ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Computational Thinking Module on Achievement in Science
Author: Lapawi, Noraini
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Science Achievement,Thinking Skills,Problem Solving,Secondary School Students,Science Tests,Comparative Analysis,Pretests Posttests,Science Instruction,Teaching Methods,Instructional Effectiveness,STEM Education,Foreign Countries

Computational thinking (CT) is a problem-solving process and argued to be one of the more important skills for the 21st century. This study aimed to identify the effectiveness of the Science Module on achievement in science subjects. A quasi-experimental research design was used that involved 67 students in the first form in secondary schools (students aged 13) in the Kunak district of Malaysia. The students were divided into a treatment group (n = 36) and a control group (n = 31). The instrument used in this study was the Science Achievement Test for Matter. The treatment group received an intervention of 3-week instruction using the Science Module and the control group received conventional instruction. Both groups took a pre-test before treatment. After the treatment, a post-test was administered. The study's results were analyzed with inference statistics and using a t-test. The study revealed that there was a significant improvement in science achievement after using Science Module. The study indicated that the effectiveness of Science Module is an effective step toward enhancing achievement in science and thus should be applied in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics teaching and learning to solve complex problems.
School Climate and Measurement
Author: Osher, David
Date: 2020-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Environment,Data Collection,Surveys,School Safety,Interpersonal Relationship,Accountability,Elementary Secondary Education,Educational Legislation,Federal Legislation,Planning,Stakeholders,Intervention,Professional Development,Cultural Awareness

When done reliably and efficiently, measuring school climate can help improve schools' vital signs and help state boards of education realize their goals and objectives for the system as a whole. Moreover, because it is as consequential to schools as checking heart rates and blood pressure are to humans, schools should always use climate measures for planning and continuous improvement. School climate data can be used appropriately as a metric for statewide accountability as well.
School Discipline Reform Is Still Needed, but Is Discipline Policy Still the Solution?
Author: Harper, Kristen
Date: 2020-05-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Discipline Policy,Educational Change,State Policy,Prevention,State Legislation,Suspension,Expulsion,Disproportionate Representation

Over the past decade, states and school districts have acted on research findings that the use of out-of-school suspension has run counter to the goals of education equity and achievement. Legislatures, as well as state and local boards of education, worked hard to shift school discipline practices through statutory and regulatory mandates and restrictions. Research on discipline policy, however, is still emerging. Early studies illustrate the need for greater attention to policy implementation and the challenge of underlying educational inequities. If fair, effective school discipline is states' intended goal, it may well be that policies aimed only at reducing suspension will be insufficient. Addressing disparities requires a broader, deeper look at school culture, process, and practice.
Pre-Service Science Teachers&apos; Reflections of Secondary Science Education: A Case Study of a University of Technology
Author: Lekhu, Motshidisi
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,Science Teachers,Secondary School Science,Science Education,Student Attitudes,Self Efficacy,Professional Identity,Student Experience,Teaching Methods,Secondary School Teachers,Gender Differences,Student Interests,Affective Behavior,Course Content,Scientific Concepts,Constructivism (Learning)

This non-experimental exploratory survey examined pre-service science teachers' self-efficacy beliefs and professional identity as influenced by their secondary school years learning experiences. A convenience sample of 60 undergraduate science student teachers participated in this study. An open-ended questionnaire on secondary school science experiences survey regarding the influences of school years' learning experiences on their current pedagogic practices. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and qualitative data were thematically analyzed. The findings suggest that pre-service science teachers perceive their self-efficacy as science teachers to be influenced by the teaching approaches used by their secondary school teachers to target learners' interests which include making science relevant to life and targeting learners' misconceptions in science. Similarly, they perceive the development of their professional identity to be influenced by their prior experiences as learners and observing their secondary school teachers' affective domain including their enthusiasm and positive attitude toward science. Recommendations are made to teacher education programs to promote use of reflective journals.
Publishing with Dissertation Students: A Covert Strategy for Developing Psychology Students&apos; Employability Skills?
Author: Elliot, Dely Lazarte
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Employment Qualifications,Job Skills,Psychology,Foreign Countries,Theses,Writing for Publication,Student Research,Teacher Role,Student Role,Supervisors,Teacher Student Relationship,Collaborative Writing,Undergraduate Students

