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We examined relations of U.S. teachers' perceptions of mastery and performance goal structures to violence perpetrated against them before and during COVID-19. We hypothesized that perceptions of an instructional emphasis on mastery (i.e. mastery goal structure) would be related to lower levels of victimization, whereas perceptions of an emphasis on performance (i.e. performance goal structure) would be related to greater victimization. Using a sample of 9,363 teachers, we conducted negative binomial regression analyses, controlling for teacher and school characteristics. Perceptions of a performance goal structure were related to higher levels of teacher-directed violence, whereas perceptions of a mastery goal structure were related to lower levels of violence. Results underscore the benefits of school mastery versus performance goal structures for bolstering student motivation and teacher safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual health education should meet the needs of all students. One strategy educators can use to ensure instruction meets students' needs is to encourage the submission of anonymous questions, allowing students to gain information without fear of instructor or peer reactions. We investigated anonymous questions submitted by middle school (7th-grade, ages 12-13) students during a sexual health education curriculum in Ohio, USA. Questions (n=893) were organised into 12 categories: reproductive anatomy (n=186), LGBTQ+ topics (n=130), sexual behaviour (n=120), class-related questions (n=99), pregnancy (n=78), slang (n=52), STIs (n=44), protection/birth control (n=33), relationships (n=19), consent (n=14), health services (n=9), abstinence (n=1), and unrelated questions/comments (n=108). After categorising questions, we conducted thematic analysis with the three largest categories (reproductive anatomy, LGBTQ+ topics, sexual behaviour). Results revealed students wanted to know about the normality of the processes and functions of their bodies. Students also expressed concern and had internalised social norms about LGBTQ+ topics. Student questions about sexual behaviour suggested they wanted to learn more about the purposes and processes of sex, e.g., how people have intercourse. Findings underscore the need for inclusive, comprehensive and medically accurate sexual health education for early adolescents. We discuss implications for student health/well-being, educator development, and school staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the pursuit of multiple goals is an inescapable reality in everyday life, students are consistently challenged to self-regulate toward achieving an array of academic goals as well as social and well-being goals. Nevertheless, prominent self-regulated learning models are limited in explaining and guiding how students can self-regulate in the context of multiple goals. Hence, we developed the multiple goals regulation framework that reconceptualizes how students establish, pursue, and adapt an array of goals. We illustrate specific processes (e.g., goal prioritizing, goal shielding, goal switching) that students can engage in to self-regulate both within and between goals. The new framework contributes to the literature in three main ways. First, we challenge the traditional conceptualization of effective self-regulated learning that focuses on the persistent pursuit of a single academic goal without considering the interdependent nature of goals. Second, we facilitate a sustainable and adaptive cycle of self-regulatory processes by highlighting the importance of navigating and negotiating between multiple academic and nonacademic goals. Finally, our effort offers a more inclusive understanding of students' lived experiences by acknowledging a diverse set of goals that are closely attached to their social and cultural identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The disruption of in-person delivery of a sexual health education curriculum to students in 19 urban middle schools in the Midwestern United States was one of many complications in education due the COVID-19 pandemic. Given time constraints and need for program delivery, community partners collaborated to convert the curriculum for virtual delivery. A team of school health education experts, sexual health education professionals, educational psychologists, and an E-learning professional worked together in curriculum conversion, leveraging knowledge and expertise for production of a virtual sexual health education curriculum tool for educators to use for teaching middle school students learning in a virtual format and as an aid for future in-person delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adopted youth often do not achieve in school as well as their non-adopted peers. We used data from the High School Longitudinal Study to examine high school and postsecondary achievement outcomes in adopted youth. We compared outcomes for domestically adopted youth, internationally adopted youth, and non-adopted youth. Results indicate that domestically adopted youth have lower grade point averages. Internationally adopted youth were less likely to enroll in four-year postsecondary institutions than were non-adopted youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author reflects on the 60th anniversary of the journal "Theory into Practice" in 2022, a journal founded in 1962 which focused on applications of theory and research in education throughout its history. He talks about the 50th anniversary of the journal, areas that have been addressed in the journal in previous years, and requirement for all articles in each special issue.

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles within the issues on various topics, including the post COVID-19 learning environment, the controversy surrounding the teaching of Critical Race Theory in elementary and secondary schools across the U.S., and the practice of using rewards in primary schools.

