Students' perceptions of teachers' nonverbal behavior: Comparison of American and international students' classroom response

For some international students, teachers' nonverbal immediacy may constitute a violation of expectations in classroom behavior. Using Expectancy Violation Theory framework, this study investigated differences in students ‘perceptions of teachers’ nonverbal immediacy by comparing American and international students studying in the U.S. The findings confirmed that (1) teachers' nonverbal immediacy is perceived as more appropriate by American students than by international students, (2) there are differences in evaluations of specific nonverbal immediacy behaviors by American students and international students, and (3) perceptions depended on student gender for some behaviors, but not teacher's gender. Learning was more positively related to perceived immediacy behaviors for international students than their American counterparts.     

The role of affective orientation in the five factor personality structure

This study examined how Affective Orientation (AO) is positioned within the Five Factor model of personality to impact communication processes. Being emotionally guided by one's emotions should not be redundant with the lexically‐driven factors, but should demonstrate conceptual overlap in appropriate areas, a prediction which was confirmed.

AO related only to Extraversion and Neuroticism (n=234) but not to Conscientiousness, Openness, or Agreeableness. Importantly the Five Factor model accounted for 20% of the AO variance, and AO demonstrated factorial independence, suggesting that Affective Orientation is best described at the facet level of the Five Factor model. Females scored significantly higher than males on AO, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, and Agreeableness.     

Topic Avoidance,Everyday Talk,and Stress in Romantic Military and Non-Military Couples

Relationships are increasingly impacted by military involvement, necessitating a deeper understanding of communication within these couples. This study examined perceptions of everyday talk, topic avoidance, and stress of participants romantically involved with (a) a military partner (n = 118) or (b) a non-military partner (n = 94). Couple types avoided similar topics, but non-military partners avoided these topics more frequently than military partners. Both couple types engaged in everyday talk, but military partners found this communicative exchange to be more important. Non-military partners experienced greater stress than military partners, and communication was predictive of the stress experienced. The results of this study highlight similarities and differences in romantic couples and reveal areas in which relationship education can address these communicative nuances of military couples.     

Reassessing the Effect of Survey Characteristics on Common Method Bias in Emotional and Social Intelligence Competencies Assessment

Since the idea of method variance was inspired by D. T. Campbell and Fiske in 1959, many papers have demonstrated an ongoing debate about both its nature and impact. Often, method variance entails an upward bias in correlations among observed variables—common method bias. This article reports a split-ballot multitrait–multimethod experimental design for estimating 2 opposite biases: the upward biasing method variance from the reaction to the length of the response scale and the position of the survey items in the questionnaire and the downward biasing effect of poor data quality. The data are derived from self-reported behavior related to emotional and social competencies. This article illustrates a methodology to estimate common method bias and its components: common method scale variance, common method occasion variance, and the attenuation effect due to measurement errors. The results show that common method variance has a much smaller impact than random and systematic measurement errors. The results also corroborate previous findings: the greater reliability of longer scales and the lower reliability of items placed toward the end of the survey.     

The Rights and Wrongs of Operational Practices in the Scottish Publishing Industry

Digital publishing has been considered as a panacea to bridge the gaps between different sized publishing companies: allowing small, independent companies to compete on an equal footing with cross-media conglomerates. However, this research discovered that Scottish publishers are not capitalising on new technology and new platforms for dissemination: this is detrimental to the authors they represent. The empirical research found that the majority of Scottish publishers are not fostering intellectual property rights (IPR) effectively across international markets and new media: The failure to do this means that the operational practices of the Scottish publishing industry are not in harmony with the burgeoning digital publishing environment. If Scottish publishers continue with current practices it will become increasingly difficult for them to compete in the national and international publishing environment. This study concludes that only by better training and knowledge exchange, in matters of rights exploitation and digital publishing, can Scottish publishers compete in the international arena and contribute to, and benefit financially from, the knowledge economy.     

Virtual Transgenics: Using a Molecular Biology Simulation to Impact Student Academic Achievement and Attitudes

The transgenic mouse model is useful for studying the causes and potential cures for human genetic diseases. Exposing high school biology students to laboratory experience in developing transgenic animal models is logistically prohibitive. Computer-based simulation, however, offers this potential in addition to advantages of fidelity and reach. This study describes and evaluates a computer-based simulation to train advanced placement high school science students in laboratory protocols, a transgenic mouse model was produced. A simulation module on preparing a gene construct in the molecular biology lab was evaluated using a randomized clinical control design with advanced placement high school biology students in Mercedes, Texas (n?=?44). Pre-post tests assessed procedural and declarative knowledge, time on task, attitudes toward computers for learning and towards science careers. Students who used the simulation increased their procedural and declarative knowledge regarding molecular biology compared to those in the control condition (both p?<?0.005). Significant increases continued to occur with additional use of the simulation (p?<?0.001). Students in the treatment group became more positive toward using computers for learning (p?<?0.001). The simulation did not significantly affect attitudes toward science in general. Computer simulation of complex transgenic protocols have potential to provide a ??virtual?? laboratory experience as an adjunct to conventional educational approaches.     

Cyberbullying: through the eyes of children and young people

The topic of cyberbullying is raising international debate and concern. Through the development and dissemination of a questionnaire 12 student researchers were supported in surveying 325 UK students across Years 7, 8 and 9 to gain further knowledge of this area, in relation to children and young people. Results were analysed and comparisons made between gender and age, allowing conclusions to be drawn about the area of cyberbullying and its many elements. Conclusions acknowledge that bullying has entered a “digital era” and professionals and adults require the knowledge and skills to help young people to further understand the issues involved and to protect themselves in this area.     

Universities and a Human Development Ethics: a capabilities approach to curriculum

This article takes up the challenge of curriculum change in relation to the contested purposes of universities. It argues for an expansive, public good understanding, rather than the thin market exchange norms which currently drive higher education policies. The paper suggests that a human capital approach to curriculum is then insufficient to capture the full range and potential of a university curriculum. Instead, an approach to curriculum based on human development and capabilities formation is advanced as offering a richer perspective on what it means to be human and hence on the kinds of graduates universities should educate. Some implications for teaching, learning and assessment are outlined and a framework to design and operationalise a human development approach to curriculum is proposed.     

Development of Items for a Pedagogical Content Knowledge Test Based on Empirical Analysis of Pupils' Errors

In view of the lack of instruments for measuring biology teachers' pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), this article reports on a study about the development of PCK items for measuring teachers' knowledge of pupils' errors and ways for dealing with them. This study investigated 9th and 10th grade German pupils' (n?=?461) drawings in an achievement test about the knee-jerk in biology, which were analysed by using the inductive qualitative analysis of their content. The empirical data were used for the development of the items in the PCK test. The validation of the items was determined with think-aloud interviews of German secondary school teachers (n?=?5). If the item was determined, the reliability was tested by the results of German secondary school biology teachers (n?=?65) who took the PCK test. The results indicated that these items are satisfactorily reliable (Cronbach's alpha values ranged from 0.60 to 0.65). We suggest a larger sample size and American biology teachers be used in our further studies. The findings of this study about teachers' professional knowledge from the PCK test could provide new information about the influence of teachers' knowledge on their pupils' understanding of biology and their possible errors in learning biology.