bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The problems of facilitating qualitative formative assessment in pupils
Authors: Radnor Hilary A.
Published: May 2011

This paper is concerned with the practical implications of assessing the arts through talk. The use of talk in the assessment process was a focus of enquiry in the research project, ‘Assessing Achievement in the Arts’, from which the data in this paper originated. A sample of 25 teachers who were committed to the principle of formative assessment was recruited. They were provided with a schema for a structured assessment conversation. The teachers' assessment conversations with their pupils were recorded and analysed. The teachers had difficulty putting their ideas into practice. The difficulties described here centre on the way the teachers' pedagogical styles affected the quality of the conversations. Three elements emerged as being significant: (1) teacher perception of the pupil‐teacher relationship, (2) teacher attitude towards his/her role as assessor and (3) the teacher's approach to what counts as valid knowledge in the classroom. Finally the issues raised by these difficulties, specifically the inter‐active relationship between teacher and learner are discussed.
Learning styles and approaches to learning: distinguishing between concepts and instruments
Authors: Murray‐Harvey Rosalind
Published: May 2011

Learning styles and approaches to learning represent two different perspectives on student learning processes that may influence academic achievement. The Productivity Environmental Preference Survey (PEPS) is used to measure 20 elements of learning style, and the Study Process Questionnaire (SPQ) to measure students' surface, deep and achieving approaches to learning and studying. Factor analysis of PEPS and SPQ data obtained from 400 Australian university students indicates that these two instruments measure two quite distinct conceptualisations of how students learn and that it is therefore appropriate to differentiate between the way students learn in terms of either style‐based or approach‐based constructs. Test‐retest reliability of the PEPS and SPQ produced from correlational analysis of data collected from two administrations of these instruments, a year apart, shows that approach to learning is relatively stable over time but that learning style, as measured by the PEPS, is not as stable a construct as its authors claim. Researchers and practitioners should take care to select instruments according to their intended use and to take into consideration the strengths and limitations of each instrument.
Improvements in mathematics performance as a consequence of self‐assessment in Portuguese primary school pupils
Authors: Fontana David , Fernandes Margarida
Published: May 2011

The research set out to test the effects upon children's academic (mathematical) performance of the regular use of pupil self‐assessment techniques taught to a group of 25 primary school teachers on a 40 hours INSET course, and subsequently introduced by them as routine procedures in their individual classes. Results showed that the children (N=354) in these classes manifested significant improvements in scores on a purpose‐built mathematics test when compared to a control group of children (N=313) in classes where pupil self‐assessment was not employed.
Perceived self‐efficacy, social comparison, affective reactions and academic performance
Authors: Vrugt A.
Published: May 2011

The present study is based on Bandura's theory of perceived self‐efficacy and on Wills' theory of downward comparison. We expected that perceived self‐efficacy and downward comparison, separately and in combination, would contribute to the positive feelings of university students regarding their skills and by way of these feelings to their study performance. The results largely support this expectation. Both perceived self‐efficacy and downward comparison contributed to the positive feelings of the students. These feelings also influenced their course grades. In contrast with the expectation the interaction between self‐efficacy and direction of comparison did not contribute to feelings of students regarding their own skills.
The importance of self‐efficacy as a mediating variable between learning environments and achievement
Authors: Moriarty Beverley , Douglas Graham , Punch Keith , Hattie John
Published: May 2011

The purpose of this research was to investigate the extent to which self‐efficacy acts as a mediating variable between the learning environment and achievement. Seven year 5 classes (N=179 students aged 9 to 10 years) were allocated randomly to cooperative, competitive or individualistic environments for twice‐weekly social studies lessons, changing environments after five weeks. Data collected on self‐efficacy and achievement in weeks 5 and 10 indicated that co‐operative environments led to higher self‐efficacy and achievement as well as more appropriate behaviour. The performance of particular tasks under competition appears to be enhanced when students have previously worked co‐operatively, but may be difficult to sustain as self‐efficacy and behaviour standards decline.
Cognitive style and personality in 12‐year‐old children
Authors: Riding Richard , Burton Diana , Rees Geoffrey , Sharratt Margaret
Published: May 2011

