The Relationship Between Prisoners’ Academic Self-efficacy and Participation in Education, Previous Convictions, Sentence Length, and Portion of Sentence Served

Prison education is an important aspect of adult education. The study investigated current participation in prison education, as well as previous convictions, sentence length, and the portion of sentence served as predictors of academic self-efficacy. Survey data derived from prisoners in all Norwegian prisons provided the empirical evidences for the analyses. A principal component analysis of a 40-item academic self-efficacy questionnaire revealed self-efficacy components in literacy, mathematics, ICT, and self-regulated learning. Educational participation had a positive influence on self-efficacy in both mathematics and self-regulated learning. Participants who reported no previous conviction scored higher than others did on self-efficacy in mathematics, self-regulated learning, and ICT. Furthermore, the results showed that perceived efficacy in ICT decreased with longer sentence length. Portion of sentence served was not significantly related to any of the four self-efficacy components. The findings are discussed with reference to a need for mastery experiences in prison and implications for policy and practic

We Need To Talk: Advancing Urban School Social Worker Knowledge of ADHD and Collaboration with Teachers

The high prevalence of ADHD continues to present a challenge, particularly in high poverty urban schools. Low-income children of color are both more likely to be diagnosed with the disorder and more likely to be under-treated compared to their Caucasian peers. While significant attention is paid to what teachers across a variety of school settings know about ADHD, little is known about school social workers knowledge of ADHD. In addition, little is also known about the collaborative processes by which school social workers support teachers in addressing ADHD in urban schools. Utilizing a mixed-methods survey design, this study explored urban elementary school social worker knowledge of ADHD and inter-disciplinary collaboration processes between school social workers and teachers. Findings indicated that urban elementary school social workers N=43 had strong knowledge of ADHD causes and symptoms. No significant differences were observed when compared to their suburban elementary school colleagues N=24 as measured by The ADHD Belief and Attitudes Scale (Johnston and Freeman, 2002). A directive content analysis of responses for N= 43 urban elementary school social workers further revealed key findings. First, school social workers were able to identify a number of behavioral and instructional strategies applicable to students with attention related difficulties. Secondly, while collaboration between teachers and school social workers may occur during participation in interdisciplinary school teams and informal discussions, time constraints and teacher receptiveness presented as major barriers for consistent and effective collaboration. Given the limited resources of many urban school settings, it would benefit schools to promote the role of the school social worker and collaborative practices with teachers in addressing ADHD and similar disruptive behavior disorders within the classroom

The impact of STEAM education using robotics on the executive function of typical and ADHD students along with developmental exploration

Educational Robotics (ER) is a novel learning approach renowned mostly for its effects on scientific academic disciplines such as science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM). According to recent research, ER can also influence cognitive development by increasing critical reasoning and planning abilities. The purpose of this study was to quantify the potential of ER to empower Executive Functions (EF), including the ability to govern, update, and program information. Executive Function (EF) refers to a complex set of cognitive control processes required for adaptive daily functioning. EFs are more predictive of intellectual progress, health, wealth, and quality of life over the life span than IQ or socioeconomic position. Evidence suggests that EFs can be divided into three core capacities (working memory, inhibition, and shifting), which work together to support higher-order cognitive processing (e.g., planning, problem solving) required to stay on track, resist contrary impulses and distraction, and pursue more-positive (rather than most-immediate) outcomes. Given the importance of EFs, there is a growing interest in enhancing them. The current study sought also to validate the ER's efficacy on EF in children with ADHD

Teaching Medical Students About Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): The Design And Development Of An E-Learning Resource.

In this paper, we describe how an e-learning resource on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) for medical students was designed and developed. The aim of the resource was to provide students with essential knowledge and understanding about ADHD prior to their attendance at a classroom teaching session as well as to serve as a revision tool. The paper focuses on the way in which instructional design, educational and multimedia principles were used to inform the development of the resource. It also reports results of a small-scale evaluation of students' satisfaction with the resource and the way in which they believed it impacted knowledge acquisition of ADHD related concepts and principles. In addition, we consider ways in which the resource could be further utilized and evaluated, for example as part of a flipped classroom approach to learning, and whether this would be a useful model to use when teaching other aspects of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Becoming responsible: transitioning to adulthood

Research has shown that youth with disabilities do not make as successful of a transition to adulthood as their peers without disabilities (Wells, Sandefur & Hogan, 2003; Timmons, Whitney-Thomas, McIntyre, Butterworth & Allen, 2004; Friedman, DeLucia, Holmbeck, Jandasek & Zebracki, 2009). However, a thorough literature review demonstrated promise related to evidence-based interventions seeking to increase successful transition to adulthood with this population to lessen this discrepancy between the two groups (Shogren, Wehmeyer, Palmer, Rifenbark & Little, 2015; Gharebeghy, Rassafiani & Cameron, 2015). The aim of this doctoral project was to explore the nature of this problem to better understand what has contributed to its development and to develop a solution to the problem through Becoming Responsible: Transitioning to Adulthood. The program is a web-based resource for parents raising youth with disabilities on how to transfer responsibility for daily life tasks from parent to child. The program is a synthesis of the Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) and the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI), which were shown to be effective with a wide variety of populations (Polatajko & Mandich, 2004; Wehmeyer, 2007). Additional information is included related to program evaluation, funding needs and dissemination plans

