Values education and student satisfaction: German business students' perceptions of universities' value influences

As a result of the past decade's financial crises, the focus on students' values as an output of higher management education has increased. Simultaneously, marketing theory has become prevalent in the management of higher education institutions, such that student satisfaction represents a key output variable for their service provision. This study integrates both perspectives to investigate how values-oriented education relates to student satisfaction. A sample of 191 respondents from a German university reveals that business students expect more value influence than they believe their institution actually delivers. Furthermore, students' perceptions of the value influence delivered by their university increase their satisfaction with the institution. Finally, the value influence students expect is more closely associated with universalism values (connected to sustainability and CSR) than with power values. These results imply that universities can increase student satisfaction if they coordinate opportunities to discuss and shape values, particularly with regard to universalism ideals.     

Reported topics of conversation among same‐sex adults

Conversational topics among same‐sex adult friends, co‐workers, siblings, parents and children were studied. A self‐report questionnaire revealed that women's talk tends to focus on family, relationship problems, men, health, pregnancy and menstruation, food, things they've read, movies, television, clothing, and rape. Men talk more about women, sex, money, news, sports, hunting and fishing. No sex difference was found in the most frequent topic of conversation in each context. Same‐sex friends of either sex are most likely talk about the other sex, co‐workers most frequently discuss work, and sisters, brothers, mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, talk most often about family.     

Inquiring scaffolds in laboratory tasks: an instance of a “worked laboratory guide effect”?

The study explores if established support devices for paper–pencil problem solving, namely worked examples and incremental scaffolds, are applicable to laboratory tasks. N?=?173 grade eight students solved in dyads a physics laboratory task in one of three conditions. In condition A (unguided problem solving), students were asked to determine the mass of an unknown object by applying Hooke’s law. In condition B (laboratory guide), students received a guide which instructed and explained each solution step. In condition C (incremental scaffolds), the solution steps were presented incrementally on learner demand and were preceded by strategic prompts. Dependent variables were learning outcomes (solution, retention, knowledge) and motivational learning experiences (basic needs, situational interest, deeper level processing). The laboratory guide (B) led to better learning outcomes (d?=?0.42) but lower motivation (d?>?0.38) compared to unguided problem solving (A). Incremental scaffolds (C) led to higher motivation (d?>?0.44) but similar learning outcomes compared to a laboratory guide.     

Adventure-based experiential therapy with inpatients in child and adolescent psychiatry: an approach to practicability and evaluation

This article examines the use of adventure-based experiential therapy (AET) with child and adolescent psychiatry inpatients. AET environments, indications, practicality, therapeutic effects and research are outlined and clinical findings are reported. Activities such as rock-climbing, exploring a creek and caving are discussed and the limitations of AET in the hospital setting are addressed. AET activities range from leisure-time activities and activities that facilitate change to actual therapeutic work. Case studies showing the effects on individuals and groups, with and without specific processing of the activity, are surveyed and the similarities to mentalization-based psychotherapy are touched upon. Possible future research directions are suggested. As AET treatments are not commonly discussed in child and adolescent psychiatry, this article seeks to be a catalyst for further discussion and research.     

Preparing teachers for inclusive education: using inclusive pedagogy to enhance teaching and learning for all

As the concept of ‘inclusive education’ has gained currency, students who would previously have been referred to specialist forms of provision, having been judged ‘less able’, are now believed to belong in mainstream classrooms. However, it is often argued that teachers lack the necessary knowledge and skills to work with such students in inclusive classrooms. This paper reports findings of a study of a new initial teacher education course that starts from the premise that the question is not whether teachers have the necessary knowledge and skills to teach in inclusive classrooms, but how to make best use of what they already know when learners experience difficulty. The theoretical rationale for the development of the course is outlined and examples of how teachers might engage in more inclusive practice are presented.     

Chronicle of Race,Sex and Schools Race

Applying microeconomic theory to No Child Left Behind predicts that its use of significant consequences for schools that do not reach 100% proficiency on rigorous standardized tests by 2014 will likely prevent most, if not all schools, from providing a high-quality education for their students. The central problem is cost. Quality assurance models predict that costs associated with achieving the required 100% pass rate will rise well above typical school budgets. Thus, No Child Left Behind, or any reform that combines a rigid demarcation between passing and failing with a 100% proficiency requirement, will fail as prohibitively expensive.     

Weiterbildungsbeteiligung – Ursachen unterschiedlicher Teilnahmequoten in verschiedenen Datenquellen

The scientific and political interest concerning the topic of further education increases more and more. That is the reason why nowadays many surveys collect information on the determinants of the participation in further education. However, the results of those surveys differ strongly. This raises the question about the actual magnitude of the participation in further education. This article reveals differences and similarities of four individual and household surveys which are compared in regard to their questions concerning further education: the Adult Education Survey, the BIBB/BAuA-Workers’ Survey, the German Microcensus and the German Socio-Economic Panel. Additionally, own calculations are performed in order to examine whether the results converge if a similar basis for the comparison is used in all four mentioned data sources. The interrogation process for informal further education as well as the overall relevance of further education in the survey and hence its scope und detailing of the questions play an important role in the comparison and for the attempt to minimize the differences.