Search

We develop a "latent variable forest" (LV Forest) algorithm for the estimation of latent variable scores with one or more latent variables. LV Forest estimates unbiased latent variable scores based on "confirmatory factor analysis" (CFA) models with ordinal and/or numerical response variables. Through parametric model restrictions paired with a nonparametric tree-based machine learning approach, LV Forest estimates latent variable scores using models that are unbiased with respect to relevant subgroups in the population. This way, estimated latent variable scores are interpretable with respect to systematic influences of covariates without being biased by these variables. By building a tree ensemble, LV Forest takes parameter heterogeneity in latent variable modeling into account to capture subgroups with both good model fit and stable parameter estimates. We apply LV Forest to simulated data with heterogeneous model parameters as well as to real large-scale survey data. We show that LV Forest improves the accuracy of score estimation if parameter heterogeneity is present.

Objective, quantitative measures of caregiver-child interaction during play are needed to complement caregiver or examiner ratings for clinical assessment and tracking intervention responses. In this exploratory study, we examined the feasibility of using automated video tracking, Noldus EthoVision XT, to measure 159 2-to-7-year-old autistic children's patterns of movement during play-based, caregiver-child interactions and examined their associations with standard clinical measures and human observational coding of caregiver-child joint engagement. Results revealed that autistic children who exhibited higher durations and velocity of movement were, on average, younger, had lower cognitive abilities, greater autism-related features, spent less time attending to the caregiver, and showed lower levels of joint engagement. After adjusting for age and nonverbal cognitive abilities, we found that children who remained in close proximity to their caregiver were more likely to engage in joint engagement that required support from the caregiver. These findings suggest that video tracking offers promise as a scalable, quantitative, and relevant measure of autism-related behaviors.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms affect 40-60% of autistic children and have been linked to differences in adaptive behavior. It is unclear whether adaptive behavior in autistic youth is directly impacted by co-occurring ADHD symptoms or by another associated feature of both autism and ADHD, such as increased irritability. The current study examined relationships between irritability, ADHD symptoms, and adaptive behavior in 3- to 7-year-old autistic children. Results suggest that, after adjusting for co-occurring ADHD symptoms, higher levels of irritability are associated with differences in social adaptive behavior specifically. Understanding relationships between irritability, ADHD, and adaptive behavior in autistic children is critical because measures of adaptive behavior, such as the Vineland Scales of Adaptive Functioning, are often used as a proxy for global functioning, as well as for developing intervention plans and measuring outcomes as primary endpoints in clinical trials.

We report preliminary results of computer vision analysis of caregiver-child interactions during free play with children diagnosed with autism (N = 29, 41-91 months), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD, N = 22, 48-100 months), or combined autism + ADHD (N = 20, 56-98 months), and neurotypical children (NT, N = 7, 55-95 months). We conducted micro-analytic analysis of 'reaching to a toy,' as a proxy for initiating or responding to a toy play bout. Dyadic analysis revealed two clusters of interaction patterns, which differed in frequency of 'reaching to a toy' and caregivers' contingent responding to the child's reach for a toy by also reaching for a toy. Children in dyads with higher caregiver responsiveness had less developed language, communication, and socialization skills. Clusters were not associated with diagnostic groups. These results hold promise for automated methods of characterizing caregiver responsiveness in dyadic interactions for assessment and outcome monitoring in clinical trials.

Addressing human-made environmental problems such as deforestation is an ongoing educational challenge. Promising educational approaches include cooperative decision-making and attempt via a high level of motivation to promote pro-environmental behaviors. Knowledge about the forest ecosystem, including its threats, is supposed to strengthen responsibilities and individual behavioral preferences. The "Save the Forests!" module engages students in hands-on learning activities under the frame of an educational Escape Game (Edu Breakout). Based on nine workstations, it includes various cooperative activities focusing on the forest ecosystem, its ecosystem services, and common tree species. Students realize advantages of recycling, gain insight into paper production and associated resource consumption, compare eco-labels for sustainable paper products, and reflect on consumer decisions. Additionally, the students learn about habitat situations after clear-cutting, forest fires, or storm damages (succession), including strategies for dealing with deadwood based on scientific data. Besides experiments and challenging tasks, students learn about the ecological footprint and greenwashing by clarifying often-used terms in sustainability contexts. In an accompanied quantitative study approach, students participating in the learning module significantly increased their knowledge scores in a pre-post comparison (n = 135, p < 0.001, d = 0.58).

In 2018 we published a chapter entitled "Middle Grades Schools and Structures" (Ellerbrock et al., 2018a) in "Literature Reviews in Support of the Middle Level Education Research Agenda" (Mertens et al., 2013). Building on the earlier work of Ellerbrock et al. (2018a), this chapter reviewed literature between 2000 and 2018 that reported on the organizational structures of middle level education settings in the United States of America and Australia. Though the findings highlighted the dearth of research specifically examining the organizational structures of middle level education, the literature examined supported the original three key interconnected themes of "people," "place," and "time" (Ellerbrock et al., 2018b) as being key features necessary for the implementation of effective middle schooling practices. In our conclusion, we called for more robust research in this area to guide policy and enact practices across different jurisdictions. At the same time, Bishop and Nagle (2018) noted the many increasing disparities in access to quality education and invited readers to consider how schools can serve all students both equitably and well. Equitable access is first and foremost, but equitable outcomes for all students is paramount. At the time of publication of all of these works, no one could have predicted the significant negative impact of COVID-19 and the resultant exacerbation of the already challenging inequities in education across the globe. However, research over the last five years, and particularly since 2020, has placed a greater focus on policy, system, and grassroots pedagogical changes to bridge this widening gap. In light of this heightened focus, this essay aims to reexamine the three key themes of "people," "place," and "time" and, when implemented with integrity, the ways middle grades schools and structures can contribute to creating both developmentally responsive and equitable educational experiences for young adolescent learners.

