The effect of peer group performance on the self-concept of reading in a foreign language

According to the big-fish-little-pond (BFLP) model, the self-concept is not only influenced in a positive way by one’s own achievement, but also in a negative way by one’s relative achievement in comparison with one’s immediate peers. This study investigates whether the BFLP effect also holds for second language acquisition. A random sample of 9167 Dutch-speaking students from Grade 8 took a reading comprehension test in French followed by a short background questionnaire in which they were asked for their self-concept of reading French. Multilevel regressions of the latter on individual and group achievement confirmed the BFLP effect but did not confirm an interaction of the effect with gender, individual achievement or class size. Moreover, in line with the local dominance hypothesis, it was shown that the negative effect of the average performance of peers is stronger for classmates than for schoolmates.     

Social capital in the classroom: a study of in-class social capital and school adjustment

Social capital is generally considered beneficial for students’ school adjustment. This paper argues that social relationships among pupils generate social capital at both the individual and the class levels, and that each has its unique effect on pupils’ performance and well-being. The sample in this study consists of 1036 children in 60 first-grade classes in 46 Dutch elementary schools. Multilevel regression results show that a substantial proportion of the variance in school adjustment can be attributed to the class level and that both individual-level and classroom-level social capital have substantial effects on school adjustment. At the individual level, the size of one’s network is more important than its structure. At the collective level, social capital also has a ‘dark side’ because it can have negative effects on adjustment, lowering the academic performance in a class.     

Ten Salient Practices of Undergraduate Research Mentors: A Review of the Literature

This paper identifies salient practices of faculty mentors of undergraduate research (UR) as indicated in the extensive literature of the past two decades on UR. The well-established benefits for students involved in UR are dependent, first and foremost, on high-quality mentoring. Mentorship is a defining feature of UR. As more and different types of colleges and universities strive to meet student demand for authentic scholarly experiences, it is imperative to identify what effective UR mentors do in order to ensure student engagement, quality enhancement, retention, and degree-completion. We offer an original analysis of the literature on UR mentoring in which we identify 10 significant “lessons learned,” or evidence-based practices of effective UR mentors that apply broadly across disciplines, students, institutions, and mentoring approaches.     

同伴教学法在“大学物理实验”课堂教学中的有效实施

同伴教学法通过师生间角色的转换,赋予了学生自主权利,可以有效提高学生的学习兴趣。通过对同伴教学法的实施现状分析,结合当前社会对高素质创新人才培养的需求,将同伴教学法引入“大学物理实验”教学改革。阐述了该教学法实施的必要性和基本授课程序,并以“用惠斯通电桥测电阻”实验为例展开教学研究。实践证明:该方法充分调动了学生的积极性,通过师生间的交流合作,课堂氛围更加融洽,在培养学生实验创新能力方面有着积极的促进作用。     

当今大学生人际关系的一种典型现象研究——师生关系疏远同辈群体影响突显

当今大学生人际关系存在一种典型的现象,即师生关系疏远,同辈群体影响突显,有着社会环境、高等教育体制和管理、教师和学生等多方面的原因。高校应积极引导同辈群体,发挥同辈群体的积极功能,通过教师再教育和培训提升高校教师的专业水平和教学水平,将教师力量和同辈群体正力量形成合力,积极探索高校师生的新型交流途径,有效整合高校资源,促进学生的全面发展。     

朋辈教育对高校学困生的转化的研究综述

朋辈教育和学困生转化是当前高校思政研究的重要领域。本文回顾了高校朋辈教育对学困生转化的研究历程,并围绕大学朋辈教育和学困生转化做重点而全面的论述。最后,结合朋辈教育和高校学困生转化研究中的不足和亟待解决的问题,探讨了该课题的研究趋势。     

科技文稿的审稿结果应予反馈

科技期刊的稿件处理结果是否实行反馈进行了长期的探索和研究，分析了实现反馈的可能性，指出了稿件处理意见实行反馈的积极意义，得出了在目前科技高速发展的情况下，科技期刊的稿件处理该实行反馈的结论。最后简要介绍了实施反馈的一些做法。     

‘Only true friends could be cruelly honest’: cognitive scaffolding and social-affective support in teacher feedback literacy

Feedback is an important but challenging aspect of higher education pedagogy. In addition to providing quality feedback, teachers are expected to develop students’ skills and awareness for effective feedback processes. This case study addresses both processes and products of a Chinese university English teacher’s feedback enabling practice by involving students in peer feedback on oral presentations. Data from classroom observations and interviews reveal various strategies of cognitive scaffolding and social-affective support in the teacher’s feedback enabling processes, as well as skill development of generating peer feedback and awareness enhancement in accepting critical feedback with a positive attitude. Our analysis revolves around generic and contextually grounded strategies in cognitive scaffolding and social-affective support, as well as how verbal peer feedback can be utilised as a productive solution to mitigate resource constraints. The paper concludes by highlighting the centrality of the ‘enabling construct’ of teacher feedback literacy and drawing implications for research, policy and practice.     

Assessment for learning: a catalyst for student self-regulation

The development of students as lifelong, self-regulating learners is a valued outcome of higher education. To this end, the current project investigated how students in an undergraduate course experienced and responded to a teaching–learning environment where they were expected to take responsibility for their learning. The pedagogic environment of this course was grounded in strategies and activities associated with assessment for learning (AfL). As such, students were expected to participate in activities that provided them with opportunities to exercise control over their learning. Data gathering comprised individual semi-structured interviews and the collection of artefacts. Findings indicated goals helped students know where they were going; exemplars provided insights into what was expected and what constituted quality work; course activities elicited evidence of learning; dialogic interactions around these generated feedback about understandings and progress; the evaluation of exemplars developed evaluative knowledge, skill and expertise; peer review and feedback provided an authentic context for evaluation and monitoring of works-in-progress. It was concluded that, while each of the AfL strategies contributed to student self-regulation, the full impact of AfL as a catalyst for self-regulated learning was realised in the cumulative and recursive effect these strategies had on students’ thinking, actions and feelings.