The affective lives of doubled-up Latinx youth: Influences of school experiences,familism, and ethnic identity exploration

Doubled-up Latinx youth experience many daily challenges associated with ethnic minority status and residential instability. Doubled-up youth share housing with noncustodial caregivers such as friends and/or extended family members primarily because of economic hardship and a breakdown in available parental support. Using data from baseline and 10 days of twice-a-day surveys, this study examined how in-school positive experiences, familism (i.e., a perspective that gives precedence to the family), and ethnic identity (i.e., affirmation, exploration, and resolution) influence after school positive (e.g., feeling joyful/happy) and negative (e.g., feeling stressed/anxious) affect among doubled-up Latinx youth (70% female; M_age = 16.5). Results indicate that in-school positive experiences were associated with more after school positive affect and less after school negative affect. In addition, youth with higher levels of familism reported experiencing less after school negative affect. However, gender moderated the relation of ethnic identity exploration and experiences of after school positive affect. Specifically, females with higher levels of ethnic identity exploration reported relatively lower levels of after school positive affect compared with males. Overall, study findings highlight the importance of both person-level and varying contextual influences on the affective lives of doubled-up Latinx youth.     

The role of non-formal contexts in teacher education for STEM: the case of horno3 science and technology interactive centre

Abstract

Teacher education can benefit directly from experiences in non-formal settings. This article presents a research study with elementary teachers who were teaching in public schools in the state of Nuevo León, México, and participated in a STEM Continuous Professional Development (CPD) workshop. The workshop provided a platform for teachers to interact with scientists and disseminators of science, allowing the appropriation of scientific knowledge applied to everyday activities and settings. Participants improved the quality of their teaching practices in classrooms and gained a new understanding of STEM subjects, enabling them to promote inspiring learning experiences with their students, where dialogue, experimentation and elucidation became an important part of their lessons. The study was carried out using ethnographic tools for analysing recorded videos, 15 sets of field notes, and 49 questionnaires. The sequential analysis of talk and gestures in their participation in the CPD workshop demonstrated high levels of involvement, creativity, and collaborative solution of STEM problems.     

On the hunt for the gene of perspective taking: pitfalls in methodology

In this commentary, we evaluate the methodology of Udell, Dorey, and Wynne’s (Learning & Behavior, in press) experiment in controlling for environmental factors and argue that their conclusion is not supported. In particular, we emphasise that comparative studies on dogs and wolves need to ensure that both species enjoyed the same rearing history, are comparable in age, and have the same experience with the testing conditions. We also argue that the utilisation of shelter dogs does not control for genetic effects on social behaviour. Finally, we propose a synergetic model to account for both genetic and environmental effects on interspecific social behaviour in dogs and wolves.     

Measuring the impact of inquiry-based learning on outcomes and student satisfaction

The aim of this study is to determine the impact of inquiry-based learning (IBL) on students’ academic performance and to assess their satisfaction with the process. Linear and logistic regression analyses show that examination grades are positively related to attendance at classes and tutorials; moreover, there is a positive significant relationship between academic performance and IBL, which is considered useful for better understanding of the subject. While students’ satisfaction is directly associated with class attendance and motivation and with the perceived usefulness of IBL, it is unaffected by attendance at tutorials. We conclude, therefore, that students become more involved in learning and acquire increased knowledge of the subject when an IBL-based method is followed.     

Self-perception,self-esteem and life satisfaction in adopted and non-adopted children and adolescents / Autopercepción,autoestima y satisfacción vital en niños y adolescentes adoptados y no adoptados

This paper analyses whether the specific challenges of adolescence and adoption may affect the self-assessment of adopted adolescents. A total of 618 children and adolescents from Andalusia (southern Spain) between eight and 16 years of age (105 adopted and 513 non-adopted) participated in this study. For comparison purposes, different groups of non-adopted children (current classmates, children in residential care and children who have grown up with their biological families in socially disadvantaged areas) also participated. The Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE) and the Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (SLSS) were utilized. The results reflect positive self-assessments on average at the beginning and during adolescence. There is a decline in self-perception, self-esteem and life satisfaction at around 11 or 12 years, with a slight recovery beginning at the age of 14. This trend occurs in adopted and non-adopted children and adolescents. Adopted children present self-assessments similar to children who live with their biological family. Children in residential care exhibit self-perception, self-esteem and life satisfaction that is well below the rest.     

The influence of using ICT in high-skills competences and ICT competences. A structural model

Education and Information Technologies - University students have to master new competences to be able to completely form part of Knowledge Society, which are known as 21st-century competences....     

The national curriculum vs. the ideal curriculum: acknowledging student learning interests

For many students, school is a place that makes no sense; a place where students’ interests are not reflected in the curriculum. Using mixed methods research, we developed an instrument that identifies student interests. This instrument was applied in a pilot study that considered 10th-grade students from three schools in Santiago, Chile. We compared student interest and national curriculum for different factors and established how well aligned these are. The results reveal that private school students prefer subjects that require greater cognitive development, related to Young’s powerful knowledge. Students from voucher schools, on the other hand, prefer to develop their knowledge of the arts and physical education, both of which are subjects they tend to enjoy. These findings are coherent with Bernstein’s theories. This pattern is also repeated when comparing high-performing students with their low-performing counterparts, regardless of school type. The findings of this study not only help identify which subjects the students want to study, but also to understand the reasons behind their preferences. Understanding these reasons is key for developing a more contextualised curriculum that makes more sense to the students.     

Improving Chilean In-service Elementary Teachers’ Understanding of Nature of Science Using Self-contained NOS and Content-Embedded Mini-Courses

Understanding nature of science (NOS) is considered critical to the development of students’ scientific literacy. However, various studies have shown that a large number of elementary and secondary science teachers do not possess an adequate understanding of NOS. This study investigated how elementary teachers’ understanding of NOS was impacted through a 1-year professional development program in Chile that included NOS instruction as a theme throughout two types of mini-courses in the program. Twelve teachers attended a 1-year development program focused on improving teacher content knowledge and included the instruction of NOS embedded in two self-contained NOS mini-courses (36 h) and two lessons (3 h each) within five science content mini-courses (30 h). The Views of NOS (version D+) questionnaire and interviews were used to assess teachers’ understanding of NOS at the beginning (January) and end of the program (December). Elementary teachers’ understanding of the creative, inferential, and tentative aspect of NOS showed improvement. According to the teachers’ perceptions, the most significant activities for improving their NOS understanding were decontextualized activities in both types of mini-courses (self-contained NOS and science content mini-courses). The implications for professional development programs are also discussed.     

New Features of Educational Media Development in Hungarian Secondary Education

Abstract

In 1994 Eger, a city of long standing cultural and educational tradition, hosted the Agria Media ‘94 ICEP Conference. The conference aimed at providing an analysis of new challenges gradually emerging with the development of educational media. The present paper will look at the main subject, giving an overview of new features of educational media in Hungarian secondary education.