Multilevel Modelling in Repeated Measures of the Quality of Finnish School Life

The main interest of the paper is methodological: to exploit multilevel modelling in analysing quality of school life data gathered in 1991 and 1995 in Finnish comprehensive schools, with the intention of investigating differences and related changes in the quality of school life over time. The specific methodological aim is to explore the advantages gained and problems encountered while applying multilevel models and the statistical program MLwiN in analysing large scale educational data with repeated measures. The quality of school life was assessed by a representative sample of all the Grade 8 pupils throughout the country with a 4 year interval in the same schools. The measurement of the quality of school life focused on general school satisfaction and on teacher-student relations. The validity of the instrument was confirmed by means of factor analysis. The findings of the multilevel statistical analysis are discussed both from an educational and a methodological point of view.     

The development,validation, and potential uses of the Student Interest-in-the-Arts Questionnaire

The Student Interest-in-the-Arts Questionnaire was designed to measure elementary school students’ interest in dance, drama, music, and the visual arts. We collected data providing evidence for reliability, content validity, construct validity, and convergent and discriminant validity. We describe the development of the method and the collection and analysis of the validity data. The brief instrument is easy to administer, fills a gap in the compendium of available instruments, and is useful in a variety of settings with a variety of research and evaluation designs.     

Students’ approaches to learning in problem-based learning: Taking into account professional behavior in the tutorial groups,self-study time,and different assessment aspects

Problem-based learning (PBL) represents a major development in higher educational practice and is believed to promote deep learning in students. However, empirical findings on the promotion of deep learning in PBL remain unclear. The aim of the present study is to investigate the relationships between students’ approaches to learning (SAL) and academic achievement in a PBL environment, taking into account the role of self-study time and students’ professional behavior in the PBL tutorial groups. In addition, different knowledge categories that determine achievement (i.e., understanding of concepts, understanding of the principles that link concepts, and the linking of concepts and principles to conditions and procedures for application) were taken into account. A hypothesized structural equation model including these variables was tested. Results showed that the PBL students in this study reported more use of a surface compared to a deep approach to learning. The hypothesized model demonstrated an excellent fit of the model with the data. The relationship between SAL and academic achievement was mediated by self-study time and professional behavior. These findings imply that self-study time and professional behavior are crucial variables to take into account when studying SAL.     

Evaluating leadership development using the Most Significant Change technique

Course evaluations are now a serious matter for universities trying to meet stakeholder needs and expectations, quality assurance, improvements and strategic decision making. Typically, students are invited to participate in surveys on how well the design and delivery aspects meet predetermined learning objectives, quality of teaching, and the types of improvements needed for future deliveries. We used the Most Significant Change technique to gather data on the impact of a leadership course on 18 Pacific Islanders who completed a Master of Education (Educational Leadership). Participants’ views highlighted impacts that were of significance to the students and their workplaces. The findings demonstrate that the Most Significant Change technique offers a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of leadership development courses.     

Interpretation of the score reports from the Computer Program LOVS by teachers,internal support teachers and principals

Data-driven decision making, such as the decision making that is conducted through the use of pupil monitoring systems, has become increasingly popular in the Netherlands, as it is considered to have promise as a means of increasing pupils’ learning outcomes. The reports generated by the pupil-monitoring Computer Program LOVS (Cito) provide educators with reliable and objective data feedback; however, research has suggested that many users struggle with interpreting these reports. This study aims to investigate the extent to which the reports are correctly interpreted by educators, and to identify various potential stumbling blocks with regards to the interpretation of the reports. The results suggest that users encounter many stumbling blocks in these reports and often cannot interpret them entirely correctly.     

Roles and competencies of academic counsellors in distance education

Academic counsellors or tutors are engaged as a link between learners and distance teaching institutions. They perform various roles such as facilitating learning of subject matter content, assessing assignments, providing motivation and encouragement, and supervising research/term papers/project work. Each of these roles requires specific competencies to enable them to perform satisfactorily. This paper identifies the roles performed by academic counsellors at the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and the competencies required for each role. It also provides a generic list of competencies required to perform as an academic counsellor. Based on self‐rating of the competency of a group of academic counsellors, the paper recommends the training of academic counsellors and the development of distance teaching materials for use in competence‐building.     

