Student-perceived organizational support and perceived employability in the marketing of higher education

In the current context, the need for marketing in institutions of higher education is undeniable. The specification of the student not merely as a ‘customer’ means that traditional marketing no longer has sufficient capacity to explain the behavior of the student body. In this study, a four-level relationship marketing model is tested to check the influence of perceived organizational support (POS) and perceived employability on identification with the institution and the perceived price-quality ratio and how these influence student satisfaction. In addition, the constructs prior to POS and perceived employability are identified, which are explicit enough to enable specific marketing actions to be carried out. As POS is a construct defined for the labor market, its use applied to relational marketing comes up as something innovative.

To this end, Likert scales have been designed and validated to measure these constructs. The results of this test show how the perception of organizational support depends on the relationship of the student body with the administration and management of the center. Likewise, the perception of employability depends on the perceived reputation and the perception of the promotion of employability. Furthermore, it is confirmed that satisfaction is positively related to identification and the perceived price-quality ratio, which in turn are positively related to organizational support and perceived employability.     

Cultural interpretations of the visual meaning of icons and images used in North American web design

This study examines cross‐cultural interpretations of icons and images drawn from US academic websites. Participants from Morocco, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and the USA responded to an online questionnaire containing 18 icons and images representing online functions and information types common on US academic websites. Participants supplied meanings for icons and images and selected a preferred image to represent each of four specific online functions. From three images of professors, participants chose one with whom they would prefer to study. Data were collected at the University of New Mexico, USA; in Internet cafes in the Middle Atlas region and at Al‐Akhawayn University, Morocco; the Open University of Sri Lanka in Nawala, Nugegoda; and at Anadolu University, Turkey. A qualitative analysis examines participants' perspectives and preferences for specific representations and identifies cultural themes in relation to Hofstede's dimensions. Implications for the design of images for cross‐cultural users are discussed.

L'interprétation culturelle de la signification visuelle des icônes et images utilisées dans la conception de sites Web en Amérique du Nord

La présente étude porte sur les interprétations transculturelles des icônes et des images extraites de sites universitaires américains. Des participants venus du Maroc,du Sri Lanka, de Turquie et des Etats Unis, ont répondu à un questionnaire en ligne contenant 18 icônes et images représentant des fonctions en ligne et des modes d'information que l'on trouve couramment sur les sites universitaires américains. Ces participants ont attribué des significations aux icônes et images et sélectionné l'image qu'ils (elles) préféraient pour représenter chacune des quatre fonctions en ligne proposées. A partir de trois images de professeurs,les participants en ont choisi une, celle avec qui ils (elles) préféreraient étudier. Une étude quantitative examine les perspectives des participants et leurs préférences pour une représentation donnée et elle identifie les thèmes culturels par rapport aux dimensions de Hofstede. On étudie les conséquences que cela peut avoir pour la conception d'images destinées à des utilisateurs interculturels.

Kulturelle Interpretationen der visuellen Bedeutung der Symbole und Bilder, die in Nordamerika Web‐Design benutzt werden

Diese Studie untersucht cross‐kulturelle Interpretationen von Symbolen und Bildern, die in akademischen US‐Websites benutzt werden. Teilnehmer aus Marokko, Sri Lanka, der Türkei und den USA bearbeiteten einen Online‐Fragebogen mit 18 Ikonen und Bildern, die Online‐Funktionen und – Informationen auf akademischen US‐Websites gemeinsamen sind. Die Teilnehmer benannten angenommene Bedeutungen der Symbole und Bilder und wählten ein bevorzugtes Bild für jede der vier spezifischen Online‐Funktionen aus. Aus drei Bildern von Professoren wählten die Teilnehmer eines aus, das denjenigen zeigen sollte, mit dem sie es vorziehen würden zu studieren. Eine qualitative Analyse untersucht Perspektiven und Präferenzen der Teilnehmer für bestimmte Vertretungen und Identitäten kultureller Themen in Bezug auf die von Hofstede aufgestellten Dimensionen. Auswirkungen auf die Gestaltung von Bildern für cross‐kulturelle Nutzer werden diskutiert.