Three hundred and eighty 12‐year‐old children were asked to rate the pupils in their class on seven personality characteristics (Humorous, Shy, Outgoing, Patient, Quiet, Lively, and Serious; part of the sample also rated two additional characteristics, Helpful and Sensible). They were also given the Cognitive Styles Analysis (CSA) (Riding, 1991a) which measures an individual's position on two fundamental cognitive style dimensions; Verbal‐Imagery and Wholist‐Analytic. A factor analysis indicated that the seven personality characteristics could be viewed as three variables; and these were labelled as Active, Modest and Responsible. Personality characteristic ratings varied significantly as a function of Verbal‐Imagery Cognitive Style. Verbalisers were more Active than Imagers, the intermediate position of Bimodal were most Modest and the Imagers were more Responsible than the Verbalisers. There was also a significant gender difference with the girls being more Modest and Responsible and the boys more Active. For the subsample, the only significant effect that was observed related to gender with the girls being rated as more Helpful and more Sensible than the boys.
Evaluating students' acquisition of factual material when studying independently or with a partner
Authors: Wood Eileen , Willoughby Teena , Reilley Shannon , Elliott Shannon , DuCharme MaryJo
Published: May 2011

The present study compared the potency of a why‐questioning strategy called elaborative interrogation to self‐selected strategies and repetition when students studied familiar and unfamiliar materials independently or in an interactive study context. Introductory psychology students (N=120) were randomly assigned to one of three strategy conditions (elaborative interrogation, self study, or repetition) and one of two study contexts (dyad or individual). Dyad members were told to work together to learn the 60 facts about animals. Students in the elaborative interrogation (EI) conditions were instructed to answer ‘why’ questions about each fact. Students in the repetition condition rehearsed each fact. In the self‐study condition, students used any strategy(ies) that they thought would help them to remember the information. Both the EI and self study students outperformed repetition for facts about familiar animals. There were no significant differences between EI and self study. A greater number of repetition based strategies were generated when studying unfamiliar materials. In contrast, more higher order strategies were generated when studying familiar materials. Most important, the findings clearly support the effectiveness of interactive learning.
Cognitive and motivational determinants of academic achievement and behaviour in third and fourth grade disadvantaged children
Authors: Kreitler Shulamith , Zigler Edward , Kagan Sharon , Olsen Deborah , Weissler Kineret , Kreitler Hans
Published: May 2011

While most studies on the determinants of learning deal with either cognition or motivation, there is a growing awareness that both should be considered. Our purpose was to examine the relative roles of cognitive and motivational factors for the scholastic achievement and behaviour of disadvantaged children. Cognition was conceptualised in terms of the psychosemantic theory that assesses cognitive processes by characteristics of the individual's meaning assignment (Kreitler & Kreitler, 1987a). Motivation was conceptualised in terms of the cognitive orientation (CO) theory which assumes that cognitive contents guide behaviour (Kreitler & Kreitler, 1982). Participants were 57 third and fourth graders of both genders, recommended for a remedial summer programme. They were administered the Meaning Test assessing cognitive abilities; the CO Questionnaire of Motivation for Learning assessing the disposition to learn; and the Metropolitan Achievement Test and the IOWA tests assessing verbal, mathematical and working skills. Teachers completed the Teacher‐Child Rating Scale assessing six scholastic behaviours. Regression analyses showed that all dependent variables were predicted by the cognitive and motivational variables, better by specific than global predictors. Cognitive variables contributed more to the predictions, especially of academic achievements, and more in the case of verbal than mathematical abilities. In girls, motivational factors played a larger role than cognitive factors, absolutely and relative to boys. Implications for promoting scholastic achievements are discussed.
Development of scales to measure perceived physical education class climate: a cross‐national project
Authors: Biddle Stuart , Cury Francois , Goudas Marios , Sarrazin Philippe , Famose Jean‐Pierre , Durand Marc
Published: May 2011

Motivational research in the classroom has adopted a social cognitive perspective but has mainly been restricted to the study of individual achievement cognitions. In addition to this, there is a need to study and assess the perception children have of the class climate. Using social cognitive theory as a base, this research reports the development of class climate scales in French and English for use in physical education classes. Psychometric development with the French scale was shown to be satisfactory, including adequate factorial structure assessed by exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and good internal and test‐retest reliability. A parallel English scale demonstrated a less adequate fit to the proposed model when using CFA, but shortened scales assessing just mastery and performance dimensions of climate were shown to predict important motivational measures in a structural equation modelling analysis.
Teacher stress research: problems and progress
Authors: Pithers R. T.
Published: May 2011

There is a reasonably large body of published research evidence available which indicates that teaching is a ‘highly’ or ‘extremely highly’ stressful occupation for up to one‐third of its professionals. Generalisations such as this one, however, are wrought with problems. These problems, for instance, range from confusion about the definition of stress through to how it is to be measured. They include methodological problems inherent in some of the research used to examine the area of teacher stress and as well include, for example, confusion about the effect of mediating variables in the production of stress and strain. This paper examines some of the more important pervasive research problems in current research on teacher stress and makes some suggestions for research progress.
Personal computers and process writing: a written language intervention for deaf children
Authors: Mander Richard , Wilton Keri M. , Townsend Michael A. R. , Thomson Phil
Published: May 2011

