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Since most schools and learners had no choice but to learn online during the pandemic, online learning became the mainstream learning mode rather than a substitute for traditional face-to-face learning. Given this enormous change in online learning, we conducted a systematic review of 191 of the most recent online learning studies published during the COVID-19 era. The systematic review results indicated that the themes regarding "courses and instructors" became popular during the pandemic, whereas most online learning research has focused on "learners" pre-COVID-19. Notably, the research topics "course and instructors" and "course technology" received more attention than prior to COVID-19. We found that "engagement" remained the most common research theme even after the pandemic. New research topics included parents, technology acceptance or adoption of online learning, and learners' and instructors' perceptions of online learning.

Participation in authentic research in the field and online through Community and Citizen Science (CCS) has shown to bring learning benefits to volunteers. In online CCS, available platforms present distinct features, ranging from scaffolding the process of data collection, to supporting data analysis and enabling volunteers to initiate their own studies. What is yet not well understood is how best to design CCS programmes that are educational, inclusive, and accessible by diverse volunteers, including young people and those with limited prior science experiences who are rather few in CCS. In this study, we interviewed 31 young people, aged 7-20 years old, who used iNaturalist, an online biodiversity monitoring platform, and identified how different forms of participation online and in the field facilitated (or inhibited) certain forms of learning, as defined by the Environmental Science Agency framework. Findings revealed that iNaturalist enabled participation of young people including those with limited science experiences and facilitated science learning such as the development of science competence and understanding. A blended learning framework for biodiversity monitoring in CCS is presented as a means to support the development of hybrid, educational, and inclusive CCS programmes for young people.

Objective: School Health Profiles (Profiles) is a national surveillance system operated by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A school-based system of surveys, Profiles monitors school health policies and practices in US states and other jurisdictions through questionnaires completed by school principals and lead health education teachers. This study used the Profiles principal survey to identify trends in US schools' implementation of diversity-related learning opportunities (i.e. opportunities to learn about people who are different from themselves) in secondary school classrooms and extracurricular settings. Methods: Logistic regression models using data from three cycles of School Health Profiles from 35 US states examined trends in the percentages of secondary schools offering students diversity-related learning opportunities in the following settings, each measured by using dichotomous yes/no response options--(a) clubs; (b) lessons in class and (c) special events (e.g. multicultural week, family night) sponsored by the school or community organisations. Results: Between 2014-2018, no states experienced decreases in opportunities for students to learn about people who are different from themselves; most states demonstrated no significant change. Conclusion: Findings suggest efforts are needed to strengthen capacity for and prioritisation of policies, programmes and practices promoting diversity and culturally relevant education in schools, and in turn, promote positive health and educational outcomes for youth.

This study showcases an International Learning Exchange (ILE) program between North Korean (NK) refugee students in South Korea and American university students from the US. ILE programs connect two or more linguistic/ cultural groups for intercultural awareness, which provide authentic communicative environments. However, the prevalent use of English and research focus mostly on non-native English-speaking students reflect the ideology of native-speakerism embedded in ILE programs. The purpose of this study was to develop an ILE program that resists native-speakerism and to investigate its influences on native as well as non-native English-speaking students. Adopting a case-study approach, data were collected from video-taping, fieldnotes, student documents, surveys, and interviews. Findings show how the authors designed and implemented a principle-based ILE program. The responses of NK students show their growing motivation and communication ability. The responses of American students show their critical reflections on their native-speaker identities. This study offers insights into designing ILE programs based on multilingualism and translanguaging.

This cross-cultural study examined Koreans' and Americans' explicit stigma and implicit biases toward autism to examine potential mechanisms underlying recent evidence for heightened explicit autism stigma in South Korea relative to the United States. This evidence is somewhat at odds with other evidence that individuals living in collectivistic cultures such as South Korea may be more prone to present themselves favorably than those living in relatively individualistic cultures such as the United States. A total 224 American and 536 Korean non-autistic adult participants completed an online survey. Implicit biases were measured using the implicit association test. Koreans reported greater explicit stigma and exhibited more implicit biases toward autism than Americans. Explicit stigma was not correlated with implicit biases in either country. Less autism knowledge and pleasant contact with autistic people predicted greater explicit stigma among both Koreans and Americans. Less frequent contact and heightened assimilation ideology toward ethnic minorities predicted greater stigma only among Koreans. The variance in implicit biases explained by predictors was small, emphasizing the need for follow-up research investigating predictors of implicit biases. Informing Koreans about the shortcomings of assimilationist approaches and fostering an appreciation of the plurality of cultures may reduce stigma toward autistic individuals in South Korea.

