Discrete Choice Modeling in Education: An Innovative Method to Assess Teaching Practices

Self‐reported measures are an easy, time‐efficient, and low‐cost way to collect research data compared to other assessment methods. They are, however, characterized by several limitations regarding the quality and the clarity of the data they produce, especially when they are implemented in education. The main purpose of the current study was to use a method called discrete choice modeling (DCM) in education, in order to develop a self‐reported instrument that will reduce the bias for socially desirable responses and to assess teachers’ practices in physical activity. DCM method has the ability to overcome the respondents’ tendency to answer in a socially desirable way. A nationally representative sample of 531 Greek early educators participated in this study and were administered a self‐assessment questionnaire based on DCM. Results showed that the DCM based newly developed instrument manages to assess effectively educators’ practices and provided evidence of the applicability of the method in education. Further implications and future recommendations regarding the effective application of DCM in education are discussed.     

Evaluating the international dimension in an undergraduate curriculum by assessing students’ intercultural sensitivity

This formative, outcome-oriented, theory-based evaluation research study assessed the effectiveness of requiring an international (‘I’) course by measuring students’ intercultural sensitivity (IS) at the start and end of a semester. Findings revealed that students’ IS scores did not change regardless of the type of class in which the student was enrolled and were not significantly different based on gender, age, ethnicity, undergraduate classification, or number of ‘I’ courses taken. There were significant differences in IS based on religion, traveling outside the US, participating in a study abroad course, and the number of cultural events in which the student had participated. Regression analysis confirmed that religious affiliation and number of times traveled outside the US were significant predictors of IS. This study is an example of the use of theory-based evaluation in an educational system and provides important insights into what experiences affect college students’ IS.     

高职院校顶岗实习管理机制构建探析

顶岗实习是实现高职人才培养目标的重要途径。鉴于当前高职顶岗实习中学校、学生及教师各层面都存在的问题,重新设计了顶岗实习的流程体系,通过校、企、师、生、家五方联动,构建了五途径保障实习岗位、两维度驱动实习成效、四层次规范实习管理、三主体强化实习评价的“五二四三”顶岗实习模式,实现学生、企业、教师、家长、导师和学校的六方共赢。     

Parents’ son preference,childhood adverse experience and mental health in old age: Evidence from China

BackgroundSon preference is an enduring phenomenon in China and may often be related to childhood adverse experiences. According to a life-course perspective, adverse experiences during a childhood period may have a long-term effect on mental health in later age. However, little is known about this relationship between parents’ son preference, childhood adverse experiences and adulthood mental health in China.ObjectiveThe study aims to evaluate the association of parents’ son preference and individual mental health in old age in China. The mediating role of childhood adverse experiences was also estimated.Participants and settingThe China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) 2015 combined with CHARLS life history survey was analyzed (N = 11,666).MethodsMental health was measured by a shortened modification of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale including seven items, and higher scores indicated worse mental health status. A four-step mediating model was applied.ResultsRespondents growing in families with son preference had on average 0.75 (P < 0.001) points higher on the mental health scale than their counterparts, and the effects were consistent for both males and females. Childhood adverse experiences measured by physical maltreatment, emotional adverse experiences and witnesses of inter-parent violence mediated the relationship between parents’ son preference and individual adulthood mental health by 47.87%. For females, physical maltreatment and emotional adverse experiences explained the most parts of health effects of parents’ son preference, whereas witnesses of inter-parent violence was the most influential mediator for males.ConclusionParents’ son preference led to adverse childhood experiences, which influenced mental health in adulthood.     

