Resisting the sirens of temptation while studying: Using reappraisal to increase focus,enthusiasm, and performance

One of the major obstacles in the learning process is temptation, which has the power to divert students from even their most important goals (e.g. getting a degree). In two studies, we tested the hypothesis that cognitive reappraisal could be used to successfully resist temptation. Participants had to memorize tedious material while being tempted by pictures pasted on the wall (Study 1) or by funny clips on the television (Study 2). In Study 1, compared to a control group, participants who were instructed to reappraise the task as an opportunity to improve their memory (1) were less tempted by the pictures, (2) maintained their enthusiasm for the task, and (3) showed better performance in a subsequent memory test. Study 2 replicated and extended the findings from Study 1, showing that cognitive reappraisal is effective whether the target of reappraisal is the temptation itself, or the longer term goal. Taken together, our findings provide compelling evidence that cognitive reappraisal (of either the task or the temptation) may be a useful tool for increasing students' task performance and enthusiasm.     

The individual education plan: a gendered assessment practice?

The focus of this study is gendered differences and similarities in the distribution of individual education plan (IEP) targets given to pupils in Swedish schools. IEP writing is seen as part of teachers’ formal assessment practice. Through qualitative content analysis of data, two main target types emerged: learning targets, related to school subject learning; and being targets, related to personality, behaviour and attitude. Whilst the distribution of learning targets in the different sub-categories was similar for boys and girls, clear differences were found in the distribution of different types of being targets. Possible reasons for the gendered distribution of being targets are discussed from a doing-gender perspective. In addition, the paper discusses what is actually assessed in IEPs, whether there is a relation between the ‘ideal pupil’ and gender and whether the strong focus on being aspects detracts from focus on learning aspects.     

Students’ individual and collective efficacy: joining together two sets of beliefs for understanding academic achievement

In this paper, we assume that students’ achievement is influenced not only by a set of individual appraisals such as beliefs about their personal efficacy but also by a set of more systemic factors related to beliefs about their class efficacy as a group. Literature and research review supports that students’ beliefs about their efficacy, both as individuals and as groups, are important predictors of their achievements at school. However, little research has been presented to date that jointly explores the impact of these two sets of beliefs on academic achievement. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to present an integrated view of individual and collective efficacy beliefs, exploring the relationship between them and their causal relationship with students’ achievement. Two cross-sectional studies were developed in the Portuguese secondary school context with 385 and 1,794 students, using Academic Self-Efficacy Scale and Students Collective Efficacy Scale to assess individual and collective efficacy beliefs. The main results showed that individual efficacy beliefs were stronger predictors of students’ grades than collective efficacy beliefs, especially when the specific domain of achievement they refer to was considered (for instance, levels of mathematics self-efficacy had a stronger impact on mathematics grades than on Portuguese grades). Moreover, moderating effects of gender and type of school (public vs. non-public) were found, suggesting that collective efficacy beliefs play a more significant role among boys and among students from public schools.     

THE EFFECTS OF A SOCIAL–EMOTIONAL LEARNING PROGRAM ON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN: THE ROLE OF PUPILS’ CHARACTERISTICS

This quasi‐experimental exploratory study investigated whether a social–emotional learning program, implemented during a 1‐year period, could lead to gains in social–emotional competencies and a reduction in internalizing and externalizing problems. Furthermore, it showed which pupils would benefit most from the program. The program was applied to 213 fourth‐grade Portuguese pupils. One hundred five controls followed an Origami curriculum during the same period. Sixteen teachers also participated in this study. Self‐report (pupils) and hetero‐report (teachers) questionnaires were administered before and after the intervention. There were significant intervention gains in some social–emotional competencies, namely, peer relations and social competence, but no gains were found in internalizing and externalizing problems. Intervention pupils with average pre‐test scores profited more in self‐management and peer relations than controls. Boys showed greater gains in self‐management, aggressiveness, and social problems than girls. There were no significant differences regarding socioeconomic status.     