Dating and relationship violence (DRV) and gender-based violence (GBV) among children and young people incur a high cost to individuals and society. School-based interventions present an opportunity to prevent DRV and GBV early in individuals' lives. However, with school resources under pressure, policymakers require guidance on the economics of implementing interventions. As part of a large systematic review funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), we searched for economic evaluations and costing studies of school-based interventions for DRV and GBV. No formal economic evaluations were identified. Seven studies reporting costs, cost savings, or resource use for eight interventions were identified. The largest costs of implementing interventions were related to staff training and salaries but savings could be made by implementing interventions on a large scale. The potential cost savings of avoided DRV and GBV far outweighed the costs of implementation.

The purpose of this study was to examine the factor structure of the Family Involvement Questionnaire--Elementary Version with families in Belize. Participants were 185 primary caregivers of children in primary education settings in Belize. Caregivers were given the Family Involvement Questionnaire--Elementary Version to measure their educational involvement in their children's schooling. Findings indicated the factor structure of the Family Involvement Questionnaire--Elementary Version in Belize was not congruent with the factor structures with samples from the United States and New Zealand. Exploratory factor analysis suggested a five-factor solution: (a) home-school communication, (b) home expectations and monitoring, (c) educational support, (d) school and community involvement, and (e) school attendance. In light of similar measurement studies in the literature, these data indicate that family educational involvement varies across geographic and cultural contexts. This suggests that interventions and policies to improve education outcomes via family involvement ought to consider the unique structure of families' involvement in the educational system. [For the corresponding grantee submission, see ED605729.]

Mental health issues are on the rise on college campuses for all students, including international students. This qualitative study explores the mental wellness of Korean international graduate students, a subgroup that has received limited attention. We found that limited English proficiency shapes various aspects of Korean international graduate students' well-being; self-imposed pressures negatively influence mental wellness; self-blaming and an inability to express one's feelings lead to further deterioration; and students turn to physical and religious or spiritual activities to improve their mental wellness. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Information about state and local education policies regarding sexually transmitted infections, including human immunodeficiency virus, and unintended pregnancy prevention is available, yet less is known about school-level implementation of such policies. We examine trends in the percentage of US secondary schools teaching sexual and reproductive health (SRH) topics in a required course in Grades 6-8 and 9-12, including healthy relationships, sexual abstinence, condoms and condoms with other contraceptive methods. We analyze representative data from 38 states across six cycles of School Health Profiles (2008-18) assessed through self-administered questionnaires completed by lead health teachers. Logistic regression models examined linear trends in the percentages of schools teaching topics for Grades 6-8 and 9-12, separately. Trends were calculated for states having representative data for at least three cycles, including 2018. During 2008-18, it was more common to have increases in teaching how to obtain condoms, correct condom use and use condoms with other contraceptive methods in Grades 6-12 than decreases. More states showed decreases in teaching abstinence in Grades 6-12 than increases. Most states had no change in teaching SRH topics across grades. Findings suggest some improvement in school-based SRH education, yet efforts are needed to improve comprehensive, developmentally appropriate content.

The Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET) is a purported theory of mind measure and one that reliably differentiates autistic and non-autistic individuals. However, concerns have been raised about the validity of the measure, with some researchers suggesting that the multiple-choice format of the RMET makes it susceptible to the undue influence of compensatory strategies and verbal ability. We compared the performance of autistic (N = 70) and non-autistic (N = 71) adults on the 10-item multiple-choice RMET to that of a free-report version of the RMET. Both the autistic and non-autistic groups performed much better on the multiple-choice than the free-report RMET, suggesting that the multiple-choice format enables the use of additional strategies. Although verbal IQ was correlated with both multiple-choice and free-report RMET performance, controlling for verbal IQ did not undermine the ability of either version to discriminate autistic and non-autistic participants. Both RMET formats also demonstrated convergent validity with a well-validated adult measure of theory of mind. The multiple-choice RMET is, however, much simpler to administer and score.