This study was concerned with the effectiveness of word processing as a written language intervention for primary‐age deaf children. Subjects were 14 children in two primary school deaf‐unit classes matched in terms of age, gender, and degree of hearing loss. A quasi‐experimental design incorporating multiple‐group baselines with pre‐ and post‐tests enabled all subjects to receive the intervention while maintaining experimental control. Samples of children's written language were collected at the end of each phase in the study. Experienced teachers of deaf children rated five dimensions of the quality of the written language samples, while a speech and language therapist judged other linguistic qualities of the writing. Significant improvements in quality ratings over the course of the study indicated that the word processing intervention had led to improvements in the children's written language skills. These results confirm the effectiveness of word processing as an adjunct to the process writing approach to written language instruction for deaf children.
How do high school and college students cope with test situations?
Authors: Zeidner Moshe
Published: May 2011

This paper reports data on high school and college students’ coping strategies and compares and contrasts their respective responses. Specifically, we examine the relationship between personal variables, coping, and affective outcomes in 100 high school and 241 college students preparing for an important exam. Test anxiety, coping resources and situational coping strategies served as predictor variables whereas resultant state anxiety during the exam period served as the criterion measure in the analyses. The data show that both high school and college students used combinations of most of the available forms of problem‐focused and palliative coping, although problem‐focused coping was observed to be more prominent than palliative coping. Compared to high school students, college students reported more frequent use of problem‐focused coping whereas high school students reported more frequent avoidance coping than their collegiate counterparts. Overall, highly similar patterns of relations were observed between anxiety and predictor variables in high school and college students. Students with richer coping resources and low trait text anxiety evidenced lower state anxiety in an evaluative encounter. Whereas problem‐focused coping was not predictive of anxiety in either group, palliative strategies (i.e., emotion‐focused coping and avoidance) were significantly related to affective outcomes. At both high school and college levels dispositional test anxiety was significantly predictive of palliative coping strategies, which were, in turn, related to affective outcomes. Coping strategies were not meaningful moderators of the relationship between personal resources and state anxiety in either group. Overall, this study suggests that personality variables influence the coping strategies students select and these strategies, in turn, influence subsequent affective outcomes. The results are discussed in light of coping theory and prior research.
The masculine image of careers in science and technology: fact or fantasy?1
Authors: Lightbody Pauline , Durndell Alan
Published: May 2011

Gender has been linked to disparity in the uptake and experience of education, both within schools and in further and higher education. Despite an overall rise in the proportion of female undergraduates, the physical sciences and technological courses have failed to attract increased numbers of female applicants. The career aspirations of school pupils were investigated to identify disparities between the aspirations of males and females, and their schematic representations of social and technical roles. One hundred and six school pupils, aged 16–18, were presented with a 34‐item Q‐sample relating to career choice. The cards were sorted twice, once from the perspective of a hypothetical male or female sixth year school pupil who had decided to enter a technically or a socially oriented career, and once from their own perspective. Analysis was undertaken in two stages utilising Q‐methodology and discriminant function analysis. Discriminant function analysis of the aspiration data failed to discriminate between the career aspirations of male and female school pupils. Further analysis between male and female pupils' perceptions of the ‘technical’ and ‘social’ roles, derived from the Q‐factor analysis, produced two discriminant functions. Male and female group means veered in the ‘expected’ direction; however they were in fact closer to each other than to the stereotypical ‘technical’ or ‘social’ group means. The authors suggest that it is not technology per se that females find off‐putting but their expectations of the work place.
Immigrant and host pupils' expectations of teachers
Authors: Tatar Moshe , Horenczyk Gabriel
Published: May 2011

This study examined expectations of teachers on the part of immigrant pupils and their host peers, as well as the expectations which members of each of these groups attribute to their counterparts in the other group. Questionnaires were administered to 1710 pupils in Israeli primary and secondary schools—610 immigrants from the former Soviet Union and 1100 of their classmates. Immigrant and host respondents were asked to indicate the extent to which they expected their teachers to meet criteria in the areas of help and assistance, teaching competence, and fairness; they also assessed the extent to which these teacher characteristics are important for members of the other group. Results showed greater expectations for help among host pupils, and greater expectations for competence among their immigrant peers. It was also found that host pupils believe teachers' help to be more important to the immigrants than is actually the case; conversely, immigrants tend to underestimate the importance of help to their host peers. These findings were explained in terms of both cultural differences between the groups and aspects of the immigrants' situation.
Learning disabled and average readers' working memory and comprehension: does metacognition play a role?
Authors: Swanson H. Lee , Trahan Marcy
Published: May 2011

