Search

This qualitative study presents 27 students' insights about four teachers' implementation of an immersive Native American history curricular unit designed to equip students with digital skills to critically navigate complex, polarizing social issues. The Digital Civic Learning (DCL) curriculum used Google Suite and Google Classroom or Schoology to provide collaborative slides supporting immersive 2D-graphics, children's books/resources, immersive activities/artefact-creation, and multimodal tools (e.g., discussion posts, Flipgrid video-essays). Teachers regulated student thinking/behavior towards cohesive outcomes, and encouraged open-ended exploration, operationalizing the design framework as a zone of proximal development (ZPD). The history unit incorporates four cybernetic design features (DF) that enable teachers to steer student-centered collaboration within the curricular unit. The teacher serves four diverse roles (guide, facilitator, modeler, participant observer) mapping onto the DF. Results of focus group interviews with students, which were analyzed based on a theory-informed coding scheme and narrative inquiry, suggest ways for social studies teachers to operationalize the DCL immersive history unit as a cybernetic ZPD by adapting its basic structure to technologies accessible in their schools by adapting its basic structure to technologies accessible in their schools.

Current and future decisions to leave the field of education affect the quality of schools and the next generations of learners, teachers and school leaders in the nation. Physical and verbal violence directed against teachers may be exacerbating reports of high stress, transfers and leaving the profession. This technical report outlines key initial findings from the American Psychological Association (APA) Task Force's Violence Against Educators and School Personnel survey. The APA Task Force administered an online survey to teachers and other school personnel (i.e., staff, social workers, psychologists, and administrators) across the United States (U.S.) during the 2020-2021 school year. This report specifically captures interests and plans to quit or transfer, victimization experiences, perceptions of safety, and recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic from about 15,000 participants. As teachers and schools learn to adjust to the realities of education during COVID, it is important to understand school safety concerns and how to best address them to create an effective and safe environment for students, teachers, and school staff. [For the brief, see ED622136. DePaul University is a collaborator on the report.]

The US is experiencing trends of dramatic employee turnover in our nation's schools. Current and future decisions to leave the field of education affect the quality of our schools and the next generations of learners, educators, and school leaders in the nation. Physical and verbal violence directed against educators may be exacerbating reports of high stress, transfers, and leaving the profession. In this policy brief, we present the viewpoints and concerns of school personnel across the country and offer recommendations based on their reports for what can be done to prevent and address this trend. This brief presents findings from a national survey of violence against educators and school personnel in the US. The survey was conducted from July 2020 to June 2021 as the nation faced several significant challenges (e.g., racial unrest, a global pandemic, concerns over student mental health, and the aftermath of a disputed Presidential election). School stakeholders were asked to rate their experiences during COVID (since March 2020). [For the technical report, see ED622134. DePaul University is an collaborator on this brief.]

Two studies examining the role of present and possible (future) academic selves are presented. In the first study, the relations between present and future selves, and changes in grade point average between the sixth and seventh grades, were examined. Results indicated that positive present and future academic self-concepts were related to positive changes in grade point average. In addition, when adolescents' present academic selves were higher than their future academic selves, GPA increased; whereas, when present social selves were higher than future social selves, GPA decreased. In the second study, using a different sample, the relations between present and future selves, and mastery and performance-approach achievement goals were examined. Results indicated that a present good-student self-concept was related positively to both performance and mastery goals whereas a future good-student self-concept only was related positively to performance goals. A factor analysis was used on the first study. Path analysis was used to model the relationships between demographic and self variables in the second study. Results are discussed in a context of changes in academic performance and motivation during the middle school years. (Author/EMK)

Researchers have used numerous research strategies in an effort to understand and potentially curb violence and drug use. One such approach, which considers school violence from a social learning perspective and examines it as a result of the interaction between environmental events and personal/psychological factors, is presented in this research review. Variables which may predict violence in schools are isolated and violence was operationalized in terms of being attacked at school and avoiding certain places in school. Substance abuse was operationalized in terms of students' perceptions of substance abuse in school. Analysis of research literature indicates that older students reported higher levels of substance abuse, but lower incidents of violence than did younger students. Income, gender, and ethnicity were not strong predictors of any of the outcomes. The perceived presence of weapons in school was related to avoiding certain "dangerous" places in school and the perceived presence of weapons is not a strong predictor of actually being attacked or of perceived drug usage. The perception of rules as being inefficacious was related to more incidences of being attacked, and greater perceptions of substance abuse at school. A model of violence prevention is presented. Contains approximately 80 references. (RJM)

