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The purpose of this article is to report the development and implementation of a STEM teacher attraction intervention based on person-environment (and person-vocation) fit theory. Study 1 reports the administration of a 'realistic job preview' (RJP) intervention requiring participant responses, followed by experienced teacher feedback and a tailored fit message to 111 university students in STEM-related fields. Results showed a significant relationship between RJP performance and interest in a teaching career, even after controlling for prior career intentions. Study 2 reports the results from individual interviews with 14 university students studying STEM-related subjects on the factors contributing to career-decision making, especially regarding teaching as a career. The 16 codes were distilled into three themes: the role of personal reflection, critical influences on career decisions, and patterns of change. We conclude with suggestions for implementation of RJPs as a supplement to current attraction and recruitment approaches.

This integrative review aims to render a systematic account of the role that teachers' psychological characteristics, such as their motivation and personality, play for critical outcomes in terms of teacher effectiveness, teachers' well-being, retention, and positive interpersonal relations with multiple stakeholders (e.g., students, parents, principals, colleagues). We first summarize and evaluate the available evidence on relations between psychological characteristics and these outcomes derived in existing research syntheses (meta-analyses, systematic reviews). We then discuss implications of the findings regarding the eight identified psychological characteristics--self-efficacy, causal attributions, expectations, personality, enthusiasm, emotional intelligence, emotional labor, and mindfulness--for research and educational practice. In terms of practical recommendations, we focus on teacher selection and the design of future professional development activities as areas that particularly profit from a profound understanding of the relative importance of different psychological teacher characteristics in facilitating adaptive outcomes.

While personal performance-approach goals (PAp goals) have already been successfully bifurcated into normative and appearance PAp goals, the same distinction has not yet been applied to performance-approach goal structures (PAp goal structures). The present study therefore aimed to (a) test the factorial two-level structure of PAp goal structures to establish whether a distinction between normative and appearance components is empirically supported, and (b) explore relations to achievement and approach-oriented achievement goals (mastery-approach goals, normative and appearance personal PAp goals). This study relied on a sample of 1,004 secondary school students (53.38% females, 49 classes). Results from multilevel confirmatory factor analyses revealed that a model with two separate normative and appearance PAp goal structure factors on the individual student level, and one overall PAp goal structure factor on the classroom level fit the data best. On the individual student level, normative PAp goal structures positively predicted achievement, whereas appearance PAp goal structures negatively predicted achievement. Each PAp goal structure type showed the strongest relation to the matching personal PAp goal, but no relations to mastery-approach goals were found. On the classroom level, the high associations between the overall PAp goal structure and personal PAp goals raised concerns on their empirical distinctiveness.

Background: Situational judgement tests (SJTs) measure non-cognitive attributes and have recently drawn attention as a selection method for initial teacher education programmes. To date, very little is known about adverse impact in teacher selection SJT performance. Aims: This study aimed to shed light on adverse effects of gender, ethnicity, and socio-economic status (SES) on SJT scores, by exploring both main effects and interactions, and considering both overall SJT performance and separate SJT domain scores (mindset, emotion regulation, and conscientiousness). Sample: A total of 2,808 prospective teachers from the United Kingdom completed the SJTs as part of the initial stage of selection into a teacher education programme. Methods: In addition to SJT scores, the variables gender (female vs. male), ethnicity (majority group vs. minority group), and home SES background (higher SES status vs. lower SES status) were used in the analyses. Regression models and moderated regression models were employed. Results and conclusions: Results from the regression models revealed that gender effects (females scoring higher than males) were restricted to emotion regulation, while ethnicity effects (ethnic majority group members scoring higher than ethnic minority group members) emerged for SJT overall scores and all three domains. Moderated regression modelling results furthermore showed significant interactions (gender and ethnicity) for SJT overall scores and two domains. Considering the importance of reducing subgroup differences in selection test scores to ensure equal access to teacher education, this study's findings are a critical contribution. The partially differentiated results for overall vs. domain-specific scores point towards the promise of applying a domain-level perspective in research on teacher selection SJTs.

Recent years have witnessed a burgeoning interest in the study of teacher motivation. Although links between teacher motivation and teacher well-being, commitment to the profession, and other teacher-related outcomes are well-documented, prior research on associations between teacher motivation and student outcomes has been less consistent. This article focuses on teacher motivation as situated within two prominent frameworks: self-determination theory and achievement goal theory. First, two systematic reviews of research on self-determination theory and achievement goal theory are conducted to examine whether, when, how, and why teachers' motivation may influence--or at least relate to--which student outcomes. The processes by which teacher motivation is associated with student outcomes, such as via specific instructional strategies, are also taken into account. Second, the question of why research on teacher motivation often fails to find consistent effects on student outcomes is considered, including where in the complex chain of events from teacher motivation to student outcomes the signal gets lost. Third, the need to study the reverse ordering of effects, reciprocal effects, and the dynamic interplay between teacher motivation and student outcome variables is discussed.

