title: Abusive supervision, work engagement and burnout: Does employee trait mindfulness buffer the effects of leader abuse?

authors: Powell, Briana

subjects: Abusive supervision

abstract: Job demands and job resources can motivate employees to perform at their best; however, when leadership is no longer considered a job resource and instead becomes a job demand, employees can experience an imbalance leading to negative outcomes. The current research body is well equipped with empirical evidence supporting the relationships between abusive supervision – a hostile and destructive leadership style – and these negative outcomes. Despite this, the majority of this research has used single-sourced correlation and cross-sectional research designs – creating a single-source method bias. As such, little research has been dedicated to understanding the effect on employee work engagement and burnout from this abuse overtime. This study aimed to bridge the gap in the knowledge base by comparing data from two timepoints. Furthermore, employee trait mindfulness has yet to be explored as a personal resource moderating these relationships and so the current study aimed to examine this.

Drawing on 318 employees from matched Time 1 and Time 2 data, the current research set out to (1) determine the longitudinal effects of abusive supervision on employee work engagement and burnout levels and (2) assess the role of employee trait mindfulness in these relationships, assessing where in the relationship this personal resource would likely cause a buffering influence. To analyse this, data were collected using self-report questionnaires at two timepoints, four weeks apart.

The results of the study find, longitudinally, that abusive supervision plays a negative role in employee work engagement and burnout levels. The results suggest that employees who are experiencing abusive supervision are more likely to report lower levels of work engagement and higher levels of burnout overtime.

While direct effects of mindfulness on engagement and burnout were found, moderation analyses indicated that trait mindfulness did not have a buffering effect on the negative outcomes of abusive supervision. Employees’ levels of mindfulness did not have an impact on the levels of work engagement and burnout experienced due to abusive supervision overtime. This might suggest that mindfulness does not provide enough in terms of employee personal resources needed to overcome the job demand of abuse by a leader. It is thought that abuse may limit an employee’s ability to be mindful due to the depletion of cognitive resources drained via abuse and thus mindfulness is unable to buffer the effects of the abuse.

Future research may wish to consider whether mindfulness provides more of a buffer closer to when the outcomes of abuse are experienced due to the acceptance tendencies that mindfulness provides. This opens the research body up to a number of research opportunities, including examining the boundary conditions of mindfulness in the face of abusive supervision.

text: Abusive supervision, work engagement and burnout: Does employee trait mindfulness buffer the effects of leader abuse? Job demands and job resources can motivate employees to perform at their best; however, when leadership is no longer considered a job resource and instead becomes a job demand, employees can experience an imbalance leading to negative outcomes. The current research body is well equipped with empirical evidence supporting the relationships between abusive supervision – a hostile and destructive leadership style – and these negative outcomes. Despite this, the majority of this research has used single-sourced correlation and cross-sectional research designs – creating a single-source method bias. As such, little research has been dedicated to understanding the effect on employee work engagement and burnout from this abuse overtime. This study aimed to bridge the gap in the knowledge base by comparing data from two timepoints. Furthermore, employee trait mindfulness has yet to be explored as a personal resource moderating these relationships and so the current study aimed to examine this.

Drawing on 318 employees from matched Time 1 and Time 2 data, the current research set out to (1) determine the longitudinal effects of abusive supervision on employee work engagement and burnout levels and (2) assess the role of employee trait mindfulness in these relationships, assessing where in the relationship this personal resource would likely cause a buffering influence. To analyse this, data were collected using self-report questionnaires at two timepoints, four weeks apart.

The results of the study find, longitudinally, that abusive supervision plays a negative role in employee work engagement and burnout levels. The results suggest that employees who are experiencing abusive supervision are more likely to report lower levels of work engagement and higher levels of burnout overtime.

While direct effects of mindfulness on engagement and burnout were found, moderation analyses indicated that trait mindfulness did not have a buffering effect on the negative outcomes of abusive supervision. Employees’ levels of mindfulness did not have an impact on the levels of work engagement and burnout experienced due to abusive supervision overtime. This might suggest that mindfulness does not provide enough in terms of employee personal resources needed to overcome the job demand of abuse by a leader. It is thought that abuse may limit an employee’s ability to be mindful due to the depletion of cognitive resources drained via abuse and thus mindfulness is unable to buffer the effects of the abuse.

