Stabilizing Conditional Standard Errors of Measurement in Scale Score Transformations

The focus of this article is on scale score transformations that can be used to stabilize conditional standard errors of measurement (CSEMs). Three transformations for stabilizing the estimated CSEMs are reviewed, including the traditional arcsine transformation, a recently developed general variance stabilization transformation, and a new method proposed in this article involving cubic transformations. Two examples are provided and the three scale score transformations are compared in terms of how well they stabilize CSEMs estimated from compound binomial and item response theory (IRT) models. Advantages of the cubic transformation are demonstrated with respect to CSEM stabilization and other scaling criteria (e.g., scale score distributions that are more symmetric).     

Strategic intelligence: A conceptual system of leadership for change

Strategic intelligence is a conceptual system of leadership qualities. These qualities must be considered in the context of the challenges facing leaders and the relationships between leaders and the people they lead. A leader's philosophy and personality influence the way he or she expresses the qualities of strategic intelligence when things are going according to plan and when leaders face significant conflicts. Leaders can be most effective by tapping into the intrinsic motivations of followers.     

Prioritising classroom community and organisation in physical education teacher education

This research investigates how teacher candidates in a primary physical education curriculum and methods course learned about and were influenced by efforts to emphasise classroom community and organisation. Qualitative data in the form of interviews, focus groups, and course artefacts were gathered from nine participants throughout one academic term. Analysis of data suggested that most teacher candidates came to recognise pedagogies that fostered a sense of community; however, only a few were able to connect this to their developing visions for teaching. Despite this, all participants came to view the development of a sense of community as one of the most important aspects of their evolving teaching practice.     

The complex development of student-teachers' thinking

Studies of student-teacher development have tended to suggest a three-stage model of development in which the novices' concerns shift outwards from an initial preoccupation with self, to a focus on tasks and teaching situations, and finally to consideration of pupil learning. This paper, based on sequence of post-lesson interviews conducted with 25 student teachers following 1-year postgraduate courses within school-based partnership schemes of initial teacher education, questions the adequacy of such a model. Analysis of the reasons that the student-teachers offered for their teaching decisions, and of their lesson evaluations suggests a high level of concern for pupils' learning and an awareness of the complexity of teaching from very early in their training. The implications of these findings are explored; in particular, the challenges that they pose to teacher educators in terms of course structure and curricula, and the need to be responsive to individual learners.     

Predictors of improved teaching efficacy following basic training for inclusion in Hong Kong

This study examined teaching efficacy for inclusive practice in a pre-post matched-sample of 737 teachers in Hong Kong taking a basic university-level course in inclusive education. The results demonstrate that regardless of demographic variables such a course is effective in improving teacher efficacy for inclusive practice, with female teachers making larger gains in the area of managing behaviour when compared to their male counterparts. Further, increased knowledge of legislation and policy, and a reduction in concerns about inclusive teaching were found to be the major predictors of improved teaching efficacy for inclusive practice.     

Adding value to students in higher education: a 5-year analysis of student attainment of National Governing Body Awards in a UK Outdoor Education Degree Programme

Recent interest in ways of assessing the performance and ‘value-added’ aspects of higher education and how universities can enhance graduate employability skills has prompted this study into the acquisition of National Governing Body Award (NGBA) qualifications by students on a UK outdoor education degree programme. Students' age, gender, academic and NGBA qualifications, short-term and long-term goals on entry and after each year of study were compiled for students on the BSc (Hons) Outdoor and Environmental Education course at Liverpool John Moores University (n?=?151 students from five cohorts, 1998–2002). Some 78% of entrants held at least one NGBA with 36%, 9% and 2% holding ≥5, ≥10 and ≥15 NGBAs, respectively, and 100% of graduates held at least one NGBA with 57%, 35% and 8% holding ≥5, ≥10 and ≥15 NGBAs, respectively. Students with non-A-level entry held more NGBAs than students who entered with A-levels but A-level entry students gained NGBAs at a faster rate than those without A-levels. There was no clear relationship between students' age and either the number of NGBAs held on entry, or the number gained during the programme. There was a weak inverse relationship between the number of NGBAs that students held on entry and the number gained while on the programme. The data offer virtually no evidence that the pursuit and acquisition of NGBAs' impacts on students' academic achievement as measured by the class of degree that they are awarded. Comparisons of A-level entry points with final degree class showed surprisingly similar distributions in all classes except for first class awards, where students with A-level entry performed twice as well. Males held a significantly greater number of NGBAs on entry than females (mean of 4.8 compared to 2.9) but once on the programme, the achievements of males and females are equal. Analysis of 57 students' short-term and long-term goals showed that 74% and 72% of students specifically stated their intention to achieve NGBAs in their short-term and long-term goals, respectively, with 50% fully achieving their short-term goals by the end of the programme. Students who are good at setting achievable goals and have well-developed time management and study skills are more likely to be successful in courses such as this, which are demanding, require a lot of hours outside the formal class contact time, and require high level decision-making skills to be able to manage successfully conflicts in time and resources.     

A test of competing models of the influence of social support on school engagement in the presence of neighborhood danger

This study compared self‐reports of speech preparation activities of students exposed to visualization with the self‐reports of the preparation activities of those in placebo and control groups. Interestingly, these three groups did not differ in overall preparation time, but they did apportion that time in somewhat different ways. Those exposed to visualization reported spending less time preparing speaking notes, more audience analyses time, more time rehearsing in front of an audience, and received slightly higher grades than did those in the placebo and control groups. As is to be expected, students exposed to visualization also reported less trait and state communication apprehension (CA) than those in the placebo and control groups. These findings and their implications are discussed at the conclusion of this report.     

Detecting and assessing statistical interactions with multiple regression

This paper focuses on the treatment of statistical interactions (i.e., non‐additivity) within the framework of multiple regression. The nature of statistical interactions in relation to other types of effects and the implications of interactions for analysis and interpretation are discussed. We argue that researchers using regression analyses (1) often either fail to test for interactions (2) or use inadequate methods for testing for interactions (3) and, consequently may make faulty conclusions about their data. We outline several methods of dealing with interactions with regression and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each. Recommendations are made for the detection and treatment of interactions within regression.