Despite the likely relevance of socio-cultural context, very few studies have examined the influence of cultural values on teachers' perceptions of gifted students' leadership development. This study chose three nations representing collectivistic to individualistic contexts and compared how 478 teachers from these countries (South Korea = 176, 36.8%, Australia = 169, 35.4%, U.S. = 133, 27.8%) differed in their beliefs about the prevalence and development of gifted students' leadership talent. Differences were found between the individualistic (Australia and the U.S.) and collectivistic (South Korea) settings in their beliefs regarding which students have leadership potential; their judgments about effective leadership styles and leader qualities; their perceptions of gifted students' qualifications as future leaders; and their preferred criteria for recommending students for a leadership education program. Although unable to identify causal relationships, this study nevertheless cautiously suggests that leadership and leaders are intertwined with culturally mediated values and practices. Future studies should continue examining these differences in cross-cultural comparative contexts.

This study examined preservice teachers' understanding of children's play in diverse cultures. Using digital photo essay methods, a total of 37 early childhood preservice teachers in Myanmar, Korea, and the U.S. engaged in a critical discussion on children's play in diverse cultures. The findings suggested that the participants typically showed three layers of cross-cultural awareness: distance, friction, and flow. Korean and the U.S. participants conducted critical reflections on their preconceived notion of play, as influenced by the idea of Western childhood play. Although Myanmar participants revealed a desire for Western play materials, we did not observe substantial evidence of critical reflection throughout the cross-cultural exchanges. This paper discusses the implications of investigating culturally sensitive strategies for engendering preservice teachers' implicit beliefs by exchanging digital photo essays across diverse cultures.

As an extension of the personal and intellectual conversations that took place in the sister-scholar group consisting of four East Asian international doctoral students from China and South Korea, in this article, we narrate and examine our (counter)stories traversing between different spaces and across time. These narratives center our racial, linguistic, social, and academic experiences and illustrate our processes of awakening, resistance, and collective healing. We used transnationalism and Asian Critical Theory as our theoretical guide, and collaborative autoethnography as our methodology. Through the canvas of (counter)stories, we (a) refuse dominant views and definitions of what it means to be Asian in the United States, (b) resist the simplistic and monolithic ways of understanding our existence and experiences as international students, and (c) challenge the academic community and broader society to develop more complex and critical social praxis regarding race, culture, and relations of power.

Short-term faculty-led study abroad programs have been offered in various institutions across the United States. Despite the many program offerings, students who are interested in the niche marketplace have been experiencing limited program participation. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to introduce the use of online communication platforms in delivering a multi-institutional Paralympic study abroad experience among students from nine different universities across the United States and Canada. Specifically, this document intends to guide instructors in implementing a multi-institutional study abroad program. In addition, the paper shares thoughts on the beneficial opportunities study abroad trips can create for students who have a passion in the field of disability sport.

This study is a comparative research investigating whether cultural competence of preservice teachers is causally related to their social justice and self-efficacy beliefs in Turkey, South Korea and the United States. The study group involved pre-service teachers from Turkey (n = 560), South Korea (n = 790) and the United States (n = 352). The model was developed in the study to discern pattern of relationships among cultural competence acting on social justice and self-efficacy beliefs via multiple causal pathways. Multisample structural equation model was performed to test the equivalence of relationships among variables in the three samples by estimating the model separately for Turkish, S. Korean, and US groups. The study results revealed that cultural competence of pre-service teachers has positive effect on their social justice and self-efficacy beliefs in all three samples. The results indicated that there is a strongest effect of pre-service teachers' cultural competence on their social justice beliefs in S. Korea. There was a strongest effect of pre-service teachers' cultural competence on their self-efficacy beliefs in Turkey. The implications for academic research and teacher training are discussed.

South Korea, a relatively collectivistic and homogeneous country with heightened cultural tightness, is believed to have particularly high levels of stigma toward autistic individuals, who sometimes engage in behaviors that diverge from social norms. This study investigated cross-cultural differences in autism stigma (assessed with a Social Distance Scale) in the United States and South Korea. Two-hundred and seventy-six American and 494 Korean participants who completed an online survey were included in the analysis. We conducted a multiple regression predicting autism stigma with variables that were correlated with stigma. Koreans reported greater autism stigma than Americans. Greater vertical individualism, lesser horizontal collectivism, less accurate autism knowledge, less pleasant and frequent previous contact with autism, concerns about the marriageability of family members, and higher cultural tightness predicted greater stigma. Cultural tightness, or an emphasis on social norms, which was heightened among Korean participants, contributed to greater autism stigma in South Korea. Findings highlight the need to increase autism knowledge and foster pleasant and frequent contact with autistic individuals, especially for those who accept inequality as a part of human interactions in both South Korea and the United States. Moreover, interventions that help Koreans understand the relativeness of social appropriateness may reduce autism stigma in South Korea.