The present study investigates (a) whether learning disabled readers' working memory deficits that underlie poor reading comprehension are related to a general system, and (b) whether metacognition contributes to comprehension beyond what is predicted by working memory and word knowledge. To this end, performance between learning and disabled (N=60) and average readers (N=60) was compared on the reading comprehension, reading rate, and vocabulary subtests of the Nelson Skills Reading Test, Sentence Span test composed of high and low imagery words, and a Metacognitive Questionnaire. As expected, differences between groups in working memory, vocabulary, and reading measures emerged, whereas ability groups were statistically comparable on the Metacognitive Questionnaire. A within‐group analysis indicated that the correlation patterns between working memory, vocabulary, metacognition, and reading comprehension were not the same between ability groups. For predicting reading comprehension, the metacognitive questionnaire best predicted learning disabled readers' performance, whereas the working memory span measure that included low‐imagery words best predicted average achieving readers' comprehension. Overall, the results suggest that the relationship between learning disabled readers' generalised working memory deficits and poor reading comprehension may be mediated by metacognition.
Issues in comparing the speechreading abilities of hearing‐impaired and hearing 15 to 16 year‐old pupils
Authors: Elphick R.
Published: May 2011

The speechreading skills of 57 hearing‐impaired 15 to 16‐year‐olds were compared with a sample of 30 hearing pupils in the same school year. Previous comparative studies have included a complete population of hearing‐impaired pupils or have been confined to those who are severely‐profoundly deaf. In the present study only pupils who had sufficient verbal memory to be able to repeat up to six words in a sentence were included. The test stimuli consisted of two word lists, one from the AB isophonemic word lists and the other from the New Manchester Picture Test together with a sentence list from the Manchester Speechreading (Lipreading) Test. The hearing‐impaired pupils were placed full time in mainstream units for the hearing impaired and special schools for the hearing impaired. The sample also contained a small group of five who were placed in schools for children with moderate learning difficulties. The hearing‐impaired group scored significantly better than the hearing group in all of the lists. Intelligence factors assessed by the Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices were not a major influence except for the MLD group. The superiority of the hearing‐impaired sample is attributed to a greater need for speechreading and the practice derived from it. Evidence from this study supports the view that sufficient development in memory for spoken language needs to occur for a child to maximise speechreading skills.
Do levels of interest have an effect on children's comprehension monitoring performance?
Authors: de Sousa Ivor , Oakhill Jane
Published: May 2011

This study examines the effect of interest levels on the comprehension monitoring ability of 8‐ and 9‐year‐old children. Two groups participated in the study; they were matched for single‐word reading and vocabulary skills, but differed in comprehension skill. Two tests were carried out which required the children to read a number of brief passages, some of which contained embedded problems. The children's task was to identify the problems. Test 2 was game‐like in nature and the children reported finding it more interesting than Test 1. Interest level was found to affect test performance in the poor comprehenders' comprehension monitoring: a significant improvement in their performance was found at high interest levels (Test 2). However, the performance of the good comprehenders was independent of interest level. This study suggests that the comprehension‐monitoring deficit in the poor comprehenders is not irreversible, and is likely to be related to poor motivation and low levels of interest. The implications for remedial education are discussed.
Cognitive determinants of verbal underachievement at secondary school level
Authors: Mellanby Jane , Anderson Richard , Campbell Benjamin , Westwood Elizabeth
Published: May 2011

Children whose non‐verbal cognitive ability markedly exceeds their verbal cognitive ability (discrepant, D group) as measured in cognitive abilities tests (CATs) were compared with non‐discrepant children individually matched on either verbal (V group) or non‐verbal (NV group) CAT scores. 66 children from year 7 (11/12 years) and 60 from year 10 (14/15 years) were selected on this basis in a semi‐rural comprehensive school. The scores of the D and V groups were essentially the same on single word reading tests, spelling and the pig latin tests of phonological awareness, while the NV group was superior on these tests. The D group was not worse than the V group on any test and was significantly better than it (and not different from the NV group) on oral syntax, block design from the WISC‐R, and vocabulary (BPVS). The verbal CAT is a good predictor of GCSE (as was confirmed in this study) and regression analysis showed that it is determined to a large extent by basic logical ability (assessed by nvCAT scores) and by reading skill; however, there is also a significant contribution from syntactical understanding. It is pointed out that discrepant pupils are not necessarily reading‐retarded with respect to chronological age and need to be identified and targeted if they are to reach the potential level of achievement predicted by their nvCAT scores.
Learning about responsibility: lessons from homework
Authors: Warton Pamela M.
Published: May 2011

Background. Responsibility, it has been argued, can be usefully studied if it is defined in terms of specific principles, such as self‐regulation. This study investigated children's practices and ideas about self‐regulation for one particular aspect of school work, namely, completing homework.

