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First-year composition courses must balance a range of writing instruction priorities including genre and audience awareness with language instruction, particularly for second-language writers. Despite the attested efficacy of dynamic written corrective feedback for language gains in intensive English programs, little research has investigated dynamic written corrective feedback in supporting language and discourse development among L2 first-year composition students. In the present study, pre- and post-test writing from 63 second-language first-year composition writers was analyzed for grammatical accuracy as well as lexical and syntactic complexity. Writers with dynamic written corrective feedback intervention (n = 30) failed to outperform a control group on nearly all measures, and in fact made significantly more verb errors and demonstrated significantly less syntactic complexity over time compared to the control group. Results suggest that while dynamic written corrective feedback is efficacious in some settings, it may be at cross purposes with other first-year composition discourse-based goals such as genre and audience awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports a study involving: (1) developing and validating a learning environment instrument, (2) investigating whether reflection on feedback generated using the instrument led to improvements in the learning environment and (3) examining how teachers used the feedback. For the new learning environment instrument, validity was supported for a sample of 10,345 secondary students over 3 years (2,042 students in 2008, 4,467 in 2009 and 3,836 in 2010). To investigate whether reflection on feedback from this instrument led to improvements in the learning environment, multivariate analysis of variance and effect sizes were used to examine pre-post differences. Statistically significant improvements in students' views of the learning environment were found for 8 of the 11 scales. Finally, we examined how teachers used the student feedback. Of the 459 teachers, 45 focus teachers used the feedback as part of a formal action research approach involving entries in reflective journals, written reports, discussions and participation at a forum. These data were analysed to provide an overview of the ways in which the information was used, and to provide a more detailed account of the journey of one of the teachers.

This article reports the development, validation and use of an instrument designed to provide teachers with feedback information, based on students' perceptions, about their classroom environments. The instrument was developed to provide teachers with feedback that they could use to reflect on their teaching practices and, in turn, guide the implementation of strategies to improve their learning environments. To determine the validity and reliability of the new instrument, data from 2043 grade 11 and 12 students from 147 classes in 9 schools were analysed. The Rasch model was used to convert data collected using a frequency response scale into interval data that are suitable for parametric analyses. During an action research process, reflective journals, written feedback, discussions at a forum and interviews with eight teachers helped to illuminate the processes used by teachers during action research. This article reports the views of these teachers in general and examines more closely how one of the teachers used student responses to the learning environment questionnaire as a tool for reflection and as a guide in transforming her classroom environment. This case study helped us to gauge the extent to which action research based on students' perceptions of the learning environment was useful in guiding teachers' improvements of their classroom learning environments.

Summary: Background: The association between physical activity and adiposity in preschool‐aged children is unclear. Objective: To assess the cross‐sectional association between objectively measured physical activity and body fat in preschool‐aged children. Methods: In the preschool review in an Australian birth cohort study (n = 1074), mean duration and time accumulated in ≥1‐min bouts of physical activity at light‐intensity (LPA), moderate‐ to vigorous‐intensity (MVPA) and light‐ to vigorous‐intensity (LMVPA) were computed from accelerometer (ActiGraph GT3X+) data. Percent body fat was assessed by bioelectrical impedance. Associations between physical activity and percent body fat were examined by multiple regression, adjusted for accelerometer wear time, MVPA (in analyses of LPA), maternal body mass index (BMI) and maternal education. Results: A total of 450 participants (n = 450) had valid data. There was evidence of associations between physical activity and adiposity: each additional hour of LVPA was associated with 0.6% (CI95 –0.2%, 1.3%) higher body fat; ≥1‐min bouts of LPA was associated with 1.0% (CI95 0.1%, 1.9%) higher body fat; each additional hour of MVPA was associated with −0.8% (CI95 −1.6%, −0.1%) less body fat; and ≥1‐min bouts of MVPA was associated with −1.3% (CI95 −2.5%, −0.1%) body fat. Conclusions: Among a cohort of preschool‐aged children, there was evidence that more intensive physical activity assessed by an accelerometer is associated with reduced body fat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]