Observers' memory for a person's appearance can be compromised by the presence of a weapon, a phenomenon known as the weapon-focus effect (WFE). According to the unusual-item hypothesis, attention shifts from the perpetrator to the weapon because a weapon is an unusual object in many contexts. To test this assumption, we monitored participants' eye movements while they watched a mock-crime video. The video was presented with sound and featured a female perpetrator holding either a weapon, a non-threatening unusual object, or a neutral object. Contrary to the predictions of current theories, there were no significant differences in total viewing times for the three objects. For the perpetrator, total viewing time was reduced when she held the non-threatening unusual object, but not when she held the weapon. However, weapon presence led to an attentional shift from the perpetrator's face toward her body. Detailed time-course analyses revealed that the effects of object type were more pronounced during early scene viewing. Thus, our results do not support the idea of extended attentional shifts from the perpetrator toward the unusual objects, but instead suggest more complex attentional effects. Contrary to previous research, memory for the perpetrator's appearance was not affected by object type. Thus, there was no WFE. An additional online experiment using the same videos and methodology produced a WFE, but this effect disappeared when the videos were presented without sound.

The present study investigates the effect of pre-service teachers' cognitive abilities and personality traits on graduation and teacher self-efficacy using data from the German National Education Panel Study (N = 5 520). Applying latent profile analysis, we found four different profiles of pre-service teachers based on high school grade point average, reading and maths achievement as well as the Big Five. Our results show that the profile with low cognitive abilities and low extraversion is negatively associated with graduation and teacher self-efficacy. Conversely, high cognitive abilities in combination with high extraversion are positively related to both aspects of university success. The findings provide novel evidence on the identification of at-risk students in teacher education and have implications on the selection of teacher candidates as well as targeted support offers.

Although automated spoken language assessment is rapidly growing, such systems have not been widely developed for signed languages. This study provides validity evidence for an automated web application that was developed to assess and give feedback on handshape and hand movement of L2 learners' Swiss German Sign Language signs. The study shows good machine-internal and human-machine agreement through many-facet Rasch analysis. Learner perceptions examined through questionnaire responses indicate that the automated system occasionally generated ratings which impacted the quality of feedback at the level of individual signs for individual learners. Implications are discussed from a learning-oriented assessment perspective.

In second language listening assessment and pedagogy, practitioners hold different views on whether to repeat a listening text in contexts where inferences about listening ability are to be drawn from task performance. To address this issue, we investigated the effects of repeating the listening text (double play) on listener performance, listening strategies, test-taking strategies, test-taking anxiety, and listening anxiety. Three hundred six Austrian secondary school students responded to four listening tasks drawn from the Austrian "Matura" exam and completed questionnaires measuring strategic behavior and anxiety in a counter-balanced research design. Data were analyzed using many-facet Rasch measurement (MFRM), factor analysis, and inferential statistics. Findings confirmed that double play led to higher levels of listener performance across two task types (multiple-choice items and note completion), however, scores were higher in the single play condition compared to the first play of double play. Students also reported lower levels of anxiety, and the use of more listening strategies and fewer test-taking strategies in double play compared to single play with small effect sizes. We discuss the importance of balancing an empirically derived understanding of the effects of repeating the listening text with considerations of the purpose of an assessment, and the characteristics of the target language use domain.

People living alone are often depicted as prone to social isolation and poor well-being. Since previous research largely focused on comparisons between the living arrangements of older adults, evidence on differences within middle-aged adults living alone remains sparse. The present study used a person-centered approach to allow for a comprehensive understanding of the heterogeneity of living alone in midlife. Middle-aged adults (N = 389; aged 35-60 years) reported on their personal networks, personality, and well-being and completed diaries on daily network interactions. Using latent class analysis, we constructed a network typology and examined differences in social motives, well-being, daily interaction quantity, and daily relationship quality. We found four structural network types: Individuals with diverse networks (highest in size, contact, proximity, and heterogeneity) felt less lonely than individuals with restricted (lowest in size, contact, proximity, and heterogeneity) or loose-knit networks (low in contact). Individuals with loose-knit networks reported poorer well-being than those in diverse or partner-focused networks (all partnered). We found little support for differences in social motives. All network types differed in daily interaction quantity but did not differ in daily relationship quality. The study highlights the heterogeneity of personal networks in middle-aged adults living alone. Possible implications for the social embeddedness and psychological adaptation of people living alone in midlife are discussed.

Homesick disposition, an individual's expectation about becoming homesick in the future, has been identified as an important predictor of homesickness. Homesick disposition can be detected and measured even before the separation from home has taken place, making it particularly relevant to understanding feelings and perceptions of rural school students who have yet to relocate and transition to university. A timely detection of homesickness may facilitate prevention strategies for students to feel more confident about going to university. Based on the theory of homesickness, this study uses a quantitative approach with a sample of 620 Australian rural students to examine the relationship between homesick disposition and some factors that have been discussed as its likely predictors in rural students, such as perceptions of control over the decision of transitioning to university, the levels of information managed about university, and the support students perceive they have from their social capital. Results show that rural students' levels of perceptions of control and social capital are important predictors of homesick disposition.

Bilingual education could solve many challenges introduced by an increasingly internationalised education system. Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), in particular, may equip students with the necessary cultural and communicative skills to succeed in today's academic environment. However, it is not yet clear how CLIL can be employed effectively in short-term educational contexts where full-term bilingual programmes are not feasible. We designed and assessed a one-day CLIL module for ninth graders at our university's gene-technology lab. The assessment of our module with 252 grammar school students indicates that a CLIL module does not achieve the same learning success as an equivalent non-CLIL module. Even with additional language scaffolding material, full access to online dictionaries, and the availability of crucial workbook passages in their native language, CLIL students could not achieve the same short-term content learning success. We consequently argue that more attention should be paid to the inherent trade-off between language and content learning when carrying out short-term CLIL programmes. Moreover, we caution against using only content and language scaffolding to mediate this trade-off.