The paper argues that contemporary test validity theory places the consequences of testing on the lives of all college applicants at the back of the test validation argument. It introduces the notion of test efficacy as a process to gather evidence on claims on consequences of testing on all college applicants that can be traced back to validity. The paper proposes a test efficacy framework to evaluate test efficacy claims on the impact of admission examinations on all college applicants (not just those attaining the admission standard).

This study was conducted to provide basic information about the curricula of real estate education with respect to globalization. The literature, such as the histories and characteristics of real estate education in the United Kingdom and the United States that have historically lead real estate education, are reviewed. We also extract the core terms used in the curricula of departments accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business-International that are leading the globalization of education, and Meikai University, the only university with a real estate department in Japan. In extracting core terms from each country, we proceed with basic terms that constitute the subject titles, not the entire subject title itself. After extracting core terms from each country, we discuss the overall characteristics of real estate education in each country and clarify the main stream of the globalization of real estate education. In addition, by comparing core terms and calculating proximities among Japan, the United Kingdom and United States, Japan's specificities of real estate education are identified.

This study tested a model of counseling supervisory process and outcome across two cultural contexts: one in the United States (U.S.) and one in South Korea. We hypothesized that (1) the supervisory alliance and supervisee nondisclosure would mediate the relationship between supervisor style and supervisee satisfaction and (2) the path coefficients of the model in the U.S. samples and South Korean samples would differ. Participants included 299 U.S. supervisees (mean age 30.25 years) and 334 South Korean supervisees (mean age 34.42 years), all of whom were engaged in counseling supervision. Self-reported measures were used to collect the data by using both online survey and paper-pencil survey. Results of structural equation modeling demonstrated that both the proposed model and path coefficients were statistically significant. In addition, we identified a stronger relationship between the supervisory working alliance and both supervisee nondisclosures and supervisee satisfaction in the U.S. sample in comparison to the South Korean sample. The attractive, interpersonally sensitive, and collaborative supervisory styles were differentially related to both supervisory alliance and supervisee satisfaction across U.S. and Korean samples. Implications for counseling supervision, training, and research are described.

The qualitative study investigated the cultural adjustment experiences of Saudi Women International Graduate Students studying for the first time in a mixed-gender environment in the United States. Questions for the study invited the Saudi women to share prior expectations about coming to study in the United States compared to the reality of their experiences as international students. They discussed what they most and least enjoyed about studying and living in the US cultural differences, acculturative stress, and cultural adjustment at different time periods, English proficiency, social support, and communication/relationships with Americans. Themes emerged from the qualitative data analysis coding process that indicated their acculturation process within the psychosocial and academic contexts was most impacted by the significant influence that the female student's cultural identity had on the experience of being in a non-segregated, mixed-gender social and academic environment for the first time.

Although leadership is widely considered an aspect of giftedness, few studies have examined gifted students' beliefs regarding their own leadership abilities and their potential to become leaders. We developed a survey and administered it to a cross-cultural sample of 440 gifted and 303 non-identified secondary age participants to elicit their perceptions regarding good leaders and leadership, aspirations to become leaders, and expectations regarding leadership development for gifted students. Students overall expressed a preference for leaders who are able to provide a vision for the future and who care about others' feelings. Responses indicate that students believed honesty, social responsibility, and morality to be the most important characteristics of future leaders. Compared to non-identified students, we found that gifted students showed greater aspirations to become leaders, and their ultimate life goals and beliefs regarding leadership as a part of their talents was associated significantly with their leadership aspirations. We suggested how salient dimensions of cultural difference may have influenced some specific results observed for gifted students from South Korea versus the U.S. cultural context.