Effect of implicit theories on judgement of cheating acceptability in physical education: The mediating role of achievement goals

Abstract

We tested a hypothetical model that examined both the effects of implicit theories of ability on the judgement of cheating acceptability in a physical education context and the mediating role of the achievement goals defined in the social-cognitive model of achievement motivation. Data were collected from 477 middle-school students, who completed measures of implicit theories of ability, achievement goals, and judgement of cheating acceptability in team sports within a cross-sectional design. The results indicated that performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals mediated the relationships between entity theory and the judgement of cheating acceptability, and mastery-approach and mastery-avoidance goals mediated the relationships between incremental theory and the judgement of cheating acceptability. Further research is needed to determine whether these results would be replicated with other moral variables and other contexts.     

The effects of intensive training on insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and IGF binding proteins 1 and 3 in competitive cyclists: relationships with glucose disposal

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to determine whether 4 months of intensified training would result in modified plasma insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 (IGFBP-1) or IGFBP-3 in eight competitive cyclists and eight sedentary individuals and to define the relationships of these factors with glucose disposal. Insulin sensitivity and glucose effectiveness — that is, the fractional disappearance of glucose independent of any change in insulinaemia — were measured with the minimal model (mathematical analysis of frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test). Both glucose effectiveness and insulin sensitivity were higher in the cyclists than in the sedentary individuals, but did not increase further with training. IGF-I was higher in the cyclists than in the sedentary group only after training (P<0.05). Plasma IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-3 increased after training (38 and 20%, respectively; P<0.05) in the cyclists and were higher than in the sedentary individuals (P<0.05). IGF-I was negatively correlated with insulin sensitivity before and after training (r=?0.66 and ?0.67, respectively; P<0.05) and IGFBP-1 was negatively correlated with glucose effectiveness before and after training (r=?0.68 and ?0.77, respectively; P<0.05). Our results show that strenuous endurance training improves the somatotrope axis (growth hormone—IGF) and that IGFBP-1 may be involved in glucose homeostasis, possibly by limiting the exercise-induced increase in glucose disposal, in competitive cyclists.     

The effects of intensive training on insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and IGF binding proteins 1 and 3 in competitive cyclists: relationships with glucose disposal

The aim of the present study was to determine whether 4 months of intensified training would result in modified plasma insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 (IGFBP-1) or IGFBP-3 in eight competitive cyclists and eight sedentary individuals and to define the relationships of these factors with glucose disposal. Insulin sensitivity and glucose effectiveness--that is, the fractional disappearance of glucose independent of any change in insulinaemia--were measured with the minimal model (mathematical analysis of frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test). Both glucose effectiveness and insulin sensitivity were higher in the cyclists than in the sedentary individuals, but did not increase further with training. IGF-I was higher in the cyclists than in the sedentary group only after raining (P < 0.05). Plasma IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-3 increased after training (38 and 20%, respectively; P < 0.05) in the cyclists and were higher than in the sedentary individuals (P < 0.05). IGF-I was negatively correlated with insulin sensitivity before and after training (r = -0.66 and -0.67, respectively; P < 0.05) and IGFBP-1 was negatively correlated with glucose effectiveness before andafter training (r = -0.68 and -0.77, respectively; P < 0.05). Our results show that strenuous endurance training improves the somatotrope axis (growth hormone-IGF) and that IGFBP-1 may be involved in glucose homeostasis, possibly by limiting the exercise-induced increase in glucose disposal, in competitive cyclists.     

The increasing role of non-State actors in education policy-making. Evidence from Uruguay

ABSTRACT

Over the last decades privatization policies have taken centre stage in many processes of educational reform globally. In Latin America, these policies have played an important role since the 1990s leading to an increasing participation of private agents in educational provision. The case of Uruguay stands out for having remained somehow apart from this privatization agenda. More recently, however, research has identified a significant shift in the discursive order especially driven by a series of new actors including think tanks and civil society organizations favourable to different forms of privatization. Building on case study methods and informed by a cultural political economy (CPE) approach this paper addresses two purposes. First, it attempts to explore possible explanations for the scarce development of the private sector in Uruguayan education. Second, it aims to characterize the discourses and strategies increasingly used by different actors to frame and promote policy ideas potentially leading to privatization policies. The study shows how a small but influential number of actors have become involved in the process of promoting ideas that seek to influence policymaking. Findings reveal how these actors frame school autonomy and accountability as policy solutions by means of different strategies of networking and knowledge mobilization.