Aims. The research questions were: what practices do children report in regard to homework, what understandings do children display about being responsible for homework, and do these understandings vary as a function of the grade level or gender of the child?

Sample. The sample comprised 98 Australian children, 34 from grade 2 and 32 from each of grades 4 and 6.

Method. Children were interviewed individually, asked about homework practices and given questions which explored ideas about self‐regulation. The taped interviews were transcribed and the open‐ended responses coded by two independent judges.

Results. Results indicated few age differences in reported practices, but an age‐related shift in ideas, from other‐regulation (grade 2) to self‐regulation (grade 6).

Conclusions. It is argued that activity contexts such as homework play an important role in both the development of self‐regulated practice and in the understanding of responsibility. A proviso was given that such findings may be limited to middle class groups where completion of homework may be a parental priority.
A note on the reliability and validity of a 30‐item version of Entwistle & Tait's Revised Approaches to Studying Inventory
Authors: Duff Angus
Published: May 2011

Background. The Approaches to Studying Inventory is a widely used instrument, devised to measure individual differences in learning, and has recently undergone revision. No published work reports the psychometric properties of the Revised Approaches to Studying Inventory (RASI).

Aims. The study aims to determine the reliability and validity of the scores produced by a short‐form, 30‐item RASI.

Sample. The sample consisted of 356 undergraduate students (204 females, 125 males, 27 anonymous responses) enrolled in the Faculty of Business at a medium‐sized UK university. A total of 101 were aged 25 years or over, 228 were aged under 25 years.

Methods. The internal consistency reliability of the scores produced by the RASI is established by the calculation of alpha coefficients. The construct validity of the scores produced by the instrument is established by oblique factor analysis of the 12 subscales and then the 30 items.

Results. Evidence of moderate to high internal consistency reliability and satisfactory construct validity.

Conclusions. This short‐version of the RASI can be recommended to researchers, staff developers and teachers as a useful instrument to measure approaches to learning.
A multi‐level analysis of cultural experience and gender influences on causal attributions to perceived performance in mathematics
Authors: Kivilu Joseph M. , Rogers William T.
Published: May 2011

Background. Causal attributions to academic performance are among the most important factors that influence the student's subsequent achievement behaviour.

Aim. The effects of student's gender and cultural experience (region) on the ratings of previously identified causal attribution factors were investigated.

Sample. The participants were 341 high school students from the urban (N = 144) and the rural (N = 197) regions of Kenya. There were 205 male and 136 female students.

Methods. Causal comparative research design was used and data collected using the Causal Attribution Scale (CAS). The Hierarchical linear model (HLM) technique was used to test the hypotheses.

Results. There were significant gender and cultural experience variations in the mean ratings of the attribution factors. Instructional Strategy was highly rated for perceived success, and lack of Ability for perceived failure. Effort was of least importance in making attribution to either perceived success or failure.

Conclusions. The findings do not concur with research findings from Western and Asian countries where Effort is considered important in making attributions for either perceived success or failure. The findings, however, agree with research findings from Asian and other non‐Caucasian societies where success is attributed to external factors (e.g., task difficulty) and failure to internal factors (e.g., ability). These findings have some implications for cross‐cultural research in causal attribution as it relates to academic performance. While certain causal attributions studied in ‘Western’ and Asian cultures differ in terms of perceived success and failure, the current study indicates that other causal attributions are important and used differently by students from Kenya.
Teachers as significant others: gender differences in secondary school pupils' perceptions
Authors: Tatar Moshe
Published: May 2011

Background. Numerous studies refer to the impact of parents and friends as significant others for adolescents. Given the unique nature of the relationships between teachers and their pupils and their intensive everyday interactions, the present study focuses on a not yet covered topic, namely the meanings that adolescents attach to the significance of their teachers.

Aims. This study was aimed at examining gender differences in secondary school pupils' perceptions regarding positive and negative aspects of the significance of their teachers, and to investigate the possible different domains in which teachers as compared with parents and friends might be significant for the adolescents.

Samples. A total of 297 Israeli secondary school pupils (approximately 57 per cent girls and 43 per cent boys) studying in 12 tenth grade classes (age modal 16) participated in this study.

Methods. A questionnaire dealing with pupils' perceptions of significant teachers was administered. Pupils were asked to indicate the extent to which significant teachers are characterised by various descriptors (it was defined for the pupils that a significant teacher is one whom the pupil perceives as having an important influence on her/him). In addition pupils were asked to answer two open‐ended questions regarding the domains in which teachers, as compared to their parents and their friends, might be significant for them.

Results. Findings showed that the most frequently mentioned characteristics of significant teachers were: teachers who ‘take pupils seriously’, ‘have confidence in them’, ‘make it easier for them to understand things' and ‘push them to do well’. It was also found that girls, more than boys, characterise significant teachers as facilitating learning and relationships; and that boys, more than girls, perceive significant teachers as obstructing their personal development.