Future research may wish to consider whether mindfulness provides more of a buffer closer to when the outcomes of abuse are experienced due to the acceptance tendencies that mindfulness provides. This opens the research body up to a number of research opportunities, including examining the boundary conditions of mindfulness in the face of abusive supervision.

year: 2020

title: Exploring the role that language plays in solving mathematical word problems for the Solomon Islands secondary school students

authors: Ambrose, Malefoasi

subjects: mathematical word problems

abstract: Mathematics is described as language. There is a strong link between mathematics and English language. This study is concerned with the role of language factors and proficiency of students in comprehension and solving of word problems in the Solomon Islands. In particular, it explores the impact of language on the comprehension and solving of word problems for year eight students in three secondary schools in Honiara. Research data was gathered using mixed-method approach of data collection. The data collection happened in two phases. Firstly language and mathematical assessment portfolios were put together for 45 participants. Secondly, a semi-structured recall interview was conducted on eight participants chosen from the 45. The data gathering was conducted in the Solomon Islands in September 2009. There are interesting findings revealed in this research. In the language and mathematics baseline assessment portfolios, the scatter diagram showed no strong correlation between vocabulary knowledge and word problem solving. However, evidence from the word problems exercise and semi-structured recall interview elicited vocabulary and syntactical features as the main factors causing difficulties in word problems solving for the secondary school of the Solomon Islands students. Context and conceptual understanding played a role in facilitating the understanding of word problems. Some students demonstrated abilities contributing to their achievement in mathematics and language. However, further studies need to be done in relation to this area as it is very important and has implications for pedagogy, curriculum and learning improvement for teachers and students.

text: Exploring the role that language plays in solving mathematical word problems for the Solomon Islands secondary school students Mathematics is described as language. There is a strong link between mathematics and English language. This study is concerned with the role of language factors and proficiency of students in comprehension and solving of word problems in the Solomon Islands. In particular, it explores the impact of language on the comprehension and solving of word problems for year eight students in three secondary schools in Honiara. Research data was gathered using mixed-method approach of data collection. The data collection happened in two phases. Firstly language and mathematical assessment portfolios were put together for 45 participants. Secondly, a semi-structured recall interview was conducted on eight participants chosen from the 45. The data gathering was conducted in the Solomon Islands in September 2009. There are interesting findings revealed in this research. In the language and mathematics baseline assessment portfolios, the scatter diagram showed no strong correlation between vocabulary knowledge and word problem solving. However, evidence from the word problems exercise and semi-structured recall interview elicited vocabulary and syntactical features as the main factors causing difficulties in word problems solving for the secondary school of the Solomon Islands students. Context and conceptual understanding played a role in facilitating the understanding of word problems. Some students demonstrated abilities contributing to their achievement in mathematics and language. However, further studies need to be done in relation to this area as it is very important and has implications for pedagogy, curriculum and learning improvement for teachers and students.

year: 2010

title: He reo amiorangi

authors: Roa, Tom

subjects: Māori language

abstract: This paper discusses a project involving the translation of a learning management system (LMS), Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment (Moodle), into te reo Māori so that users of this LMS, learners, teachers and administrators who have a high level of competence in the language, can work within a fully Māori environment. Aspects of the project referred to here include adaptation of the style guide created by Te Taura Whiri for the Microsoft project, use of the Microsoft translation guidelines, the philosophy guiding the translation and the translation process itself (with examples). The process by which the project was evaluated is also discussed.

text: He reo amiorangi This paper discusses a project involving the translation of a learning management system (LMS), Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment (Moodle), into te reo Māori so that users of this LMS, learners, teachers and administrators who have a high level of competence in the language, can work within a fully Māori environment. Aspects of the project referred to here include adaptation of the style guide created by Te Taura Whiri for the Microsoft project, use of the Microsoft translation guidelines, the philosophy guiding the translation and the translation process itself (with examples). The process by which the project was evaluated is also discussed.

year: 2006