The Role and Value of Technical Communicators: Technical Communicators and Subject Matter Experts Weigh In

This qualitative study compares how technical communicators (TCs) and subject matter experts (SMEs) characterize the role and value of the TC. Seven TCs and eight SMEs participated in an investigation of the similarities and differences between the perceptions of these two groups. Key findings are that SMEs perceive of TCs as investigators, educators, and relationship builders; TCs talk about themselves in terms of investigators, interpreters, and audience advocates; and TCs are often uncomfortable discussing their value.     

Student satisfaction in higher education: a meta-analytic study

This paper discusses the results of a meta-analysis performed to identify key antecedent and consequent constructs of satisfaction in higher education. We offer an integrated model to achieve a better understanding of satisfaction in the context of higher education. To accomplish this objective, we identified 83 studies that were valid and relevant to the research objective of the current study, generating a total of 469 observations. We identified studies published from 1986 to 2016 and analyzed six antecedent dimensions (perceived value of educational services, resources provided to the student, service quality perception, marketing orientation, identity of the higher education institution, university environment) and one consequent dimension related to satisfaction. The 7 dimensions exhibited a total of 51 relationships. We believe that the originality of the findings clearly contributes to future academic research in higher education.     

Attenuation of the CS-preexposure effect after a retention interval in preweanling rats

The effects of flavor preexposure and retention interval were assessed in 6- and 12-day-old rats. Conditioned aversions to a flavor appeared at both ages. The conditioning of the younger pups was unaffected by conditioned stimulus (CS) preexposure and was not evident after a 10-day retention interval. For the 12-day-old rats, preexposure to either the flavor CS or a different flavor attenuated aversion strength when the rats were tested soon after conditioning. Other 12-day-old rats that were tested 10 days after conditioning also expressed substantial aversions, but with a retention interval of this length, the aversions were equivalent for animals preexposed to the CS and those not preexposed before conditioning. This loss of the CS-preexposure effect over a long interval, which has also been observed in adult rats, identifies the locus of this effect as postacquisition and perhaps at the stage of memory retrieval.     

Peer acceptance and peer status in relation to students’ special educational needs,migration biography,gender and socio-economic status

Research within the context of inclusive education is strongly focused on the investigation of students’ special educational needs (SEN). However, a broader understanding of inclusion requires consideration of other factors that may compromise inclusion, especially when it comes to social participation. This study investigates the social participation of 512 students from Austrian secondary mainstream schools. Aside from students’ SEN, their migration biography, gender and socio-economic status (SES) were also considered. Students’ social participation was measured using peer nominations and peer status. The results indicate that, apart from students with SEN, those with a migration biography and low SES are at risk of low social participation. Amongst the popular students, those with SEN were significantly underrepresented. Regarding peer nominations, students with SEN received less positive and more negative nominations compared to those without SEN. Similar effects for negative nominations were found for students with migration biography and extreme SES. The results suggest that being at risk of low social participation is not only a problem for students with SEN but also a problem for those belonging to minority groups. In terms of research and practical implications (e.g., prevention of the negative outcomes of low social participation), the results of the current study suggest considering student diversity in a broader sense. Furthermore, students from other minority groups, such as those with a migration biography or students from low socio-economic status backgrounds (SES), are likely to suffer from social exclusion.     

Transferring Personal and Social Responsibility of Underserved Youth to the Classroom

This report is an evaluation of an in-school mentoring program for 16 underserved elementary youngsters. The goals of the program are related to a Personal and Social Responsibility Model (Hellison, 1995), which focuses on the following: (1) self-control and respect for the rights of others; (2) effort and participation; (3) self-direction; and (4) helping others. Teacher and mentor journals, and student exit interviews, constituted the data sources. Data sources were reviewed and a program-goal matrix was developed to determine the level of performance of each participant. Results of the study indicated that the youngsters were able to apply the goal of effort to learning tasks in the classroom. The club members struggled, however, to transfer some of the other values to the classroom. One particular problematic area was the club members' inability to set personal goals in the classroom setting.     

Anonymity as an instructional scaffold in peer assessment: its effects on peer feedback quality and evolution in students’ perceptions about peer assessment skills

Although previous research has indicated that providing anonymity is an effective way to create a safe peer assessment setting, continuously ensuring anonymity prevents students from experiencing genuine two-way interactive feedback dialogues. The present study investigated how installing a transitional approach from an anonymous to a non-anonymous peer assessment setting can overcome this problem. A total of 46 bachelor’s degree students in Educational Studies participated in multiple peer assessment cycles in which groups of students assessed each other’s work. Both students’ evolution in peer feedback quality as well as their perceptions were measured. The content analysis of the peer feedback messages revealed that the quality of peer feedback increased in the anonymous phase, and that over time, the feedback in the consecutive non-anonymous sessions was of similar quality. The results also indicate that the transitional approach does not hinder the perceived growth in peer feedback skills, nor does it have a negative impact on their general conceptions towards peer assessment. Furthermore, students clearly differentiated between their attributed importance of anonymity and their view on the usefulness of a transitional approach. The findings suggest that anonymity can be a valuable scaffold to ease students’ importance level towards anonymity and their associated need for practice.     

Teaching Systems Thinking in the Context of the Water Cycle

Research in Science Education - Complex systems affect every part of our lives from the ecosystems that we inhabit and share with other living organisms to the systems that supply our water (i.e.,...