Intelligence and personality are both key drivers of learning. This study extends prior research on intelligence and personality by adopting a behavioral-process-related eye-tracking approach. We tested 182 adults on fluid intelligence and the Big Five personality traits. Eye-tracking information (gaze patterns) was recorded while participants completed the intelligence test. Machine learning models showed that personality explained 3.18% of the variance in intelligence test scores, with Openness and, surprisingly, Agreeableness most meaningfully contributing to the prediction. Facet-level measures of personality explained a larger amount of variance (7.67%) in intelligence test scores than the trait-level measures, with the largest coefficients obtained for Ideas and Values (Openness) and Compliance and Trust (Agreeableness). Gaze patterns explained a substantial amount of variance in intelligence test performance (35.91%). Gaze patterns were unrelated to the Big Five personality traits, but some of the facets (especially Self-Consciousness from Neuroticism and Assertiveness from Extraversion) were related to gaze. Gaze patterns reflected the test-solving strategies described in the literature (constructive matching, response elimination) to some extent. A combined feature vector consisting of gaze-based predictions and personality traits explained 37.50% of the variance in intelligence test performance, with significant unique contributions from both personality and gaze patterns. A model that included personality facets and gaze explained 38.02% of the variance in intelligence test performance. Although behavioral data thus clearly outperformed "traditional" psychological measures (Big Five personality) in predicting intelligence test performance, our results also underscore the independent contributions of personality and gaze patterns in predicting intelligence test performance.

Management educators have developed a wide variety of approaches to ensure students develop job-ready skills, resilience, and other forms of career capital to gain and retain employment in an ever-changing, competitive job market. Yet, concerns about the employability agenda's consequences for students' self-concept and wellbeing have gained urgency amid a crisis of confidence in capitalism. Humanistic approaches to management education map an alternative path, starting from students' unique values, voices, and experiences, and leading to the pursuit of a personal purpose. In this essay, we explore the tensions and potential synergies of the career capital and personal purpose approaches to career preparation and support. Building on our experiences at the University of Melbourne's Faculty of Business and Economics, we discuss how integrative learning experiences can combine these two approaches to (1) encourage students to recognize the mutual influence of career capital and personal purpose; and (2) provide rich opportunities for external stakeholder involvement to contribute to students' career capital and personal purpose development efforts. We believe that our proposals for embracing both career capital and personal purpose considerations can help management educators recalibrate their efforts to help students develop personally meaningful and sustainable careers.

Although it has been found that autistic children exhibit delays in executive function abilities and atypical patterns of attention, less is known about the relationship between executive function and attention abilities and social and language skills in early childhood. In this study, 180 autistic children, age 2-8 years, participated in a study examining the relationship between executive function abilities, measured by the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, and assessments of sustained attention measured via eye-tracking and several language and social communication measures. Results revealed that children with higher caregiver-reported executive function skills, specifically, working memory and planning/organization abilities, demonstrated higher levels of caregiver-reported receptive-expressive social communication abilities measured via the Pervasive Developmental Disorder Behavior Inventory. Higher executive function abilities across all domains were associated with lower levels of social pragmatic problems. Children who were able to sustain their attention for a longer duration demonstrated higher expressive language abilities. These results suggest that executive function and attention skills may play an important role in multiple domains of functioning in autistic children. It will be useful to determine whether therapies that seek to improve executive function skills in autistic individuals also positively influence their social/communication and language abilities.

Ageism in today's job market has a range of detrimental emotional, psychological, and economic impacts on older job seekers aged 50-83. Even as such job seekers "de-age" their professional documents and online profiles, they still navigate misperceptions about older workers that disadvantage them in the recruitment and hiring process. While anecdotal evidence raises concerns about older job seekers' equitable access to employment, empirical evidence documenting the impacts of ageism on this population remains limited, thus impeding the efficacy of their support systems. This article reports on progress from the qualitative case study that I designed for my CPED-informed Problem of Practice Dissertation that captured data from 30 job seekers, aged 50-83, through one-on-one interviews, focus groups, and questionnaires. This article offers preliminary findings from this research, documenting the negative financial, emotional, psychological, and physical effects of navigating persistent ageism for older job seekers.

Although teachers are key figures of a program's effectiveness, most intervention studies to date have not explored how anti-bullying programs are associated with changes at teacher level. Moreover, teacher data also informs about aspects of program implementation, which are essential in program evaluations. Therefore, the aim of this study was to gain insight into the perspectives of teachers working with the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP). A scientific evaluation of the OBPP was carried out in 21 German schools. In addition to annual student surveys, regular teacher surveys were conducted. Ordered logistic regressions and linear regressions were used to estimate the variables. As we expected a dosage-response effect, we divided the schools by level of implementation (non-completer, completer, and certified Olweus schools). At baseline, 615 teachers took part in the assessment (68.26%), and 388 teachers at postline 2 years later (47.32%). A positive change in teachers' intention to intervene in bullying could be found across all schools (p < 0.001), which was only significant for completer (p < 0.001) and certified schools (p = .004) when differentiated by implementation level. Teachers' level of job strain did not change at all (non-significant model fit), while an improvement in school climate only emerged for certified schools (p = .003). The moderating effect of the implementation level turned out to be independent of different school characteristics. The self-reported changes at the teacher level depended on the level of program implementation. Therefore, it is essential to record data about the intensity of program activities when evaluating a program.