With continuing priority given to the development of Higher Education students' employability skills, this paper reflects on the employability framework as well as recommended principles for promoting and embedding employability within and outwith the curriculum. Given existing traditional and innovative approaches for promoting employability skills, this paper is an attempt to share what could be regarded as an effective but covert practice that can considerably contribute to both the development as well as demonstration of psychology students' acquired employability skills. Based on the supervisor's four examples of collaboration -- two completed and two ongoing -- this paper discusses various considerations for this type of collaboration, ending with the reciprocal lessons learned. This paper encourages other supervisors to consider harnessing and realising the potentially multiple benefits of working further with their dissertation students in the post-supervision stage.
Undergraduate Supervision, Teaching Dilemmas and Dilemmatic Spaces
Author: Frith, Hannah
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Undergraduate Students,Student Research,Research Reports,Supervision,Models,Supervisor Supervisee Relationship,Cognitive Style,Decision Making,Theses,Scaffolding (Teaching Technique)

The dissertation is a highly valued form of teaching and learning in higher education, yet the practice of undergraduate supervision is understudied and under-theorised. Effective supervision is regarded as essential to student success -- by students and supervisors alike, although training, resources and support for supervisors is limited. Drawing on data from qualitative questionnaires with eleven supervisors, this paper utilises the concept of teaching dilemmas to explore tensions and challenges within supervision. Three dilemmas were identified regarding 'taking ownership', 'driving supervision' and 'challenging and encouraging'. Underpinning all of these was a tension between an ideal model of supervision (characterised by high levels of engagement from students and supervisors), and the need to flexibly adapt supervisory practice to suit students' learning styles, needs and abilities. We suggest ways in which conceptualising supervision as a dilemmatic space could inform future research and training in supervisory practice.
What Can We Learn from Exploring Cognitive Appraisal, Coping Styles and Perceived Stress in UK Undergraduate Dissertation Students?
Author: Korbmacher, Max
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Cognitive Style,Coping,Student Attitudes,Theses,Student Projects,Predictor Variables,Time Perspective,College Seniors,Foreign Countries,Stress Variables

Undergraduate dissertation students' cognitive appraisal, coping styles and perceived stress were examined at three time points during their undergraduate dissertation projects (UDP), observing whether cognitive appraisal and coping styles predicted perceived stress and their temporal changes. Sixty-four dissertation students completed the Perceived Stress Scale, an adapted Cognitive Appraisal of Health Scale, the Brief COPE and explorative open-ended questions. Linear Regression models for each time-point showed coping styles and cognitive appraisal predicted perceived stress, but single coping styles and primary appraisal harm/loss predicted stress levels inconsistently over time. Analyses indicated significant effects of time-point on primary appraisals benign/irrelevance, harm/loss and challenge but none for secondary appraisal, coping styles or perceived stress. Content Analysis showed perceived stressors and coping styles to be a function of the UDP's stages and their tasks and challenges. Implications and recommendations for students and supervisors are discussed.
Socioscientific Issues within Science Education and Their Role in Promoting the Desired Citizenry
Author: Chowdhury, T. B. M.
Date: 2020-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Science and Society,Controversial Issues (Course Content),Scientific Literacy,Citizenship Responsibility,Social Justice,Political Attitudes,Ethics,Moral Values,Persuasive Discourse,Science Education,Definitions,Educational Objectives,Student Development

This article sought to give an overview of different interpretations and characterizations of socioscientific issues (SSIs) by identifying single entities that could form components of SSI and give examples of where single entities were combined to involve SSI in enhancing scientific literacy. Through a narrative literature review, the article examined how SSI within science education could contribute to promoting citizenship through personally responsible, participatory, justice oriented, and politically concerned reflections to support the development of the desired citizenry. The significance of this article lies on the synthesis of literature on the contribution and barriers of SSI in promoting the desired citizenry
The Effectiveness of a Professional Development Program on the Use of STEM-Based 5E Inquiry Learning Model for Science Teachers in China
Author: Ong, Eng Tek
Date: 2020-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Professional Development,Program Effectiveness,STEM Education,Active Learning,Inquiry,Science Teachers,Foreign Countries,Preservice Teachers,Inservice Teacher Education,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Classroom Techniques,Models,Teacher Attitudes,Cooperative Learning,Elementary School Science

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a professional development program on the use of a STEM-based 5E Inquiry Learning Model in enhancing the learning of STEM-based Inquiry Learning Model among 78 in- and pre-service science teachers. The topic electric circuit was used as the context of the study. Given the aim and the exploratory nature of this study, a triangulation mixed-methods design was employed: One-group pretest-posttest design which involved a single group that was pre-tested, exposed to the STEM-based 5E Inquiry Learning Model, and post-tested. This was triangulated by the qualitative responses from the participants' reflections. The analysis of the quantitative dataset using the paired samples t-test indicated that the post-test mean score was statistically significantly higher than the pre-test mean score and that the effect size obtained was educationally significant. Further analyses by gender and participants' teacher status, indicated a non-significant difference, giving credence that this result was truly the outcome of the intervention (treatment) effect instead of any disguised effect. The analysis of qualitative data through a recursive process resulted in the crystallization of three overarching key themes: Enhanced knowledge on the content used, empowered pedagogical skills on STEM-based Inquiry Learning, and heightened classroom management skill on promoting collaboration in the classroom.
The Gender Differences in Science Achievement, Interest, Habit, and Creativity
Author: Jia, Chaochao
Date: 2020-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Gender Differences,Science Achievement,Student Interests,Habit Formation,Foreign Countries,Grade 4,Grade 8,Scientific Literacy,Science Tests

