A metric measure for direct comparison of competing models in covariance structure analysis

Comparing the fit of alternative models has become a standard procedure for analyzing covariance structure analysis. Comparison of alternative models is typically accomplished by examining the fit of each model to sample data. It is argued that rather than using this indirect approach, one should do direct comparisons of the similarities and differences among competing models. It is shown that among the existing good‐ness‐of‐fit indexes, the root mean square residual (RMSR) is the only one that can be used for this purpose. However, the RMSR fails to satisfy some important statistical desiderata. Rao's Distance (RD), an alternate measure, is shown to overcome this limitation of RMSR. The preference for RD over RMSR for model comparisons is illustrated through a detailed analysis of a particular sample of multitrait‐multimethod data. A simulation study conducted to empirically investigate the sampling behavior of RD reveals that the true orderings of intermodel proximities are recovered (on average) with a fair degree of accuracy.     

Bridging East and West educational divides in Singapore

In Asia, we are witnessing an era where the pendulum of power is swaying towards the East with the rising economic strength of China and India. Singapore is at the ‘crossroads’ between the East and West of these most populous nations on earth. Although Singapore may appear the most Westernised country in Asia, she is nevertheless a multicultural Asian society. Having the most open economy in the world, Singapore is affected by the process of globalisation. This takes on an added dimension and speed as nations compete for talent and find ways to internationalise and transform their education for sustainable competitive advantage. Singapore's education system, regarded as one of the best performing in the world, offers a unique opportunity to explore the issues where East and West culture, values and systems meet. This article discusses and highlights what happens when East and West converge. In particular, the discussion will focus on the themes of East and West schism, globalisation and Singapore's aspirations to be a global hub, rankings and branding in education, and the use of the English language.     

Legitimating status: perceptions of meritocracy and inequality among undergraduates at an elite British university

Given the frequent critiques of elite universities for admitting low numbers of state school graduates and, more recently, British Afro‐Caribbean students, how do students attending those universities make meaning of the admissions process? Through an analysis of 46 one‐on‐one in‐depth interviews with undergraduates attending Oxford University, we show that students believe in the fairness of the admissions process, while lamenting the lack of opportunities for educational advancement faced by some disadvantaged youth in British society. Despite their understanding that many British youth do not have access to educational experiences that make Oxbridge an attainable goal, most students do not support changes to make access more equitable across class or racial/ethnic lines. This perspective, which legitimates the status students gain through matriculation at an elite university, supports the maintenance of unequal access to an Oxford education despite the advantages that education is known to confer to graduates. The findings demonstrate elites acknowledging the disadvantages of particular groups in society without acknowledging their own advantages in the same system. They do so by recognizing two elements of merit: (1) intelligence, which most students assumed led to their own admission; and (2) cultivation of that intelligence, which requires elite secondary schools and which most students see as disadvantaging particular groups in society. In the paper we highlight differences in meaning‐making between graduates of grammar, comprehensive and private schools.     

Expanding the Nomological Network of Work Avoidance: Antecedents and Consequences Across Contexts

Abstract

Work avoidance, or the goal to reduce effort in an achievement context, is related to disengagement and may offer insight into disengaged students and employees. To shed light on this issue, we investigated the antecedents of work avoidance in academic and work contexts to distinguish it from mastery, performance-approach, and performance-avoidance goals. Two samples of employed college students (N?=?207, N?=?233) completed questionnaires about their jobs and in one sample about their introductory psychology class. Across both contexts, proposed antecedents of alienation, low need for achievement, and perceiving one’s competence needs as not being met predicted work avoidance. Work avoidance also accounted for additional variance when combined with achievement goals to predict citizenship behaviors, perceiving work/classwork as meaningless and wanting to leave/quit.     

Dynamic and spatial representation of web movements and navigational patterns through the use of navigational paths as data

Solving real-world problems is an effective learning activity that promotes meaningful learning in formal educational settings. Problems can be classified as being either well structured or ill structured. Internet information search approaches have an influential role to play in the successful performance of problem solving. A better understanding of how students differentially model information search strategies and movements in tackling well- and ill-structured problems is essential for creating engaging problem-solving environments for students. Static measures, such as the number of accessed nodes or links, or the number of times particular web browser function buttons are clicked, are limited in their ability to analyze attributes of information search patterns. A more dynamic and spatial representation of web movements and navigational patterns can be realized through the use of navigational paths as data. The two path-specific structural metrics that can be used to assess network-based navigational paths in relation to the structuredness of the problem-solving task are compactness and stratum. These metrics are, respectively, the indicators of the connectedness and linearity of network-based structures defining students’ online navigational visitations during the problem-solving sessions. This study explored the relevance and utility of these two metrics in analyzing the navigational movements of learners in seeking out electronic information to accomplish successful problem solving. The outcome findings of this study show that well- and ill-structured problems demand different cognitive and information seeking navigational approaches. The differing values of the two path metrics in analyzing the search movements organized by students in attending to well- and ill-structured problems were a direct result of the contrasting patterns of navigational path movements. The search patterns associated with well-structured problem solving tended to be more linear and less connected, whereas those related to ill-structured problem solving were more distributed and inter-connected.     

