Students' emotions during homework: Structures,self-concept antecedents,and achievement outcomes

In the present study (N = 553; 8th and 11th grade students; 52% female) we investigated students' enjoyment, pride, anxiety, anger, and boredom while completing homework (homework emotions), and contrasted these emotions with those experienced during class (classroom emotions). Both homework emotions and classroom emotions were assessed separately for the domains of mathematics, physics, German, and English. Our hypotheses were based on propositions of the control-value theory of achievement emotions (Pekrun, 2006), Marsh and Ayotte's (2003) differential distinctiveness hypothesis, and previous empirical findings. In line with our assumptions, observed correlations between homework emotions and classroom emotions suggested that the emotions experienced in the two settings should be assessed separately. Within domains, both homework emotions and classroom emotions showed clear linkages with students' academic self-concept and achievement outcomes, with self-concept being slightly more strongly related to classroom emotions. Between-domain relations of emotions were significantly stronger for homework emotions as compared to classroom emotions, likely due to the relative situational homogeneity of homework settings across domains. Further, between-domain relations for emotions in both settings were weaker in 11th grade students, whereas within-domain relations did not differ as a function of age. Implications for research and educational practice are discussed.     

Sex-specific response strategies in mental rotation

The present study investigated whether the marked sex difference in the original mental rotation test (MRT) is simply a result of sex differences in response strategies. Thirty-four participants (17 males, 17 females) completed the revised Vandenberg and Kuse MRT [Peters, M., Laeng, B., Latham, K., Jackson, M., Zaiyouna, R., & Richardson, C. (1995). A redrawn Vandenberg & Kuse Mental Rotations Tests: Different versions and factors that affect performance. Brain and Cognition, 28, 39–58.] and a modified MRT. In the modified version, the number of matching figures varied from zero to four, so that participants had to match every single figure to the target, impeding leaps. Both men and women showed reduced performance in the modified version. However, men were clearly more affected than women. Although sex differences in the modified MRT were somewhat reduced, men still outperformed women (original MRT: d = .95, modified MRT: d = .76). The findings suggest that men rely more on a leaping response strategy than women, however, the robust sex differences in MRT was only marginally affected by sex differences in response strategies.     

Global citizenship as education for peacebuilding in a divided society: structural and contextual constraints on the development of critical dialogic discourse in schools

In post-conflict and divided societies, global citizenship education has been described as a central element of peacebuilding education, whereby critical pedagogy is seen as a tool to advance students’ thinking, transform their views and promote democratic behaviours. The present study investigates understandings of and attitudes to global citizenship and the challenges faced in its implementation. Teacher interviews highlight lack of time and resources for critical reflection and dialogue. Where opportunities for relevant training are provided, this can benefit critical engagement. Boundaries of educational systems and structures also influence pupils’ understandings of the issues as evidenced in questionnaire findings. We argue that critical pedagogies may be limited unless criticality and activism transcend local and global issues and are applied to schools themselves. Emotional engagement may be required for teachers to claim the space to critically reflect and share with colleagues within and beyond their sectors in order to enable critical discourse amongst pupils.     

Issues and challenges of teaching and learning in 3D virtual worlds: real life case studies

We aimed to study the characteristics and usage patterns of 3D virtual worlds in the context of teaching and learning. To achieve this, we organised a full‐day workshop to explore, discuss and investigate the educational use of 3D virtual worlds. Thirty participants took part in the workshop. All conversations were recorded and transcribed for analysis. Thematic analysis was carried out to identify prominent issues and topics. We found that to fully utilise 3D virtual worlds for teaching and learning, students, tutors and educational institutions face a number of socio‐psychological, pedagogical and technological challenges. The paper highlights and discusses the issues that emerged from the workshop, supporting them with real life experiences and case studies provided by the workshop participants.

Probleme und Herausforderungen des Unterrichtens und Lernens in virtuellen 3D Welten: “echte” Lebensfallstudien

Wir hatten zum Ziel, die Eigenschaften und die Gebrauchsweise von 3D‐virtuellen Welten im Zusammenhang mit Unterricht und Lernen zu studieren. Dazu organisierten wir einen ganztägigen Workshop, um den Gebrauch von 3D virtuellen Welten im Bildungsbereich zu erforschen, zu besprechen und zu untersuchen. Dreißig Teilnehmer nahmen an diesem Workshop teil. Alle Gespräche wurden aufgezeichnet und für die Analyse transskribiert. Eine thematische Analyse wurde ausgeführt, um gängige Probleme und Themen herauszufinden. Wir meinen, dass, um virtuelle 3D‐Welten komplett zu verwerten, um darin zu unterrichten und Erfahrungen zu sammeln, Studenten, Tutoren und Bildungseinrichtungen mehreren sozialpsychologischen, pädagogischen und technologischen Herausforderungen gegenüberstehen. Dieser Beitrag beleuchtet und bespricht die Probleme, die innerhalb des Workshops auftauchten und unterstützt ihr Verständnis durch von den Workshopteilnehmern selbst zur Verfügung gestellten Lebenserfahrungen und Fallstudien.