A longitudinal investigation of protective factors for bereaved maltreated youth

BackgroundMaltreated youth are at an elevated risk for the development of problem behaviors. Coping with the death of a family member or close friend during adolescence, referred to as bereavement, is a stressful event that could potentiate risk linked to maltreatment. However, developmental research suggests that youth adjustment is a product of multiple risk and protective factors. Although maltreated youth who experience loss may be particularly vulnerable to behavior problems, personal and contextual factors may attenuate or exacerbate youths’ risk for internalizing and externalizing psychopathology.ObjectiveThe overarching goal of this study is to examine individual, family, and community-level protective factors for maltreated youth who experience bereavement. Specifically, we aim to examine the effect of age 12 bereavement on age 16 internalizing and externalizing psychopathology, and to investigate the moderating role of multi-level protective factors at ages 14 and 16.MethodsThe study consisted of a sample of 800 youth (52.4% female, 45.1% African-American) drawn from the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN), collected from 1998 to 2011.ResultsMaltreated youth who experienced significant loss were at increased risk for externalizing symptoms, compared to non-bereaved maltreated youth (β = 0.085, p < .05). Individual future orientation (β = 0.103, p < .05) family future orientation (β = −0.120, p < .05), parental monitoring (β = −0.123, p< .01), and neighborhood collective efficacy (β = −0.126, p < .01) each significantly moderated the association between bereavement and externalizing symptoms.ConclusionsThese results have implications for future interventions aimed towards reducing problem behaviors in adolescents with a history of child maltreatment and who experience bereavement.     

普通高校大学生形体礼仪课程实践与研究

利用体育教育自身所承载的文化内涵及其独有的实践特征,整合资源,优化课程,将过去不同学科的形体训练与大学生形体礼仪、行为规范教育有机的容为一体。开设大学生形体礼仪课,指导大学生在塑造健康匀称,曲线、姿态优美,气质高雅的外部形态的同时按照社交礼仪规范来约束自己行为,真正做到“诚于中而行于外,慧于心而秀于言”,把内、外美有机地统一起来。为全面提升大学生素质教育开辟新的渠道。     

A Bioethos for Bodies: Respecting a Priceless Resource

The value that willed body donors provide to medical education is priceless. Their precious gift helps to teach anatomy, spatial relationships between morphological structures, anatomical variation, and professionalism to medical students in a way that plastic models, podcasts, and lectures cannot. They are also an important resource for medical research and a wide variety of postgraduate training opportunities. While many body donation programs throughout the world are nonprofit organizations, there are body donation companies in the United States that sell donors for-profit. These “body brokers” have accumulated large profits from this business. It is incongruous that others would profit from such a priceless, freely donated gift. To prevent this incongruity, it is proposed that the international anatomical community develop a normative culture (a bioethos) for body donation programs. This would involve the conscious and systematic development of ethical principles for the day-to-day policies and practices of institutions that collect and use human bodies. With the development of this bioethos, a cultural shift in how donors are treated would occur and, over time, this would become the normal practice. These principles would become fundamental and foundational for the procurement and use of priceless human tissues.     

分层教学模式在高中体育教学中的运用

随着现代教育的不断推进,在阳光体育的背景下,体育备受教育部门和学校的关注。本文针对学校体育教学中存在的一些问题,结合学校体育的发展的特点,让分层教学模式走进学校体育的课堂,通过分层教学,打破了传统的"一锅煮"的教学模式,让不同层次的学生通过自己不懈的努力,体育成绩都能得到发展。通过这样的教学模式,不仅把学生的眼球吸引到体育教学的课堂,而且促进学生体育学习的积极性,使得体育课堂活起来,为学生的终身体育学习打下良好的基础。     

论竞技体育对学校体育的影响

举国体制下,竞技体育对我国群众体育和学校体育的发展有着重要的引领作用。在国家大力推进"体教融合"的今天,探究竞技体育对学校体育发展的影响显得尤为必要。据此,本研究分别从竞技体育对学校体育文化的影响、对学生人格发展的影响、对学校体育教学的影响3个角度进行了论述,旨在为促进我国体教融合,推动学校体育健康有序发展提供思路。     

我国现阶段乡村农民体育观念的调查与研究

采用文献研究、下乡访谈、问卷调查、数理统计、多因素分析等方法,以我国20个省、区、市部分农民(户)为研究对象,对他们参与全民健身、享受体育的现状进行调查,力求探索出一条以城市带动乡村来提高我国整体体育人口比例的道路。研究结果显示:我国9亿农民在富民政策指引下,92％基本解决“温饱”问题。“温饱”之后思什么?农民是否愿意在自己农闲时间中给体育留有一席之地?他们对健康的渴求、精神的愉悦、消费的倾向如何?需要全社会来引导与关注。