For national education systems, the goal of an effective teacher recruitment strategy is not simply to attract more applicants, but to attract high-quality applicants who are well suited to teaching and are likely to remain in the profession. The goal of this article is to examine teacher recruitment strategies in England and to propose new models to understand and improve these strategies. We began by reviewing personnel recruitment theories and research from education and related fields. Next, we analysed publicly available teacher recruitment strategies and messages from two key education organisations in England: the Department for Education (DfE) and Teach First. We then compared teacher recruitment strategies with strategies and models developed in health professions (as presented by the National Health Service). The findings highlight that recruitment strategy documents for DfE and Teach First emphasise administrative/system changes and personal utility messages, whereas the public-facing advertisements focus on personal utility, social utility, and to a lesser extent, the personal attributes deemed to be important for teaching. We conclude by proposing how teacher recruitment strategies in England could be more strongly grounded in relevant theoretical and empirical work.

This study investigated the longitudinal association between students' anxiety and procrastination and the relation of self-efficacy for self-regulation to these constructs. Latent Growth Curve Modeling was used to analyze data gathered from 182 undergraduate students (134 female, 48 male) at 4 times during a semester. Our results showed that procrastination significantly increased over the semester, while academic anxiety decreased. Students' procrastination and anxiety were positively correlated at the beginning of the semester; however, the trajectories of procrastination and anxiety were not predicted from initial levels of these variables. Moreover, at the initial measurement period, high levels of anxiety and procrastination were significantly related to low levels of self-efficacy for self-regulation, whereas the rate of change in anxiety and procrastination over time were not predicted by students' initial levels of self-efficacy for self-regulation.

In Oman, applicants are selected for initial teacher education programs (ITEPs) based mainly on their academic achievements. Applicants' non-cognitive attributes (NCAs) (e.g., resilience and motivation) receive less attention. Situational judgment tests (SJTs) are a type of simulation test that are used in the candidate selection process for different professions. We aim to (a) develop an SJT for selecting ITEP applicants in Oman, (b) explore its psychometric properties, and (c) explore applicants' reactions to the test. There were four study phases. Phase 1 used a multi-step design to explore the NCAs' underlying teacher effectiveness. Phase 2 used these NCAs to develop an SJT with working teachers (N = 116). The developed SJT was initially piloted in Phase 3 with new ITEP candidates (N = 171) and was then piloted with other criterion measures in Phase 4 (N = 142). Results demonstrated good SJT internal consistency (alpha = 0.75). SJT scores correlated significantly with scores on two facets of the Big Five personality measure (i.e., conscientiousness and agreeableness). Additionally, SJT scores were positively correlated with participants' GPA, but not with their interview scores. Participants' reactions to the SJT were positive. With further research, SJTs could prove helpful for selecting teachers in Oman.

We considered applicants' perceptions of the use of a pilot situational judgment test (SJT) designed for selection into primary and secondary teacher training programs in the UK. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 304 applicants (73% female) to two postgraduate (PGCE) training programs in the 2013-2014 application cycle. Participants were asked to provide feedback on the content of the SJTs and on the appropriateness of the tests for selection into teacher training. Results from the rating scales showed that most of the applicants (76.7%) found the content and format of the pilot selection tool favourable. Results from open-ended questions suggested that applicants were aware of issues of procedural justice and fairness in selection for teacher training, with a recommendation that separate selection tests should be created for primary and secondary applicants.

The question of what makes a good teacher has been asked by practitioners, policymakers, and researchers for decades. However, there is no guiding framework about which qualities are important for teachers. Thus, it is necessary to examine these qualities using a recognized framework and to summarize the previous literature on this topic. We conducted a meta-analysis on the 25 studies (total N = 6294) reporting the relationships between teacher Big Five personality domains (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and emotional stability) and two teacher job-related outcomes (i.e., teacher effectiveness and burnout). Furthermore, the influence of three moderators was assessed, namely, the type of teacher effectiveness measure (i.e., evaluations of teaching, student performance self-efficacy, classroom observation, and academic achievement), source of personality report (i.e., self-report vs other-report), and the instructed educational level (i.e., elementary, secondary, and tertiary). Overall, teacher Big Five domains (except for agreeableness) were positively associated with teacher effectiveness, especially for evaluations of teaching. Furthermore, teacher emotional stability, extraversion, and conscientiousness were negatively associated with burnout. Other-reports of teacher personality were more strongly associated with outcomes than self-reports. There were no differences in the strength of the associations between the educational levels. The need for using common descriptors in teacher research as well as practical implications of the findings for teacher personality measurement is discussed.

We investigated the specificity of reading self-efficacy among second- to fifth-grade children in Finland (N = 1,327). Bandura (1997) theorized that efficacy beliefs can be assessed at different levels of specificity; however, empirical support for this view is scarce among young children. Efficacy beliefs targeting reading-related activities were assessed at three specificity levels (general, intermediate, and specific). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that these specificity levels are separable, but correlated, and the structure was invariant across gender and grade level. Self-efficacy factors were positively associated with reading fluency, but the strength of these associations varied according to specificity level. Findings suggest that reading self-efficacy in primary grades can and should be assessed at different specificity levels according to research aims.

