Forming shared inquiry structures to support knowledge building in a grade 5 community

This study explores the reflective processes by which a grade 5 science community co-constructed shared inquiry structures to focus and guide its inquiry about human body systems over a school year supported by a collaborative online environment. The co-constructed structures included a list of collective wondering areas as the shared focus of inquiry and models of the inquiry process in the form of “research cycle.” Qualitative analyses of field notes, classroom videos, student notebooks and interviews elaborate the evolution of the inquiry areas and the “research cycle” model as well as students’ adaptive use of the structures to guide deeper inquiry. Content analyses of students’ individual research questions and collaborative online discourse indicate that students used the structures to develop more advanced inquiry and make productive contributions. The results contribute to elaborating a reflective structuration approach to co-organizing and sustaining long-term, open-ended inquiry in knowledge building communities.     

Career guidance in India based on O*NET and cultural variables

The Occupational Information Network (O*NET) is the primary source of occupational information in the United States (US). In this study, I review O*NET’s usage for career guidance in India and conceive a career intervention based on it. In an empirical evaluation adopting a posttest-only experimental design with post-graduate management students (N = 220), effectiveness of the career intervention in reducing career decision-making difficulties is presented. An important cultural insight the study offers regarding occurrence of career decision-making difficulties, are the differences due to vertical–horizontal characteristics, apart from the more researched individualism–collectivism characteristics.     

Experiential learning in doctoral training programmes: fostering personal epistemology through collaboration

There has been increasing recognition for the need to reform doctoral training practices to foster students’ personal epistemology. This study describes the design and evaluation of a learning experience designed to help students understand the scholarly publication process. Firstly, this study discusses the design of the learning experience, describing the collaborative process of writing an interdisciplinary publication using both online and face-to-face learning. Secondly, this study evaluates the effectiveness of the learning experience by examining students’ reflections. We show that participation in the learning experience helped students to develop their academic writing proficiency, collaboration and teamwork, intercultural competence, and ability to engage in reflective practice. Importantly, we show that each student also created more individualised knowledge, gaining insight into how they and others think. This study, therefore, demonstrates that personal epistemology can be fostered through collaboration in a doctoral writing group context.     

Studienförderung für Auslandsstudien

In der Entscheidung Morgan und Bucher hat der Europäische Gerichtshof zwei Regelungen des deutschen Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetzes zur Ausbildungsförderung für Auslandsstudien als gegen die Freizügigkeit der Unionsbürger nach Art 18 EGV verstoßend und somit gemeinschaftsrechtswidrig angesehen. Das Urteil unterstreicht die Bedeutung, die der Gerichtshof der Freizügigkeit und der Gleichbehandlung von Unionsbürgern im Bildungsbereich zuerkennt. Dies wird von Österreich auch bei Klärung der Hochschulzugangsproblematik zu berücksichtigen sein. Das durch eine Novelle zum österreichischen Studienförderungsgesetz eingeführte Mobilitätsstipendium ist entsprechend den vom Europäischen Gerichtshof in Morgan und Bucher entwickelten Grundsätzen am Gemeinschaftsrecht zu messen.     

Anti-bullying procedures for schools in Ireland: principals’ responses and perceptions

The role of the principal is imperative in creating a school climate that nurtures differences and equality at the same time. Policy and legislation in Ireland dictates the responsibility of school principals in preventing and intervening in issues relating to bullying. The current research investigates the extent to which principals consider the impact of bullying on their students and the strategies they take to combat it in their schools. We consider how principals respond to bullying and what supports they feel are missing for them to adhere to relevant policy. A sample of 918 principals from a range of schools across Ireland completed an online survey. The results demonstrated some positive actions by principals such as the provision of anti-bullying policies. However, they also document areas that need more action such as increased access to counsellors and appointing a specific staff member to deal with and tackle bullying in each school. Guidance from the Department of Education and Skills in Ireland on the development and provision of an anti-bullying programme is called for. Results are discussed in light of the current Anti-Bullying Procedures established by the Department of Education and Skills and the Action Plan for Bullying 2013.     

Exploring the Effects of Financial Aid on the Gap in Student Dropout Risks by Income Level

Using national survey data and discrete-time logit modeling, this research seeks to understand whether student aid mediates the relationship between parental income and student dropout behavior. Our analysis confirms that there is a gap in dropout rates for low-income students compared with their upper income peers, and suggests that some types of aid are associated with lower risks of dropout. Thus, we examine the interaction between financial aid type and parental income to explore whether, and if so how, different types of aid may reduce the dropout gap by income level group. We find that the receipt of a Pell grant is related to narrowing the dropout gap between students from low- and middle-income groups, although overall the interaction between Pell grant and income is not significant. Loans and work-study aid both have similar effects on student dropout across all income groups. Methodologically, our results demonstrate the need to model dropout behavior temporally and to avoid main-effect bias by incorporating interaction effects.

Employment and Achievement in a Problem‐Based Curriculum

The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to examine to what extent the time students work on paid jobs is related to study‐time (class attendance and time devoted to self‐study) and second, to what extent the time students work on paid jobs is related to achievement. A number of 120 students from the problem‐based Faculty of Health Sciences in the Netherlands kept a time‐diary. Academic achievement was measured by using scores on the block‐test. The results showed that working about four to eight hours per week on paid jobs (as opposed to working less than four hours per week or to working intensively, more than 8 hours per week) actually is positively related to study‐time. Test‐scores are not significantly different among students who are not working on jobs, work some hours, or work a lot.     

Using stakeholder feedback to improve online professional development opportunities

Abstract

Traditional professional development is often characterized as being expensive, time consuming, and lacking impact. In contrast, online professional development provides greater flexibility and is becoming increasingly popular for school personnel. In this article, we report the process and outcomes of gathering feedback to adapt traditional in-person to online training differentiated for the participants to maximize utility, efficiency, and effectiveness in meeting the needs of key stakeholders. Focus groups were conducted with teachers, administrators, and other specialists to gather feedback on content as well as how online learning modules (OLMs) could be tailored to meet specific school site and team needs. We discuss our findings in the context of continuing efforts to improve general and specific professional development opportunities.     

School experience,relational justice and legitimation of institutional

This study analysis the relationship between perceptions of the justice of teacher’ behaviour and (a) the legitimation of school authority and (b) the legitimation of institutional authorities outside school. 448 adolescent students participated in the study. In questionnaire participants were asked about (a) perceptions of the justice of teachers’ behaviour; (b) evaluation of the school experience; and (c) evaluation of institutional authorities. Results show that the evaluation of the justice of teacher behaviour, in particular relational and procedural justice, have an impact on the legitimation of the authority of teachers and on the evaluation of institutional authorities outside school. Results also show that the legitimacy granted to teachers is a mediator variable between perceptions of justice in school and evaluation of authorities outside school. These results are discussed in the context of the studies on the relationship between school experience and adolescents attitudes towards authorities, and in the framework of the “Relational Model of Authority” and of the “Group Value Model”.     

An empirical test of Cameron's dimensions of effectiveness: Implications for Australian tertiary institutions

Cameron's (1978, 1986) nine postulated dimensions of effectiveness in U.S. tertiary institutions were tested in an Australian sample. The findings suggested that higher education administrators should exercise caution when extrapolating from Cameron's results at least in the Australian context. Areas for future research are also suggested by cross-cultural comparisons.We would like to acknowledge the assistance of Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co in administering this survey.