Supporting International Students: Enhancing College Counselors’ Multicultural Counseling Competence

International students experience significant difficulties as they adjust to the dominant culture in the United States. However, there is a substantial gap between the reported academic and sociological distress these students experience and their help‐seeking behaviors. This article reviews international students’ distinctive challenges in seeking professional help and proposes guidelines to effectively support these students by enhancing college counselors’ multicultural counseling competence.     

Specification Search for Identifying the Correct Mean Trajectory in Polynomial Latent Growth Models

This study investigated the optimal strategy for model specification search under the latent growth modeling (LGM) framework, specifically on searching for the correct polynomial mean or average growth model when there is no a priori hypothesized model in the absence of theory. In this simulation study, the effectiveness of different starting models on the search of the true mean growth model was investigated in terms of the mean and within-subject variance-covariance (V-C) structure model. The results showed that specifying the most complex (i.e., unstructured) within-subject V-C structure with the use of LRT, ΔAIC, and ΔBIC achieved the highest recovery rate (>85%) of the true mean trajectory. Implications of the findings and limitations are discussed.     

Latent class analysis of non-formal learners’ self-directed learning patterns in open educational resource repositories

Open educational resources (OERs) are increasingly adopted in non-formal education contexts. However, little research has been conducted to investigate the self-directed learning patterns of non-formal learners using OERs. A lack of knowledge about non-formal learners precludes discussions on how to support their self-regulated learning in open learning environments. We explored the self-directed learning patterns of 1892 non-formal online learners who were using OER repositories. In addition, we examined whether differences existed in future intentions to use OERs between learners with different learning patterns. Four latent classes were identified, and learners’ age was found to affect class membership. We also found that non-formal learners’ use of self-directed learning strategies predicted their future intentions to use OERs. This study advanced our understanding of the subpopulations of non-formal learners using OERs. Future research will benefit from the findings related to designing OER environments that can accommodate diverse self-directed learners.     

Effects of discrimination training on stimulus generalization in pigeons: Role of resistance to extinction and response-produced stimuli

In Experiment 1, two groups (n = 10) of pigeons received 17 sessions of TD (true discrimination) or ND (nondifferential) training with line angles. Seventeen sessions of SS (single stimulus) training with a wavelength preceded this training and two followed it. Subsequent wavelength generalization testing in extinction revealed a sharper TD than ND gradient. This slope difference was evident from the very first test stimulus presentation and remained stable throughout testing. As a consequence of substantial overtraining, there was no reduction of response strength and no sharpening of generalization during testing for either group. In Experiment 2, two groups (n = 16) of pigeons received 10 sessions of TD or PD (pseudodiscrimination) training with line angles, followed by four sessions of SS training with a single wavelength. During this training and in subsequent wavelength generalization testing in extinction, brief blackouts separated stimulus presentations. Again, the TD group yielded the sharper gradient. Although responding weakened and the gradients sharpened during the test, these effects were comparable in the two groups. Furthermore, gradients based on the percentage of trials with at least one response showed the same TD-PD slope difference. This finding indicates that differential control over responding by response-produced feedback is inadequate to account for the TD-PD difference in generalization slope. Both experiments indicate that a purported difference in resistance to extinction is also an inadequate explanation.     

Predicting children’s academic achievement from early assessment scores: a validity generalization study

Although there have been numerous studies investigating the predictive validity of early assessment, observed predictive validity coefficients across studies are not stable. A validity generalization study was conducted in order to answer the question of whether the relationship between early assessment of children and later achievement is generalizable or situation-specific. This study examined 716 predictive correlation coefficients from 44 studies using Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM). The findings of this study revealed that predictive validity of early assessment is not generalizable. Additional analyses indicated that predictive validity differ across assessments as a function of test type, specific construct being assessed, length of prediction, and administration procedures. The most impressive finding in this study was the variability of effect sizes across different test administration types. In particular, tests that were scored through ratings were found to be most effective. These findings suggest that instead of addressing a broad predictive validity between a test and a criterion measure, it is necessary to understand early assessment procedures as a whole system by including considerations of various variables related to testing conditions.     

Challenges of designing and carrying out laboratory experiments about Newton's second law

Science & Education - Experiment is understood as a core activity in science education as well as science in general. Despite many efforts to improve science education in the laboratory, a...     

ENHANCING STUDENTS’ COMMUNICATION SKILLS IN THE SCIENCE CLASSROOM THROUGH SOCIOSCIENTIFIC ISSUES

Communication skills are one of the most important competencies for 21st century global citizens. Our guiding presupposition was that socioscientific issues (SSIs) could be used as an effective pedagogical tool for promoting students’ communication skills by increasing peer interactions, stimulating students’ reasoning, and in constructing shared social knowledge. We implemented a SSI program on gene modification (GM) technology to 132 9th graders in South Korea and investigated to what extent this SSI instruction contributed to enhancing students’ communication skills. Data sources included pre- and post-scores on the Communication Skills Questionnaire (CSQ), semi-structured interviews with the students and instructor, and classroom observations. The results demonstrated that SSI instruction could bring about a moderately large impact on students’ ability to understand the key ideas of others and to value others’ perspectives, as well as a marginal positive effect on developing active assertions. However, SSI instruction appeared to have a lesser impact on students’ ability to develop shared understanding. Overall, this research indicates the potential that even a limited SSI classroom could have in terms of promoting students’ communication skills in the context of their regular science class.     

The Interrelation of First-Year College Students’ Critical Thinking Disposition, Perceived Academic Control, and Academic Achievement

While a great deal of research has examined students’ critical thinking skills, less is known about students’ tendencies to use these skills. Specifically, little is known about what factors contribute to students developing a disposition to think critically or what impact this disposition has on college students’ academic achievement. Perceived control, which has been found to be an important factor in college students’ academic success, may be an important factor in developing this disposition. The current longitudinal study examined the reciprocal-effects between critical thinking disposition and perceived academic control, and their comparative influences on academic achievement in 1196 first-year college students. Using a two-wave, two-variable cross-lag structural equation model, a reciprocal-effect was found whereby students’ perceived academic control predicted their subsequent critical thinking disposition, and students’ critical thinking disposition predicted their subsequent perceived academic control. Furthermore, after controlling for high school academic performance, perceived academic control was found to have a stronger impact on students’ GPAs than critical thinking disposition. Implications of fostering a critical thinking disposition and perceived academic control among college students are discussed.

Effectiveness of Parent–Child Number Board Game Playing in Promoting Chinese Kindergarteners’ Numeracy Skills and Mathematics Interest

Research Findings: In Study 1, we observed 32 Chinese kindergarteners playing a number board game with their caregivers in dyads. Number board game playing provided important opportunities for kindergarteners and their caregivers to talk about an array of number concepts, but their numeracy-related exchanges rarely went beyond counting. In Study 2, 88 Chinese kindergarteners and their parents were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups, namely, the game with parent training group, the game without parent training group, the exercise book group, and the control group. After a 4-week intervention, kindergarteners in the 3 treatment groups who began as relatively unskilled in numeracy showed comparable improvement in 3 numeracy tasks, and the effect sizes were often larger in the game with parent training group than in the game without parent training group. Moreover, kindergarteners in the 2 game groups tended to show relatively heightened mathematics interest. Practice or Policy: Findings of these 2 studies suggest that number board game playing has the potential benefit of promoting kindergarteners’ numeracy competence and mathematics interest. Training of parents might even optimize kindergarten children’s gains from parent–child number board game playing.