The goal of this study was to create and validate a brief multidimensional scale of teacher engagement--the Engaged Teachers Scale (ETS)--that reflects the particular characteristics of teachers' work in classrooms and schools. We collected data from three separate samples of teachers (total N = 810), and followed five steps in developing and validating the ETS. The result of our scale development was a 16-item, 4-factor scale of teacher engagement that shows evidence of reliability, validity, and practical usability for further research. The four factors of the ETS consist of: cognitive engagement, emotional engagement, social engagement: students, and social engagement: colleagues. The ETS was found to correlate positively with a frequently used work engagement measure (the UWES) and to be positively related to, but empirically distinct from, a measure of teachers' self-efficacy (the TSES). Our key contribution to the measurement of teacher engagement is the novel inclusion of social engagement with students as a key component of overall engagement at work for teachers. We propose that social engagement should be considered in future iterations of work engagement measures in a range of settings.

Education authorities in Australia are calling for valid tools to help assess prospective teachers' non-academic attributes, with a particular need for identifying those attributes necessary for effective teaching in specific contexts. With the New South Wales (NSW) Department of Education, we aimed to develop a scenario-based tool to help assess the non-academic attributes necessary for beginning teachers working in rural and remote settings. Using a situational judgement test (SJT) methodology, we worked with experienced teachers (n = 19) to develop scenario-based items, which were then reviewed by school principals (n = 13). The teachers also adapted items previously developed and piloted in the UK. Next, prospective NSW teachers (n = 99) tried 32 new and adapted items targeting four clusters of attributes: empathy and communication, resilience and adaptability, organisation and planning, and culture and context. Item quality analyses revealed 22 acceptable items. We conclude by suggesting SJTs for promoting non-academic growth of prospective and beginning teachers.

The purpose of this study was to test and validate the Engaged Teacher Scale (ETS) in a Turkish context (ETS-TR). In order to test the construct validity of the ETS, data were collected from 388 teachers in two northeast cities of Turkey. First-order confirmatory factor analysis results supported the 16-item and four-factor model of ETS while second-order confirmatory factor analysis suggested that a single factor was also appropriate for representing teacher engagement. Additionally, four multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to provide further validation evidence. Results showed that subscales of the ETS-TR were found to be positively correlated with teacher self-efficacy. Given our evidence of validity and reliability, we recommend researchers interested in measuring the engagement of Turkish teachers to consider using the ETS-TR. The adaptation of ETS into Turkish also provides a measure for use when conducting research examining cultural comparisons between English-speaking and Turkish teachers.

The present study extends the literature by investigating the relative salience of self- and collective efficacy in predicting group performance among early adolescents in Indonesia. A total of 435 early adolescents (mean age 11.70 years, 53% female) were randomly assigned to groups of three to four and completed three group tasks (task 1: puzzles; task 2: math; task 3: puzzles). Results indicated that collective efficacy was a more salient predictor of group performance than self-efficacy. Examination of the interaction effects suggested that the positive effects of collective efficacy on task performance were moderated by the levels of individual members' self-efficacy, that is, when group members' self-efficacy was high, task performance was lower. However, the debilitating effect disappears in the last task, where self-efficacy no longer undermines task performance when group members' collective efficacy is high. Interestingly, heterogeneity of the group in terms of gender and ethnicity composition significantly predicted task performance of the group: groups comprising more boys and groups comprising members of different ethnic backgrounds had lower task performance. Findings are discussed in relation to their theoretical contributions and applied implications for classroom teaching and learning.

The current study provided evidence for the factor structure of the Academic Expectation Stress Inventory (AESI) in a sample of 213 Mainland Chinese and 184 South Korean high school students. We examined cross-national invariance of the AESI using multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis across two Asian cultural samples. Results suggested a unidimension rather than two-factor structure (self and teachers/parents) in both settings. Results also showed evidence of reliability, convergent validity (significant correlations with depression, emotional exhaustion, and cynicism), and divergent validity (nonsignificant correlations with amotivation and efficacy reduction). ANCOVA results indicated that perceived overall academic expectation stress was significantly higher among Mainland Chinese students than for their South Korean counterparts. Furthermore, there were no differences between males and females for the Korean adolescents while females reported higher expectation scores than males in the Chinese adolescent sample.

The experience of academic boredom among students may be universal; in fact, almost all students complain at least occasionally about being bored in class or while studying. Despite the perceived negative influence of boredom on learning, there has been no synthesis of empirical findings underscoring how boredom relates to academic outcomes. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to meta-analyze the research exploring the relationship between students' academic boredom and their motivation, study strategies and behaviors, and performance. A total of 29 studies, involving 19,052 students, met the inclusion criteria. The overall effect size, r[image omitted] =?-0.24, was significant, p?

