the mother and/or father correlated with a higher BMI of the child (ρ?=?0.28, p?<?0.001; ρ?=?0.13, p?=?0.016; and ρ?=?0.23, p?<?0.001, respectively). Daily playing outside, eating small cookies (compared with large cookies) and no sleeping problems (no waking up during the night) were related to low BMI levels (no overweight) [ρ?=???0.14, p?=?0.005; ρ?=???0.12, p?=?.020; t(364)?=?1.81, p?=?0.072 (trend), respectively]. Daily playing outside (frequency and duration) and being a member of a sports club were related to positive scores on the physical condition tests [ρ?=?0.20, p?<?0.001; t(365)?=???2.99, p?=?0.003, respectively]. High levels of television (TV) watching and general sleeping problems were related to a less optimal physical condition [ρ?=???0.09, p?=?0.076 (trend); and ρ?=???0.10, p?=?0.059 (trend), respectively]. A latent class analysis revealed three clusters: 46?% of the sample belonged to the ‘healthy group’ concerning nutrition, sedentary lifestyle and TV/personal computer (PC) use; 17?% to the ‘less healthy’ group and 37?% to a group with nutrition and physical activity habits close to the healthy group, but with low conditional probabilities for the sleeping items. Conducting a pilot study before the start of a binational intervention study gives a blueprint for the final questionnaire, and clues for tailored interventions in the schools, as proposed in the approach of ‘Gesunde Kinder in gesunden Kommunen’ (GKGK). The results of a latent class analysis underscore that interventions should exist of a multi-component strategy, focusing on promoting physical activity, healthy nutrition habits and appropriate sleep.