Self-regulation as a function of perceived leadership and cohesion in small group online collaborative learning

The present study examined the relationships between perceived leadership, group cohesion, online engagement, self-regulation and learning outcomes. Data included surveys and online discussion logs from 171 students in an undergraduate online course. Through correlation analysis and structural equation modeling, the results revealed unique contributions of task and relationship leadership in small group collaborative learning. Each form of leadership may translate into greater use of self-regulation strategies that align with students’ focus on either the instrumental or interpersonal resources related to academics but may bring about a corresponding lower utilization of other types of self-regulation strategies. Further, results indicate that students’ perceptions of group cohesion provided the most robust and multifaceted positive associations with learning engagement.     

An international collaborative investigation of beginning seventh grade students' understandings of scientific inquiry: Establishing a baseline

Although understandings of scientific inquiry (as opposed to conducting inquiry) are included in science education reform documents around the world, little is known about what students have learned about inquiry during their elementary school years. This is partially due to the lack of any assessment instrument to measure understandings about scientific inquiry. However, a valid and reliable assessment has recently been developed and published, Views About Scientific Inquiry (VASI; Lederman et al. [2014], Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 51, 65–83). The purpose of this large-scale international project was to collect the first baseline data on what beginning middle school students have learned about scientific inquiry during their elementary school years. Eighteen countries/regions spanning six continents including 2,634 students participated in the study. The participating countries/regions were: Australia, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Mainland China, New Zealand, Nigeria, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Turkey, and the United States. In many countries, science is not formally taught until middle school, which is the rationale for choosing seventh grade students for this investigation. This baseline data will simultaneously provide information on what, if anything, students learn about inquiry in elementary school, as well as their beginning knowledge as they enter secondary school. It is important to note that collecting data from all of the approximately 200 countries globally was not humanly possible, and it was also not possible to collect data from every region of each country. The results overwhelmingly show that students around the world at the beginning of grade seven have very little understandings about scientific inquiry. Some countries do show reasonable understandings in certain aspects but the overall picture of understandings of scientific inquiry is not what is hoped for after completing 6 years of elementary education in any country.     

Predicting teacher burnout as a function of school characteristics and irrational beliefs

Irrational beliefs have been linked to negative unhealthy emotions that can contribute to occupational burnout. Maladaptive cognitive schemas, such as irrational beliefs, are theorized to interfere with an appraisal of the perceived balance of resources and demands. The aim of the current study is to investigate the extent to which irrational beliefs account for occupational burnout among high school teachers when considering school resources, job demands, and teacher characteristics. A sample of 79 high school teachers, primarily from New York and New Jersey, completed self‐report questionnaires measuring burnout, the perception of school demands and availability of resources, and irrational beliefs. Among school‐based characteristics, correlational analyses indicated that burnout was positively related to school demands (i.e., student disrespect and student lack of attentiveness) and negatively related to school resources (i.e., support from the administration and colleagues), supporting previous research findings. Among teacher characteristics, burnout was negatively related to self‐efficacy and positively related to irrational beliefs. Results from regression analyses indicated that, whereas irrational beliefs were predictive of teacher burnout, they did not moderate the relationship between demands and burnout. Implications, limitations, and directions for future directions for research are discussed.     

Student perceptions and use of feedback during active learning: a new model from repeated stimulated recall interviews

As active learning pedagogies continue to increase in popularity in higher education, new questions have emerged about how instructors can manage all of the associated ‘moving parts’ of active learning, including how and when to deliver feedback. Currently, little is known about how students perceive the effects of verbal feedback during in-class activities. This study examined two large sections of introductory biology held in an active learning SCALE-UP (Student-Centred Active Learning Environments with Upside-down Pedagogies) classroom. Thematic analysis of repeated stimulated recall interviews with 15 students (72 total interviews) uncovered three main categories of feedback effects that students perceived: assure, alert and add (AAA). These three categories were supported by repeated stimulated recall surveys with a larger student population (262 students). We describe each category, quantify the frequency of each category in the target course, outline the students’ perceived impact of each on examination preparation and performance, and conclude with implications regarding how understanding students’ perceptions of their feedback experience may help instructors to deliver student-centred feedback during active learning.     

The Collaboration Between Homeless Shelters and Public Libraries in Addressing Homelessness: A Multiple Case Study

Public librarians are not always able or willing to embrace their role as providers of social and institutional capital for homeless patrons. Yet their position as gatekeepers impels them to do so. Through focus-group interviews with staff of homeless shelters in eight urban communities in one Midwestern state, this study explored the collaboration and communication between homeless shelters and public libraries. Findings indicate that homeless shelter staff recognize the value of public library services for their residents but do not engage in coordinated efforts to capitalize on it. Suggestions for enhanced collaboration between the two institutions are included.     