Conclusions. Our findings allude to the high potential that teachers may have for impact on their pupils, beyond the domain of learning alone, and provide support for the existence of differential perceptions of significant teachers among boys and girls. These gender differences were explained in terms of the different character of teachers' interaction with the two sexes, and the fact that in the Israeli educational system more than 80 per cent of the teaching staff are women.
The effect of cognitive style on learning to write a letter of complaint
Authors: Munro John , Howes David
Published: May 2011

Background. Cognitive style has been shown to influence several areas of academic learning.

Aims. This study examines the influence of one aspect of cognitive style, the verbal‐imagery dimension, on the ability to learn to write a specific type of text, the letter of complaint, taught using genre‐based teaching procedures.

Samples. A group of 41 post‐compulsory secondary school students (23 females and 18 males) aged between 15 years 6 months and 16 years 9 months.

Methods. The study employed a time series design in which the influence of cognitive style on acquiring components of the text type was monitored during learning. Students wrote letters of complaint under six conditions that matched genre‐based teaching procedures; pre‐ and immediately post exposure to teaching, retention and transfer with and without access to exemplary models of the genre. Prior to involvement, students were assessed as displaying either a verbal, imagery or medial cognitive preference.

Results. Cognitive style influenced learning the text type only when there was access to models of it; verbal preferrers used these models better than the imagery preferrers. This influence was greatest for the components of the letter associated with a knowledge of verbal conventions. As well, its influence was greater during the initial learning than on its long term retention.

Conclusions. The findings suggest that, in learning to write a genre, cognitive style has a greater influence on the processing of the information presented during teaching than on its long term retention.
Teachers as targets of bullying by their pupils: a study to investigate incidence
Authors: Terry Andrew A.
Published: May 2011

Background. The relationship between teachers and pupils as a possible medium for bullying behaviour has not figured significantly in research into this area, despite possible consequences with regard to levels of aggressive behaviour generally within schools.

Aims. It was argued that bullying might not be restricted to peer‐abuse, but that it may manifest across the peer divide, which for the purposes of this study has been referred to as ‘cross‐peer abuse’. The study specifically examined the ‘cross‐peer abuse’ of teachers by their pupils, and primarily aimed to establish incidence. Secondary considerations were also mooted, however, concerning gender differences, and length of service.

Samples. This study acquired data regarding the incidence of bullying against teachers by pupils (N=101) from the teaching staff of seven urban high schools.

Methods. Questionnaires were distributed to teaching staff. The questionnaire was explicit in its definition of bullying, in order to pre‐empt subjective perceptions of the behaviour.

Results. The results indicate a probability that an incidence of cross‐peer abuse — definable as bullying against teachers by their pupils — exists, both from teachers' self reported data, and that reported regarding their colleagues. Higher incidence for females was found not to be the case. Predictions that less experienced teachers may be more at risk were supported.

Conclusions. The results are sufficiently convincing to suggest that the problem is more pervasive than anticipated, and would warrant more substantive research. If, as has been implied by some research, bullying follows a cyclic pattern, then the role of the teacher within that cycle may be regarded as significant. As an additional stress factor for teachers, there may be significant implications for future legal redress, if bully‐abuse by pupils could be established as an intrinsic part of such medical difficulties.
The effectiveness of parents in promoting the development of road crossing skills in young children
Authors: Thomson J.A. , Ampofo‐Boateng K. , Lee D.N. , Grieve R. , Pitcairn T.K. , Demetre J.D.
Published: May 2011

Background. Young children show poor judgment when asked to select a safe place to cross the road, frequently considering dangerous sites to be safe. Correspondingly, child pedestrian accidents are over‐represented at such locations. Increasing the child's ability to recognise such dangers is a central challenge for road safety education.

Aims. Practical training methods have proved effective in improving such judgments but are labour‐intensive, time‐consuming and therefore difficult to implement on a realistic scale. The study examined the possibility that volunteers from the local community might be capable of using such methods to promote children's pedestrian competence.

Sample. Sixty children from the Primary 1 (Reception) classes of three Glasgow schools took part. Volunteers were ordinary parents from the same areas. None had ‘formal’ experience of working with children other than through being parents.

Method. Volunteers received experience of training children at courses organised in each school. Children learned in small groups, receiving two sessions of roadside training followed by four on a table‐top model. Pre‐ and post‐tests allowed the effectiveness of training to be assessed.

Results. Significant improvements relative to controls were found in all children following training. Improvements proved robust and no deterioration was observed two months after the programme ended. Comparison with a previous study in which training was undertaken by highly qualified staff showed that the volunteers were as effective as ‘expert’ trainers.