"Sexting" (electronic transmission of sexual pictures/messages) among early adolescents is associated with early sexual activity, a marker of increased sexual risk. The current study is a secondary analysis that examined the longitudinal relationship between sexting and first-time sex among a sample of early adolescents deemed "at risk" due to behavioral or emotional problems. Adolescents participated in a longitudinal sexual risk prevention trial and completed questionnaires assessing demographics, unsupervised peer time, mental health, and participation in sexting, oral sex, and penetrative sex (vaginal/anal). Analyses included 343 early adolescents (M[subscript age] = 12.89, 51% female, 77% racial/ethnic minority) with no history of oral or penetrative sex. Those who reported sexting at baseline were more likely to report first-time oral and/or penetrative sex by the 1-year follow-up. Exploratory analyses revealed that sexting predicted those who had engaged in both oral and penetrative sex. These findings highlight the need to address sexting in risk prevention.

Most autism research has been conducted in high-income countries, with participants typically from White, upper-middle-income families. Given the disparities experienced by autistic individuals living in underserved communities globally, there is a critical need for research to include individuals from culturally, linguistically, socioeconomically, and geographically diverse backgrounds to understand their unique needs. Qualitative research has the potential to describe the "lived experience" of families historically underrepresented in the autism literature. Here we describe the logistical and methodological challenges of conducting focus group discussions with 22 caregivers of young autistic children living in Cape Town, South Africa. Logistical challenges included (1) recruitment, (2) response rate, and (3) resource access. Methodological challenges included (1) participant background and experiences, (2) interpersonal dynamics, and (3) research ethics. We present recommendations based on lessons learned to reduce these challenges and improve rigorous qualitative research practices in similar low-resource contexts.

Literature has widely explored the learning processes with information and communication technology (ICT) in later life, mostly focusing on the individual learner rather than materialities--such as smartphones, notepads, and handouts. The aim of this paper is to introduce a socio-material perspective by focusing on the question: What role do materialities play in digital learning processes in later life? This paper draws upon a situation analysis of data from a qualitative multi-perspective study. Researchers conducted participatory observations of five ICT courses for older adults in Austria and semi-structured interviews with seven trainers and nine older participants (61-81 years). By identifying three social worlds (digital devices, education, and participants' everyday lives), the findings show how ICT-learning processes are embedded in the everyday lives of older adults and include not only digital, but also everyday materialities, such as pens, paper and books. These material convoys of digital learning in later life are vital in facilitating successful technology appropriation in later life.

Using a sample of women natural sciences and engineering (NSE) faculty members from 13 Canadian universities, we investigated the impact of women academic leaders on women professors' perceptions of gender bias. Logistic regression analyses indicated that professors who perceived more workplace gender bias were more likely to feel that they needed to work harder to be seen as legitimate scholars than those who perceived less gender bias. However, professors who perceived that women were better represented amongst their faculty/college and university leadership were significantly less likely to feel that they needed to work harder for legitimacy than those who perceived greater gender bias in leadership. These results suggest that addressing gendered university hierarchies may moderate the impact of gender bias on women in NSE units.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors influencing the licensure examination performance of Radiologic Technology (RT) graduates in a private higher education institution (HEI) in Northern Mindanao, Philippines. A retrospective study was conducted in which the academic records of 181 RT graduates in HEI under study who took the licensure examination during the 2015-2019 period, were analyzed. Nine academic and non-academic factors were examined, and their impact on the licensure examination performance was tested using simple and multiple linear regression analyses. Results revealed that Student Internship Grade (SIG), College Admission Test (CAT), and Terminal Competency Assessment (TCA) scores were the significant factors affecting the licensure examination performance of the RT graduates. This study concludes the need for the administrators and educators of HEI under study to be aware of the role that SIG, CAT, and TCA play in the licensure examination. These factors should be included in the college admission and retention policies, as well as in the formulation of education intervention programs, in order to improve RT graduates' performance in the licensure examination.

Research suggests that children suffering from different types of disorders (learning disorders, behavioral disorders, or intellectual disabilities) are sometimes evaluated differently simply due to the presence of a diagnostic label. We conducted a multilevel meta-analysis of experimental studies (based on data from 8,295 participants and on 284 effects nested in 60 experiments) to examine the magnitude and robustness of such label effects and to explore the impact of potential moderators (type of evaluation, diagnostic category, expertise, student's gender, and amount and type of information). We found a moderately negative overall label effect (Hedges' g = -0.42), which was robust across several types of evaluation, different samples, and different diagnostic categories. There was no indication that expertise and the gender of the child moderated the effect. Presenting participants with only a label yielded the strongest negative effect of g = -1.26, suggesting that the effect was dependent on the amount of information being presented to participants. We conclude that labeling a child can exacerbate negative academic evaluations, behavioral evaluations, evaluations of personality, and overall assessments of the child. Further implications for theory and future research are discussed.

In the context of medical device training, e-Learning can address problems like unstandardized content and different learning paces. However, staff and students value hands-on activities during medical device training. In a blended learning approach, we examined whether using a syringe pump while conducting an e-Learning program improves the procedural skills needed to operate the pump compared to using the e-Learning program only. In two experiments, the e-Learning only group learned using only the e-Learning program. The e-Learning + hands-on group was instructed to use a syringe pump during the e-Learning to repeat the presented content (section "Experiment 1") or to alternate between learning on the e-Learning program and applying the learned content using the pump (section "Experiment 2"). We conducted a skills test, a knowledge test, and assessed confidence in using the pump immediately after learning and two weeks later. Simply repeating the content (section "Experiment 1") did not improve performance of e-Learning + hands-on compared with e-Learning only. The instructed learning process (section "Experiment 1") resulted in significantly better skills test performance for e-Learning + hands-on compared to the e-Learning only. Only a structured learning process based on multi-media learning principles and memory research improved procedural skills in relation to operating a medical device.

