ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
A-Level Psychology: Is There a Way Forward?
Author: Smith, Marc
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Psychology,Course Selection (Students),Foreign Countries,Secondary Education,Postsecondary Education,Educational Change,Continuing Education

Since its introduction in the early 1970s A-level psychology has grown in popularity to become the fourth most popular A-level. During this time it has also been heavily criticised by the media and higher education for its lack of rigour and practicability. Issues such as the lack of subject specialists, damaging changes made by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) and an arrogant and dismissive attitude shown by universities plus failures by the British Psychological Society to inform decision making, have transformed A-level psychology into the poor cousin of undergraduate psychology and psychology teachers into a form of academic underclass. This paper examines the reasons behind such derision and attempts to offer some solutions in an attempt to get such issues firmly back on the agenda.
Teaching the Personal Science: From Impeccable Trivia to the Blooming Buzzing Confusion
Author: Banyard, Philip
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Psychology,Foreign Countries,Skill Development,Educational Technology,Teaching Methods,Student Participation,Student Motivation,Computer Uses in Education,Internet,Student Evaluation,Evaluation Methods,Postsecondary Education

The argument presented here is that the teaching of psychology in the UK is focused on the learning of technical skills and is missing the opportunity to enthuse and inspire students in the personal science. This focus mirrors a general educational drive in the UK towards achievement at external examinations which are assessed by narrow cognitive tasks. The modern tools of education such as Virtual Learning Environments have largely been used to track and monitor students rather than to widen their ideas about learning. Assessments have likewise gravitated towards simple tests while also retaining the redundant task of the unseen essay. This paper considers these developments and discusses alternatives.
Explaining the Popularity of Psychology at A-Level
Author: Walker, Kevin
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Curriculum Development,Psychologists,Psychology,Educational Environment,Peer Acceptance,Foreign Countries,Adolescents,Secondary School Students,Career Development,Student Interests,Educational History,Constructivism (Learning)

The sustained rise in popularity of psychology both at degree and A-level in the UK over the last two decades is a remarkable event, not only because it is indicative of wider cultural changes but because it is understudied by psychologists themselves and not predicted by curriculum planners. The aim of this article is to offer a theoretical context for this phenomenon in the hope of stimulating discussion and research. It is argued that the consumerisation of education in the UK from the 1980s onward coupled with an individualistic culture in which student choice is promoted contributes to an educational environment which focuses on the personal. Also the nature of adolescent identity in western societies and the pressure within the UK education system for career decisions to be made at 16 both serve to create a situation where the promise of the &quot;study of one's self&quot; (as psychology is often perceived by those who have yet to study it) becomes a popular option. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)
A-Level Psychology Teachers: Who Are They and What Do They Think about Psychology as a Subject and a Discipline?
Author: Rowley, Martin
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: College Bound Students,Secondary School Students,Psychology,Questionnaires,Teacher Qualifications,Sciences,Teacher Attitudes,Required Courses,Foreign Countries,Teacher Education,Course Content,Educational Quality,Scientific Principles

A-level psychology teachers (N=109) responded to a questionnaire asking about their academic background, their experience of and views about A-level psychology. Teachers were also asked about the scientific status of psychology as a discipline and about the nature of science in general. Most respondents thought that the A-level course provides students with good preparation for university but overall they tended to disagree that the A-level should be a pre-requisite for university study. A-level topic options taught least often (e.g. biological, cognitive) were amongst those previously identified as areas where incoming undergraduate students could be better prepared (Banister, 2003). Compared with previous research (Maras &amp; Bradshaw, 2007) a greater proportion of psychology teachers thought psychology is a science but this was qualified by the belief that psychology is not as scientific as &quot;harder sciences&quot; such as physics or chemistry. (Contains 4 tables.)
Learning Styles in the Classroom: Educational Benefit or Planning Exercise?
Author: Allcock, Sarah J.
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Cognitive Style,Learning Activities,Student Diversity,Psychology,Academic Ability,Teaching Methods,Individualized Instruction,Student Needs,Continuing Education,Program Evaluation,Intervention,Foreign Countries,Planning,Multiple Intelligences