Although school violence is an important topic to the U.S. public, little research has examined issues of violence and bad behavior in schools, particularly among early adolescents. To fill this need, research on the transition from elementary to middle grades, to include the domain of violence, is covered in this paper. Three aspects of violence are defined: victimization at school, getting into trouble for bad behavior at school, and perceptions of school as having serious problems. Special emphasis was placed on studying predictors of violence during early adolescence. Drawing on data from a national educational longitudinal study, it was found that students reported being victimized and perceived their school as having serious problems more often in school when the transitions from elementary to the current eighth-grade school occurred during early adolescence. Students who made the transition into their current eighth-grade school during grades 3, 4, or 5 were less likely to report being victimized and were less likely to report perceiving their schools as dangerous or as having problems when compared to other students. It is thought that schools with certain grade structures tend to engage in practices that are incompatible with the developmental needs of early adolescents. Contains approximately 70 references. (RJM)

Violence and drug use in schools have plagued, not only American society, but societies throughout the world. To explore this issue, some of the personal, psychological, and contextual variables hypothesized to predict violence in schools were examined. Violence was operationalized in terms of being attacked at school or avoiding certain places in school. Substance abuse was defined in terms of students' perceptions of substance abuse in school. Demographic characteristics that were examined include age, gender, and socio-economic status. Some of the psychological attitudes studied were worry, hope, willingness to talk to parents about school, and being challenged at school. Data for the study came from the 1993 National Household Education Survey which included students in grades 6 through 12 (N=6,504). Analysis of results indicate that older students reported higher levels of substance abuse, but lower incidences of violence, than did younger students. Income, gender, and ethnicity were not strong predictors of any of the outcomes. The presence of weapons in school was related to avoiding certain dangerous places in school. The perception of rules as ineffective was related to more attacks and greater perceptions of substance abuse. (Contains 86 references.) (RJM)

Why do some adolescents cheat and others do not? To answer this question, the relationship between motivational factors and self-reported cheating beliefs and behaviors was examined in a sample of early adolescents. It was hypothesized that cheating and beliefs in the acceptability of cheating would be more likely to occur when students perceived an emphasis on performance and ability, rather than on mastery and improvement. Questionnaires were administered to 285 students in an urban middle school in a southeastern state. Analysis of their answers indicate that students who reported cheating in science perceive their classrooms as being extrinsically focused (e.g., maintaining grades, getting the right answer, avoiding trouble) and perceive their school as being focused on performance and ability. Students who believe in the acceptability of cheating also report personal extrinsic goals. Likewise, students who cheat worry about school, although worry was unrelated to beliefs about the acceptability of cheating. A relationship between cheating and self-handicapping was also evident, with students who engage in self-handicapping behaviors being likely to report that they cheat. Demographic factors were unrelated to cheating and no sex differences were found. The hypothesis was largely proven correct. Contains approximately 80 references. (RJM)

This study examined the relationship between transition from elementary to middle school and achievement gaps in math and science in eighth graders with (N=296) and without (N=1608) learning disabilities (LD). An abundance of research suggests that motivation and achievement decline during the early adolescent years, and that this decline is often attributable to the transition from elementary to middle grade schools during early adolescence. Using data from the National Education Longitudinal Study, the study found that on average there is a strong gap in achievement between LD and non-LD early adolescents. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine school effects on these achievement gaps. Results indicated that the gap between LD and non-LD adolescents is greatly reduced for adolescents who do not make a school transition until at least the ninth grade. Findings suggest that the policies and practices of typical middle grade schools are particularly incompatible with the educational and psychological needs of early adolescents with LD. (Contains 39 references.) (Author/DB)

Hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine the effects of individual and classroom level factors on reported value of mathematics for students (n=557) in grades three, four, and six. Data for this study came from the "Childhood and Beyond" study. Results indicated that the use of computers and computer efficacy were both positively related to students' valuing of mathematics. A negative relationship was found between teachers giving parents positive feedback and students' levels of valuing math in classrooms. This is in contrast to prior studies that suggest parents' ratings of students' abilities in math are related to students' interest in math. It was determined that grade level is not a significant predictor of valuing mathematics, but that attending a middle level school has detrimental effects on students' valuing of mathematics. The results of the study suggest that teachers do make a difference and that, after controlling for various student characteristics, classroom-level variables still have important effects on students' valuing of mathematics. (SYB)