Experimental Methods in IIR: The Tension between Rigour and Ethics in Studies Involving Users with Dyslexia

Designing user studies in the interactive information retrieval (IIR) paradigm on people with impairments may sometimes require different methodological considerations than for other users. Consequently, there may be a tension between what the community regards as being a rigorous methodology against what researchers can do ethically with their users. This paper discusses issues to consider when designing IIR studies involving people with dyslexia, such as sampling, informed consent and data collection. The conclusion is that conducting user studies on participants with dyslexia requires special considerations at all stages of the experimental design. The purpose of this paper is to raise awareness and understanding in the research community about experimental methods involving users with dyslexia, and addresses researchers, as well as editors and reviewers. Several of the issues raised do not only apply to people with dyslexia, but have implications when researching other groups, for instance elderly people and users with learning, cognitive, sensory or motor impairments

Creativity training effects upon concept map complexity of children with ADHD: an experimental study

The rationale for this study was to extend the knowledge about creative thinking among children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by investigating the effects of creativity training upon concept mapping complexity. To verify whether the CoRT Thinking Lessons can enhance creative ability and improve concept map complexity, a Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design was used in this study. Sixty four students who are fourth and fifth graders (age 9-10 years) and classified as having ADHD participated in the investigation. In order to ensure that concept mapping is a familiar technique to all participants, they all were given a training session in concept mapping. Next to that, they were asked to complete a concept map and Torrance tests of creative thinking (TTCT) as a pre-test measure. After that, they were assigned to either experimental or control group, each group consisted of thirty two students. The experimental group was given creativity training (20 hours of CoRT thinking lessons during ten weeks) and the control group received no creativity training. Finally, all sixty four participants completed a second concept map and the TTCT as a post-test measure. Data collected from participants were analyzed via the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient, the t test for two independent samples, and the paired-sample t test. Results of the analysis indicated that participants who received creativity training developed significantly more complex concept maps than those participants who received no such creativity training. Thus, creativity training enhances both concept mapping complexity and creative ability of students with ADHD as measured by the TTCT. Implications for practice include recommendation for teachers to design and establish educational activities and environments in which creative abilities of children with ADHD can be develop

Using mobile learning technology to assist learners with ADHD in a private remedial school

Abstract : South Africa has a Special Schools’ population of 119 403 learners who present with neurodevelopmental disorders, wherein 2.49 % of learners have been diagnosed with ADHD. Schooling for these learners can be frustrating in many respects, for both the teacher, parents and the learner. As the Foundation Phase is of great importance in developing fundamental knowledge and skills, most ADHD learners develop academic difficulties during this phase. Teachers teaching in the Foundation Phase are therefore vital to the lives and success of learners with barriers to learning and development, including ADHD learners, as this is the period where their education for the future is underpinned. The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) believes that mobile digital learning technology, i.e. MLT, plays a central role in ensuring all learners succeed at school stating that technology, used effectively, can help learners meet and exceed expectations. As the use of MLT, such as iPads, in schools is still in its developmental stage, continued research and empirical studies need to be conducted. The research has not been performed on teachers’ perceptions of the use of iPads in the classroom, especially in the Foundation Phase. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe Foundation Phase teachers in Remedial schools perceptions of the use of mobile learning technology to support learners presenting with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The study is set within an interpretivist paradigm and utilises a qualitative case study design. Purposive sampling was used and one remedial school in Gauteng Province was selected purposively to be the focus of the study. The Foundation Phase teachers in the selected school were also purposively selected to participate in the study. This study showed that there is clear evidence that the teacher’s perceptions of MLT and its associated apps did support learners with ADHD. Important findings indicated that greater focus on establishing a learning environment for supporting learners, more focused training on how to orchestrate and manage the learning, as well as an inherent need for agency and autonomy in deciding on and using the MLT and associated applications were needed.M.Ed. (Educational Psychology

Peer Learning in Virtual Schools

This is the published version. Copyright 2014 Canadian Network for Innovation in EducationThis article is about peer-to-peer learning amongst students within K–12 virtual schools. This issue is examined through a case study of experiences of three students with disabilities enrolled in one virtual school and that of their parents, teachers, and school administrators. The article is framed around variability in learners’ aptitudes for peer-to-peer learning, in the design of the learning environment and what it affords for interpersonal interactions, and in the context where that learning design is implemented (and whether or not it promotes peer-to-peer learning). Each of these areas of variability impacted whether or not peer-to-peer learning occurred