Conclusions. Parent volunteers can significantly increase the pedestrian competence of children as young as five years. They constitute a most valuable ‘resource’ in road safety education. The opportunities afforded by involving the local community in educational interventions should be further explored.
Field independence, cultural context and academic achievement: a commentary
Authors: Bagley Christopher , Mallick Kanka
Published: May 2011

Background. This review of literature on cross‐cultural aspects of perceptual disembedding skills takes as a starting point a commentary on the Spanish work on field dependence‐independence and scholastic achievements (Tinajero & Páramo, 1997).

Aims. To place findings from cross‐cultural psychology on field independence in the context of current literature on multicultural education.

Methods. A review of literature, and in particular a review of the authors' studies in this field.

Results. It appears that because of the wide variation in abilities in perceptual disembedding between cultures, and the malleability of cognitive styles in migrant children, the concept of cognitive style is more usefully deployed as an indicator of process and change in migration and multicultural education than as a description of basic cognitive processes. Those factors which have influenced change in the direction of children's greater perceptual disembedding skills (urbanisation, migration, exposure to computers and computer games) may also be related to some of the factors responsible for the increase in mean levels of intelligence seen in children in the developed world. The paradox of very high mean scores on the Children's Embedded Figures Test found in studies of Japanese and Chinese 9‐ to 11‐year‐olds, in the absence of identifiable factors which could explain why children in group oriented cultures have such marked abilities in perceptual disembedding, is considered.

Conclusion. Multicultural educational practices should not be framed on the presumption that particular ethnic groups possess a particular kind of cognitive style. It is the teacher in the multicultural classroom who should have a field independent cognitive style, so that he or she can accommodate different learning styles in classroom tasks.
Disruption of metabotropic glutamate receptor signalling is a major defect at cerebellar parallel fibre–Purkinje cell synapses in staggerer mutant mice
Authors: Mitsumura Kazuhiro , Hosoi Nobutake , Furuya Nobuhiko , Hirai Hirokazu
Published: May 2011

Non‐technical summary  Homozygous staggerer mutant (sg/sg) mice exhibit cerebellar atrophy and congenital ataxia, and serve as an important extreme mouse model of the hereditary spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1), since the staggerer mutation is closely related to SCA1 pathology. However, we know little about synaptic abnormalities at cerebellar parallel fibre (PF)–Purkinje cell (PC) synapses in sg/sg mice, which could underlie SCA1 pathology. In this study, we report that PFs still make reasonably functional fast synapses onto PCs in sg/sg mice despite reduction in the number of PF–PC synapses. In contrast, sg/sg mice lack metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR)‐mediated slow synaptic transmission completely. Synaptic modulation caused by mGluR‐mediated endocannabinoid release is also abolished at sg/sg PF–PC synapses. Our results indicate that major synaptic abnormality is disruption of cerebellar mGluR signalling in SCA1‐related sg/sg mice, and that mGluR signalling can be one of the key factors to SCA1 pathology.
Neuropeptide Y overflow and metabolism in skeletal muscle arterioles
Authors: Evanson Kirk W. , Stone Audrey J. , Hammond Allyson L. , Kluess Heidi A.
Published: May 2011

Non‐technical summary  Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is involved in a number of vascular physiological processes that affect sympathetic neurotransmission and angiogenesis. While NPY is of physiological significance, very little is known regarding local overflow characteristics at specific levels of the vasculature. Through the use of a new technique, we were able to quantify NPY overflow from isolated skeletal muscle arterioles of female rats. We observed age‐related differences in NPY overflow and its degradation via dipeptidyl peptidase IV. These results will provide insights into the release and breakdown of NPY at local levels of the vasculature.
Measurement Selections for Multicomponent Gas Path Diagnostics Using Analytical Approach and Measurement Subset Concept
Authors: Jasmani Mohd Shahrizal , Li Yi-Guang , Ariffin Zaharudin
Published: May 2011

Gas path analysis (GPA) is a powerful tool to predict gas turbine degradations based on measurement parameters of gas turbine engines. Accordingly, prudent measurement selections are crucial to ensure accurate GPA predictions. This paper is intended to investigate the influence of measurement parameter selection toward the effectiveness of GPA algorithm. An analytical methodology for measurement selection, combined with measurement subset concept, is developed to properly select measurements for multiple component fault diagnosis. The effectiveness of GPA using the measurement sets selected with the introduced measurement selection method are then compared with the results of using standard measurements installed on existing gas turbine engines. A case study applying the new measurement selection method to GPA diagnostic analysis is demonstrated on a three-shaft aeroderivative industrial gas turbine model based on similar unit installed onboard an offshore platform operated by PETRONAS. The engine is modeled and simulated using PYTHIA, a gas turbine performance and diagnostics analysis tool developed by Cranfield University. To validate the findings, nonlinear GPA prediction errors are evaluated in various cases of single and multicomponents faults. As a result, the selected measurements have successfully produced much superior diagnostics accuracies in the fault cases when compared with the standard measurements. These findings proved that proper measurement selection for better GPA diagnostic analysis can be achieved by using the proposed analytical methods. Several engine sensor enhancements are also discussed to accommodate the unique sensor requirements for health diagnostics using GPA.
Polarity controlled InAs{111} films grown on Si(111)
Authors: Ohtake Akihiro , Mitsuishi Kazutaka
Published: May 2011

