Global Environmental Change: Modifying Human Contributions Through Education

The 1995 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 1996) Science report concludes that evidence now available points toward a discernible human influence on global climate (p. 439). Reductions in emissions will require changes in human behavior. This study assessed whether gains in global environmental change knowledge would lead to changes in human behaviors that could be deemed environmentally responsible. The study assessed the impact on participant behavior of a two-and-one-half day National Informal Educators Workshop and Videoconference held November 14–16, 1994. The workshops were located in seven down-link sites around the continental U.S. and Hawaii. The program utilized a variety of pedagogical techniques during five hours of satellite programming with national expertise on global change topics (natural variability, greenhouse effect, ozone depletion, ecosystem response, and population and resource distribution) and applications of that information with local experts in regional workshops. Participants implemented many personal and professional behavior changes after participation in this program. Six behavior change scales were created from assessment of survey responses (four coefficient alphas were above .7, one was .68, and one was .58). Personal behavior changes grouped into three categories: Use of Fewer Resources (acts of everyday life generally under volitional control), Purchasing Choices/Options (less frequent acts, not under total volitional control, with significant environmental effect over the lifetime of the decision, e.g., an automobile) and Increased Awareness and Discussion (indicating changes in habits of mind). The professional behavior changes also grouped into three categories: Curriculum Development (developing/revising curricula including new knowledge); Networking (with colleagues from the program); and Office Procedures (reflecting environmentally responsible behavior). The statistically significant behavior changes implemented correspond with increases in content knowledge, confidence, a developing national network, regional applications, and satisfaction with the program.     

Behavior Segmentation by Boys as a Function of Aggressiveness and Prior Information

Previous research documents a hostile attribution bias by aggressive boys when considering a social situation with ambiguous cues as to the intention of the participants. The present research evaluated whether this bias extends to the manner in which boys process incoming information. Aggressiveness of boys in grades 3–6 was assessed with peer behavior nominations. In a separate session, each child viewed a videotape of 2 boys playing tag on a playground and segmented the actions using a standard behavior segmentation procedure. A critical event occurred when one of the boys fell down after being tagged, slowly got up, then resumed the game. Prior to viewing the videotape each child received one of three information conditions: benign (the boys were friends), hostile (the boys did not like one another), or neutral (no specific information about the relationship between the boys). Aggressiveness predicted change in segmentation after the critical event only in the neutral prior information condition. Thus aggressiveness, found in other research to be associated with a hostile attribution bias, also was found to be related to differences in the organization of incoming information.     

Children's drawings provide a new perspective on teacher–child relationship quality and school adjustment

A growing literature points to the importance of children's relationships with their teachers as a factor influencing attitudinal, cognitive, and behavioral aspects of school adjustment. However, such data may be confounded when the same teacher rates school adjustment as well as relationship quality. The present study sought to address this problem by investigating direct (self-reported feelings about the teacher) and indirect (representations through drawings) procedures to assess children's perspectives on the relationship. Self-report questions were adapted from measures of school liking and maternal acceptance. Drawings applied Fury's system for describing relational negativity in child–family drawings. Results, based on a sample of 125 six-year-olds, showed significant associations between children's reports/drawings and teacher-rated relationship quality and school adjustment. Negativity in child–teacher drawings was a particularly salient correlate, suggesting that children's representations of relationships can provide a useful independent means of identifying relationship or adjustment difficulties at school.     

Teachers’ beliefs about inquiry-based learning and its impact on formative assessment practice

ABSTRACT

Background

Inquiry pedagogy has been advocated as means to engage and motivate students to learn science. The development of teacher formative assessment practice in inquiry is key for a successful implementation of student-centred inquiry pedagogy in the classroom.     

School experiences of transgender and gender diverse students in Australia

Over the last decade, there has been an increase in global and local policy protections on the basis of gender identity and expression in education and a recent spate of coverage of transgender students on Australian television and news media. This paper explores the school experiences of Australian transgender and gender diverse students', with particular consideration of recognition of their gender identity in documentation, experiences of puberty and sexuality education, treatment by staff and students, and other forms of provision. It reports on the findings of a 2013 study which combined a survey of 189 transgender and gender diverse Australian students aged 14–25 years, with 16 online interviews with members of this group. The study was informed by a community advisory group which included a range of transgender, gender diverse and intersex people. Findings include both quantitative and qualitative data, detailing a trend towards more disruptive, fluid and inconsistent identifications by members of this student group, and a diversification of their needs at school. Student advocacy on topics including sexuality and puberty education was shown to be common and also useful in improving individual well-being and social outcomes. We offer some reflections towards more useful school practices and future research.     

Why university lecturers enhance their teaching through the use of technology: a systematic review

The purpose of this systematic review is to add to current understanding of technology‐enhanced teaching through a process of synthesis and analysis of a collection of contemporary case studies set within university contexts. The justification to review case studies comes from Pinch and Bijker’s concept of the ‘social construction of technology’ as a way to structure the relationships between technological artefacts used in teaching and those social groups that shape their use. Basil Bernstein’s sociological theory of pedagogy provided the framework for the analysis of the case studies. His concepts of ‘classification’ which examines power relations between categories, such as agencies, agents, discourses and practices, and ‘framing’ which examines the control of instruction in relation to the selection, sequence, pacing and evaluation of learning and determines the relationship between teachers and students, were used as instruments for the analysis of the systematically chosen case studies.     

Controlling Smart Devices in the Home

Domestic appliances have replaced much human labor in the home. But how human do we want these devices to be, and how much autonomy do we want to give them? To throw some light on these questions, first the use and limitations of conversational agents (natural language interfaces) are discussed. Then some aspects of the experience of families living in a smart house are described, and compared with that of employers of servants in 19th-century Britain. On the basis of this research it appears that people do not want household devices to be very human, and do not want to give them much autonomy. Designers are recommended to observe two rules: Smart domestic devices should put people firmly in control and should as far as possible be unseen and unheard.     

From the Field: Characteristics of Successful Tertiary Online Students and Strategies of Experienced Online Educators

Online learning, now a popular method of education at the tertiary level, creates new challenges for students and educators. Faculty members may know little about how to assist students in succeeding in this new learning environment, and students may be ill prepared to tackle the new demands put upon them. This research sought to identify dimensions of successful online learners by examining primary screening documents and mapping them to the literature base, and then invited experienced online educators to review the dimensions and provide strategies they use to ensure student success. Seven dimensions were identified and confirmed as significant, each dimension with slightly different importance, including access to tools; technology experience; learning preferences; study habits and skills; goals or purposes; lifestyle factors; and personal traits and characteristics. The experienced educators provided several online teaching strategies including students' posting biographies; frequent interaction; collaboration; required participation; question-asking forums; topical flexibility; and minimizing technology requirements.