In this study, we explored the gender differences in science achievement, interest, creativity, and so on, using a national representative sample from the National Assessment of Education Quality (NAEQ). NAEQ assessed the Grade-4 (n = 112,314) and Grade-8 (n = 74,808) students' scientific literacy of Mainland China in 2017. The findings indicated that there was no gender difference of science academic achievement in both Grade 4 and Grade 8 in China. However, scientific interests varied in different grades and disciplines. Girls had a higher interest in science in Grade 4 and higher interest in biology in Grade 8. The 8th-grade boys had much higher creativity than girls (p &lt; 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.301), and outperformed girls in multiple-choice items. Our study also highlighted that boys were likely to outperform in the higher score ranges, as well as lower score ranges. Finally, we also found that the boys had significantly greater variabilities in science achievement and interest (variance ratio [VR] &gt;1.1), while the girls had slight greater variability in creativity (0.9 &lt; VR &lt;1.0). Our results provide a reliable Chinese evidence for international studies on gender differences. However, further research is demanded to study the reasons behind gender differences deeply.
Qualitative Enlightenment Following a Journey to the Dark Side: Reflections on Supervising a Qualitative Dissertation
Author: McDermott, Hilary
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Undergraduate Students,Theses,Student Research,Supervision,Supervisory Methods,Supervisors,Mixed Methods Research,Qualitative Research,Statistical Analysis,Psychology,Research Methodology,College Faculty,Foreign Countries

Developing student's confidence with qualitative research methods presents a challenge to many educators and is even more of a challenge when the 'educator' themselves are unfamiliar with such methods. This paper offers a three-way reflective account of bringing one such colleague 'into the fold'; their journey to the 'dark side.' It documents the supervision journey of an established academic (RN) engaged in supporting a final year student (AL) in conducting a mixed methods dissertation research project.
Pre-Registration in the Undergraduate Dissertation: A Critical Discussion
Author: Pownall, Madeleine
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Psychology,Undergraduate Students,Student Research,Teaching Methods,Research Reports,Supervision,Barriers,Role,Research Design,Foreign Countries

Over recent years, psychology has become increasingly concerned with reproducibility and replicability of research findings (Munafò et al., 2017). One method of ensuring that research is hypothesis driven, as opposed to data driven, is the process of publicly pre-registering a study's hypotheses, data analysis plan, and procedure prior to data collection (Nosek et al., 2018). This paper discusses the potential benefits of introducing pre-registration to the undergraduate dissertation. The utility of pre-registration as a pedagogic practice within dissertation supervision is also critically appraised, with reference to open science literature. Here, it is proposed that encouraging pre-registration of undergraduate dissertation work may alleviate some pedagogic challenges, such as statistics anxiety, questionable research practices, and research clarity and structure. Perceived barriers, such as time and resource constraints, are also discussed.
A Waste of Science? The Case for Depositing Undergraduate Psychology Dissertation Research in Institutional Repositories
Author: Churchyard, Jamie S.
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Undergraduate Students,Theses,Student Research,Information Dissemination,Databases,Conferences (Gatherings),Information Storage,Psychology,Writing for Publication,Barriers,Supervisors,Electronic Publishing,Archives

The following paper makes the case for a recommended practice of depositing undergraduate student dissertations into Higher Education Institute (HEI) institutional research repositories. In discussing this, the reasons for doing so, and a comprehensive discussion of the benefits and challenges (motivationally, logistically and ethically) for the discipline, students and supervisors are highlighted, along with ways in which the challenges may be addressed. Guidelines to simplify, and therefore encourage, greater rates of submission of undergraduate dissertation research into institutional research repositories are noted, along with the potential consequences for the Research Excellence Framework and Teaching Excellence Framework exercises. It is the author's hope that this paper will stimulate further discussion of this idea, including bringing to light considerations not addressed here.
How to Make a &apos;Promising&apos; Start to Your Dissertation: Development of a Process Mapping Approach
Author: Holliman, Andrew J.
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Theses,Concept Mapping,College Students,Program Development,Program Effectiveness,Program Evaluation,College Faculty,Foreign Countries,Self Determination,Program Attitudes