This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Learning-Related Boredom Scale (LRBS) from the Academic Emotions Questionnaire (AEQ; Pekrun, Goetz, & Perry, 2005; Pekrun, Goetz, Titz, & Perry, 2002) in a sample of 405 university students from Canada and China. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the factor structure and measurement invariance of the LRBS across cultural settings, after which the relationships between the LRBS, boredom frequency in class, intrinsic motivation, and self-efficacy for self-regulated learning (SESRL) were examined. Results showed evidence of reliability and measurement invariance of the LRBS, and the relationships between the LRBS, boredom frequency, and SESRL were similar across settings. The study thus provided evidence that learning-related boredom is a valid construct across culturally diverse school settings and supported the use of the LRBS in both Canadian and Chinese student populations. (Contains 4 tables and 1 note.)

Although past research has shown the benefits of using approach coping in dealing with negative emotions, little is known about how students cope with a common negative achievement emotion, boredom, across cultures. Therefore, the goals of this study were to validate the Boredom Coping Scale (BCS) in Canada (n = 151, mean age = 23.29) and China (n = 254, mean age = 21.03), to identify boredom coping profiles within individual settings, and to examine the effectiveness of the profiles in decreasing boredom, and increasing self-efficacy for self-regulated learning, motivation, and achievement. The factor structure of the BCS was comparable across the two samples; however, the two groups responded to five items differently, contributing to the overall variation. We identified two coping profiles among Canadian students and three profiles among Chinese students. Our results indicated that Canadian students predominantly endorsed cognitive-approach coping, whereas the majority of Chinese students endorsed avoidance coping. Additionally, our results found significant differences in coping effectiveness among different profiles. (Contains 4 tables and 1 figure.)

In this article the authors report a meta-analysis that examines the association between internalizing problems (anxiety and depressive symptoms) and learning disabilities (LD) in adults. Two hypotheses about the relationship between internalizing problems and LD in adults are posited and tested: the abeyance hypothesis (internalizing problems decline in adulthood) and the continuance hypothesis (internalizing problems continue in adulthood). From an initial pool of 171 relevant studies, 15 studies met the inclusion criteria, with eight published articles and seven dissertations yielding 48 effect sizes, "N" [Subscript Total] = 16,239). The overall effect size was significant and of medium magnitude ("d" = 0.51, "p" less than 0.001). Results from the study suggest support for the continuance hypothesis, with rates of adult internalizing problems similar to those found in studies of children and adolescents with LD. Moderating variables are explored, and implications for practice and research are offered. (Contains 2 tables, 1 figure, and 2 notes.)

Previous research suggests that adolescents with learning disabilities (LD) are less accurate in predicting academic performance than normally achieving (NA) adolescents and display a tendency to overestimate their level of performance (e.g., Klassen, 2007). However, no studies have been conducted investigating whether this overestimation is specific to academic contexts or a phenomenon that extends across domains. Ninety-four adolescents (46 LD, 48 NA) predicted their performance on a spelling task and on a ball-throwing task. Results revealed group differences in performance calibration across domains with adolescents with LD showing an overestimation of ability on the spelling and ball-throwing tasks, and NA adolescents demonstrating more precise self-appraisals. Additionally, the accuracy of non-academic performance predictions remained stable with increasing difficulty in the NA group whereas the adolescents with LD demonstrated a decrease in accurate performance prediction as the difficulty level increased. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)

This study explored the validity of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale in a sample of 853 practicing teachers from Australia, Canada, China (Hong Kong), Indonesia, and Oman. The authors used multigroup confirmatory factor analysis to test the factor structure and measurement invariance across settings, after which they examined the relationships between work engagement, workplace well-being (job satisfaction and quitting intention), and contextual variables (socioeconomic status, experience, and gender). The 1-factor version of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale was deemed preferable to the 3-factor version and showed acceptable fit to the cross-national data. The 1-factor Utrecht Work Engagement Scale showed good internal consistency and similar relationships with workplace well-being and contextual variables across settings. The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale was invariant within broadly construed Western and non-Western groups but not across Western and non-Western groups. The authors concluded that the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale needs further development before its use can be supported in further cross-cultural research. (Contains 4 tables.)

The purpose of the present study was to explore the occupational commitment and quitting intention of practicing and pre-service teachers. We used a cross-sectional survey design to examine the impact of teachers' self-efficacy, job stress, and contextual factors on occupational commitment and quitting intention of 434 practicing teachers and 379 pre-service teachers. Results revealed that similar factors--self-efficacy, job stress, and teaching context--influence the occupational commitment and quitting intention of practicing and pre-service teachers. Pre-service teachers displayed higher levels of commitment and less overall stress than practicing teachers. We conclude the article with implications for theory and practice, and suggest avenues to extend this line of career stage research.