Differentiation of teaching is encouraged to accommodate student diversity. This study investigated whether using learning styles as a basis for differentiation improved A-level student performance, compared to differentiation on the basis of academic ability. Matched classes of A-level psychology students participated. In one class, learning activities were differentiated by academic ability; in the other class, learning activities were differentiated by learning style for nine weeks, followed by a further class test. Student understanding of learning styles was also investigated. Both classes significantly improved from baseline to final test, but there was no significant difference in improvement between the two groups, and indeed a slight trend for more improvement following differentiation by ability. Further research into personalised learning is required, and suggestions are made for a student-focussed intervention to enable students to better understand and to employ their own learning styles as a tool for independent study. (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.)
Teaching Critical Appraisal to Students in the Behavioural and Life Sciences
Author: Phillips, Anna
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Undergraduate Students,Seminars,Biological Sciences,Critical Thinking,Teaching Methods,Behavioral Sciences,Questionnaires,Grades (Scholastic),Pretests Posttests,Program Effectiveness,Thinking Skills,Likert Scales,Feedback (Response),Journal Articles,Age Differences,Gender Differences,Racial Differences,College Faculty,College Students,Dyslexia

This study aimed to examine the concept of critical thinking, and implement and evaluate seminars to teach undergraduates critical appraisal skills. Participants were 140 undergraduate students on a Behavioural Medicine module. Four seminars were designed to teach and reinforce critical thinking with source material including research proposals and journal articles. Two assessments relying on critical thinking were linked to the seminars. Teaching method effectiveness was examined using questionnaire evaluations and comparison of current students' coursework grades with previous years'. Students reported finding the seminars helpful, and their self-ratings of critical appraisal skills improved from pre- to post-seminar. For the first piece of coursework, there was an improvement in the mean grade from the previous year, but no improvement on two years previously. There was no overall improvement in grade for the second coursework. The issues surrounding critical appraisal teaching and assessment are discussed. Future studies could investigate whether longer-term follow-up yields evidence of improvement in objectively measured critical ability. (Contains 2 tables and 2 figures.)
The Mathematical Abilities and Personality of Undergraduate Psychology Students Relative to Other Student Groups
Author: Bhakta, Roy
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Psychosis,Personality Traits,Measures (Individuals),Psychology,Mathematics Skills,Business Administration Education,Nursing,Majors (Students),Questionnaires,Scores,Correlation,Numeracy,Foreign Countries,Athletics,Effect Size

This study examined differences in personality and mathematical ability between students studying Business, Psychology, Sports and Nursing. There were 286 participants who each completed a mathematics diagnostics test and a Revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-R) during the first term of their first year of study. There was a significant effect of subject studied on the students' performance on the maths diagnostic questionnaire and their scores on the &quot;psychoticism&quot; subscale of the EPQ. Furthermore significant correlations were observed between psychoticism scores and mathematical ability within both the Business Management and Psychology groups, although the direction of those associations were different for each group (the association was positive for the business students, but negative for the psychology students). Based on these results it is suggested that there are significant differences in both psychoticism and mathematical ability between students from different courses. Furthermore, students may benefit from differing methods of teaching mathematical concepts, especially in the cases where students are averse to working in groups and collaboratively. (Contains 8 tables.)
Social-Identity and Self-Efficacy Concern for Disability Labels
Author: Jodrell, David
Date: 2010-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Self Efficacy,Dyslexia,Labeling (of Persons),Foreign Countries,Identification (Psychology),Social Influences,Undergraduate Students,Comparative Analysis,Scores,Hypothesis Testing

Introduction: Educational policy in the UK has moved towards inclusion (Lindsay, 2003), resulting in debate over the use of disability labels (Lauchlan &amp; Boyle, 2007). Labelling influences social-identity (Olney &amp; Brockelman, 2003), this paper suggests social-identity influences self-efficacy and, therefore, academic performance (Zimmerman, 1996, 2001). Aims: To investigate if past performance of in-group members will influence students' self-efficacy beliefs. Method: A convenience sample of 30 undergraduates was recruited, half of whom were dyslexic. Participants were split equally into three conditions and informed of either high-dyslexic or high non-dyslexic performance or were kept naive of past performance. Scores for efficacy beliefs were taken and analysed for differences between conditions. Results: For dyslexic participants both the high-dyslexic and high non-dyslexic performance conditions resulted in significantly differing self-efficacy scores when compared to dyslexic participants in the control group. Scores also significantly differed for non-dyslexic participants in the high-dyslexic performance compared to non-dyslexic controls, for one self-efficacy scale, however, no significant differences were found between non-dyslexic's in the control condition and those in the high non-dyslexic performance condition. Conclusions: While, dyslexic students showed predicted differences in efficacy scores relative to in-group member's performance. For non-dyslexic students, a significant difference was only found for those in the high-dyslexic performance condition. Therefore, results suggest that dyslexic students' self-efficacy was influenced by social identity. For non-dyslexics this was not the case. The small number of participant's per-condition and the impact of stereotyping are suggested as mitigating predicted significant differences in self-efficacy scores for non-dyslexics. The effect of past dyslexic performance on dyslexic self-efficacy scores is described in relation to disability labels. Due to alternative theoretical explications for data trends found, and methodological limitations the study's principal conclusion is the need to expand on findings demonstrated. (Contains 3 figures.)
Demography of Immigrant Youth: Past, Present, and Future
Author: Passel, Jeffrey S.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Geographic Distribution,Immigrants,Demography,Trend Analysis,Population Distribution,Population Growth,Population Trends,Youth,Census Figures,National Surveys,Generational Differences,Racial Composition,Population Groups,Social History,Ethnology