At the end of compulsory schooling, young people face an important transition: they have to decide whether to pursue either further schooling or vocational training. Choices are crucial phenomena in transitions: they are based on what a person considers to be options and follow preferences shaped by their social position and context. Using a qualitative longitudinal interview approach, we explore the development of educational and occupational orientations from the last year of compulsory schooling through the two years after in Vienna, Austria. We subsequently develop a typology of young people's orientation processes over time: 'Determined', 'resigning', 'step-by-step aspiring' and 'drifting'. Taking the perspectives of young people seriously, we gain an understanding of thoughts, ideas and worries during this transitional phase. We also learn about institutional and social constraints and the resources that shape the orientation process and related patterns in time.

Learning intervention based on a "Mars and Space" exhibition was designed according to STEAM-education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) principles and practices in order to bridge the gap between formal and informal learning. The cognitive learning of 12-year-old students in Finland ("N" = 306) showed a sustained level for a six months period. The results of this study provided evidence that situational motivation was enhanced by interest in school science in the STEAM science exhibition context. This led to better cognitive learning results in the post-knowledge test. Thus, interest and situational motivation were the first steps, and the superficial situational motivation seemed to successfully change into content-based intrinsic motivation with longer-lasting, deep learning outcomes. STEAM intervention apparently produced long-term learning, and this exhibition learning setting is shown to provide an appropriate platform to reach the deeper layers to successfully retain knowledge. Boys' scores rose even in the delayed test. Using structural equation modelling (SEM) to assess the effects on individual, motivational and situational interest in learning, situation motivation is shown to work as a catalyst and acting as a catalyst and also acted as a stepping stone for intrinsic motivation as part of relative autonomy (RAI) and a deep learning strategy.

Anatomical dissection is known to serve as an integral tool in teaching gross anatomy, including postgraduate training. A variety of embalming techniques exist, resulting in different haptic and optical tissue properties. This study aimed to objectify learning outcomes and medical student perceptions related to the use of two widely used embalming techniques, namely Thiel and ethanol-glycerin embalming. Between 2020 and 2022, first- and second-year medical students enrolled in the course on topographic anatomy participated in this study. Objective structured practical examinations were carried out for the head, neck, thorax, abdomen, pelvis, and extremity regions following regional dissection just before the oral examinations began. Six to ten numbered tags were marked in prosections of each region in Thiel- and ethanol-glycerin-embalmed specimens. Following the examinations, the students were surveyed regarding the suitability of the two embalming techniques with respect to preservation, colorfastness, tissue pliability, and the suitability in preparing for their anatomy examinations. Consistently higher scores were achieved for the thoracic and abdominal regions in ethanol-glycerin-embalmed specimens when compared to Thiel. No benefit was found for Thiel-embalmed upper or lower extremities. Tissues embalmed with ethanol-glycerin were rated higher for preservation and suitability to achieve the learning objectives, tissue pliability was rated higher for Thiel-embalmed tissues. Ethanol-glycerin embalming appears to offer certain advantages for undergraduate students in recognizing visceral structures, which may align with students' ideas on tissue suitability for their learning. Consequently, the benefits reported for Thiel embalming for postgraduate study unlikely reflect its suitability for novices.

A small but growing body of research confirms that people in the LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other identities) community are among those underrepresented in STEM (science, technology engineering, and math). This is concerning because diversity and inclusion improves science for all. In response, Canadian institutions have developed initiatives aimed to address issues in which LGBTQ+ students disproportionately leave STEM fields. LGBTQ+ postdoctoral scholars (postdocs) are of particular interest because they have developed clear professional and LGBTQ+ identities, they are significant contributors to their fields, and they work at the intersection of STEM students and faculty. Studies have highlighted poor job satisfaction and career opportunities for this group. This qualitative study explored the values, beliefs, and experiences of 14 Canadian LGBQ+ postdocs in STEM through semi-structured interviews about coming out, experiences of LGBQ+ mentorship/representation, and their beliefs on staying within science and academia. Interview data was analyzed thematically from a post-structural perspective. Main themes emerged: (1) coming out, (2) representation, and (3) mentorship. This exploratory qualitative study offers insight into how the experiences of this understudied group are helpful in disentangling discourses surrounding coming out, representation, and mentorship for LGBQ+ researchers in STEM.

Autistic children's play provides insights into social, communication, and other skills; however, methods for measuring these observations can be labor-intensive and rely on subjective judgment. This study explored whether children's movement and location during play measured via automated video tracking correlates with clinical features. Movement tracking metrics of 164 autistic children (27-96 months old) during free play were analyzed in relation to standard assessments of cognitive, language, social-communication, and adaptive skills. Children with higher cognitive and language abilities were more likely to spend time in the center toy region and more slowly or never approached the region without toys. Children with higher autism-related features spent less time in the center. Children with lower daily living skills spent more time near the caregiver and those with lower overall adaptive and language skills approached the caregiver more quickly. Over 90% of autistic children representing a range of ages and skills provided analyzable movement data during play and those with higher cognitive, language, and adaptive skills displayed movement tracking patterns that reflect more sustained focus on toy play and independence from the caregiver. Results suggest that automated movement tracking is a promising complementary, objective method for assessing clinical variation during autistic children's play.

Entertainment games have traditionally been articulated as leisure. However, they have also been used in the work context, in the form of serious games or gamification. In this qualitative research, we aimed to investigate the purpose of games used in the work context. To accomplish this, we conducted six semi-structured interviews and analyzed the discourses of the heads of the companies that produce serious games or gamification projects for work environments. Based on these statements, we assessed the views of the work context, the workers, and the projects the companies produce. We found that games have acquired different purposes, such as employee control to increase organizational results or enhance workers' happiness and wellbeing. Although these purposes seemed to stand out in all the analyzed speeches, several other different purposes emerged, according to the conditions of entry into the market and the type of projects produced.