Motivations for choosing teaching as a career were investigated in 200 pre-service teachers from Canada and Oman. We used a novel structured qualitative approach and two theoretical models to analyze how pre-service teacher career-choice motivation varied according to cultural context. The results of the study showed that Canadian participants made more self-references, and expressed higher levels of individual-focused motivation and social utility value as career motivators than did Omani participants. Participants from Oman expressed greater endorsement of teaching as a fallback career and higher levels of socio-cultural influences than Canadian participants. Results extend teacher motivation "teacher motivation theory" by investigating socio-cultural influences. (Contains 1 table.)

This review investigates the state of teacher self- and collective efficacy research conducted from 1998 to 2009. Two hundred and eighteen empirical articles published in 1998-2009 were examined for key characteristics and compared to research published in the previous 12 years (i.e., 1986-1997). Results from the review show increases in overall teacher efficacy research, methodological diversity, domain specificity, internationalization, and focus on collective efficacy. Continuing problem areas were a lack of attention to the sources of teacher efficacy, continued measurement and conceptual problems, a lack of evidence for the links between teacher efficacy and student outcomes, and uncertain relevance of teacher efficacy research to educational practice. An outline of directions for future teacher efficacy research is provided.

The authors of this study sought to examine the relationships among teachers' years of experience, teacher characteristics (gender and teaching level), three domains of self-efficacy (instructional strategies, classroom management, and student engagement), two types of job stress (workload and classroom stress), and job satisfaction with a sample of 1,430 practicing teachers using factor analysis, item response modeling, systems of equations, and a structural equation model. Teachers' years of experience showed nonlinear relationships with all three self-efficacy factors, increasing from early career to mid-career and then falling afterwards. Female teachers had greater workload stress, greater classroom stress from student behaviors, and lower classroom management self-efficacy. Teachers with greater workload stress had greater classroom management self-efficacy, whereas teachers with greater classroom stress had lower self-efficacy and lower job satisfaction. Those teaching young children (in elementary grades and kindergarten) had higher levels of self-efficacy for classroom management and student engagement. Lastly, teachers with greater classroom management self-efficacy or greater instructional strategies self-efficacy had greater job satisfaction. (Contains 11 tables and 3 figures.)

We examined the effects of mathematics self-concept (MSC) and MSC calibration on mathematics achievement through multilevel analyses of the mathematics tests and questionnaire responses of 88,590 15-year olds who participated in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD) Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). Students with higher MSC or MSC calibration had higher mathematics scores. Students' MSC was more strongly linked to mathematics achievement in countries that were wealthier, more egalitarian, more tolerant of uncertainty, or more flexible regarding gender roles. Calibration of MSC was more strongly linked to mathematics achievement for boys, for low-achievers, and for students in countries that were wealthier, more egalitarian, or more tolerant of uncertainty. Students overestimating their mathematics competence often had low mathematics scores. (Contains 2 figures and 7 tables.)

The authors explored how prior student achievement, through school types, predicted teacher self- and collective efficacy and perceived academic climate of 222 middle school teachers in Singapore. Teachers assigned to high-track and regular middle schools differed in their perception of self- and collective efficacy to promote organizational changes and student achievement, and of the academic climate of the school. Prior achievement was shown to be best predicted by perceived teacher collective efficacy and academic climate, but not self-efficacy. Further analyses revealed that the teacher collective efficacy partially mediated the relationship between teacher self-efficacy and academic climate. These findings were discussed with respect to the sociocognitive perspective. (Contains 2 tables.)

This study examines how teachers' collective efficacy (TCE), job stress, and the cultural dimension of collectivism are associated with job satisfaction for 500 teachers from Canada, Korea (South Korea or Republic of Korea), and the United States. Multigroup path analysis revealed that TCE predicted job satisfaction across settings. Job stress was negatively related to job satisfaction for North American teachers (i.e., teachers from Canada and the United States), whereas the cultural dimension of collectivism was significantly related to job satisfaction for the Korean, but not for North American teachers. For motivation theorists, the results from this study provide evidence that cultural context influences how motivation beliefs are understood and expressed in diverse settings. For educators, this study underlines the importance of collective motivation as a source of individual job satisfaction. (Contains 4 tables and 1 figure.)

The aims of the study were to (a) examine the factor structure of measures of teachers' collective efficacy (TCE), job stress, and job satisfaction, and (b) explore the mediating effect of collective efficacy on the relationship between job stress and job satisfaction. The sample consisted of 951 teachers from elementary and secondary schools in Canada. Measures of TCE, job stress, and job satisfaction showed consistent factor patterns across school levels and gender. Female teachers reported significantly higher levels of stress from workload and student misbehavior. TCE for student discipline mediated the influence of job stress from student misbehavior on job satisfaction, and the relationship was consistent across groups. The results from this study suggest that teachers' collective efficacy may lower teachers' stress attributed to student behavior. (Contains 3 tables and 1 figure.)

