Examining Sender and Judge Variability in Honesty Assessments and Deception Detection Accuracy: Evidence for a Transparent Liar but No Evidence of Deception-General Ability

A round-robin experiment unpacked message veracity, sender believability (demeanor), judge truth-bias, sender transparency, and judge deception detection accuracy. Generally, more variance was observed in senders than in judges. The data were suggestive of the existence of an unusually transparent liar, but the data were not consistent with a deception-general ability. The results highlight the importance of considering variability in addition to central tendency and the importance of individual differences in senders in deception detection.     

Beliefs about teaching and uses of technology among pre‐service teachers

In the current learning environments, technology is integrated in different ways. Teachers acting in the capacity of main change agents bring with them beliefs about teaching which effects their use of technology in the classroom. This study aims to examine the possible relationship between teachers' beliefs about teaching and uses of technology. Unlike past research on this issue, the results from this study show that belief in constructivist teaching correlates significantly with both constructivist and traditional uses of technology. However, a belief in traditional teaching is only significantly correlated (negatively) with constructivist use of technology. Implications for teaching training and future research are discussed.     

Parallel polemics

ABSTRACT

My commentary on this special issue reflects on experiences I have had in which critical knowledges, and the people who produce them, were marginalized. I congratulate the editors and authors of this special issue for creating a space for such knowledges and for refusing to be marginalized.     

Phonological and cognitive correlates of word-reading acquisition under two different instructional approaches in Greek

This study examined whether phonological and cognitive tasks correlate with beginning reading acquisition in Hellenic populations under two different instructional approaches: a whole language approach supplemented by implicit coding instruction through incidental learning, as used in Cyprus, versus the syllable-splitting approach characterised by explicit decoding instruction, as used in Greece. Planning, attention, simultaneous, and successive processing tasks together with three phonological coding tasks (Oddity task, Phoneme Elision, and Sound Isolation) were administered to 50 Greek and 50 Cypriot Grade 1 students. Word Attack and Word Identification were also administered to measure early reading competency. The main findings of the study were as follows: (a) significant group differences were revealed in word-decoding accuracy but not in realword reading accuracy, an expected finding in a system characterised by high grapheme-phoneme consistency; (b) successive processing and phonological coding consisted of the fundamental abilities that differentiated the Greek from the Cypriot first-graders; and (c) the Greek group exhibited a higher linguistic ability than the Cypriot group. This was facilitated by the use of the distal cognitive processes to reading, that is, successive and simultaneous processing. The discussion focuses on the need to reconsider the nature of early reading instruction in languages such as Greek with high grapheme-phoneme consistency.     

Estimating School Climate Traits Across Multiple Informants: An Illustration of a Multitrait–Multimethod Validation Through Latent Variable Modeling

The use of multiple informants is common in assessments that rely on the judgments of others. However, ratings obtained from different informants often vary as a function of their perspectives and roles in relation to the target of measurement, and causes unrelated to the trait being measured. We illustrate the usefulness of a latent variable multilevel multitrait–multimethod measurement model for extracting trait factors from reports of school climate obtained by students (N = 45,641) and teachers (N = 12,808) residing within 302 high schools. We then extend this framework to include assessments of linkages between the resulting trait factors and potential outcomes that might be used for addressing questions of substantive interest or providing evidence of concurrent validity. The approach is illustrated with data obtained from student and teacher reports of two dimensions of school climate, student engagement, and the prevalence of teasing and bullying in their schools.     

Beyond the Rainbow: Retrieval Practice Leads to Better Spelling than does Rainbow Writing

In three experiments, we compared the effectiveness of rainbow writing and retrieval practice, two common methods of spelling instruction. In experiment 1 (n?=?14), second graders completed 2 days of spelling practice, followed by spelling tests 1 day and 5 weeks later. A repeated measures analysis of variance demonstrated that spelling accuracy for words trained with retrieval practice was higher than for words trained with rainbow writing on both tests (η _p ² ?=?.49). In experiments 2 (second graders, n?=?16) and 3 (first graders, n?=?12), students completed 2 days of spelling practice followed by a spelling test 1 day later. Results replicated experiment 1; spelling accuracy was higher for words trained with retrieval practice compared with rainbow writing (η _p ² ?=?.42 and .64, respectively). Furthermore, students endorsed both liking and learning from retrieval practice at least as much as (and sometimes more than) rainbow writing. Results demonstrate that retrieval practice is a more useful (and as engaging) training method than is rainbow writing and extend the well-established testing effect to beginning spellers.     

Placement-based learning and learner engagement: findings from a new university in the UK

This paper addresses the potential for engaged learning among final-year undergraduate Education Studies students at a new, post-1992. It discusses a case study analysis of a ‘Directed Experiential Learning’ (DEL) intervention in the final year of an education studies degree designed to engage and motivate students and emphasise the links between theory and practice for them. Implementation took place in 2012–2013 with a cohort of 37 students and quantitative and qualitative analysis was performed afterwards to investigate the perspectives of students (online questionnaire and interview with 2 students) and tutors (4 individual interviews) on the DEL approach applied. The study described should be of particular interest to those teaching on and designing third level education studies programmes as well as related disciplines that might participate in integrated working arrangements in practice (e.g. nursing, social care).     

Exploring the digital natives among pre-service teachers in Turkey: a cross-cultural validation of the Digital Native Assessment Scale

This study aims to explore the digital natives among a sample of pre-service teachers and in the process, examine the validity of a Turkish adaptation of the digital native assessment scale (DNAS) [Teo, T., & Fan, X. (2013). Coefficient alpha and beyond: Issues and alternatives for educational research. The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 22(2), 209–213]. Five hundred and fifty-seven participants completed a survey questionnaire in Turkish measuring their responses on the DNAS, developed from a proposed four-factor research. Confirmatory factor analysis and multiple indicators, multiple causes modelling were used to analyse the data and an acceptable fit was found, suggesting that the DNAS is a valid measure for participants who are older living in another culture. While the pre-service teachers had mostly regarded themselves as digital natives, significant differences were only found by years of computer use and perceived competence but no significant differences were found for gender and age.     

Outcomes assessment: an examination of the ETS major field test and the comprehensive business exam

This study is the first to examine student performance differences between the major field test in business (MFTB) and the comprehensive business exam (CBE). Results reveal students performed at a statistically significant 50.8 percentile ranking on the CBE compared to a 38.0 percentile ranking on the MFTB. Additionally, this study finds that students transferring business core courses with a grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or lower perform at a statistically significant lower level on both the MFTB and the CBE than those transferring business core courses with GPAs higher than 2.5. These findings have important implications for assessment of learning purposes.     

The implications of an across-the-board salary increase

The implications of an across-the-board salary increase for selected outcomes are assessed. While such an approach to employee compensation is easily administered, the results of this analysis suggest that such an approach has some long-run costs. Those perceiving themselves as high performers and as putting forth greater effort felt undercompensated. Those with feelings of being undercompensated, relative to those feeling equitably compensated, anticipated a reduction in their job performance during the coming year, and perceived a deterioration in the association between performance and compensation. Differences in intentions to search for alternative employment are statistically significant.