InAs heteroepitaxy on Si(111) has been studied using scanning tunneling microscopy and high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy. The growth mode and polarity of the InAs{111} films drastically change, depending on the pregrowth treatment of Si(111) surfaces. High-quality (111)A-oriented InAs films are two-dimensionally grown on the In-terminated Si(111)-(4×1) surface, while large three-dimensional InAs islands were formed on the Si(111)-(7×7) and Si(111)-(1×1)–As surfaces. Two-dimensional InAs(111)B islands were obtained by supplying an As molecular beam on the In crystals formed on the As-terminated Si(111)-(1×1) surface. The authors also performed growth experiments of GaAs and In0.5Ga0.5As on In-terminated Si(111) and found that the two-dimensional growth is more promoted as the In content (i.e., lattice mismatch) is increased.
Scattering in a Pekeris waveguide from a rough bottom using a two-way coupled mode approach
Authors: Stotts Steven A. , Knobles David P. , Koch Robert A.
Published: May 2011

Scattering from a rough ocean bottom is described numerically with a two-way coupled-mode formalism that contains scattering effects to all orders and provides an exact solution to the wave equation. Both scattered field and direct blast components are computed within the formalism framework. A comparison of the scattered component solution from the coupled mode with the Born approximation (BA) solution for scattering from a rough bottom Pekeris waveguide shows that the BA predicts correctly the scattered field levels but not detailed structure. The transition from direct blast to scattered field dominance is identified in the total field time series.
Fabric dependence of quasi-waves in anisotropic porous media
Authors: Cardoso Luis , Cowin Stephen C.
Published: May 2011

Assessment of bone loss and osteoporosis by ultrasound systems is based on the speed of sound and broadband ultrasound attenuation of a single wave. However, the existence of a second wave in cancellous bone has been reported and its existence is an unequivocal signature of poroelastic media. To account for the fact that ultrasound is sensitive to microarchitecture as well as bone mineral density (BMD), a fabric-dependent anisotropic poroelastic wave propagation theory was recently developed for pure wave modes propagating along a plane of symmetry in an anisotropic medium. Key to this development was the inclusion of the fabric tensor—a quantitative stereological measure of the degree of structural anisotropy of bone—into the linear poroelasticity theory. In the present study, this framework is extended to the propagation of mixed wave modes along an arbitrary direction in anisotropic porous media called quasi-waves. It was found that differences between phase and group velocities are due to the anisotropy of the bone microarchitecture, and that the experimental wave velocities are more accurately predicted by the poroelastic model when the fabric tensor variable is taken into account. This poroelastic wave propagation theory represents an alternative for bone quality assessment beyond BMD.
Mapping of the ocean surface wind by ocean acoustic interferometers
Authors: Voronovich Alexander G. , Penland Cécile
Published: May 2011

Measurements of marine surface winds are crucial to understanding mechanical and thermodynamic forces on the ocean. Satellite measurements of surface winds provide global coverage but are problematic at high wind speeds. Acoustic techniques of wind speed retrieval, and even for tracking hurricanes, have been suggested as an alternative since wind is a strong source of ambient noise in the ocean. Such approaches involve near-local measurements with bottom-mounted hydrophones located close to the area of interest. This paper suggests a complementary approach: measuring directivity of low-frequency ambient noise in the horizontal plane. These measurements would employ long vertical line arrays (VLAs) spanning a significant portion of the ocean waveguide. Two VLAs separated by a distance of some tens of kilometers and coherently measuring acoustic pressure form a single ocean interferometer. By sampling the area of interest from different perspectives with at least two interferometers, marine surface winds might be mapped over horizontal scales of the order of 1000 km with about 10 km resolution (more specifically, the 10 km resolution here means that contribution from the basis functions representing surface wind field with the scale of spatial variations of the order of 10 km can be resolved; independent retrieval of the wind within 104 cells of a corresponding grid is hardly possible). An averaging time required to overcome statistical variability in the noise field is estimated to be about 3 h. Numerical simulations of propagation conditions typical for the North Atlantic Ocean are presented.