This study examined the self-efficacy for self-regulated learning of 146 early adolescents with and without learning disabilities (LD). Results from the study showed that a 7-item self-regulatory efficacy measure demonstrated factorial invariance for the adolescent sample and also for a validation sample of 208 undergraduates with and without LD. Adolescents with LD rated their self-regulatory efficacy and reading self-efficacy lower than their NLD peers. Hierarchical multiple regression showed that self-regulatory efficacy made a significant contribution to end-of-term English grade after controlling for sex, SES, reading self-efficacy, and reading score. Finally, students with LD who scored low on self-regulatory efficacy were significantly more likely than their higher-scoring LD peers to have a low end-of-term English grade, although there was no difference on a reading performance score. Several suggestions for teachers working with adolescents with LD are provided, along with directions for future research. (Contains 5 tables.)

In this study, we explore academic procrastination and associated motivation variables in 612 adolescents from Canada and Singapore. Few studies have explored adolescent procrastination and no previous studies have investigated adolescent procrastination using a cross-cultural framework. Singaporean adolescents reported higher levels of procrastination and lower levels of self-efficacy for self-regulation than Canadian adolescents. Males across settings reported higher levels of procrastination and lower levels of self-efficacy for self-regulation than females. Bivariate relationships between procrastination and the motivation variables showed similar patterns in Singapore and Canada. Multigroup structural equation modeling revealed that self-efficacy for self-regulation showed the strongest multivariate relationship with procrastination for adolescents in both settings. The article concludes with implications for practitioners and researchers.

We provide further evidence for the two-factor structure of the 9-item Academic Expectations Stress Inventory (AESI) using confirmatory factor analysis on a sample of 289 Canadian adolescents and 310 Singaporean adolescents. Examination of measurement invariance tests the assumption that the model underlying a set of scores is directly comparable across groups. This study also examined the cross-cultural validity of the AESI using multigroup confirmatory factor analysis across both the Canadian and Singaporean adolescent samples. The results suggested cross-cultural invariance of form, factor loadings, and factor variances and covariances of the AESI across both samples. Evidence of AESI's convergent and discriminant validity was also reported. Findings from t-tests revealed that Singaporean adolescents reported a significantly higher level of academic stress arising from self expectations, other expectations, and overall academic stress, compared to Canadian adolescents. Also, a larger cross-cultural effect was associated with academic stress arising from other expectations compared with academic stress arising from self expectations. (Contains 2 tables and 2 figures.)

In this article we explore the level of job satisfaction and the sources of job dissatisfaction for 210 secondary school teachers in southwest England and compare our results with the results from a similar study published in 1962. Using anonymous questionnaires, we asked 210 secondary teachers in southwest England (63% female) to rate their level of job satisfaction and to rate 16 sources of job dissatisfaction that we adapted from the 1962 study. Teachers in 2007 rated their job satisfaction significantly lower and ordered the sources of job dissatisfaction significantly differently than did teachers in 1962. Whereas teachers in 1962 were most concerned with external sources of job dissatisfaction (e.g. salary, condition of buildings and equipment and poor human relations), teachers in 2007 expressed the most concern about factors relating to teaching itself (e.g. time demands and pupils' behaviour). The changes in sources of dissatisfaction hold true for male and female teachers, with no difference in rankings according to years of teaching experience. (Contains 1 table.)

Self-concept is linked to student achievement in many domains. In this study, we examined reading self-concept's (RSC) and RSC calibration accuracy's links to reading achievement across different contexts via multi-level analyses of 34 countries' 158,848 fifteen-year-olds' reading tests and questionnaire responses. Students with higher RSC, higher calibration accuracy (of RSC to their reading scores) or underconfidence (relative to their reading scores) had higher reading scores. RSC was more strongly linked to reading scores in countries that were richer, less equal, more collective, less uncertainty averse, less hierarchical, or less rigid regarding gender roles. Calibration accuracy was also more strongly linked to reading achievement in more hierarchical, individualistic, or uncertainty-tolerant countries. In more individualistic countries, underconfident students were more likely to have above average reading achievement. Hence, excessive confidence does not necessarily benefit students, especially in more individualistic countries. (Contains 2 figures and 11 tables.)

This study examined collective efficacy, group cohesion, and group performance in 125 randomly assigned groups of older (mean age 13.45 years) and younger (mean age 11.41 years) early adolescents working on three cooperative tasks. Collective motivation significantly predicted performance, even after controlling for past performance and self-efficacy for the older but not the younger participants. For the older (but not the younger) participants, groups with high collective efficacy and group cohesion scored higher on performance tasks than groups with low collective efficacy and group cohesion. The results point to the emergence of collective motivation beliefs in early adolescence, consistent with theories of social and cognitive development. Implications for theory and suggestions for future research are discussed. (Contains 1 figure and 5 tables.)

