Relational Reasoning and Its Manifestations in the Educational Context: a Systematic Review of the Literature

Relational reasoning, the ability to discern meaningful patterns within otherwise unconnected information, is regarded as central to human learning and cognition and as particularly critical for those functioning in today’s information age. However, the literature on this foundational ability is currently housed within a range of domains of inquiry, where divergent terminology and methodologies are commonplace. This dispersion has made it difficult to harness the power of existing work to inform future research or guide educational practice. In order to address this lack of consolidation, a systematic review of relational reasoning was undertaken. Specifically, 109 empirical studies dealing with relational reasoning in general or one of four manifestations (i.e., analogy, anomaly, antinomy, and antithesis) were analyzed. Resulting data revealed trends across fields of inquiry, including a degree of conceptual ambiguity, conceptual and operational misalignment, and a lack of ecological validity in certain research paradigms. There were also particular forms and measures of relational reasoning that were more commonly investigated, as well as certain domains that were more often studied. Implications for how future research can examine relational reasoning as a multidimensional construct within educational contexts are also discussed.     

Teaching anxieties revealed: pre-service elementary teachers’ reflections on their mathematics teaching experiences

Over the last 50?years, there has been ample research dedicated to mathematics anxiety in contexts of teaching and learning. However, there has been less attention focused on pre-service teachers’ anxieties about teaching mathematics in classroom settings. This study analyzed pre-service teachers’ reflections at the conclusion of an elementary mathematics field experience in order to determine common themes surrounding anxiety-related events based on mathematics practice-teaching experiences. Through qualitative analysis of pre-service teachers’ reflections using open and axial coding, three categories and ten themes surrounding elementary pre-service teachers’ anxiety-related events based on mathematics practice-teaching experiences emerged. Some of the themes presented were ones that increased pre-service teachers’ anxieties for teaching mathematics, whereas other themes reflected aspects of the field experience that decreased anxiety for teaching mathematics. Based on the themes revealed in this study, suggestions for strategies and materials that could be developed for university mathematics methods courses are discussed. Novel perspectives for considering mathematics teaching anxiety, such as locus of control and future time perspective, are shared.     

Job-Related Stress and Sleep Disorders Among North Carolina College Presidents

The purpose of this study was threefold. First, the study was to determine the extent of job-related stress among North Carolina community college presidents. Second, the study was to determine the extent of sleep disorders that exist in the target population. And finally, the study was to measure, if any, the relationship between job-related stress, sleep disorders, and stress reduction methods. The findings of the study indicated that the presidents may feel job-related stress in the form of job pressures such as demands, but are less stressed by job-related threats such as a feeling of being overwhelmed. In the area of sleep, the findings suggest that community college presidents are generally sleeping without difficulties. Overall, the scores were on the lower end of the range that indicates better sleep quality. The study results also indicated that all respondents except one used some method of stress reduction.     

Efficacy of Supplemental Phonics-Based Instruction for Low-Skilled First Graders: How Language Minority Status and Pretest Characteristics Moderate Treatment Response

We examined the efficacy of 20 weeks of individual supplemental phonics-based instruction for language minority (LM) and non-LM first graders. Students were designated LM if the primary home language was not English (otherwise non-LM). Those performing in the bottom half of their classroom LM/non-LM group in letter knowledge and phonological awareness were randomly assigned to treatment and control conditions. Treatment included alphabetics, decoding, and oral reading practice. Results showed that treatment students (n?=?93) outperformed controls (n?=?94) on 5 of the 6 posttests; however, LM students exhibited lower treatment response on passage reading fluency. Pretest word reading did not moderate treatment response, and LM students with greater baseline vocabulary showed greater treatment response on posttest word reading and spelling.     

Home–school relationships: a school management perspective

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) is in the process of initiating major education reform designed to improve schools. Parental involvement in support of student learning ranks high on the reform agenda. This study explores managerial aspects of implementing home–school relationships in seven primary Public Private Partnership (PPP) schools in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Participants involved in this study were principals, social workers, teachers, parents, and students. Managerial aspects discussed in this paper relate to: (a) benefits of home–school relationships; (b) roles and responsibilities of stakeholders; (c) home–school communication; and (d) constraints and challenges faced in the management of home–school relationships. The findings elicit recommendations for improvement which may inform the work of policymakers, principals, social workers, teachers and parents in their continued efforts to build home–school relationships.     

The Instructional Designer’s Role in Forming University-Community Partnerships in Digital Literacy

With an eye toward contemporary skill building to meet community centered economic needs, organizations such as Literacy Volunteers of America are increasingly pressured to examine new avenues in promoting employment readiness skills for the newly literate. These organizations and countless others have come to the realization that being prepared for the current workforce demands a skill set that surpasses traditional literacy skills in realizing job opportunity. The newly literate must now achieve a level of digital literacy to accompany traditional literacy efforts. The demand for such contemporary literacy skills to parallel traditional literacy presents an opportunity for university based instructional designers to share expertise and to collaborate with their local communities to this end. This paper focuses on the process of the formation of a university-community partnership in digital literacy designed for participants to collaboratively address such technology focused educational needs.     

Child fatality review: an international movement

OBJECTIVE: This article discusses the multidisciplinary Child Fatality Review process in the US, Canada, and Australia, including common patterns, unique programs, changes over time, impact on multiagency systems, and future directions. METHOD: An open-ended survey was shared with teams listed in the directories of the Los Angeles County Inter-Agency Council on Child Abuse and Neglect National Center on Child Fatality Review (ICAN-NCFR). Responses were received from 58 state and local Child Fatality Review teams. RESULTS: Teams exist in all 50 states, Washington, DC, most Canadian provinces, and New South Wales, Australia. Team structure varies but generally includes a similar core membership, and most teams select cases from coroner/medical examiner or vital statistics records through established protocols. While most case review is conducted by local teams, state teams may review cases because of small size or sparse population or choose to review specific types of cases (e.g., Child Protective Services). State teams often support local review through training, resources, policy development, and political assistance. An increasing number of teams collect data and issue reports, often published on the internet, allowing teams to share resources. CONCLUSIONS: Teams have matured with time, often broadening their intake spectrum, membership and data collection, and developing and following through with case management or systems change recommendations. Teams continue to improve multiagency interaction and are committed to the prevention of child injury and death. The number of teams, as well as their scope and expertise, continues to increase, developing into a national/international system.     

Associations between types of maltreatment and substance use during adolescence

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate associations between four categories of maltreatment and substance use among adolescents. METHOD: All 10th through 12th graders n = 2,187) at six public high schools in a rural Oregon county filled out an anonymous survey that included questions about their experience of emotional, sexual, and physical abuse and their use of a variety of substances. Substance use was subsequently categorized as: (1) tobacco use, (2) alcohol use, and (3) illicit drug use. Experience of maltreatment was subsequently categorized as: (1) no type of maltreatment, (2) emotional abuse, (3) physical abuse, (4) sexual abuse, and (5) sexual and physical abuse. RESULTS: Results showed that all four categories of maltreatment were associated with increased levels of all three categories of substance use. Statistical comparisons of the magnitude effects of different types of maltreatment on substance use indicated a linear trend with the effects of emotional abuse being significantly lower than those of physical or sexual abuse, and the effects of the combination of physical and sexual abuse being significantly higher than the other types. CONCLUSION: Results suggested that all types of maltreatment, including emotional abuse, are related to significantly higher levels of substance use and should be considered serious risk factors for substance use during adolescence. Results also indicated that the strength of association between maltreatment and substance use varies by type of maltreatment. Youth who have experienced both physical and sexual abuse are at especially high risk of substance use.