Intergenerational volunteerism is a global phenomenon that aids multiple generations. Considering the positive evidence of volunteering among older adults and their desire for engagement with children, it is important to explore older adult volunteers' experiences in intergenerational programs with a specific focus on the cultural and social impacts of volunteering in educational settings. Using a phenomenological qualitative approach, 43 interviews with older adult volunteers (23 in South Korea (Korea) and 20 in the United States (US) in intergenerational programs were conducted. Participants were recruited from the Beautiful Story Grandma (BSG) in Korea and the Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) in the US in 2019. Three major themes emerged from the interviews revolving around the role of culture and other demographics in the experience of volunteering: (1) Benefits from volunteering with children that transcend demographic and geographic differences; (2) distinctive cultural factors lead to different experiences of volunteering in educational settings; and (3) operational and procedural differences of volunteer programs impact older adult volunteers' experiences in educational settings. This comparative research can inform the development of culturally responsive intergenerational volunteering programs for older adults and other generations in their communities.

Rising global fire activity is increasing the prevalence of repeated short‐interval burning (reburning) in forests worldwide. In forests that historically experienced frequent‐fire regimes, high‐severity fire exacerbates the severity of subsequent fires by increasing prevalence of shrubs and/or by creating drier understory conditions. Low‐ to moderate‐severity fire, in contrast, can moderate future fire behavior by reducing fuel loads. The extent to which previous fires moderate future fire severity will powerfully affect fire‐prone forest ecosystem trajectories over the next century. Further, knowing where and when a wildfire may act as a landscape‐scale fuel treatment can help direct pre‐ and post‐fire management efforts. We leverage satellite imagery and fire progression mapping to model reburn dynamics within forests that initially burned at low/moderate severity in 726 unique fire pair events over a 36‐year period across four large fire‐prone Western US ecoregions. We ask (1) how strong are the moderating effects of low‐ to moderate‐severity fire on future fire severity, (2) how long do moderating effects last, and (3) how does the time between fires (a proxy for fuel accumulation) interact with initial fire severity, day‐of‐burning weather conditions, and climate to influence reburn severity. Short‐interval reburns primarily occurred in dry‐ and moist‐mixed conifer forests with historically frequent‐fire regimes. Previous fire moderated reburn severity in all ecoregions with the strongest effects occurring in the California Coast and Western Mountains and the average duration of moderating effects ranging from 13 years in the Western Mountains to >36 years in the California Coast. The strength and duration of moderating effects depended on climate and initial fire severity in some regions, reflecting differences in post‐fire fuel accumulation. In the California Coast, moderating effects lasted longer in cooler and wetter forests. In the Western Mountains, moderating effects were stronger and longer lasting in forests that initially burned at higher severity. Moderating effects were largely robust to fire weather, suggesting that previous fire can mediate future fire severity even under extreme conditions. Our findings demonstrate that low‐ to moderate‐severity fire buffers future fire severity in historically frequent‐fire forests, underlining the importance of wildfire as a restoration tool for adapting to global change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper advocates an integrated approach to transition programmes at South Africa's higher education institutions through drawing on the US literature on the first-year student experience and specific reference to behavioural interaction theory. The case for developing intentional and vertically integrated transition programmes is tied to: the need to understand the desired behaviours and learning outcomes at each stage of a student's experience; an appreciation of the cognitive, psychosocial and identity development at different years of study; and a recognition of environmental influences and how they relate to, and can be adapted to, changing student characteristics and needs. Particular reference is made to Chickering and Reisser's seven vectors of identity development, Baxter Magolda's work on young adults' journey toward self-authorship, and Bronfenbrenner's developmental ecology model. It is concluded that an intentional, vertical integration of transition programmes requires horizontal alignment between objectives (desired behaviour), the developmental needs of students, and educational environments. In this regard, a number of recommendations for higher education instructional and support staff are proposed.

The Korean Society for Educational Technology (KSET) hosted its second panel discussion partnering with the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) at the 2019 AECT Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada. A total of four panelists, two from Korea and two from the U.S., participated in the discussion on the trends of educational technology in Korea and in the U.S. for one hour. The topics covered were smart schools in a smart city of Korea, characteristics of mobile learning environments, learning analytics for instructional design, and artificial intelligence for learning sciences research.