Jeffrey Passel surveys demographic trends and projections in the U.S. youth population, with an emphasis on trends among immigrant youth. He traces shifts in the youth population over the past hundred years, examines population projections through 2050, and offers some observations about the likely impact of the immigrant youth population on American society. Passel provides data on the legal status of immigrant youth and their families and on their geographic distribution and concentration across the United States. He emphasizes two demographic shifts. First, immigrant youth--defined as those children under age eighteen who are either foreign-born or U.S.-born to immigrant parents--now account for one-fourth of the nation's 75 million children. By 2050 they are projected to make up one-third of more than 100 million U.S. children. Second, the wave of immigration under way since the mid-1960s has made children the most racially and ethnically diverse age group in the United States. In 1960 Hispanic, Asian, and mixed-race youth made up about 6 percent of all U.S. children; today that share is almost 30 percent. During that same period the share of non-Hispanic white children steadily dropped from about 81 percent to 56 percent, while the share of black children climbed very slightly to 14 percent. By 2050 the share of non-Hispanic white children is projected to drop to 40 percent, while that of Hispanic children will increase to about one-third. This changing demographic structure in U.S. youth is likely to present policy makers with several challenges in coming decades, including higher rates of poverty among youth, particularly among foreign-born children and children of undocumented parents; high concentrations of immigrants in a handful of states; and a lack of political voice. A related challenge may be intergenerational competition between youth and the elderly for governmental support such as education funding, Social Security, and government health benefits. In conclusion, Passel notes that today's immigrants and their children will shape many aspects of American society and will provide virtually all the growth in the U.S. labor force over the next forty years. Their integration into American society and their accumulation of human capital thus require continued attention from researchers and policy makers. (Contains 5 figures, 4 tables, and 41 endnotes.)
The Living Arrangements of Children of Immigrants
Author: Landale, Nancy S.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Human Capital,Poverty,Immigration,Asian Americans,Immigrants,Housing,Resources,Mexican Americans,Blacks,Social Discrimination,Parent Child Relationship,Acculturation,Social Influences,At Risk Persons,Family Relationship,Public Policy,Hispanic Americans,Racial Differences

Children of immigrants are a rapidly growing part of the U.S. child population. Their health, development, educational attainment, and social and economic integration into the nation's life will play a defining role in the nation's future. Nancy Landale, Kevin Thomas, and Jennifer Van Hook explore the challenges facing immigrant families as they adapt to the United States, as well as their many strengths, most notably high levels of marriage and family commitment. The authors examine differences by country of origin in the human capital, legal status, and social resources of immigrant families and describe their varied living arrangements, focusing on children of Mexican, Southeast Asian, and black Caribbean origin. Problems such as poverty and discrimination may be offset for children to some extent by living, as many do, in a two-parent family. But the strong parental bonds that initially protect them erode as immigrant families spend more time in the United States and are swept up in the same social forces that are increasing single parenthood among American families. The nation, say the authors, should pay special heed to how this aspect of immigrants' Americanization heightens the vulnerability of their children. One risk factor for immigrant families is the migration itself, which sometimes separates parents from their children. Another is the mixed legal status of family members. Parents' unauthorized status can mire children in poverty and unstable living arrangements. Sometimes unauthorized parents are too fearful of deportation even to claim the public benefits for which their children qualify. A risk factor unique to refugees, such as Southeast Asian immigrants, is the death of family members from war or hardship in refugee camps. The authors conclude by discussing how U.S. immigration policies shape family circumstances and suggest ways to alter policies to strengthen immigrant families. Reducing poverty, they say, is essential. The United States has no explicit immigrant integration policy or programs, so policy makers must direct more attention and resources toward immigrant settlement, especially ensuring that children have access to the social safety net. (Contains 3 figures, 4 tables, and 90 endnotes.)
Early Care and Education for Children in Immigrant Families
Author: Karoly, Lynn A.
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Family Income,Disadvantaged Youth,Developmental Delays,Immigrants,Educational Attainment,Parents,Barriers,English (Second Language),Cultural Influences,Child Care,Early Childhood Education,Preschool Children,Access to Education,Early Intervention,Federal Programs,State Programs