Changes in students' (N=313) present and possible "good student" selves over the transition from elementary school to middle school are examined by this study. Findings indicate that both present and possible selves decline over the transition, and that the decline is greater for males than for females. Holding mastery goals is related to self-schemata at elementary and middle school. Self-efficacy is related to present and possible selves only during elementary school. Holding performance goals becomes related to one's future possible self during the sixth grade. This result corroborates other research suggesting that middle school environments are more focused on grades, comparisons, and relative ability than elementary schools. Three tables and one figure present data and statistical analysis. One table presents sample items for the student efficacy and goal orientation scales that were used in this study. Contains 11 references. (Author/TS)

Recent studies have documented a decline in academic performance and motivation as students move from elementary to middle level schools. This paper expands these studies in three ways: (1) by examining the classroom-level differences among middle school students' motivation to see if motivational constructs vary by classroom; (2) by exploring the specific within-classroom factors that affect early adolescents' motivation in mathematics and science; and (3) by using Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) which is a multilevel technique. The 673 students in the study came from two middle schools in a largely blue collar community--most of the students were white. Participants completed the Patterns of Adaptive Learning Survey as well as questionnaires pertaining to specific academic subjects. All teachers filled out questionnaires assessing their pedagogical beliefs, instructional practices, and perceptions of the school culture. Results indicate that math teachers had a significant effect on their students' self-concept of ability. Likewise, science teachers who used ability-focused instructional practices, had students with lower measures of "learning focus" toward science than teachers who did not publicly acknowledge test scores or grades. Similar investigations are advocated for the later middle school and high school levels. Eight tables provide statistical summaries. (RJM)

Middle school students (N=712) were surveyed about their achievement goals and cognitive processing strategies. Results suggest that academically at-risk students use deep strategies less and are less learning focused than not at-risk and special education students. Special education and at-risk students tended to be more ability-focused than not at-risk students. At-risk students perceived school culture to be less learning focused and more ability focused than not at-risk students. Multiple regression analyses suggest that being "learning-focused" is the best predictor of deep strategy usage for all three groups of students. Three tables and four figures present data and statistical analysis. Contains 19 references. (Author)

Research on school effectiveness has underscored the importance of the personal investment and commitment of teachers to education in general, as well as to the particular mission of their own school. This paper presents three analyses that examined the relationships among teachers' perceptions of school leadership, school culture, and teacher satisfaction and commitment. Data were collected through the administration of a Likert-scale survey to 101 teachers from Illinois, 241 teachers from Arizona, and 416 teachers from Florida. In the first study, multiple regression analysis found that a school culture that stresses accomplishment, recognition, and affiliation is related to satisfaction and commitment. The second multiple regression analysis determined that different principal behaviors foster different cultures or "environments" within the school. The third study used path analysis to examine the relative impact of different leadership behaviors on teacher satisfaction and commitment, focusing on the mediating role of teacher perceptions of school culture. The findings support the theoretical notion that principals' actions create distinct working environments within schools, and that these different kinds of environments are highly predictive of teacher satisfaction and commitment. Future research should examine specific ways to develop school cultures that foster a sense of affiliation, recognition, and accomplishment among teachers. Five figures and seven tables are included. The appendices contain of summary of variables. (LMI)

Examines school-level differences in the relations between school belonging and various outcomes. Results indicated that belonging was lower in urban schools than in suburban schools. Whereas individual students' perceptions of belonging were inversely related to depression, social rejection, and school problems, aggregated belonging was related to greater reports of social rejection and school problems and to higher grade point average. (Contains 57 references and 9 tables.) (GCP)

This review examines recent developments in research on social-cognitive theories of motivation during adolescence and the ways in which such research can be applied to the reform of middle grade schools. Results suggest that effective reform must consider the multiple contexts in which students interact. (SLD)

Examines individual and classroom-level differences in motivation and strategy usage in science students. Results suggest that ability-focused practices are related to low levels of motivation, poor self-esteem, and lack of confidence in science ability. Conversely, learning-focused methods and activities in classrooms resulted in increased self-confidence in science ability, and increased value of engagement in science. (ZWH)

Meaningful change is possible only when supported by leadership at the classroom, school, district, and state levels. University of Michigan's Coalition Project was designed to change the motivational culture of a middle school by realigning schoolwide policies and practices with desired changes (emphasis on effort, improvement, and mastery) in the classroom. This was difficult, as many school- and district-level policies conflicted with new reforms. (MLH)