There is much anecdotal evidence of the benefits of fieldwork, but a small amount of research has been carried out on the value of fieldwork for student learning. Existing studies have focused on analysing fieldwork in mostly disciplinary and national contexts and the effects of interdisciplinary fieldwork on student learning have not been fully analysed. This paper aims to fill this gap by providing empirical evidence of the impact interdisciplinarity and internationality have on student learning while carrying out fieldwork. The case study consists of three field courses in Portugal in which biology, geography and geology students from Germany and Portugal took part. Based on a group interview with twelve students, their experiences, perceived learning outcomes and overall success of the fieldwork are evaluated. The results support the initial assumptions that interdisciplinary and international fieldwork adds value above and beyond the traditional field experience, and has a positive effect on the learning experience of the students. The students agree they have learned to better define their own study field and the interconnections with other disciplines. They also reported improved communication skills and methodological abilities and now feel better prepared to meet academic challenges and careers beyond campus.

This study is a follow-up to previous research conducted in 2012 on computer-assisted language testing (CALT) that applied a survey approach to investigate the use of technology in sign language testing worldwide. The goal of the current study was to replicate the 2012 study and to obtain updated information on the use of technology in sign language testing. Another goal was to broaden the scope of the previous study by also considering the use of automatic sign language recognition and production (by avatars) in applied testing scenarios through technologies that make use of artificial intelligence (AI). Thirty-two sign language testing professionals participated in the current study. The results of the survey confirm the findings from 2012, but also raise new issues for future research (trends) related to sign language testing, such as the use of automatic sign language recognition for automatic scoring and the problem of acquiring funding for developing and maintaining web-based sign language testing platforms.

Technological approaches deploying three-dimensional visualization to integrate virtual anatomy are increasingly used to provide medical students with state-of-the-art teaching. It is unclear to date to which extent virtual anatomy may help replace the dissection course. Medical students of Johannes Kepler University attend both a dissection and a virtual anatomy course. This virtual anatomy course is based on Cinematic Rendering and radiological imaging and teaches anatomy and pathology. This study aims to substantiate student benefits achieved from this merged teaching approach. Following their dissection course, 120 second-year students took part in objective structured practical examinations (OSPE) conducted on human specimens prior to and following a course on Cinematic Rendering virtual anatomy. Likert-based and open-ended surveys were conducted to evaluate student perceptions of both courses and their utility. Virtual anatomy teaching was found to be unrelated to improvements in student's ability to identify anatomical structures in anatomical prosections, yielding only a 1.5% increase in the OSPE score. While the students rated the dissection course as being more important and impactful, the virtual anatomy course helped them display the learning content in a more comprehensible and clinically applicable way. It is likely that Cinematic Rendering-based virtual anatomy affects knowledge gain in domains other than the recognition of anatomical structures in anatomical prosections. These findings underline students' preference for the pedagogic strategy of the dissection course and for blending this classical approach with novel developments like Cinematic Rendering, thus preparing future doctors for their clinical work.

The article presents findings from a Czech environmental literacy survey conducted in 2020 on a sample of 6th (N = 3773), 8th (N = 21518), and 9th graders (N = 4368). Specifically, the effect of environmental and sustainability education (ESE) as well as the effect of gender and age on environmental knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, place attachment, locus of control and behavior were analyzed with regard to teaching strategies. The analyses revealed significant differences between respondents who participate in residential outdoor environmental education programs, those who were involved in a school eco-club or a nature-oriented non-formal-education youth clubs compared to those not involved in these activities. In addition, the perceived holistic, emancipatory, and community-based ESE approaches were among the significant predictors of environmental literacy. The findings support the relevance of the ESE strategies examined in shaping environmental literacy of young students. Older students and boys showed a lower level of pro-environmental values and behavior.

Efficient waste management is a major prerequisite for reaching sustainability as every one of us produces waste. Thus, educational interventions need to offer promising assistance to reduce individual waste as much as possible to promote environmentally friendly behavior beyond stereotypical notions about waste disposal. Those who know about all facts and circumstances are more likely to correct their behavior. Our hands-on module for fifth graders was designed and implemented to support "4R": Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recover, by retracing waste's usual journey from collection management to incineration plants. The first module focused on minimizing waste by recycling, reusing and reducing it. The remaining waste was the second module's core, which explained the waste-to-energy path using an age-appropriate functional model of how to effectively generate energy from waste. Both modules are suitable for outreach (informal) implementation as well as for formal classroom learning. The third module comprised either an onsite visit to an incineration plant or a classroom multimedia presentation. A total of 276 fifth graders participated in our three-module implementation study, completing three questionnaire cycles: two weeks before the intervention, immediately after and six weeks later. A subsequent analysis showed a clear pattern: knowledge scores increased immediately after participation and remained constant for at least six weeks. Surprisingly, no significant difference between the multimedia and outreach group appeared. When applying a semantic differential, two response pattern factors, "Relevance" and "Interest", showed significant intercorrelations, as well as positive correlations with knowledge scores. In consequence, learning about waste management matters, and produces short- and long-term effects.

Many current curricula, in going beyond traditional goals, increasingly foster creativity in science classrooms, declaring creativity a core skill of the 21st century. For enhancing creativity in science classrooms, the subject Arts is considered to offer a potential way from STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) to STEAM (STEM with Arts)). The Horizont-2020 project Creations prepared more than 100 creativity-enhancing STEAM modules based on the 5E instructional model. STEM subjects were mathematics, biology, physics, chemistry or technology, and often interdisciplinary for different school and class levels between the ages of nine and nineteen. All modules provided a social environment fostering creativity where students imagine, explore, experiment, test, manipulate, and speculate. Exemplarily, five modules including physics, math, and biology, were selected, for monitoring motivation and creativity. The first was measured on the level of career-motivation and self-efficacy, the latter focused on two sub-constructs: active cognition such as idea processing (ACT), and a mental state of creative immersion (FLOW). Subjects were a sample of 995 students (9-18 years). In summary, no gender impact or age effect appeared in any of the monitored variables. Participation intervened with Self-Efficacy and ACT, while Career Motivation or FLOW did not. Act as a cognitive variable associated with creativity might be more sensitive to changes, whereas Flow as a parameter measuring a state of mind related to emotion appears more stable. Path analysis supported the role of creativity for Career-Motivation by promoting Self-Efficacy. Conclusions for appropriate educational settings to foster STEAM environments are discussed.

