Community violence,school‐related protective factors,and psychosocial outcomes in urban youth

This study examined the relationship of two putative school‐based protective factors—student identification with school and perceived teacher support—to psychosocial outcomes in a sample of urban youth exposed to community violence. Participants were 175 high school students ages 14–19 in grades 9–12 from a large urban school district. Results indicated that exposure to violence was positively associated with internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Additionally, identification with school and teacher support were related to higher hope and lower psychosocial distress. Adolescents who reported higher identification with school and higher teacher support reported higher hope, regardless of the level of violence exposure. Results emphasize the importance of school factors, particularly feeling connected to and supported in school, in promoting hope and minimizing psychosocial distress for youth exposed to community violence. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Perceived Effects of Scholarships on STEM Majors’ Commitment to Teaching in High Need Schools

This study examines the Noyce Program, which provides scholarships for STEM majors in return for teaching in high need schools. The perceptions of 555 scholarship recipients were investigated using hierarchical cluster analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and Rasch analysis to determine how the scholarship influenced their commitments to teaching in high need schools. The analyses indicated that recipients perceived the scholarship in two ways: it influenced their commitment to complete their certification program and to teach in high need schools. Implications for teacher education programs include that recruitment strategies should identify candidates who are committed to teaching in high need schools and programs should provide experiences to encourage this commitment not just to become certified.     

Implementation fidelity of MyTeachingPartner literacy and language activities: Association with preschoolers’ language and literacy growth

There is surprisingly little empirical research examining issues of fidelity of implementation within the early childhood education literature. In the MyTeachingPartner project, 154 teachers were provided with materials to implement a supplemental classroom curriculum addressing six aspects of literacy and language development. The present study examines the degree of variability in three aspects of implementation fidelity – dosage, adherence, and quality of delivery – and whether these components of fidelity were associated with children's growth in language and literacy skills across the preschool year. Findings indicate that teachers reported using the curriculum fairly often (dosage) and that they were observed to generally follow curricular lesson plans (adherence). In contrast, the quality of delivery, defined as the use of evidence-based teacher–child interactions for teaching literacy and language, was much lower. Children in classrooms in which activities were observed to last for longer (dosage) and in which teachers exhibited higher quality of delivery of literacy lessons made significantly greater gains in early literacy skills across the preschool year. Also, teachers’ use of higher quality language interactions was associated with gains for children who did not speak English at home. Results have implications for teacher professional development and the supports provided to ensure that curricula are delivered most effectively.     

Dress for fit: An exploration of female activewear consumption

While the female activewear market is growing rapidly, research on activewear consumption and female consumers is lagging. Existing researchers have failed to produce an in-depth understanding of female consumers’ perceptions of activewear, thereby providing limited insights for the activewear industry. Drawing upon brand association theory and the functional, expressive, and aesthetic model, the authors identify important attributes of activewear brands and how attributes lead to benefits pursued by female activewear consumers. Focus groups were conducted with 72 female activewear consumers in Australia. Findings reveal three product-related attributes (functional design, colour, and size and fit) and two non-product-related attributes (price and model imagery) influence the fulfillment of four benefits (mood enhancement, exercise facilitation, healthy and active lifestyle, and physical fit body image). This research contributes theoretical and empirical knowledge about activewear consumption and the vertical structure of brand associations. Findings of this research can help activewear brands deliver benefits to female consumers through improved product designs and marketing strategies.     

The relationship between university students’ environmental identity,decision-making process,and behavior

Environmental education scholars have argued for the need to focus on identity as a more predictive factor than attitude of individuals’ environmental behavior. We examine individuals’ decision-making as a mediating process between identity and behavior. University undergraduates (N = 299) were surveyed, with a select sub-sample interviewed. As expected, environmental identity was correlated with pro-environment behavior (recycling). However, students with lower pro-environmental identity also recycled regularly. Similarly, analysis of decision-making revealed most students, regardless of their environmental identity, do not think much when recycling. Environmental structures such as presence of recycling bins surfaced as a powerful influence on pro-environment behavior.     

Role Conflict and the High School Female Athlete

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to assess perceived and experienced role conflict of high school female athletes in enacting the roles of female and female athlete. Data were collected on 133 high school varsity athletes by the use of a 33-item questionnaire designed to assess perceived and experienced role conflicts of the subjects, their socioeconomic backgrounds, and specific instances of encouragement or discouragement from significant others experienced during their athletic careers. Thirty-two percent of the subjects responded that they perceived little or no problem with role conflict, and 50% had experienced little or no role conflict. Seventeen percent of the subjects responded that they perceived role conflict to be a great or very great problem with 11% experiencing role conflict to the same degree. A chi square analysis of perceived and experienced role conflict computed for the entire group of subjects indicated that the athletes perceived greater role conflict than they had experienced (p<.01). A one way analysis of variance was performed comparing the means of the athletes in traditionally socially approved sports, those in non-traditionally socially approved sports, and those participating in both categories. Results indicated a tendency for those participating simultaneously in both socially approved and non-socially approved sports to have experienced more role conflict (p≤.07).

A distinction between internal and external role conflict was suggested as a method of understanding the different types of pressures with which the female athlete must deal.     

“It means a lot of stuff,in a way”. New York City Youth Interpret Other Youth Produced Videos

This article reports on how a small group of New York City adolescents interpreted audio‐visual expressions that were created by youth participating in the international VideoCulture Project. The New York City youth looked for explicit messages in the youth‐produced video films, but also appreciated features of content and form that prompted their curiosity about the youth producers’ intent, as well as experience of everyday life. This study suggests how American culture has influenced these youth's sensibilities about audio‐visual communication, and discusses the value and problems of engaging youth in projects of this nature     

Note-taking: A significant and integral part of learning environments

Although note-taking is an important representation of the knowledge transition that takes place in formal learning environments, surprisingly, it has largely been ignored by the educational community as a phenomenon of study. This article makes a case for note-taking as an entity for study in the domain of educational technology. Research done to date is reviewed, and possible research questions are identified.