A substantial and growing share of the population, immigrant children are more likely than children with native-born parents to face a variety of circumstances, such as low family income, low parental education, and language barriers that place them at risk of developmental delay and poor academic performance once they enter school. Lynn Karoly and Gabriella Gonzalez examine the current role of and future potential for early care and education (ECE) programs in promoting healthy development for immigrant children. Participation in center-based care and preschool programs has been shown to have substantial short-term benefits and may also lead to long-term gains as children go through school and enter adulthood. Yet, overall, immigrant children have lower rates of participation in nonparental care of any type, including center-based ECE programs, than their native counterparts. Much of the participation gap can be explained by just a few economic and sociodemographic factors, the authors find. To some extent, the factors that affect disadvantaged immigrant children resemble those of their similarly disadvantaged native counterparts. Affordability, availability, and access to ECE programs are structural barriers for many immigrant families, as they are for disadvantaged families more generally. Language barriers, bureaucratic complexity, and distrust of government programs, especially among undocumented immigrants, are unique challenges that may prevent some immigrant families from taking advantage of ECE programs, even when their children might qualify for subsidies. Cultural preferences for parental care at home can also be a barrier. Thus the authors suggest that policy makers follow a two-pronged approach for improving ECE participation rates among immigrant children. First, they note, federal and state ECE programs that target disadvantaged children in general are likely to benefit disadvantaged immigrant children as well. Making preschool attendance universal is one way to benefit all immigrant children. Second, participation gaps that stem from the unique obstacles facing immigrants, such as language barriers and informational gaps, can be addressed through the way publicly subsidized and private or nonprofit programs are structured. (Contains 1 figure, 4 tables, and 86 endnotes.)
Effective Instruction for English Learners
Author: Calderon, Margarita
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Family Programs,Second Language Learning,Educational Change,English (Second Language),Instructional Effectiveness,Language Proficiency,Bilingual Education,Language of Instruction,English Only Movement,Student Needs,Change Strategies,Equal Education,At Risk Students,Instructional Leadership,Literacy Education,Adolescents,Cooperative Learning,Faculty Development

The fastest-growing student population in U.S. schools today is children of immigrants, half of whom do not speak English fluently and are thus labeled English learners. Although the federal government requires school districts to provide services to English learners, it offers states no policies to follow in identifying, assessing, placing, or instructing them. Margarita Calderon, Robert Slavin, and Marta Sanchez identify the elements of effective instruction and review a variety of successful program models. During 2007-08, more than 5.3 million English learners made up 10.6 percent of the nation's K-12 public school enrollment. Wide and persistent achievement disparities between these English learners and English-proficient students show clearly, say the authors, that schools must address the language, literacy, and academic needs of English learners more effectively. Researchers have fiercely debated the merits of bilingual and English-only reading instruction. In elementary schools, English learners commonly receive thirty minutes of English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction but attend general education classes for the rest of the day, usually with teachers who are unprepared to teach them. Though English learners have strikingly diverse levels of skills, in high school they are typically lumped together, with one teacher to address their widely varying needs. These in-school factors contribute to the achievement disparities. Based on the studies presented here, Calderon, Slavin, and Sanchez assert that the quality of instruction is what matters most in educating English learners. They highlight comprehensive reform models, as well as individual components of these models: school structures and leadership; language and literacy instruction; integration of language, literacy, and content instruction in secondary schools; cooperative learning; professional development; parent and family support teams; tutoring; and monitoring implementation and outcomes. As larger numbers of English learners reach America's schools, K-12 general education teachers are discovering the need to learn how to teach these students. Schools must improve the skills of all educators through comprehensive professional development--an ambitious but necessary undertaking that requires appropriate funding. (Contains 2 figures and 93 endnotes.)