Student responses to a reflexive course evaluation

Simple surveys are the predominant tool for course evaluations in most universities, but their validity has been questioned. They have been criticized for being a ritual way of complying with administrative regulations rather than a way of improving educational quality. Moreover, there is often a focus on student satisfaction, where the complexity of learning processes and the development of learner identities are lost. As an alternative approach, a qualitative course evaluation was tested that consisted of a single question: What could have been done in this course in order to better support your learning? Twenty-one second-year psychology students completed the evaluation at the end of a course. They provided rich answers describing learning activities and communication, and they described both teachers and students as agents. Going beyond merely reporting possible improvements, the students saw their learning processes in a context of academic demands and social mechanisms. It is argued that qualitative course evaluations can provide information about students’ understanding of their own learning that is difficult to uncover in a traditional survey. It is concluded that qualitative course evaluations would support the development of a student learner identity and help create a role for students as co-producers of knowledge.     

Student Voice for School‐Climate Improvement: A Case Study of an Urban Middle School

This case study used a student voice program in an urban middle school in the southeastern United States to examine the validity of three theoretically derived pathways through which student voice may affect positive school climate. First, using a youth participatory action research process to identify barriers to learning, analyse their root causes, and advocate for solutions to school administration allowed students to influence minor school policies and implement anti‐bullying, classroom‐behaviour‐monitoring, and experiential‐learning initiatives. However, there were challenges to making these policy and practice changes systemic. Second, relationships were formed and strengthened as a byproduct of student participant and staff collaboration in program activities. However, the program may have contributed to an ingroup–outgroup dynamic between participants and other peers. Third, students who participated in the program developed citizenship competencies, and their development may have promoted broader prosocial norms among the student body, though evidence was inconsistent. Study findings suggest that future research examine how variations in the implementation of student voice initiatives can maximize the contribution to a positive school climate in urban schools. Findings also suggest that practitioners should ensure that student teams be representative of a multitude of student identities. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cyberbullying Involvement of Adolescents with Low Vision Compared to Typical Adolescents,as Related to Perceived Social Support

This study examined adolescents with low vision (LV) compared to students without disabilities regarding their cyberbullying experiences, as related to perceived social support. Sample consisted of 407 students (61 with LV) who completed self-reported questionnaires. Findings revealed that students with LV are using the computer and the Internet as much as the typical students, but students with LV had less frequent Internet interactions with friends. Students with LV reported being more involved in cyberbullying as cybervictims, cyberperpetrators, cyberwitnesses, knowing someone and telling their online experience to another, and having lower social support compared to students without disabilities. Students with LV are more willing to report and to share their online experiences with another person. The findings add to our knowledge about students’ experiences of cyberbullying and suggest implementing effective coping strategies programs to raise the awareness of cyberbullying risky behavior.     

Personality and Serum Lipids: Does Lifestyle Account for Their Concurrent and Long‐term Relationships

This study evaluates concurrent and over time associations of personality with measures of three serum lipids associated coronary heart disease morbidity, namely, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C), low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride (TRI). Participants were individuals who underwent a health examination at two points of time, T1 (N = 3835) and T2 (N = 2283), about 2.5 years apart. Personality was assessed by the Five‐Factor Model. Health, socioeconomic status and healthy lifestyle behaviours (smoking intensity, physical activity and body weight) were controlled. Regression analyses indicate that the personality factors of neuroticism, extraversion and conscientiousness are each significantly associated with HDL‐C and TRI, both concurrently and over time. However, most of these associations decreased to marginal significance when adjusted for body weight or physical activity as possible mediators. Both concurrent and over time associations of the openness personality trait with HDL‐C and TRI were significant and persisted after adjustment for measures of a healthy lifestyle. This study emphasizes the importance of collecting measures of a healthy lifestyle to better understand how personality might influence serum lipids. Copyright © 2013 European Association of Personality Psychology     

大学生人际冲突行为及其与心理健康的关系

人际冲突是影响大学生人际关系和心理健康的重要因素。 该研究旨在了解大学生人际冲突行为的现况,探讨不同背景变量的大学生人际冲突行为的差异情形,以及大学生人际冲突行为与心理健康的关联性。根据研究所得提出结论与建议,为大学生心理健康教育提供依据和参考。     

The long-term effect of high- and low-rate responding histories on fixed-interval responding in rats

Tell rats were given extended lever-press training on a fixed-interval (FI) 30-s food reinforcement schedule from the outset or following exposure to one or two previous reinforcement schedules. For 4 rats the previots schedule was either fixed-ratio 20, which generated high response rates, or differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate 20 s, which produced low response rates. For 4 additional rats the extended training on FI 30 s was preceded by experience with two schedules: fixed-ratio 20 followed by differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate 20 s; or the same two schedules in the reverse order. Fixed-interval response rates were initially affected by the immediately preceding schedule, but after 80 to 100 sessions, all traces of prior schedule history had disappeared. The results also showed no long-term effect of schedule history on the interfood-interval patterns of responding on the FI 30-s schedule. These results support one of the most central tenets of the experimental analysis of behavior: control by the immediate consequences of behavior.     

社会比较对大学生抑郁的影响:有调节的中介效应

探讨社会比较对大学生抑郁的影响机制,采用社会比较倾向量表、物质主义价值观量表、正念注意觉知量表和抑郁问卷,对980名大学生进行了调查研究。结果表明:1.社会比较和物质主义价值观都显著正向预测了大学生抑郁;2.物质主义价值观在社会比较对大学生抑郁的影响中起部分中介作用;3.正念在社会比较通过物质主义价值观对大学生抑郁产生影响的中介过程中起调节作用,正念调节了中介过程的后半路径。因此,在社会比较对大学生抑郁的影响过程中,物质主义价值观起到了部分中介作用,正念起到了调节作用。     

温水煮青蛙：专业认同对大学生抑郁的影响机制

为探讨专业认同、学业情绪与大学生抑郁之间的关系,采用大学生专业认同问卷、青少年学业情绪问卷与抑郁自评量表对329名大学生进行调查。结果发现：（1）专业认同对大学生抑郁有显著负向预测作用;（2）专业认同对积极学业情绪均有显著正向预测作用,但只对消极低唤醒学业情绪有显著负向预测作用;（3）在专业认同对抑郁的影响中,积极低唤醒与消极低唤醒学业情绪起到完全中介作用。结果表明,专业认同对大学生抑郁的影响实际上是一种“温水煮青蛙”效应。     

初中二年级学生字词阅读知觉广度的眼动研究

采用眼动研究中经典的移动窗口技术范式探讨中学生字词阅读知觉广度。通过两个实验分别对17名初中二学生和12名初中二学生进行了汉语字、词阅读知觉广度的眼动研究。实验1结果表明,初中二年级学生字窗口条件下的阅读知觉广度为注视点左侧1个单字到右侧2个单字的范围;实验2结果表明,双字词窗口条件下的阅读知觉广度为注视点左侧1个双字词到右侧1个双字词的范围。本研究推论汉语阅读过程进行的是词单元加工,而不是单字。