Reach Out! Highlighting Collections and Expanding Outreach to Non-Traditional Communities across Academia

As the number of reference questions continues to decline across academic libraries, innovative models have been developed to highlight collections and reach underserved communities. This article describes four outreach models at the University of New Mexico University Libraries, including satellite outreach services, pop-up book trucks and events, and relationship building at various locations on and off campus. The authors describe innovative approaches including curated browsing experiences and relationship marketing to underserved communities. Lessons learned, future approaches, and the benefits of each model will also be explored.     

Priming and Fake News: The Effects of Elite Discourse on Evaluations of News Media

Fake news has become a prominent topic of public discussion, particularly among elites. Recent research has explored the prevalence of fake news during the 2016 election cycle and possible effects on electoral outcomes. This scholarship has not yet considered how elite discourse surrounding fake news may influence individual perceptions of real news. Through an experiment, this study explores the effects of elite discourse about fake news on the public’s evaluation of news media. Results show that exposure to elite discourse about fake news leads to lower levels of trust in media and less accurate identification of real news. Therefore, frequent discussion of fake news may affect whether individuals trust news media and the standards with which they evaluate it. This discourse may also prompt the dissemination of false information, particularly when fake news is discussed by elites without context and caution.     

Child Maltreatment and Children's Developmental Trajectories in Early to Middle Childhood

Associations between experiencing child maltreatment and adverse developmental outcomes are widely studied, yet conclusions regarding the extent to which effects are bidirectional, and whether they are likely causal, remain elusive. This study uses the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a birth cohort of 4,898 children followed from birth through age 9. Hierarchical linear modeling and structural equation modeling are employed to estimate associations of maltreatment with cognitive and social‐emotional well‐being. Results suggest that effects of early childhood maltreatment emerge immediately, though developmental outcomes are also affected by newly occurring maltreatment over time. Additionally, findings indicate that children's early developmental scores predict their subsequent probability of experiencing maltreatment, though to a lesser extent than early maltreatment predicts subsequent developmental outcomes.     

Modeling Growth in Electronic Learning Environments Using a Longitudinal Random Item Response Model

In educational environments, monitoring persons' progress over time may help teachers to evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching procedures. Electronic learning environments are increasingly being used as part of formal education and resulting datasets can be used to understand and to improve the environment. This study presents longitudinal models based on the item response theory (IRT) for measuring persons' ability within and between study sessions in data from web-based learning environments. Two empirical examples are used to illustrate the presented models. Results show that by incorporating time spent within- and between-study sessions into an IRT model; one is able to track changes in ability of a population of persons or for groups of persons at any time of the learning process.     

Estimation of a Nonlinear Intervention Phase Trajectory for Multiple-Baseline Design Data

A multilevel logistic model for estimating a nonlinear trajectory in a multiple-baseline design is introduced. The model is applied to data from a real multiple-baseline design study to demonstrate interpretation of relevant parameters. A simple change-in-levels (ΔLevels) model and a model involving a quadratic function (Quadratic) for the nonlinear intervention phase data were also estimated. In addition, a simulation study was conducted to assess Markov chain Monte Carlo estimation of the logistic model and compare its trajectory recovery with use of the ΔLevels and Quadratic models. While most of the logistic model's parameter values were recovered well, trajectory recovery was very reasonable using the simpler Quadratic model. Results are discussed along with recommendations for practitioners and directions for future research.     

Endorsing achievement goals exacerbates the big-fish-little-pond effect on academic self-concept

The big-fish-little-pond effect (BFLPE) model predicts students’ academic self-concept to be negatively predicted by the achievement level of their reference group, controlling for individual achievement. Despite an abundance of empirical evidence supporting the BFLPE, there have been relatively few studies searching for possible moderators. Integrating the BFLPE model with Achievement Goal Theory, the present study aims to determine whether the negative effect of class-average achievement on academic self-concept is moderated by individual and class-average achievement goals. Our sample comprised of 2987 students (50% boys) from Grade 6 in 112 elementary schools in the Flemish region of Belgium (174 classes). Applying multilevel modelling, we found a stronger BFLPE when students’ individual achievement goals were higher, regardless of the specific nature of these goals. The BFLPE was not moderated by class-average levels of achievement goals. Overall, our findings demonstrate that the BFLPE is moderated by individual goal-related factors.     

Mental toughness in education: exploring relationships with attainment,attendance, behaviour and peer relationships

Mental toughness has frequently been associated with successful performance in sport; however, recent research suggests that it may also be related to academic performance in Higher Education. In a series of three exploratory studies, we examined the relationship between mental toughness and different aspects of educational performance in adolescents aged 11–16, focusing on academic attainment, school attendance, classroom behaviour and peer relationships. Study 1 revealed significant associations between several aspects of mental toughness (but particularly control of life) and academic attainment and attendance. Study 2 revealed significant associations between several aspects of mental toughness (but again particularly control of life) and counterproductive classroom behaviour. Finally, Study 3 demonstrated significant associations between aspects of mental toughness (confidence in abilities and interpersonal confidence) and peer relationships. The results are discussed in terms of the potential value of mental toughness as a useful concept in education.     

Composing Film: Multimodality and Production in Elementary Classrooms

Despite the proliferation of technology in contemporary lives, many elementary schools often do not account for other technologically-mediated ways of constructing meaning in their daily curriculum, including film. This article presents insights from 2 filmmaking projects with elementary-aged students illustrating how film allowed students to engage in collaborative, as well as multimodal, literacy practices. Greater instructional flexibility and possibility for nonlinear production are identified as positive benefits in approaching text production situated in filmmaking. Our investigation highlights how technology integration can bolster existing writing practices in the elementary classroom and can benefit students in ways that maximize flexible thinking and include diverse student perspectives.     

Developmental Differences in Relations Between Episodic Memory and Hippocampal Subregion Volume During Early Childhood

Episodic memory shows striking improvement during early childhood. However, neural contributions to these behavioral changes are not well understood. This study examined associations between episodic memory and volume of subregions (head, body, and tail) of the hippocampus—a structure known to support episodic memory in school‐aged children and adults—during early childhood (n = 45). Results revealed significant positive relations between episodic memory and volume of the hippocampal head in both the left and right hemispheres for 6‐ but not 4‐year‐old children, suggesting brain–behavior relations vary across development. These findings add new information regarding neural mechanisms of change in memory development during early childhood and suggest that developmental differences in hippocampal subregions may contribute to age‐related differences in episodic memory ability.     

Social capital in the classroom: a study of in-class social capital and school adjustment

Social capital is generally considered beneficial for students’ school adjustment. This paper argues that social relationships among pupils generate social capital at both the individual and the class levels, and that each has its unique effect on pupils’ performance and well-being. The sample in this study consists of 1036 children in 60 first-grade classes in 46 Dutch elementary schools. Multilevel regression results show that a substantial proportion of the variance in school adjustment can be attributed to the class level and that both individual-level and classroom-level social capital have substantial effects on school adjustment. At the individual level, the size of one’s network is more important than its structure. At the collective level, social capital also has a ‘dark side’ because it can have negative effects on adjustment, lowering the academic performance in a class.