La interpretación cultural del significado visual de iconos y imagenes utilizados en el diseño de sitios Web en América del Norte

Este artículo examina las interpretaciones transculturales de iconos y imágenes procedentes de sitios académicos de los Estados Unidos. Participantes de Marruecos, Sri Lanka, Turquía y los EUA respondierón a un cuestionario en línea conteniendo 18 iconos y imágenes que representan funciones en línea y tipos de información que se encuentran frecuentemente en los sitios académicos de los EUA. Los participantes propusieron significados para los iconos y imágenes y seleccionarón la imágen que les parecía más idónea para representar cada una de cuatros funciones en línea específicas. Entre tres imágenes de profesores, los participantes seleccionarón una, la de la persona con quien les gustaría estudiar. Un análisis cualitativo examina las perspectivas y preferencias de los participantes para tal o tal representación específica y al mismo tiempo se analiza temas culturales en relación con las dimensiones de Hofstede. Se analizan también las consecuencias que esto conlleva para el diseño de imágenes destinadas a usuarios transculturales.     

Theme and variations: one middle school’s interpretation of mandated action research

In the current climate of accountability, action research is one way for teachers to evaluate instructional changes designed to improve assessment results. It may become increasingly common for administrators to mandate teacher involvement in action research, yet few studies have been conducted in such settings. This article focuses on one middle school where the principal mandated action research for all teachers. Projects were carried out within academic departments, and department chairs were given latitude in how to organize and implement projects. This study explores project implementation and teacher perceptions of the action research. Interviews were used as an appropriate tool to explore teacher perceptions, with document analysis providing triangulation. Results from interviews of administrators, department chairs, and department members suggest an overall positive attitude toward action research, as well as variation in how action research projects were carried out. Differences occurred across several dimensions of action research, including context, motivation/ purpose, definition of action research, and organization of projects. Variations appeared to be influenced by each department chair’s experience with action research and approach to departmental work, and each department’s history of working together on instructional improvement efforts. This study suggests that administrators who mandate teacher participation in action research projects need to think about both the positive (providing teacher ownership and interest within the mandated context) and problematic (possibly leading to variation in the instructional impact of projects) aspects of project variation.     

Teacher professional development through collaborative action research: impact on foreign English-language teaching and learning

In 2011 we, a group of English-as-a-foreign-language teachers at a secondary school in Argentina, decided to investigate our teaching practices through collaborative action research so as to improve our students’ learning opportunities and thus revitalise English-language teaching in our context. We implemented and evaluated the integration of content and language learning in our classrooms through the development of our own materials. The experience revealed a growth in professional development and how our motivation and autonomy influenced our students’ motivation and language development. In our attempt to disseminate our experience as a group, this report particularly focuses on the evaluation facets of our collaborative action research project so as to encourage other teachers and teacher-researchers to adopt collaborative action research to improve their own practices.     

A study of the quality of practitioner research in secondary education: impact on teacher and school development

This study provides insight into the quality of practitioner research and the impact of this on the professional development of the individual teacher and the school as a whole. We examined the quality of practitioner research in relation to the goals of the research. We operationalized the quality of the research in terms of the validities outlined by Anderson and Herr. In our study we apply this way of thinking to 11 cases of teacher research in secondary education. We found at least some evidence of outcome validity and catalytic validity for the teachers’ practitioner research. However, evidence of process validity and democratic validity was only found in some of the projects. We conclude that the approach adopted in this study can be more generally used to increase the quality and thereby the impact of practitioner research.     

