Student–university relationships and reputation: a study of the links between key factors fostering students’ supportive behavioral intentions towards their university

Focusing on academic institutions in higher education as the research context, this study examined the relations of key factors affecting students’ supportive behavioral intentions toward the university (e.g., giving gifts as alumni, continuing education, and giving referrals regarding the university). Based on the literature from various disciplines, this study proposed four factors are critical influencing such intentions: (1) students’ communication behavior with the university, (2) perceived quality of educational experience, (3) evaluations of the relationship with the university, and (4) university reputation. The data in this study were collected using a survey of current undergraduate students (N = 336) who were attending a private university in Seoul during Fall 2005. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the proposed model. Regarding overall results, the proposed model can be retained as a valid model based on data-model fits: Eight hypotheses were supported in this study, but not the effect of students’ educational experience on university reputation. The findings suggest that to foster students’ supportive behavior, universities need to cultivate a good relationship with their students and to obtain favorable reputation held by students, while ensuring active communication behavior of students and the quality of students’ educational experience.

Sense of Belonging and Persistence in White and African American First-Year Students

The authors argue for the inclusion of students’ subjective sense of belonging in an integrated model of student persistence (Cabrera et al., J Higher Educ 64:123–139, 1993). The effects of sense of belonging and a simple intervention designed to increase sense of belonging are tested in the context of this model. The intervention increased sense of belonging for white students, but not for African American students. However, sense of belonging had direct effects on institutional commitment and indirect effects on intentions to persist and actual persistence behavior for both white and African American students.     

Inventory for appraising adult creativity

An adult creativity survey, the Preference Inventory (PI), was based upon the assumptions that creatively productive persons, more than the average, mentally examine and play with ideas. Such people also are very curious, strong in needs to create, and are highly original. Scores on the PI were significantly correlated with scores on the Sounds and Images test, ratings of art and writing samples, and an objectively scored Statement of Past Creative Activities (SPCA). The SPCA was considered the most reasonable validating criterion. A regression analysis showed that different patterns of PI subscales were the best predictors of different criterion measures.     

Effects of reintegration difficulties,perceived message acceptance and perceived autonomy support on U.S. military Veterans’ evaluations of messages encouraging them to seek behavioral health care

This online experiment integrates confirmation, politeness, and self-determination theories to examine how Veterans evaluate family members’ messages encouraging them to seek behavioral health care. Veterans (N?=?226) evaluated messages manipulated to express high or low levels of acceptance and autonomy support, completed outcome measures (persuasiveness, relational impact, identity management, emotions), and reported on their own reintegration difficulties. Positive associations were found between perceived message acceptance and three outcomes, and perceived autonomy support and two outcomes. Reintegration difficulties were associated with more negative message perceptions. Perceived acceptance and autonomy support also mediated a number of associations between manipulated message features and outcomes, as well as reintegration difficulties and outcomes. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

武汉市女性旅游市场分析及营销策略

随着女性出游率超过男性,女性群体出游在国内引起了广泛关注,但是女性旅游市场没有进行目标市场细分,女性旅游产品单一、缺乏针对性.通过对武汉市女性游客抽样调查,尝试分析武汉女性旅游者的消费特点.选择武汉市女性旅游者的人口学特征(年龄、职业、月收入、文化程度)和行为特征(旅游目的、信息来源、旅游方式)作为标本进行分析,从而得出女性旅游者出游行为的一般规律,并在此基础上从具体目标市场、促销方面提出了女性旅游市场的开发建议,希望对女性旅游市场开发提供建设性意见.     