By critiquing universal approaches to addressing children's play, this study aims to examine early childhood pre-service teachers' discourse on young children's play in a local context. With a multivocal ethnography, pre-service teachers in Myanmar, South Korea, and the United States participated in a project in which they created, exchanged, and discussed digital photo essays cross-culturally. The findings suggest the prevalence of dominant play discourse (i.e., western developmental psychology in children's play) in pre-service teachers' digital photo essays. However, the way participants interpret play varies depending on the local context and cultural values. Cross-cultural exchange on digital photo essays and further discussion enabled pre-service teachers to understand the complex interplay between global discourse and local experiences on the conceptualization of young children's play. We discuss the implications of encouraging pre-service teachers to promote culturally inclusive and contextually appropriate conceptualizations of children's play in various cultural settings.

In this study, we examined the perceptions of over 1,600 gifted and typically developing (not identified as gifted) secondary students from South Korea and the USA to identify gifted adolescents' preferred modes of social purpose, interest in and engagement with their communities, and actual commitment to societal improvement. We then examined the extent to which their social purpose varied with gifted identification status and students' cultural background. Gifted students identified actualized purpose as their preferred mode of expressing social purpose, while typically developing students favored self-oriented life goals. The gifted students also had a stronger interest in social matters and showed a greater awareness of social and civic engagement than the nonidentified students did. Among the gifted students, Korean students expressed a stronger belief in prosocial behaviors and reported a greater commitment to what they believed important for society. In contrast, the American adolescents behaved in accordance with their expressed values. Both perceived social purpose and commitment to their communities and society predicted students' life satisfaction regardless of cultural affiliation. Discussion focuses on differences in the degree of prosocial intention and engagement between the gifted and typical students, and personal and societal values that may help explain the differences we observed in social purpose among the gifted students from the two different nations.

Single Point Insulin Sensitivity Estimator (SPISE) index was recently introduced as a reliable indirect indicator of insulin resistance, applicable to large population-based research. Here, we aimed to 1) examine racial/ethnic differences in SPISE index among US adults, 2) compare predictive power of SPISE index for metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) by race/ethnicity, and 3) evaluate its predictive power for MetSyn against other well-known IR indices including Triglyceride/HDL-C, Triglyceride-glucose index, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance, and inverse fasting insulin. A total of 2168 adults (814 white, 690 black, and 664 Hispanic) from NHANES 2017-March 2020 Pre-Pandemic Data was analyzed in this study. MetSyn was defined by the AHA/NHLBI criteria. SPISE index and insulin resistance indices were calculated by using physical and cardiometabolic parameters. SPISE index was lowest in Hispanic, followed by black and white, with no difference between white vs. black. The area under the curve of receiver operating characteristics of SPISE index for predicting MetSyn was highest in white (88 %), followed by Hispanic (86 %) and black (82 %) (P < 0.05 vs. black), with optimal cutoffs of 5.03, 4.84, and 4.89, respectively. In the total cohort, the predictive power of the SPISE index for MetSyn was 85 %, higher than the other insulin resistance indices (all P < 0.05). SPISE index outperforms various insulin resistance indices for predicting MetSyn in US adults, signifying its potential in large-scale observational studies. Race/ethnicity should be stratified when using the SPISE index as its predictive power and cutoffs for predicting MetSyn vary by race/ethnicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the relationship between Catholic teachers' faith and their school commitment in Catholic high schools. A national sample of 751 teachers from 39 Catholic high schools in 15 archdioceses in the United States participated in a self-administered website survey. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Pearson correlation. The findings of this study show that there are significant relationships between the four dimensions of Catholic teachers' faith (belief, intimacy with God, action, and a living faith) and the four dimensions of school commitment (commitment to mission, commitment to the school, commitment to teaching, and commitment to students). Among the four dimensions of Catholic faith, a living faith was most influential in all the four dimensions of teacher commitment. Among the four dimensions of teacher commitment, commitment to mission was most strongly connected with all four dimensions of faith. The findings of this study strongly suggest that Catholic teachers' living faith, placed in the center of intrinsic motivation for their school lives and activities, needs to be acknowledged as a critical predictor of teacher commitment within Catholic high schools. (Contains 7 tables.)

