Physical education students’ attitudes and self‐efficacy towards the participation of children with special needs in regular classes

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between personal variables of physical education students and their attitudes towards participation of children with disabilities and self‐efficacy (SE) in teaching students with disabilities in regular classes. A total 153 PE majors (95 females and 58 males) participated in the study. A 15‐item attitude instrument and a 15‐item SE instrument concerning dilemmas during educational tasks were administered as a part of the didactic assignments. Factor analysis revealed one challenge and two threat factors in the attitude instrument. The statistical analysis revealed significant effects on attitudes to gender (females higher than males) and years in college (advanced students higher than novices). Significant effects on SE were found in the coursework, previous experience and years in college variables. SE was inversely related to both threat factors of the attitude instrument (r?=???0.42 and ??0.43 respectively).     

Perceptions of school: parents of children enrolled and not enrolled in the Swedish special education programme—a longitudinal approach

The aim of this study was to explore perceptions of parents in Sweden of children with special education needs, including whether perceptions varied with regard to the child’s age, diagnosis or placement. The parents’ general perception of their degree of effort to influence their child’s education, as well as their perceived degree of influence, were analysed. The findings demonstrated relationships between child’s age and parental perceptions, suggesting that parents of older children with special education needs, regardless of diagnosis or placement, do not want to disengage themselves from their child’s education. The results also revealed that placement affected parental perceptions of their child’s school situation, with parents of children enrolled in the special education programme being more satisfied with their relationship to school and the teachers’ knowledge than parents whose children were not enrolled. Findings also revealed positive correlations between parents’ perceived degree of effort and their perception of having influenced their child’s school situation. The results are discussed in terms of improving family–school linkages within a systems framework.     

First-year students’ appraisal of assessment tasks: implications for efficacy,engagement and performance

This study investigated students’ appraisals of assessment tasks and the impact of this on both their task-related efficacy and engagement and subsequent task performance. Two hundred and fifty-seven first-year students rated their experience of an assessment task (essay, oral presentation, laboratory report or exam) that they had previously completed. First-year students evaluated these assessment tasks in terms of two general factors: the motivational value of the task and its manageability. Students’ evaluations were consistent across a range of characteristics and level of academic achievement. Students’ evaluations of motivational value generally predict their engagement and their evaluations of task manageability generally predict their sense of task efficacy. Engagement was a significant predictor of task performance (viz. actual mark) for exam and laboratory report tasks but not for essay-based tasks. Findings are discussed in terms of the implications for assessment design and management.     

Parents' Role in Adolescents' Educational Expectations

The present study examined the extent to which mothers' and fathers' expectations for their offspring's future education, their level of education, and adolescents' academic achievement predict adolescents' educational expectations. To investigate this, 230 adolescents were examined twice while they were in comprehensive school (in the 7th and 9th grades). Their parents also filled in questionnaires at the same time points. The results showed that high parental expectations concerning their offspring's future education predicted high educational expectations among adolescents and they became more similar in the 9th grade compared to 7th grade. Parents' high level of education predicted both mothers' and adolescents' high level of educational expectations in the 7th grade, which then contributed to adolescents' high expectations in 9th grade.     

论广场舞的健身效应

随着社会的发展,人们的健康意识越来越强烈,健身、休闲、娱乐正逐渐成为人们的日常需要,广场舞以其动感的音乐、丰富的内容、简单易学的动作而得到人们的喜爱。文章主要采用文献资料法,逻辑分析法等研究方法对对广场舞的特点及健身功效进行分析,使广场舞爱好者们更好地了解该项运动,能够科学地进行广场舞的锻炼,真正达到增进健康、增强体质,提高生活质量的目的。     

“I am” versus “we are”: Effects of distinctive variants of self-talk on efficacy beliefs and motor performance

Abstract

Before completing a team-based dart-throwing activity, 80 undergraduates were randomly assigned to one of three pre-performance self-talk conditions: (a) self-talk statements that focused upon one's personal capabilities, (b) self-talk statements emphasizing the group's capabilities, or (c) a control condition where neutral statements were implemented. Participants in all conditions subsequently rated their confidence in their own (i.e. self-efficacy) as well as their team's (i.e. collective efficacy) capabilities, before carrying out the task. Overall, self-efficacy, collective efficacy, and performance indicators were all greatest for individuals who practised self-talk focusing on the group's capabilities, as opposed to individual-focused and neutral conditions. Findings are considered with respect to their novel theoretical contribution to the social cognition literature and their implications for fostering efficacy perceptions and team performance.     

Collective efficacy in sport: the future from a social neuroscience perspective

In the last decade, collective efficacy has received increasing attention in the sport psychology literature. However, despite considerable focus on the antecedents and consequences of the construct (e.g., Magyar, Feltz, & Simpson, 2004), no research has considered the specific neuropsychological mechanisms that underpin the levels of collective efficacy perceived by individuals within sports teams. In this respect, neuroscience research outside sport psychology has identified cortical structures linked to socio-cognitive thought processes (e.g., Gallese, Keysers, & Rizzolati, 2004). Therefore, the purpose of this review is to provide evidence for potential neurological processes that underpin collective efficacy perceptions. Specifically, we discuss these processes in relation to how collective efficacy is conceptualized, measured, and analyzed. We then discuss pertinent neuroscience research that indicates both imagery and observation based interventions are suitable for increasing individual collective efficacy perceptions. Finally, based on the neuroscience mechanisms discussed, future directions for research are suggested that aim to increase our understanding of the nature and influence of collective efficacy perceptions upon individual and team behavior.     

Challenging science teachers' beliefs and practices through a video-case-based intervention in China's primary schools

The present study aims to challenge primary school science teachers' beliefs about education and teaching efficacy, as well as their teaching practices, through a video-case-based intervention programme in a Chinese educational setting. A total of 46 in-service teachers were involved in this study (experimental group = 23, control group = 23). Pre- and post-intervention surveys were administered to examine possible changes in the participants' beliefs about education and science teaching efficacy. Video data were gathered through classroom observations of 9 participants from the experimental group and 9 participants from the control group. The results of one-way analysis of covariance indicate that the reported post-intervention beliefs of teachers who participated in the programme differed significantly from their pre-intervention beliefs. More specifically, teachers in the experimental groups reported fewer traditional and more constructivist beliefs after the intervention, as well as stronger personal science teaching efficacy beliefs. One exception included beliefs about science teaching outcome expectancy. The video data showed that teaching practices became more constructivist in terms of both practical activities and student ICT use.     

高职学生职业期望与社会需求调查分析

对高职学生的就业前景、认知情况、人力资源市场需求和用人单位的期望展开调研,发现学生在职业生涯规划中存在的问题是,大部分学生自我认知能力不足,职业目标不清晰,职业生涯规划比较模糊,缺乏职业规划能力,对就业前景预期较悲观,收入期望较低等。客观了解和分析这些问题,有利于在学生就业指导工作中做到有的放矢。