Identifying a topic for a dissertation is widely considered to be one of the most important, challenging, and stressful parts of the research process. Students often find it difficult to navigate this early yet pivotal stage due to heightened pressures, a lack of structural guidance, increased independence, and more pressing time constraints. In efforts to support students' topic selection in a way that does not circumvent the independent nature of the activity and process, a 'self-guiding navigation tool' (process map) -- published in Holliman and Jones (2018, Psychology Teaching Review) -- was developed. This was presented as a 'Masterclass' session (a workshop style with a mix of presentations and practical group activity) to an academic audience at the Division of Academics, Researchers and Teachers in Psychology Annual Conference at Cardiff University, Wales, 2019, where critical feedback was obtained via anonymous comment cards. A template analysis (a form of thematic analysis) revealed that while the 'map' was considered an important starting point, it required significant amendment in order to enhance its utility for a wider audience and account for differing practices/circumstances both within and across institutions; such as time differentials (programme of study and allocation of supervisor), level of autonomy available (whether a project is student- or staff-led), and whether the project is part of a group project. As a result of this evaluation, we offer some revised (and more flexible) guidance for users, which accounts more effectively, in our view, for the diversity among students, supervisors, and institutions with respect to the dissertation. As with the original 'map' and its associated guidance, we welcome feedback from students and our peers along with further empirical evaluation of its effectiveness.
Applying a Collective Academic Supervision Model to the Undergraduate Dissertation
Author: Dautel, Jocelyn B.
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Undergraduate Study,Theses,Supervision,Best Practices,Student Research,Supervisory Methods,Group Activities,Program Effectiveness,Psychology,Cooperation,Peer Relationship,Faculty Workload,Foreign Countries

Despite the significance of the undergraduate dissertation both in student learning, and in staff workload, there is little discussion of best practice in research supervision. The majority of undergraduate students embark on an independent research project overseen by one member of staff, but this traditional model may cause undue stress and isolation for both students and staff. In this practice exchange paper, I provoke debate about traditional versus group models of research supervision through discussion of the effectiveness of collective academic supervision of a group of undergraduate students undertaking their mandatory research dissertation. This practice aimed to 1) improve the student experience and 2) increase efficiency of academic supervision. Under my supervision, 14 students conjointly participated in a high quality research programme while individually exploring tangible and level-appropriate research questions. Through self-reflective observation, I found this model of research supervision stimulated students through structured independent learning in a collaborative research community, and increased staff efficiency by decreasing workloads. The benefits and limitations of this practice are discussed.
Beyond the Comfort Zone: A Guide to Supervising Qualitative Undergraduate Psychology Dissertations for Quantitative Researchers
Author: Freeman, Leanne
Date: 2020-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Psychology,College Faculty,Best Practices,Supervision,Supervisors,Supervisory Methods,Qualitative Research,Student Research,Theses,Undergraduate Students,Foreign Countries,Reflection,Group Activities,Mentors

The Teaching Qualitative Psychology Group (TQP) is a group of experienced academics supporting the sharing of best practice in the teaching and supervision of qualitative research methods in psychology. In this paper the group share their knowledge and practice suggestions with a specific focus on supporting academics who do not come from a qualitative research background, but who are supervising qualitative dissertations. This paper will explore why quantitative researchers may want to supervise qualitative dissertations and suggest ways in which this methodological shift might be managed well in the context of the undergraduate project as well as some practical advice for a valuable supervision experience.
Reliability and Validity of Teacher Ratings on the Adapted Skillstreaming Checklist for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Author: Lopata, Christopher
Date: 2020-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Check Lists,Validity,Reliability,Teacher Attitudes,Elementary School Students,Autism,Pervasive Developmental Disorders,Age Differences,Gender Differences,Scores,Language Skills,Intelligence Quotient,Prosocial Behavior,Correlation,Evaluation Methods,Symptoms (Individual Disorders),Severity (of Disability),Children,Intelligence Tests,Child Behavior,Rating Scales,Item Analysis,Student Characteristics

This study assessed the reliability and criterion-related validity of teacher ratings on the Adapted Skillstreaming Checklist for a sample of 133 children, aged 6-11 years, with autism spectrum disorder (without intellectual disability). Internal consistency for the total sample was 0.93. For a subsample, test-retest reliability was very good (r = 0.74; intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.85) at a 9-month interval. Child age, intelligence quotient, language abilities, and sex were not associated with the Adapted Skillstreaming Checklist total score. The Adapted Skillstreaming Checklist total score was inversely and strongly related to teacher ratings of autism spectrum disorder symptom severity. Significant positive correlations (moderate-to-high) were found between the Adapted Skillstreaming Checklist and prosocial skills scales and significant negative correlations (low-to-moderate) with problem behavior scales on a broad measure of child functioning. Implications and suggestions for future study are discussed.