Students' perceptions of academic dishonesty in the chemistry classroom laboratory

Although the literature on both academic dishonesty and scientific misconduct is extensive, research on academic dishonesty has focused on quizzes, exams, and papers, with the virtual exclusion of the classroom laboratory. This study examined the distinctions undergraduate chemistry majors made between academic dishonesty in the classroom laboratory and scientific misconduct in the research laboratory. Across the spectrum of undergraduate chemistry courses, from the introductory course for first‐semester chemistry majors to the capstone course in instrumental analysis, we noted that students believe the classroom lab is fundamentally different from a research or industrial lab. This difference is so significant that it carries over into students' perceptions of dishonesty in these two environments. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 41: 47–64, 2004     

Early action and gesture "vocabulary" and its relation with word comprehension and production

Data from 492 Italian infants (8-18 months) were collected with the parental questionnaire MacArthur Bates Communicative Development Inventories to describe early actions and gestures (A-G) "vocabulary" and its relation with spoken vocabulary in both comprehension and production. A-G were more strongly correlated with word comprehension than word production. A clear developmental pattern for the different types of A-G was found. These findings are similar to those of different Western languages, indicating a common biological and cultural basis. The analysis of individual A-G and their relations with early words with a related meaning showed interesting similarities between the production of A-G with and without object manipulation and the comprehension and production of corresponding words. Results indicate that the transition from A-G to spoken language is mediated by word comprehension.     

Exploration of the Relative Contributions of Domain Knowledge and Search Expertise for Conducting Internet Searches

The relative contributions of expertise in search skills and domain knowledge were examined when using the Internet to find information. Four conditions were compared: expert searchers/high domain knowledge; expert searchers/low domain knowledge; novice searchers/high domain knowledge; and novice searchers/low domain knowledge. Search outcomes and verbal protocols were analyzed. The combination of search expertise and high domain knowledge yielded the most efficient searches. Higher search expertise yielded access to sites rated more accurate and credible. High domain knowledge yielded sites rated more thorough. Verbal protocols depicted searching as a complex decision process. Findings have implications for instructional support.     

The Gain-Loss Model: A Probabilistic Skill Multimap Model for Assessing Learning Processes

Within the theoretical framework of knowledge space theory, a probabilistic skill multimap model for assessing learning processes is proposed. The learning process of a student is modeled as a function of the student's knowledge and of an educational intervention on the attainment of specific skills required to solve problems in a knowledge domain. Model parameters are initial probabilities of the skills, effects of learning objects on gaining and losing the skills, and careless error and lucky guess probabilities of the problems. An empirical application shows that the model is effective in assessing knowledge and effectiveness of educational intervention at both classroom and student levels. Practical implications for teaching and learning are discussed.     

A Reflection on Aging: A Portfolio of Change in Attitudes Toward Geriatric Patients During a Clerkship Rotation

The process of students' evaluation in medical schools has changed from a tutor-led evaluation system based on students' performance to a student-based evaluation that involves self-reflection and their level of change in skills and attitudes. At the McGill University Division of Geriatric Medicine, we developed an innovative system of evaluation known as the McGill Electronic Evaluation Portfolio (MEEP). The MEEP has proven to be a useful tool to motivate students' self-reflection and to induce students' change in attitudes toward aging and Geriatric Medicine. In this article, we exemplified a process of self-reflection by a medical student throughout his mandatory clerkship rotation in Geriatric Medicine. The article shows his change in attitudes toward his geriatric patients induced by his own experience and his interactions with tutors and members of the multidisciplinary team. In summary, the use of an electronic evaluation method may stimulate students' self-reflection and a positive change in attitudes toward aging and geriatrics.     

Instituciones,servicios, centros

Abstract

The present research was conducted to explore the relationship between bullying and parenting styles in an incidental sample of 626 high school students (49.7% girls). The information was collected by means of a self-report questionnaire that contained two instruments: European Bullying Intervention Project Questionnaire and Scale for the assessment of the parenting styles of mothers and fathers of adolescents. The results show statistically significant differences in the perception of parenting styles between the students involved and not involved in bullying and between the different kinds of involvement. Different dimensions of parenting styles are also categorized as being risk or protective factors of bullying involvement. In agreement with the previous research, we have specifically found that perception of parenting styles (especially behavioural control and affection and communication) is significantly related to bullying involvement, especially regarding the role of aggressor.