The purpose of this article was twofold. The first purpose was to test the validity of the Teachers' Sense of Self-Efficacy Scale (TSES) in five settings--Canada, Cyprus, Korea, Singapore, and the United States. The second purpose was, by extension, to establish the importance of the teacher self-efficacy construct across diverse teaching conditions. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis was used to better understand the measurement invariance of the scale across countries, after which the relationship between the TSES, its three factors, and job satisfaction was explored. The TSES showed convincing evidence of reliability and measurement invariance across the five countries, and the relationship between the TSES and job satisfaction was similar across settings. The study provides general evidence that teachers' self-efficacy is a valid construct across culturally diverse settings and specific evidence that teachers' self-efficacy showed a similar relationship with teachers' job satisfaction in five contrasting settings. (Contains 4 tables.)

This article presents a study of academic procrastination and associated motivation variables in 508 adolescents from a general secondary school in central Turkey. Girls reported higher levels of self-efficacy for self-regulation and predicted higher Turkish grades than boys, but there was no difference in levels of procrastination. Academic self-efficacy was a stronger predictor of procrastination for girls than for boys, but for both groups self-efficacy for self-regulation was the strongest predictor of procrastination. Most participants (83%) reported spending one hour or more procrastinating per day, with writing tasks the most prone to procrastination for boys and girls. When procrastinating, Turkish adolescent boys were more likely to spend time with electronic media (watching TV, emailing, going on-line, and, in particular, playing computer games), whereas girls were most likely to read books, magazines, and newspapers. The article concludes with implications for researchers, and also for parents and educators of adolescents. (Contains 5 tables.)

This article presents a mixed methods examination of teachers' job beliefs in the Yukon Territory in northern Canada. In Study 1 we used questionnaires to examine job beliefs for 221 teachers from the Yukon and western Canada. Teachers' self- and collective efficacy and workload stress were lower for Yukon teachers, but levels of overall stress and satisfaction were similar across settings. In Study 2 we conducted interviews to examine how geographical, community, and cultural factors were related to Yukon teachers' job beliefs. Results showed that job stress and job satisfaction were influenced by physical and human geography, level of connection with the community, and by the community's cultural transitions. The findings highlight the influence of cultural and community factors on teachers' working lives. (Contains 4 tables and 2 figures.)

A mixed methods approach was used to explore secondary teachers' motivation beliefs in Canada and Singapore. Results from Study 1 revealed that socio-economic status (SES) was the strongest predictor of school climate in Canada, and that collective efficacy mediated the effect of SES on school climate in Singapore, but not in Canada. In Study 2, interviews were conducted with 10 teachers in Canada and 14 teachers in Singapore. Teachers in both settings discussed students' social and behavior problems, but the range of the social problems was greater in Canada than in Singapore, and had a stronger impact on teachers' motivation beliefs. (Contains 5 tables.)

This article reports two studies exploring the academic procrastination of 456 undergraduates. Study 1 explores the relationships among academic procrastination, self-regulation, academic self-efficacy, self-esteem, and self-efficacy for self-regulation. Results reveal that although other self-variables are related to procrastination, self-efficacy for self-regulation is most predictive of procrastination tendencies. Study 2 examines academic and motivation characteristics of "negative procrastinators," the undergraduates who are most adversely influenced by procrastination. The 25% of 195 participants in Study 2 who were classified as negative procrastinators had significantly lower GPAs, higher levels of daily and task procrastination, lower predicted and actual class grades, and lower self-efficacy for self-regulation. After controlling for GPA, daily procrastination and self-efficacy for self-regulation significantly predicted the negative impact of procrastination. The article concludes with a discussion of the importance that self-efficacy for self-regulation holds for procrastination research, and with suggestions for practitioners who work with students who are adversely affected by procrastination. (Contains 7 tables.)

The purpose of this mixed-methods article was to report two studies exploring the relationships between academic procrastination and motivation in 208 undergraduates with (n = 101) and without (n = 107) learning disabilities (LD). In Study 1, the results from self-report surveys found that individuals with LD reported significantly higher levels of procrastination, coupled with lower levels of metacognitive self-regulation and self-efficacy for self-regulation than those without LD. Procrastination was most strongly (inversely) related to self-efficacy for self-regulation for both groups, and the set of motivation variables reliably predicted group membership with regard to LD status. In Study 2, individual interviews with 12 students with LD resulted in five themes: LD-related problems, self-beliefs and procrastination, outcomes of procrastination, antecedents of procrastination, and support systems. The article concludes with an integration of quantitative and qualitative results, with attention paid to implications for service providers working with undergraduates with LD.

This article reviews three studies that provide evidence that students with learning disabilities (LD) display optimistic academic self-beliefs, even in the face of relatively poor academic performance. In the first study, a quantitative approach was used to explore the spelling and writing self-efficacy of 133 adolescents with and without LD. Students with LD over-estimated their performance in spelling and writing. In the second study, a series of interviews with 28 adolescents with LD and 7 specialist LD teachers revealed that the students viewed themselves as low in academic optimism, whereas the teachers viewed the students as overly optimistic about academic tasks. A third study explored the academic motivation and procrastination of 208 undergraduates with and without LD, and found students with LD had moderate levels of optimism about academic tasks, but lower levels of optimism about self-regulatory capabilities. The paper concludes with a presentation of common and emergent themes from the three studies, and offers recommendations for practitioners and avenues for future research. (Contains 1 figure.)