As a result of continuous global immigration to the United States, several microcultures coexist within the country. Today's classroom should provide an interface where individuals from different cultural backgrounds have the potential for sharing a rich place of learning--a place where the teacher embraces and celebrates individual differences, fosters the development of positive self-concepts, provides meaningful and relevant learning experiences, and insists on high expectations for everyone. Facilitating this kind of learning environment is the result of practicing culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP). A culturally responsive teacher acts on knowledge about cultural differences, and implements, as habit, pedagogical skills that foster a meaningful and relevant education for all of her/his learners. The call for cultural responsiveness extends to all dimensions of the school experience, including physical education. Physical education presents unique needs and opportunities to practice cultural responsiveness. Presented here are principles of culturally responsive teaching, applied through the lens of physical education.

Given the receptivity of American colleges to international students, administrators and professors must recognize the diversity such registrants bring to campus in the form of achievement, age, gender, language, and national differences. The purpose of this study was to compare learning style preferences of international first year college students and to analyze the effects of accommodating learning-style preferences of first year international college students on achievement and anxiety levels over one semester. This paper focused on the identification of learning style profiles of first time visiting Japanese, Korean, and Chinese college student populations. It also assessed the anxiety and acculturation levels of these international students when they were first introduced to the American educational system which incorporated teacher facilitation and promoted student directed studies. Finally, student learning styles were assessed after a six-week summer session to see if learning styles remained the same after students were introduced to the American educational system. After the six-week summer session and two semesters, a focus group meeting with a sample population of students and a separate focus group meeting with instructors were held to confirm quantitative findings.

The objective was to characterize the relation between different sources of school-based social support (friends, peers, and teachers) and bereaved siblings' grief and grief-related growth and to examine whether nonparental sources of social support buffer the effects of low parent support on bereaved siblings. Families (N = 85) were recruited from cancer registries at 3 pediatric institutions 3-12 months after a child's death. Bereaved siblings were 8-18 years old (M = 12.39, SD = 2.65) and majority female (58%) and White (74%). During home visits, siblings reported their perceptions of social support from parental and nonparental sources using the Social Support Scale for Children, as well as grief and grief-related growth using the Hogan Sibling Inventory of Bereavement. Parent, friend, and teacher support were positively correlated with grief-related growth, whereas parent and peer support were negatively correlated with grief for adolescents. Teacher and friend support significantly moderated the association between parent support and grief such that teacher and friend support accentuated the positive effects of parent support. Friend and peer support moderated associations between parent support and grief/growth for adolescents but not children. School-based social support, namely from friends, peers, and teachers, appears to facilitate the adjustment of bereaved siblings. Findings suggest that bereaved siblings may benefit from enhanced support from teachers and friends regardless of age, with middle/high school students particularly benefitting from increased support from close friends and peers.

While professional development has been emphasised in many countries, few comparative studies have examined the degree of teachers' participation in professional development and its effect on teachers. Using the TIMSS 2007 data, this study analyses to what extent teachers participated in professional development in 50 TIMSS countries and examines the relationship among high-quality teachers' professional development, teachers' beliefs, attitudes and job satisfaction. The study found that the extent to which teachers have participated in professional developmental activities was surprisingly low. In particular, teachers in 47 countries have rarely participated in active learning. The study also found that high-quality teacher professional development was significantly associated with greater job satisfaction, higher expectations for student performance and more positive attitudes in teachers concerning their implementing the school's curriculum. Policy implications for professional development are discussed.

Identifying formal attributes of creative interior design and any differences in such perceptions according to one's culture and expertise can reveal underlying patterns in visual perception. This article reports a cross-cultural study of creativity, preference, and formal attributes of interior design evaluated by 158 participants from different cultures (Korean and American) and expertise levels (design majors and nondesign majors). They rated 6 photos of interior spaces regarding: (a) creativity level of each design; (b) aesthetic preference for each design; and (c) the degree to which each design exhibited complexity, uniqueness, curvedness, and emotionality. The results show a consensus in perceptions of: (a) highly versus low-creative design and (b) highly creative design as more complex, unique, curved, and emotional than low-creative design. Cultural and expertise differences were also found: (a) Americans rated all design as more creative, relative to Koreans; (b) design majors rated all design as less creative, relative to nondesign majors; (c) design majors preferred highly creative design than low-creative design, but nondesign majors did not; and (d) creativity and preferences correlated with more design attributes for design majors than nondesign majors. Uniqueness predicted creativity, and emotionality and expertise predicted preference. More differences existed by expertise than by culture.