Based on classroom management fostering autonomy support and intrinsic motivation, this study examines effects of reciprocal peer-monitoring of learning behaviours on cognitive and affective outcomes. Within our study, 470 German secondary school students between 13 and 16 years of age participated in a multimodal hands- and minds-on exhibition focusing on renewable resources. Three groups were separated and monitored via a pre-post-follow up questionnaire: the first conducted peer-monitoring with the performance of specific roles to manage students' learning behaviours, the second accomplished a self-monitoring strategy, while the third group did not visit the exhibition. In contrast to the latter control group, both treatment groups produced a high increase in short- and long-term knowledge achievement. The peer-monitored group scored higher in cognitive learning outcomes than the self-monitored group did. Interestingly, the perceived level of choice did not differ between both treatment groups, whereas peer-monitoring increased students' perceived competence and simultaneously reduced the perceived level of anxiety and boredom. Peer-monitoring realised with the performance of specific roles seems to keep students "on task" without lowering indicators for students' intrinsic motivation. Herewith, we are amongst the first to suggest peer-monitoring as a semi-formal learning approach to balance between teacher-controlled instruction and free-choice exploration.

Educational collaborative networks (ECNs), as instruments for achieving educational goals through the integration of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), have become frequent elements of public education worldwide. Despite their contribution of additional resources to the education enterprise, the roles of philanthropic foundations in ECNs are particularly controversial. Research suggests that leaders of ECNs such as policy makers, administrators, and school principals design and coordinate governance structures to guide participants' behaviour. However, the importance of governance design and coordination in ECNs for governing philanthropic roles is yet to be systematically analysed. This article centres on the relationship between the design and coordination of governance boards and role-related participation of philanthropic foundations. A mixed methods design is implemented based on secondary analysis of a German large-scale standardised survey and an in-depth case study conducted in a south German municipality. Results confirm that leaders of ECNs impact philanthropic engagement via the design and coordination of governance boards. Participation in ECNs can take on diverse roles of representing particular interests, pursuing innovation, or providing services and are explained by underlying governance-related mechanisms. Identified associations within governance boards and role-related participation of philanthropic foundations in ECNs offer valuable insights for leadership in education.

This paper argues that applied ethics can itself be morally problematic. As illustrated by the case of Peter Singer's criticism of social practice, morally loaded communication by applied ethicists can lead to protests, backlashes, and aggression. By reviewing the psychological literature on self-image, collective identity, and motivated reasoning three categories of morally problematic consequences of ethical criticism by applied ethicists are identified: serious psychological discomfort, moral backfiring, and hostile conflict. The most worrisome is moral backfiring: psychological research suggests that ethical criticism of people's central moral convictions can reinforce exactly those attitudes. Therefore, applied ethicists unintentionally can contribute to a consolidation of precisely those social circumstances that they condemn to be unethical. Furthermore, I argue that the normative concerns raised in this paper are not dependent on the commitment to one specific paradigm in moral philosophy. Utilitarianism, Aristotelian virtue ethics, and Rawlsian contractarianism all provide sound reasons to take morally problematic consequences of ethical criticism seriously. Only the case of deontological ethics is less clear-cut. Finally, I point out that the issues raised in this paper provide an excellent opportunity for further interdisciplinary collaboration between applied ethics and social sciences. I also propose strategies for communicating ethics effectively.

Prior eye-tracking studies involving autistic individuals have focused on total looking time or proportion of looking time to key regions of interest. These studies have not examined another important feature, the ability to sustain attention to stimuli. In particular, the ability to sustain attention to a dynamic social stimulus might reflect more advanced self-regulatory skills that may enhance engagement with and comprehension of social information. In a sample of 155 autistic children (2--8 years of age), we examined children's average look duration while they viewed a complex, dynamic stimulus containing both social and nonsocial elements. After accounting for children's age and intelligence quotient, we found that shorter average look duration was associated with increased autism spectrum disorder severity across multiple clinical measures. To calculate average look duration, we divided the length of total looking time in seconds by the total number of uninterrupted looks to the video media. Thus, the ability to sustain attention while viewing complex dynamic information could be important for comprehending dynamic social information.

Integrating creativity into science classes may pave the way to tapping complex scientific phenomena. Although not yet conclusively defined nor assessed using standardized measures, creativity is understood to support cognitive learning in formal and informal settings. However, the successful integration of creativity in educational modules depends on many factors. As our knowledge of how to identify these factors is still limited, teachers may have difficulties effectively monitoring and fostering creativity. Consequently, a valid means to measure creativity would help teachers to identify creativity and its influencing factors within the limited scope of science lessons. In the present study, we collected data from 538 Bavarian secondary school students (M ± SD = 16.96 ± 2.99; 65.4%, female) focussing on personality and creativity measures. Comparable to previous studies, two subscales for creativity were applied: "act," comprising conscious and adaptable cognitive processes, and "flow," describing a creative mental state of full immersion. Since personality is understood to be linked to creativity, we used the "Big Five" scale with its shortened item battery to assess personality. We found that personal characteristics such as "conscientiousness" and "flow," "openness" and "agreeableness," and "extraversion" and "neuroticism" were significantly correlated. Anticipated gender and age differences were only evident when extreme groups were compared: "age" influenced "act" in younger male students and "flow" in older female students. Drawing on the literature and our results, we suggest pedagogical approaches to provide opportunities for creativity in science classrooms.