Problèmes et défis de l’enseignement/apprentissage dans des mondes virtuels en 3D: des études de cas empruntés à la vie réelle

Nous avions pour but d’étudier les caractéristiques et les schémas d’usage des mondes virtuels en 3D dans un contexte d’enseignement et apprentissage. Pour y parvenir, nous avons organisé un atelier d’une journée entière pour débattre, explorer et mener une recherche sur l’emploi éducatif des mondes virtuels en 3D. L’atelier a accueilli 30 participants. Toutes les conversations ont été enregistrées et transcrites à des fins d’analyse. On a effectué une analyse thématique pour identifier les problèmes et les thèmes les plus marquants. Nous avons découvert que pour utiliser à fond les mondes virtuels en 3D pour l’enseignement et l’apprentissage, les étudiants, les tuteurs et les institutions éducatives doivent faire face à un certain nombre de défis socio‐psychologiques, pédagogiques et technologiques. Dans cet article l’accent et le débat portent sur les questions qui sont apparues au cours de l’atelier, le tout appuyé sur des expériences de la vie réelle et sur des études de cas fournies par les participants à l’atelier.

Problemas y desafíos de la enseñanza/aprendizaje en mundos virtuales 3D: estudios de casos de la vida real

Nuestro propósito era el estudio de las características y de los esquemas de uso de los mundos virtuales 3D dentro del contexto de la enseñanza/aprendizaje. Para llevar esto a cabo hemos organizado un taller de un día completo para explorar, discutir y investigar el uso educativo de los mundos virtuales 3D. Treinta personas participaron en el taller. Todas las conversaciones fueron grabadas y transcribidas para ser analizadas. Un análisis temático fué realizado para identificar los temas y problemas más destacados. Hemos descubierto que para aprovechar plenamente los mundos virtuales 3D para la enseñanza/aprendizaje, los alumnos, los tutores y las instituciones educativas tienen que hacer frente a un número de desafíos socio‐psicológicos, pedagógicos y tecnológicos. En el artículo los autores destacan y discuten los problemas que han surgido del taller, apoyandoles con experiencias de la vida real y estudios de casos suministrados por los participantes del taller.     

The role of item- and category-specific information in the discrimination of people versus nonpeople images by pigeons

Herrnstein and Loveland (1964, pp. 549–551) successfully trained pigeons to discriminate pictures showing humans from pictures that did not. In the present study, a go/no-go procedure was employed to replicate and extend their findings, the primary focus of concern being to reevaluate the role of item- and category-specific information. The pigeons readily acquired the discrimination and were also able to generalize to novel instances of the two classes (Experiment 1). Classification of scrambled versions of the stimuli was based on small and local features, rather than on configural and global features (Experiment 2). The presentation of gray-scale stimuli indicated that color was important for classifying novel stimuli and recognizing familiar ones (Experiments 1 and 2). Finally, the control that could possibly be exerted by irrelevant background features was investigated by presenting the pigeons with images of persons contained in former person-absent pictures (Experiment 3). Classification was found to be controlled by both item- and category- specific features, but only in pigeons that were reinforced on person-present pictures was the latter type of information given precedence over the former.     

The enrichment triad model for the very young gifted

The article describes why the Enrichment Triad Model needs to be adapted for a preschool/primary setting and provides suggestions for educators on how to do this. A real‐life example of a five‐year‐old who successfully completed a Type III project is presented. The role of the teacher in understanding how a young child's differences in social, physical, academic, and emotional development can influence appropriate programming is emphasized.     

Knowledge sharing and rewards: a game-theoretical perspective

Shared databases are used as tools for knowledge management. But contributing knowledge to the database is a public-goods dilemma. Its specific features are multidimensionality of the goods, resource overlap, interdependency of group members and the lack of a marginal unit of return for individual contributions. An analytical model is presented describing the individual- and group-level payoff function. It shows that rewarding contributions with a cost-compensating bonus can be an effective solution not only at the individual level, but also at the group level. Whether or not a bonus system is self-supporting depends on the critical mass of people on average needing a contribution. This depends on the overlap of the people's resources and their interdependency.