Secondary extinction in Pavlovian fear conditioning

Pavlov (1927/1960) reported that following the conditioning of several stimuli, extinction of one conditioned stimulus (CS) attenuated responding to others that had not undergone direct extinction. However, this secondary extinction effect has not been widely replicated in the contemporary literature. In three conditioned suppression experiments with rats, we further explored the phenomenon. In Experiment 1, we asked whether secondary extinction is more likely to occur with target CSs that have themselves undergone some prior extinction. A robust secondary extinction effect was obtained with a nonextinguished target CS. Experiment 2 showed that extinction of one CS was sufficient to reduce renewal of a second CS when it was tested in a neutral (nonextinction) context. In Experiment 3, secondary extinction was observed in groups that initially received intermixed conditioning trials with the target and nontarget CSs, but not in groups that received conditioning of the two CSs in separate sessions. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that CSs must be associated with a common temporal context during conditioning for secondary extinction to occur.     

Motivation and learning in an online, unmoderated, mathematics workshop for teachers

As hypermedia, online teacher professional development (TPD) should ideally support diverse learners to work with online content effectively because it involves multiple representations and a nonlinear format. Differences among participants in motivation and learning provide challenges for design. The present study is a use-inspired, mixed-method study of 164 teachers’ motivation and learning in an unmoderated online workshop. It addresses participants’ demographic and motivational profiles, participation in this type of workshop (e.g., the frequency, duration, and focus, as well as their work with technology-enhanced, nonroutine challenge problems and journal assignments), the predictive value of the initial questionnaire, and implications for design. Findings indicate that while three clusters of motivational profiles could be identified (low interest, low self-efficacy, and less math; low interest, high self-efficacy, and more math; high interest, high self-efficacy, and more math), whether the teachers continue to participate appears to be related to the structure and content of the workshop, not just these profiles. Findings are interpreted as suggesting that the potential of hypermedia lies in its designers’ abilities to support participant stake by providing for multiple ways into thinking and working with disciplinary content—design that both accommodates and supports those with differing strengths and needs. Implications for studying motivation and learning online are also discussed.     

Librarians and Research Data Management–A Literature Review: Commentary from a Senior Professional and a New Professional Librarian

In the changing landscape of libraries and the roles of librarians, the area of Research Data Management (RDM) is emerging with new opportunities and challenges. This literature review identifies the current levels of publication that deal with the relationship of the librarian and their role in the research data management process and provides an examination of institutional research policies supporting collaboration of librarians as part of the research team.     

Softballs

There is currently much debate about the safety of the sport of softball. Batted‐ball speed and average pitcher reaction time are factors often used to determine safe performance. Batted‐ball speed is shown to be the most important factor to consider when determining safe play. Average pitcher reaction time is explained and directly correlated to batted‐ball speed. Eleven aluminum multi‐wall, three aluminum single‐wall and two composite softball bats were tested with mid‐compression polyurethane softballs averaging 1721 ±62 N/6.4 mm to represent the relative bat‐ball performance for the sport of slow‐pitch softball. Nine men and six women were chosen for this study out of a test group of over three hundred slowpitch softball players. On average, aluminum bat performance results were within the recommended safety limits established by the national softball associations. However, when composite bats were used, their performance results exceeded the recommended safety limits which can pose a significant safety risk. Using aluminum softball bats, batted‐ball speeds ranged from 80 to 145 km.h^‐1. Using composite softball bats, batted‐ball speeds ranged from 146 to 161 km.h^‐1. The scientific relevance of this study is to provide performance information that can lead to injury prevention in the sport of softball.     

The effect of stud configuration on rotational traction using the studded boot apparatus

Due to its associated injury risk, rotational traction is a frequently measured natural turf surface property. The most commonly used equipment, the studded boot apparatus (SBA), consists of a circular stud configuration that does not replicate the stud pattern on a regular football boot and may under or over estimate the surface traction. The aim of this study was to establish potential differences in the rotational traction measured between the current stud configuration on the SBA and the stud configuration on the most commonly used Australian football boots. The original studded boot had significantly higher rotational traction than the moulded stud sole or bladed sole. Location, quality and time tested all interacted significantly with the rotational traction measured. The current SBA may not accurately represent the rotational traction experienced by football players, and consequently may not be the most appropriate configuration to assess the relationship between rotational traction and injuries.