Parent Involvement,Parental Depression,and Program Satisfaction Among Low-Income Parents Participating in a Two-Generation Early Childhood Education Program

Research Findings: This study simultaneously examined parental depression and parent involvement as predictors of satisfaction with an early childhood intervention program. Parents (N = 203) of Head Start children participated in this short-term longitudinal study. Measures of parent involvement and satisfaction assessed multiple dimensions of these constructs. Nearly 40% of low-income mothers reported being sometimes or chronically depressed over the course of 1 year of the Head Start program. Compared with mothers who were never depressed, those who were sometimes depressed reported less involvement in home- and school-based activities as well as fewer interactions with their child's teacher. Never depressed parents were more likely to be satisfied with their child's teacher compared with either group of depressed mothers. Higher levels of parent involvement and parent–teacher interaction predicted optimal satisfaction with Head Start services. Practice or Policy: Implications of results for practice are considered in terms of teacher training to recognize unique needs involved in working to establish a home–school connection with mothers experiencing depression. Strategies for building community partnerships to assist with mental health needs are discussed.     

Parental Expressivity,Child Physiological and Behavioral Regulation,and Child Adjustment: Testing a Three-Path Mediation Model

Research Findings: Parental expressivity, child physiological regulation (indexed by respiratory sinus arrhythmia suppression), child behavioral regulation, and child adjustment outcomes were examined in 45 children (M age = 4.32 years, SD = 1.30) and their parents. With the exception of child adjustment (i.e., internalizing and externalizing problems and adaptive skills), which were assessed with parents' ratings, all variables were observed behaviorally or physiologically. A 3-path mediation path model was tested with the relations between parental expressivity and child adjustment outcomes mediated through child physiological regulation and behavioral regulation. Despite low power to detect the mediated effect, there was evidence to suggest that physiological regulation and behavioral regulation were 2 mediating mechanisms by which parental high positive/low negative expressivity may influence adaptive skills. Thus, parental expressivity may shape children's physiological regulation. And physiological regulation may be 1 mechanism by which effortful control becomes manifested as behavioral regulation that becomes apparent to others who then make evaluations about individuals' adaptive skills. Practice or Policy: The results have implications for interventions aimed at parent training or parental coaching of emotion as well as interventions aimed at enhancing children's social-emotional or behavioral regulation to improve children's adaptive skills.     

Sustaining High-Quality Teaching and Evidence-Based Curricula: Follow-Up Assessment of Teachers in the REDI Project

Research Findings: Recent research has validated the power of evidence-based preschool interventions to improve teaching quality and promote child school readiness when implemented in the context of research trials. However, very rarely are follow-up assessments conducted with teachers in order to evaluate the maintenance of improved teaching quality or sustained use of evidence-based curriculum components after the intervention trial. In the current study, we collected follow-up assessments of teachers 1 year after their involvement in the REDI (REsearch-based, Developmentally Informed) research trial to evaluate the extent to which intervention teachers continued to implement the REDI curriculum components with high quality and to explore possible preintervention predictors of sustained implementation. In addition, we conducted classroom observations to determine whether general improvements in the teaching quality of intervention teachers (relative to control group teachers) were sustained. Results indicated sustained high-quality implementation of some curriculum components (the Promoting Alternative THinking Strategies curriculum) but decreased implementation of other components (the language/literacy components). Sustained intervention effects were evident on most aspects of general teaching quality targeted by the intervention. Practice or Policy: Implications for practice and policy are discussed.     

Software review

STATISTICA 5.0. StatSoft, 2325 East 13th Street, Tulsa, OK 74104, (918) 583–4149. $995 retail, academic site license—$2,000 for 10 copies. Requirements: 386 or better, 4 Meg RAM, Microsoft Windows 3.1 or 95.     

The Place of Philosophy in the Training of Teachers: Peters revisited

Abstract

In 1964, Richard Peters examined the place of philosophy in the training of teachers. He considered three things: Why should philosophy of education be included in the training of teachers; What portion of philosophy of education should be included; How should philosophy be taught to those training to be teachers. This article explores the context of the time when Peters set out his views, describes philosophy of education at the London Institute of Education at one period in Peters’ time there, and then discusses the current state of philosophy of education, using New Zealand as an example of opportunities and challenges. Finally, asking whether Peters was nearly right about the place of philosophy in the training of teachers, it is concluded that he was right about its importance but got it wrong about his conception of philosophy.