This study used conventional self-efficacy measures as well as predictions of performance to examine the spelling and writing efficacy beliefs of early adolescents with and without learning disabilities (LD). In addition, the study examined two types of global efficacy--self-efficacy for self-regulated learning and general self-efficacy. The students with LD over-estimated their spelling performance by 52% and their writing performance by 19%, whereas the non-LD students were generally accurate in their performance estimates. Students' performance predictions and self-efficacy ratings were strong predictors of a composite writing performance, but the self-efficacy for self-regulated learning and general self-efficacy scores did not predict writing performance. The article concludes with a discussion of recommendations to improve the calibration and academic functioning of adolescents with learning disabilities.

This study used qualitative methodology to investigate the self-efficacy beliefs of early adolescents with learning disabilities (LD). We conducted a series of focus group interviews with 28 Grade 8 and 9 students with LD and individual interviews with 7 specialist LD teachers. Content analyses of the student and teacher data resulted in 2 a priori and 3 inductive themes: self-efficacy, calibration and levels of self-efficacy, students' self-awareness, attributions for failure, and problems and solutions. The students viewed themselves as low in self-efficacy and generally accurate in the calibration of their efficacy and performance, whereas the teachers viewed the students as overconfident about academic tasks. In contrast to the teachers, the students viewed verbal persuasion as a valued source of self-efficacy. Students attributed their failures to lack of effort, whereas their teachers attributed student failure to uncontrollable deficits. Problems and solutions related to student motivation were discussed from student and teacher perspectives.

This article examines the inclusion-related beliefs and perceived needs of primary teachers in Australia, and proposes ways that school psychologists can help meet these needs. Forced-choice and open-ended survey questions provided quantitative and qualitative data from 162 primary school teachers who were in the midst of implementing an inclusive education program in a large urban/suburban education district in Western Australia. Survey questions focused on beliefs about inclusion, confidence about implementing inclusive practices and attitudes about current and necessary support structures. The majority of teachers perceive benefits (85 percent) as well as drawbacks (95 percent) to teaching in inclusive classrooms. Only 10 percent of teachers noted school psychologists as part of structures that successfully support inclusive practices and only 4 percent of teachers requested additional school psychology time as a support structure needed to boost confidence to teach more inclusively. Qualitative data showed that teachers want more training in specific disabilities as well as additional aide time. We conclude that school psychologists need to be more proactive and involved in providing training, disseminating research, developing behaviour and learning plans and advocating for teachers.

School psychologists in North America are facing a transformation of their professional practices brought about by impending changes in operational definitions of learning disabilities (LD). This multimethod study explores the learning disabilities-related beliefs and practices of school psychologists in Western Australia, where these changes have already taken place, and where learning disabilities are not typically defined through IQ-achievement discrepancy models. School psychologists from Western Australia completed individual surveys and participated in focus group sessions that explored their range of practice in schools and their beliefs about the nature of LD. Results from the survey revealed that in contrast to North American practitioners, West Australian school psychologists spend less time on psychometric assessment, and more time on consultation and counselling activities. Surprisingly, most West Australian school psychologists continue to use IQ tests in LD assessment and to hold beliefs about LD that are consistent with 'traditional' definitions.

The author explored the mathematics efficacy beliefs of 270 South Asian (Indo Canadian) immigrant and Anglo Canadian nonimmigrant Grade 7 students. Self-efficacy beliefs strongly predicted mathematics performance for both cultural groups, but there were differences between the 2 groups in the sources of self-efficacy, the predictiveness of the secondary motivation variables, and the vertical dimensions of individualism and collectivism. It is argued that the Indo Canadian students are more vertical or hierarchical than the Anglo Canadian students and that comparison with others strongly influences their motivation beliefs and the formation of their efficacy beliefs. Self-efficacy in some cultures may be more other-oriented than is typically seen in Western cultures. A caution against generalizing about Asian populations is given, and implications for school settings are explored.

This paper explores some of the implications of moving from a traditional discrepancy model of learning disability (LD) to the low achievement model of LD proposed by Siegel and Ladyman in the British Columbia Review of Special Education (2000). We apply two variations of each of the two models of LD definition?the existing discrepancy model and the proposed low achievement model?to our sample of 245 students referred for psycho-educational assessment in a British Columbia school district, and investigate incidence and characteristics of students identified and excluded by each of the two models. Results show that half of currently identified students are excluded under the new model and that there is considerably less "unexpectedness" in the psychometric profile of the students identified by the proposed model. Finally, we discuss how educational practice and the concept of learning disability might be influenced by a shift away from a discrepancy model of LD to one of low achievement.