Academic Integrity and Distance Learning∗

The present study examines research trajectories of 20 academic “stars” relative to scholarship in 20 prominent and 7 elite criminology and criminal justice (CCJ) journals. We employ a modest subset of career concepts (frequency, specialization, seriousness, and co‐offending) to identify divergent pathways open to CCJ professionals as they begin work in academe or subsequently shape more mature careers. Findings suggest that research productivity varies depending on the measure utilized (e.g., type of outlet; weighted or unweighted; standardized or unstandardized). Different measures of central tendency provide different snapshots of institutional output. Publication frequencies are found to be far greater among stars employed at Carnegie Research I institutions. Regarding research type‐mix, the stars tend to be more eclectic than specialized, with indications of a relationship between number of articles published and breadth of topic areas. Future directions for research are also discussed.     

Getting our best teachers into disadvantaged schools: differences in the professional and personal factors attracting more effective and less effective teachers to a school

Of the school-level factors that have an impact on student learning, one of the most powerful appears to be the effectiveness of the individual teacher. The most effective teachers are, therefore, one of the most important tools schools and systems have at their disposal to lift the achievement of socio-economically disadvantaged students and improve equity, and policy must be designed in such a way as to draw more of them to the most disadvantaged educational settings. To do this, systems and schools need to be aware of differences in the priorities more and less effective teachers hold in deciding where to teach. This study highlighted such differences in a large sample of Australian teachers. The most effective teachers placed considerably more importance on professional factors in determining whether to transfer into a school. Implications for staffing policy are discussed.     

Impacts of an online-supported,resource-based learning environment: does one size fit all?

This paper reports on the use of an online, resource-based learning (RBL) approach in first year psychology at Deakin University. Differences between on- and off-campus students that emerged are examined in the context of the learning goals and study approaches of the two student groups and their attitudes to using computers. Unlike the on-campus students who were less positive about working with computers and reported confusion about how and what to study for the unit, the off-campus students reported feeling confident they had a good study strategy and were more positive about computers. The off-campus students also reported that they spent more time working with electronic resources and attached greater value to them. While all students valued the prescribed resources, the off-campus students found some of the optional, electronic resources valuable because they added to the learning experience. These students also reported greater use of the computer-mediated communication available as part of the online learning environment, and valued this functionality more highly than did the on-campus students. These findings highlight the need to take into account learner characteristics when designing learning environments that cater for individual differences and preferences. While online-supported RBL approaches have the potential to cater to the diverse needs of students, learning environments need to be designed, structured and delivered so the learning experience can be customized to the needs of different student cohorts, while preserving the overarching, pedagogical goals.     

Evaluation of an unstructured afterschool physical activity programme for disadvantaged youth

The purpose of the study was to conduct an evaluation of an unstructured afterschool physical activity (PA) programme (Keep it Moving!; KIM) in an ethnically diverse and low socio-economic status (SES) school district. PA of students in 3rd–5th grades (N = 205) at four elementary schools were assessed during spring 2012. An ActiGraph accelerometer was utilised to examine objectively measured time and steps in differing intensity levels. Standard data reduction procedures were used to process collected data and characterise PA. Students averaged approximately 54 min of accelerometer wear-time during the KIM programme, 10.4 ± 6.1 min (19.2%) of which were spent in sedentary behaviour, 28.2 ± 8.3 min (52.1%) in light PA and 15.6 ± 6.6 min (28.7%) in moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA. Within the cadence band of 1–19 steps/min participants accumulated the highest time-derived PA (16.4 ± 6.3 min). In total, children averaged 1811.9 ± 527.5 steps during the entire KIM programme. Results from the programme indicated that elementary-aged students received additional PA through the KIM programme. The mean value of accumulated steps during the afterschool PA programme represented 12–16.5% of the minimum steps/day target (depending upon gender) identified for elementary-aged school children. These data represent unique findings from a high-need population that may be helpful for researchers and practitioners alike.     

Children's conceptions of color

An examination of children's notions about light and visual phenomena shows the existence of mental models, that is to say, ways of thinking that are consistent and pervasive. These naive conceptual schemes, used by different children to explain similar phenomena, determine the kinds of responses given by the children in problem-solving situations. In this article we study children's ideas about colored objects and colored shadows, with special attention to the ways in which these ideas are organized into mental models. The elucidation of these models provides valuable instructional tools that serve to assess and to confront students' naive conceptions. This work was carried out in a science museum at the site of interactive exhibits that show unexpected effects. Children who visited the museum were engaged in problem-solving situations that involved predictions, explanations, and manipulations of the exhibit.     

It “Ain’t” Always So: Sixth Graders’ Interpretations of Hispanic-American Stories with Universal Themes

This article examines the responses of eight sixth grade students discussing four realistic fiction Hispanic-American multicultural stories with universal themes by Gary Soto in peer-led literature discussion groups. The results indicate the importance of a reader’s sociocultural frame—class, race, and gender, on their interpretation of multicultural stories with universal themes. As the socio-economic status and ethnicity of the students varied from those of the protagonists,’ most of the universal experiences of the protagonists were not accessible to the students, as evidenced in the students’ interpretations of the character’s actions. The exception was a story focusing on social acceptance. The children’s norms for physical appearance, language, and food customs also influenced their interpretations. Peggy S. Rice is an Assistant Professor at Ball State University, where she teaches courses in children's literature and English language arts methods.     

Project 12-ways: Measuring outcome of a large in-home service for treatment and prevention of child abuse and neglect

Described here is Project 12-Ways, a large service project employing an ecobehavioral approach to the treatment and prevention of child abuse and neglect. By ecobehavioral it is meant that multifaceted in-home services are provided to clients, and that in-home data are collected on as many variables related to these services as possible. Four levels of research, data collection, and assessment are used to evaluate these services: Included here is a discussion of these levels of assessment. They are: data collected for clinical purposes; data from single-case experiments; research through the use of single-subject design logic applied to several subjects or groups of subjects, or by group statistical research designs; and program evaluation. The particular focus here is the program evaluation data which compare incidents of abuse and neglect during and after treatment between 50 families served by Project 12-Ways and 47 comparison protective service families. The data showed significantly fewer combined abuse and neglect incidents among the families served by Project 12-Ways. Suggestions for additional program evaluation data are provided along with a discussion of the limitations of the current analysis.     

Student involvement in university policy groups and resultant attitude change

Expressed satisfaction of university students toward their campus environment was measured before and after three conditions: (1) participation in small-group discussions that had as their purpose the formulation of recommendations to be presented to the university president and the administrative council, (2) participation in small-group discussions that provided students an opportunity to express feelings to each other, and (3) no treatment.Overall satisfaction with the university environment was not altered. Students in the Experimental Group expressed an increased satisfaction with several specific areas of their environment. The findings indicate that students would benefit from programs that allow them to express opinions and ideas concerning changes and development of their environment.