What students think when teachers get upset: Fundamental attribution error and student‐generated reasons for teacher anger

Using a sample of college students (N = 301), this study examined students' attributions about and explanations for teachers' expressions of anger in the classroom. These displays of anger were evaluated based on the extent to which they were aggressive (e.g., Distributive or Passive) or assertive (e.g., Integrative). Consistent with the fundamental attribution error, students assigned internal attributions to teachers who used Distributive Aggression (e.g., yell and scream) and Passive‐Aggression (e.g., show anger with cold looks) to a greater extent than teachers who were Assertive (i.e., calmly discuss the problem with the students). When students were asked to identify why they thought their teacher was angry, the overwhelming majority of reasons involved student‐related problems. In fact, the most frequently cited reason was Student Misbehaviors followed by Lack of Student Effort. Surprisingly, students acknowledge that something they did triggered the teacher's display of anger; however, consistent with fundamental attribution error, students still attributed the teacher's expression of anger to internal causes. The implications of these findings for negative emotional expressions in the instructional context in particular and for teacher‐student relationships in general are discussed.     

Math Anxiety: Past Research,Promising Interventions,and a New Interpretation Framework

Mathematics anxiety is a pervasive issue in education that requires attention from both educators and researchers to help students reach their full academic potential. This review provides an overview of past research that has investigated the association between math anxiety and math achievement, factors that can cause math anxiety, characteristics of students that can increase their susceptibility to math anxiety, and efforts that educators can take to remedy math anxiety. We also derive a new Interpretation Account of math anxiety, which we use to argue the importance of understanding appraisal processes in the development and treatment of math anxiety. In conclusion, gaps in the literature are reviewed in addition to suggestions for future research that can help improve the field's understanding of this important issue.     

An investigation into the role played by research assessment in the socio-geographic fragmentation of undergraduate economics education in the UK

Student engagement in academic activities is a critical factor contributing to the overall success of students studying in higher education institutions. Yet the factors influencing student engagement in academic activities are still largely unknown. This study begins to address this knowledge gap by investigating the influence of student connectedness (relationships with peers and teachers), motivation to study (sense of purpose) and perception of workload upon student engagement in academic activities. During 2015, a total of 209 students responded to a survey distributed to first-year undergraduate students enrolled in a university business school in Queensland, Australia. Structural equation modelling was used to investigate the proposed relationships. Results suggest that student-student (peer) relationships, teacher-student relationships, and students’ sense of purpose for studying a higher education degree, were central to student engagement in academic activities. In addition, teacher-student relationships, and a strong sense of purpose were central to perceptions of student workloads. Finally, sense of purpose was found to moderate the relationship between both teacher-student and student-student relationships and also, perceptions of workload and student engagement. The findings from this study support the importance of developing effective teacher-student relationships, facilitating positive student-student relationships and communicating a clear sense of purpose to students, so as to improve their engagement in academic activities and optimise perceptions of workloads.     

Mental models: A research focus for interactive learning systems

The difficulty of understanding the structure and functions of computer programs is especially acute when learners are given the freedom to explore hypertext materials in which the possibility of disorientation is strong. Mental model theory is an attempt to model and explain human understanding of objects and phenomena during learning (and other activities). Research on mental models in human-computer interaction can identify important characteristics of cognitive processes and help in the development of research-based guidelines for designing interactive learning systems. This article calls for programmatic research on learners' mental models and provides guidelines for the conduct of such research.Hueyching J. Jih completed her doctoral program at the University of Georgia in 1991 and is in government service in Taipei, Taiwan.     

The Best of the Recent Literature Focusing on the User

This will be my first time authoring this column, and I'm delighted to have the opportunity it presents to explore the intersection of library technology and public services. As the recent title of the 2008 Internet Librarian conference indicates, Beyond Library 2.0: User-Focused Tools and Technologies, the tide of what for several years has felt like library technology evangelism is turning. A focus on more effective tech-based development in libraries is underway, one that privileges the actual impact of services on patrons over our need to keep up with the proverbial Joneses. This is a natural correction—libraries experienced a sort of “tech bubble” as early adopters enthusiastically explored the promise of new Web-based communication methods and user-created tools. After several years of trial and error, many early adopters now find themselves adjusting expectations, considering overall scalability, and evaluating outcomes of their early experiments. Much can be learned from these experiences, and a wealth of evidence, conjecture, and rules of thumb can now assist librarians in any stage of technology development prevent duplication of effort (and error). With this in mind, I will attempt to make this column as practically oriented as possible. I will draw from the knowledge of those who have confronted the types of issues and pitfalls inherent to library innovation, and I will explore proven approaches that can help librarians in the public services develop more effective and user-centered technologies. At times I will invite guest authors to describe best practices developed at their own institutions and/or explore topics that carry broad implications for public service practitioners.     

Crossing Borders, Breaking Boundaries: Collaboration Among Higher Education Institutions

Partnerships and collaboration have become popular in higher education; and partnerships with community agencies, K-12 schools, and businesses are common. However, formal and sustained partnerships among institutions of higher education are not nearly as widespread. This article presents a model for collaboration in higher education focused on a partnership among teacher preparation programs at three institutions. The article provides an overview of theoretical underpinnings for collaboration, the process and practices used, and lessons learned by Valley Partnership, as well as the stages of partnership development, the governance model, and key elements related to sustaining the partnership.     

Correlates of dementia-related anxiety: self-perceived dementia risk and ageism

ABSTRACT

As public awareness of and exposure to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) have increased worldwide, the fear of developing ADRD, or dementia-related anxiety (DRA), is expected to increase as well. It was hypothesized that at least part of what makes dementia so anxiety-provoking is the association of ADRD with older adults, an often stigmatized group. To test this hypothesis, two online studies examined how ageist beliefs contribute to DRA; the roles of ADRD-related factors, such as self-perceived risk and personal exposure, were also examined. Study 1 included university students (n = 295, age range: 18 to 58 years, M_age  = 21.16, SD_age  = 4.85) to determine what factors may contribute to young adults’ DRA. Study 2 included adults of all ages (n = 352, age range: 18 to 81 years, M_age  = 37.85, SD_age  = 12.88) to determine whether Study 1 results were replicable among adults of all ages. Hierarchical multiple regressions were used. Results from both studies demonstrated that being female and having higher self-perceived dementia risk and benevolent ageism uniquely explicated higher levels of DRA. Within Study 2, significant relationships for both benevolent and hostile ageism were observed, suggesting that diverse negative attitudes toward older adults are associated with DRA. It is possible that strong ageist attitudes stigmatize older adults as those who are forgetful and this may contribute to DRA, as age is a major risk factor for developing dementia. Study limitations and directions for future research are discussed.