The article discusses the exploration of the research behind some contemporary controversial issues that are alive and well in schools. Topics include contemporary controversies in education; benefits of engaging students in conversations about controversial issues, and research-informed recommendations for the training of educators, with the goal of developing culturally competent teachers.

Feedback is a powerful means for promoting learning, but not all forms of feedback are equally effective. Guided by a large body of feedback research, we argue that personalized feedback provides a particularly important opportunity for enhancing motivation and achievement among middle school students. In this article, we review the extant literature on personalized feedback strategies and discuss four recommended feedback principles. We provide specific examples for applying them in middle school classrooms to promote student motivation and achievement. In addition, we discuss how each recommended principle aligns with the developmental needs of middle school students. We conclude with an example of how technology can facilitate the personalized feedback process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic dishonesty occurs at alarming rates in higher education. In the present study, we examined predictors of academic cheating behaviors, and beliefs in the acceptability of cheating, in disliked courses at two large universities, using structural equation modeling. Perceived mastery and extrinsic goal structures were related to beliefs about cheating but not cheating behaviors. Beliefs in the acceptability of cheating were more likely to be endorsed in math and science courses. College students were more likely to cheat and to believe in the acceptability of cheating when they reported a high need for sensation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors examined 1,781 rural students' reading motivation and behavior across the transition from middle to high school. Using expectancy-value theory, they investigated how motivational variables predicted changes in reading behavior and achievement across the transition in terms of their expectancies, values, and out-of-school reading behaviors. A repeated measures analysis of variance indicated significant increases in vocabulary, intrinsic value, and out-of-school reading, whereas significant decreases were found in attainment value. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated students' subjective expectancy for success was a significant predictor of increases in both comprehension and vocabulary scores. Students' utility value interacted with intrinsic value in predicting reading comprehension scores. In terms of change in students' reading behavior, their perceptions of intrinsic value and utility value were significant predictors. Gender interacted significantly with expectancies in predicting behaviors. Findings have implications for instructional support, particularly as it relates to reading motivation across the transition from middle to high school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic cheating occurs frequently in schools. Cheating is a deliberative act, in that students make a conscious decision to engage in academic dishonesty. Students’ achievement goals, which are malleable, often guide the ways that students make such decisions. Educators can incorporate various instructional practices and support academic policies that enhance positive motivational beliefs (e.g., mastery goals), potentially reducing academic dishonesty. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Extant scholarship has primarily examined demographic predictors of teacher victimization. Teacher multiple victimization, or the extent to which teachers experience multiple types of violence, has not been examined. Using social-ecological theory, we examine correlates of violence among 2,324 teachers who reported having been victimized at least once. Male teachers were more likely to report student-generated multiple victimization, and White teachers were more likely to experience multiple forms of violence generated by students and parents. Teacher attributions also played an important role. Characterological and behavioral self-blame were associated with higher colleague and student-generated multiple victimization, respectively. Regarding contextual variables, teachers who reported less administrative support were more likely to report multiple forms of violence by students and colleagues, and teachers working in urban settings reported more student-generated multiple victimization. This study underscores the importance of accounting for individual and contextual factors. Implications for research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article describes an initiative undertaken by a coalition of psychologists (Coalition for Psychology in Schools and Education) from the American Psychological Association (APA) to identify the top 20 principles from psychological science relevant to teaching and learning in the classroom. This article identifies these principles and their basis in psychological science. In addition, it articulates each principle's relevance to teaching practices. The article lists all 20 principles and describes a subset of these by providing the information described previously. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this article, we critically examine skills that are necessary for the effective learning of science in adolescent populations. We argue that a focus on twenty-first-century skills among adolescents within the context of science instruction must be considered in light of research on cognitive and social development. We first review adolescents’ emerging abilities in terms of five domains identified by the National Research Council Board on Science Education: adaptability, complex communication/social skills, non-routine problem-solving skills, self-management/self-development and systems thinking. We next describe practices that science teachers can use to enhance the development and use of emerging cognitive abilities in adolescents. We conclude by providing seven research-based recommendations for adolescent science instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article uses theoretical concepts from self-efficacy theory, goal theory, expectancy value, and intrinsic motivation theory as a way to organize the vast and largely atheoretical literature