As effective methods to foster students' understanding of scientific models in science education are needed, increased reflection on thinking about models is regarded as a relevant competence associated with scientific literacy. Our study focuses on the influence of model-based approaches (modeling vs. model viewing) in an out-of-school laboratory module on the students' understanding of scientific models. A mixed method design examines three subsections of the construct: (1) students' reasoning about multiple models in science, (2) students' understanding of models as exact replicas, and (3) students' understanding of the changing nature of models. There were 293 ninth graders from Bavarian grammar schools that participated in our hands-on module using creative model-based tasks. An open-ended test item evaluated the students' understanding of "multiple models" (MM). We defined five categories with a majority of students arguing that the individuality of DNA structure leads to various DNA models (modelers = 36.3%, model viewers = 41.1%). Additionally, when applying two subscales of the quantitative instrument Students' Understanding of Models in Science (SUMS) at three testing points (before, after, and delayed-after participation), a short- and mid-term decrease for the subscale "models as exact replicas" (ER) appeared, while mean scores increased short- and mid-term for the subscale "the changing nature of models" (CNM). Despite the lack of differences between the two approaches, a positive impact of model-based learning on students' understanding of scientific models was observed.

The aim of this study was to investigate sex similarities and differences in visuospatial and fluid abilities and IQ scores based on those abilities in children aged two to eight. Standardization data from the Snijders-Oomen Nonverbal Intelligence Test for Children aged 2-8 (SON-R 2-8) were used. A representative sample composed of 965 children from the Netherlands and 762 children from Germany was examined. Small but significant mean sex differences favoring girls were observed until age four. At ages six and seven, boys achieved similar cognitive development levels to girls regarding all abilities assessed and outperformed girls on the Mosaics subtest measuring visuospatial cognition. Boys also displayed higher variability rates in performance. The distribution of IQ scores, with the overrepresentation of girls scoring above mean and the overrepresentation of boys scoring below mean in early childhood, altered with age towards parity between the sexes. The results suggest that girls tend to mature earlier with respect to cognitive abilities. During the course of development, however, the differences between girls and boys may become negligible.

This chapter describes networking for education for sustainable development within the Austrian ECOLOG-schools network. It discusses theoretical concepts of Education for Sustainable Development and school development from an Austrian perspective, as well as networks in education in general and the organization of the ECOLOG-network in particular. Furthermore, the international Environment and School Initiatives (ENSI) network is described as an influential stimulus for the development of ECOLOG. Based upon these foundations, the concept and results of evaluation studies of ECOLOG-schools are described and reflected. The impact of ECOLOG on the developments in environmental education/education for sustainable development in Austria is described and reflected. The paper concludes with a summary of the evaluation process and with an outlook for the future development of the network.

How pre-service teachers (PST) develop components of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) is an open question. Theoretically based on PCK and combined with student education in our outreach lab, we implemented a role-change approach in PST education. After theoretical and practical preparation, the PSTs change from the student role, to the tutor role, to the teacher role, on three subsequent days. As PCK components, our approach shifted the PSTs' orientations toward teaching biology to a more student-centeredness. It also changed their views on student learning difficulties (SLD) and instructional strategies for avoiding those (Scharfenberg and Bogner 2016). Seventy-two PSTs and 1413 students (82 classes) participated in our replication study. As direct replication, we monitored PCK components in pre- and delayed posttests. As conceptual replication, we examined the PSTs' views on SLDs after practical preparation and after each role experienced, and observed their instructional changes (IC) as teachers. We content-analytically categorized and quantitatively analyzed the SLD statements and the ICs. Cluster-analytically, we compared the PSTs' SLD view pattern. We directly replicated all the 2016 study results. Conceptually replicating, the PSTs module-phase dependently changed their SLD views (averagely medium effects) and presented ICs. "Overall-oriented" PSTs (seeing both hands- and minds-on-related SLDs), "hands-on-oriented" and "minds-on-oriented" PSTs (one dominating SLD view, each) arose after experiencing the tutor role. The "overall-oriented" PSTs only shifted their orientation to more student-centeredness. Our replication confirms the step-wise development of PSTs' PCK. We discuss the relevance of the different module-phase-dependent experiences for science teacher education and future research.

E-learning opportunities have become an increasingly important component of university education. Various laboratory studies have shown that e-learning environments can meaningfully enhance learning by incorporating various interventions and design choices (e.g., providing feedback and scaffolds). However, many computer-based interventions have not yet been applied in authentic university courses, raising questions about whether and how the provision of certain forms of feedback works and scales in an applied context. In this paper, we addressed this research gap. Specifically, we investigated whether including an elaborative component (hints) in multiple-try feedback increases student learning in e-learning exercises in an undergraduate statistics course. In one exercise, after completing a statistical problem, one group received feedback that conveyed knowledge about the correct response, while the other group additionally received elaborative feedback in the form of hints. We conducted an experimental comparison of these two types of feedback with third-semester sociology students in the tutorial component of an introductory statistics course. The results show that additional feedback helps students perform better during the session and on a delayed test one week later. Implications for further research and the application of such e-learning environments in university settings are discussed.

Strategy educators have employed SWOT analysis for decades as a means of teaching strategy formulation to students. Despite this well-established practice, many scholars and practitioners have called for discontinuing it as a pedagogical tool for several reasons, including that traditional undergraduate students may lack the practical experience to employ SWOT correctly, the framework presents "messy" strategic problems as overly rational, or it represents as an ambiguous and/or atheoretical classification system. We suggest possible remedies for SWOT analysis problems that may help improve its usefulness and promote its continued use. After briefly reviewing its original formulation, current textbook descriptions, and frequent criticisms, we present a refined and enhanced SWOT framework, anchored in extant strategy research and learning theory. We then demonstrate the efficacy of this enhanced framework with examples and preliminary data. Our fundamental conclusion is that SWOT analysis, when properly employed, remains a useful overarching framework that, among other advantages, helps bridge the "theory versus practice" pedagogical debate on how best to teach strategy formulation.