EDUCATION AND NATIONAL DEFENSE

BIOGRAPHY: Alexander Hamilton by Nathan Schachner. D. Appleton-Century Company, 488 pp., 35 pp. of copious notes, 8 pp. of references to original and secondary sources. $4.00.

On the Edge of Evening by Cornelius Weygandt. G. P. Putnam's Sons, 217 pp. $3.00.

Democratic Education In Practice by Rose Schneideman, Harper and Brothers. 534 pp. Price 3.00.

Developing The Secondary School Curriculum by J. Paul Leonard. Rinehart &; Company, Inc. 552 pp. $3.50.

Educating America's Children by Fay Adams. The Ronald Press Company. 490 PP. $3.75.

State Programs For The Improvement of Teacher Education by Charles E. Prall. American Council on Education. 379 pp. $3.00.

The Elementary School Subjects by Luella Cole. Rinehart and Company, 455 PP. $3.25.

Toward Improving Ph.D Programs by Ernest V. Hollis. XII + 204 pp. American Council on Education; Washington, D.C. 1945. $2.50.

GENERAL LITERATURE: Many Mexicos by Lesley Byrd Simpson. G. P. Putnam's Sons. 322 pages. $3.50.

My Africa by Mbonu Ojike. The John Day Company. 345 PP- $3.75.

MATHEMATICS: Making Sure of Arithmetic by Robert L. Morton, Merle Gray, Elizabeth Springstun, and William L. Schaaf. Silver Burdett Company. 348 pp. $1.04.

PSYCHOLOGY: Psychology For Nurses by Bess V. Cunningham. D. Appleton-Century Company. 322 pp. $3.00.

The Psychology of Teaching by Asahel D. Woodruff. Longmans, Green &; Co., Inc. 175 pp. $1.75.

SCIENCE: Fishes and Shells of The Pacific World by John T. Nichols and Paul Bartsch. The Macmillan Company, 196 pp. $2.50.

The Story of The Helicopter by Devon Francis. Coward-McCann, Inc. Pp. X+ 175. $3.00.

SOCIAL STUDIES: A Negro's Faith In America by Spencer Logan. The Macmillan Company. 88 PP. $1.75.

Democratic Human Relations, edited by Hilda Taba and William Van Til. The National Council for the Social Studies, a department of the N.E.A. Washington, 366 pages. $2.00.

Learn and Live by Clara M. Olson and Norman D. Fletcher. Pp. 101. Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Inc. 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, 101 pp. $1.50.     

‘I know how to read longer novels’ – developing pupils' success criteria in the classroom

Assessment for Learning (AfL) is an established learning and teaching strategy. The authors identify issues with the effectiveness of its application in the classroom. Having noted a theoretical shift from teacher-generated to pupil-generated success criteria, the authors were keen to explore how this could be realised in practice. They developed a model based on AfL principles, which they introduced to a class of Year 5 pupils. They found that, whilst pupils can identify their own success criteria, a number of issues need to be considered by the innovative teacher.     

Evaluation of a Faculty Development Model for Technology Use in Higher Education for Late Adopters

Abstract

The design, implementation, and evaluation of the second phase in a two-year faculty development initiative by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Consortium on Higher Education (SEPCHE) is presented. The initiative addressed instruction of SEPCHE faculty in the use of technology in college teaching. Six workshops were conducted for faculty in specific disciplines to create working relationships among SEPCHE faculty, establish faculty as mutually supportive resources, to decrease attitudinal and behavioral barriers toward adoption of new technology by “late adopters,” and to improve teaching effectiveness through the application of new technology. Faculty from SEPCHE, rather than outside consultants, served as expert presenters. Workshops included mastery of software and adaptation for specific disciplines, Internet search strategies and usable sites, Web site design, and electronically mediated course delivery. Faculty indicated satisfaction with the workshops in exit interviews, and attitudinal and usage changes are documented by evaluation four months later.