on academic cheating. Specifically, it draws on 3 particular questions that students encounter when deciding whether to cheat: (a) What is my purpose?, (b) Can I do this task?, and (c) What are the costs associated with cheating? This article reviews both experimental and nonexperimental evidence related to each of these questions and offers suggestions for future research and instructional practices that will lessen the likelihood of cheating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though HIV preventive and other health interventions in educational settings have often been grounded in health behavior theory, such interventions have rarely taken into account achievement motivation theory. The purpose of this article is to discuss how and why theories of both health behavior and achievement motivation have the potential to play an important part in the design and delivery of HIV preventive interventions in school settings. First, we briefly discuss health behavior theories, with a primary focus on their commonalties. Next, we discuss theories of achievement motivation and what is known about motivating students to learn and excel in the classroom, specifically applying these theories to safer sexual education. The complementary aspects of these theoretical perspectives are then considered. Finally, implications for improving the design of HIV preventive and other health interventions in school settings are discussed. Such interventions may be vastly improved if they pay greater attention to the motivational tenets of achievement motivation theories and their associated classroom dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to assess the perceptions of the adult population in a largely rural, southeastern state without a state-mandated AIDS education curriculum, regarding the appropriateness of teaching various AIDS-related topics to sixth and ninth grade students. A random telephone poll of 654 respondents answered questions pertaining to the appropriateness of teaching delaying sexual activity, how to say "no" to sexual advances, the correct way to use a condom, the risk of AIDS, how to discuss condom use with a sexual partner, and the importance of not having premarital sex. Results indicate widespread support for teaching AIDS and sex education at the ninth grade level and, with the exception of teaching about correct condom use, at the sixth grade level. Males, older and married individuals, and people who strongly identified with their religion were less supportive of providing instruction about these topics at school. Implications for school policy makers are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assesses the benefits of broadcasting the Channel One news programs to middle schools in the United States. Effectiveness of viewing Channel One as a learning activity; Attitudes toward Channel One; Factors that enhance learning from Channel One.

We proposed a causal relationship between teachers' perception of principal leader- ship behavior, school culture, and teacher and student commitment. We hypothesized that a concept we called principal "venturesomeness" would be related to a school culture that stresses accomplishment and mastery, which in turn would be related to teacher commitment, which in turn would predict student commitment to school. We define principal venturesomeness as the extent to which principals are seen as being willing to take risks, are innovative in their approach to instructional leadership, and in general display and encourage achievement-oriented behavior. The model was tested in two different samples. The first sample was third-through six-grade teachers and students from schools in Arizona. The second sample was third-through fifth-grade teachers and students from Florida. The model was tested using LISREL VI. Many similarities existed between the models in the two samples. Principal Venturesomeness was a strong predictor of an Accomplishment Culture, which in turn was a strong predictor of Teacher Commitment. Contrary to our hypothesis, no relationship existed between Teacher Commitment and Student Commitment. The summary fit statistics indicate that the model did not explain the data adequately. The X2/df ratio was greater than a rule-of-thumb 5.0 and the goodness-of-fit index was less than a rule-of-thumb .9 in both studies. Although the studies indicated some interesting conceptual relationships, it appears that the proposed model does not adequately explain the theoretical relationships between teacher perceptions, school culture, and teacher and student commitment. The studies do suggest one research direction not yet explored in the literature. That is, the relationship between teacher commitment and student commitment. More empirical work exploring how teacher commitment relates to student outcome is encouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual health education in the United States is seeing increased attention and is often viewed as a controversial topic. To better understand young adolescents' experiences within an LGBTQ+ inclusive sexual health education program (Get Real), we utilized Situated Expectancy-Value Theory to investigate 53 responses from 30 students about what they deemed most beneficial after program completion, specifically that pertaining to LGBTQ+ topics. Four themes were identified: allyship/civility, safety, learning, and ongoing need for increased inclusion. Results suggest inclusive sexual health education is valued by middle school students and that there is a need for increased (and improved) inclusive LGBTQ+ sexual health education. Designing and implementing sexual health education curricula which fosters inclusion and LGBTQ+- friendly topics may lead to increased allyship, civility, and respect toward others. Additionally, inclusive sexual health education may promote an increased sense of safety in learning environments for all students. Policymakers and educators may wish to better understand students' experiences within sexual health education programs as they aim to improve sexual health education efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduces articles on educational psychology. Psychologists' interest in contexts; Reflection of trends in the study of cognitive development that emphasizes the social nature of human learning; Measurement and analysis of context; Conceptual issues related to what context is and how persons and situations interact.