中小学教师教学胜任力模型构建研究

文章运用事件访谈法,采用经典BEI胜任力建模方法,通过对毕业生的回溯性访谈评价来确定优秀教师胜任力标准,由此分析出教师在教学中发生的关键性事件,探讨教师对学生产生长远影响的关键要素,对优秀教师和普通教师进行比较,构建了5个维度包含12项指标的中小学教师胜任力模型,对中小学教师的选拔、培训和考核提供了借鉴和现实启示意义。     

Early childhood maltreatment and trajectories of behavioral problems: Exploring gender and racial differences

The current study aimed to examine the trajectory of child behavior problems over time as a function of early maltreatment. We anticipated that early alleged maltreatment would have a substantial impact on both internalizing and externalizing behaviors. The impact of gender and racial differences in the trajectories were also examined. Using the LONGSCAN archived data, a total of 484 children were selected for the study from varying sites. Two groups were formed: children with early allegations of maltreatment from birth to age 4 and children without any report. Children included did not have further allegations of maltreatment from ages 4 to 12. Additionally, they must have completed a behavioral assessment using the Child Behavior Checklist at the age 4 baseline interview. Multilevel modeling using the SAS PROC MIXED procedure was used to examine the effects of early allegations of maltreatment on the trajectories of both internalizing and externalizing problems. Although race was not significant, gender was found to differ in trajectory of behavioral problems among children with early allegations of maltreatment. For boys, the impact of early maltreatment was strongest at the most proximal assessment of behavioral outcomes and then decreased gradually over the course of subsequent periods. For girls, although no significant impact was observed at each measurement point, the impact of early maltreatment increased and became pronounced over time. Findings support the importance of early intervention/prevention to decrease the likelihood of presenting behavioral problems in later childhood years with consideration to gender.     

A Normative Approach to Shaping College Students' Attitudes Toward Organ Donation

This study tested the effects of normative influence on increasing college students' attitudes, intentions, and willingness to communicate about organ and tissue donation (OTD). It was hypothesized that students would look to their peers (referent group) in forming their own attitudes about organ donation. Three hundred thirty-nine (N = 339) participants were randomly assigned to one of five experimental conditions: (1) control group; (2) general referent/normative message group; (3) specific referent/normative message group; (4) general referent/counternormative message group; and (5) specific referent/counternormative message group. An interaction effect was predicted between message type (normative > counternormative) and attributed message source (specific referent > general referent). Students reported highly favorable attitudes toward OTD, moderate-to-high levels of intentions to become organ donors and willingness to communicate about OTD. The hypothesis that participants within the normative message condition would report more favorable attitudes, intentions, and willingness to communicate about OTD compared to participants within the counternormative message condition was supported for participants' willingness to communicate about OTD. The second hypothesis that participants within the specific referent condition would express more favorable attitudes, intentions, and willingness to communicate was rejected.     

Trajectory subgroups of perceived emotional support from teachers: Associations with change in mastery climate and intentions to quit upper secondary school

The aims of this three-wave longitudinal study were to identify and describe trajectories of perceived emotional support from teachers and investigate whether these trajectories were related to the development of intentions to quit upper secondary school via change in perceived mastery climate. Among 1379 Norwegian upper secondary school students, three trajectory subgroups were identified: stable high (84.9%), decreasing (7.8%), and low increasing (7.3%). The subgroups differed in levels of achievement ambition and academic self-concept. Further, a parallel process latent growth curve model revealed essential associations with change in intentions to quit school. Specifically, students with high probabilities of membership in the decreasing emotional support subgroup appeared to be at particular risk, perceiving a decrease in mastery climate that was related to a worrying development of intentions to quit school. The results are discussed considering the importance of a sustained supportive learning environment for late adolescents.     

基于Pro/E行为建模的可变截面悬臂梁优化

为了以最少的原材料满足结构强度、刚度要求,通过Pro/E行为建模技术,对受均布载荷变截面矩形悬臂梁进行等强度设计。介绍了通过全局灵敏度分析和可行性研究,在静态分析和载荷的双重作用下,当最大应力小于61.66 MPa时,质量能否达到最小的可行设计目标。该方法为变截面悬臂梁的设计人员提供了一个简单、方便的建模方法和结构优化分析手段,有利于提高悬臂梁的设计质量和效率,缩短设计周期。