Race-Specific High School Course Intensity and Student’s Post-secondary Education Attainment

Post-secondary educational attainment is an increasingly important prerequisite to many valued outcomes. This paper examines the association of racially-specific high school course of study with student’s postsecondary educational attainment using ELS 2002–2012 and a comprehensive measure of course intensity derived from students’ patterns of course-taking. Results support a partial presence of racially-specific association of high school course of study. We also find that only Asian-American and American Indian/Alaskan Native students in the middle course intensity and Asian-American students in high course intensity ranges are more likely to obtain at least a 4-year college degree than same-race students in the low course intensity group. However, the same pattern is not evident for White, African-American, multi-racial, and Hispanic students, indicating that they do not experience the same benefit from academically rigorous courses of study. Also, educational expectations do not mediate the relationships among race, course of study, and postsecondary educational trajectory differently for students of different racial groups, i.e., they do not play a larger role in mediating the relationship between course of study and postsecondary educational trajectory for White students.     

Field Note: A Disease Specific Expert System for the Indian Mango Crop

Abstract

This paper examines new organizational arrangements that have emerged in the context of a privatized extension system. It investigates the positioning and embedding of a network broker aimed at enhancing interaction in the privatized agricultural knowledge and information system (AKIS), to assess whether tensions reported in other sectors also manifest in agriculture and inform theory and policy on collective functions in pluralistic extension systems. It employs a case study approach using semi-structured interviews, observations, a closed questionnaire and secondary data analysis. Results show that a demand-driven way of working may prevent network brokers losing their neutrality in farmers’ eyes, but that a network broker nevertheless can be perceived as disruptive by extension service providers. Furthermore, it appears hard to make the network brokerage function self-sufficient. The paper shows that a social dilemma manifests, that is, the collective benefits are recognized, but private interests do not support the brokers’ continued existence. This prompts consideration of the need for continued public support. Public support for network broker appears to be needed, but possible (market-disturbing) interference with the activities of private extension service providers prompts critical examination of the mandates of publicly funded network brokers.     

Managerial Network Impacts Firm Performance

This study measures the impact of managerial networks on firm growth. A simple random technique was used to select 680 firms and a top manager from each firm. A structured pretested questionnaire was designed to collect information. The sample firms were further stratified into subgroups based on size of firms (small firms and large) and business sectors (manufacturing and service firms). Statistical tests and multivariate models were formulated for data analysis. The managerial networking intensity was found to be a positive and significant determinant of firm growth regardless of type of business and size. Managerial networking with buying firms or buyers, competitors, and government officials were found positive and statistical significant determinants of firm growth.     

Navigating privacy tensions when responding to online aggression at postsecondary institutions

Postsecondary institutions have a legal responsibility to ensure that students have access to a safe learning environment. While institutions adopt policies and hire administrators to protect students from harm, many are underprepared to support students when these harmful incidents happen online. This is of increased concern now that online aggression is pervasive across universities worldwide. While faculty, administrators and students agree that online aggression is a significant issue and that institutions ought to provide prevention and response services, there is concern that these efforts might violate privacy norms. We used the theory of privacy as contextual integrity (CI) to explore the tensions that postsecondary students and staff perceive regarding student privacy when responding to incidents of online aggression. To do so, we conducted focus groups with undergraduate students and student affairs administrators from a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in the Mid-Atlantic USA. Our analysis surfaced three considerations that inform students' and staff's decision to report an incident of online aggression: their closeness to the person making the post, their perception of the online post content as a real threat and their knowledge of an authority figure who could help resolve the situation. We used CI theory to explain how these considerations can inform institutional policy, practice and future research.

Practitioner notes

What is already known about this topic

• Online aggression is a pervasive issue at postsecondary institutions worldwide that can contribute to psychological, academic and developmental issues.
• Postsecondary students and staff are unsure of how to respond to incidents of online aggression.
• There is a gap in policies and procedures for responding to online aggression at postsecondary institutions.

What this paper adds

• A novel use of Nissenbaum's (2010) theory of contextual integrity to understand students' and staff's perceptions of privacy.
• Students' and staff's decisions to intervene or report an online aggression incident are determined by their relationship to the perpetrator, the severity of the social media post and their knowledge of who to tell on campus.
• Students and staff are reluctant to inform the police out of fear of violence against the perpetrator.

Implications for practice and/or policy

• Raise awareness about responding to online aggression incidents.
• Implement online bystander intervention training programs to increase awareness and self-efficacy to intervene in unclear situations.
• Develop clear policies regarding online aggression, as well as a trustworthy procedure for how to respond.