Self-Regulatory Efficacy and Mindset of At-Risk Students: An Exploratory Study

There is a limited body of research examining how students’ beliefs about intelligence and about their abilities relate to different learning environments. As reported here, I examined secondary school students’ beliefs, goals, and expectations guided by Zimmerman’s (2000) model of self-regulated learning. In this exploratory study, 230 secondary school students reported on their beliefs about learning and intelligence, as well as on their confidence in their self-regulatory abilities. I made comparisons between groups of students on beliefs, goals, and expectations based on their school stream, achievement, learning disability status, and gender. Both self-regulatory efficacy and reading mindset were significantly different for students based on their school stream and their achievement level. The findings of this exploratory study suggest a need for further research that focuses directly on whether at-risk students demonstrate maladaptive motivation and specifically on their beliefs, goals, and expectations of themselves as learners

The influence of the thermomechanical processing on the annealing response of 3CR12 steel

An investigation was performed on alloys of a 12wt% Cr steel (3CR12) that had undergone different thermomechanical processing routes prior to the annealing step of production. The aim of this research was to identify any changes in the annealing response of 3CR12 steel due to the different thermomechanical processing routes to which the alloys had been subjected. Three alloys of 3CR12 were subjected to various cooling treatments immediately following hot rolling. This was accomplished by water quenching, air cooling and insulatory cooling of the hot-rolled plates. Characterisation of the alloys in the hot-rolled and annealed conditions included optical and electron microscopy, macro- and microhardness tests, tensile tests and impact energy tests, dilatometry, differential thermal analysis and volume fraction analysis. Alloys in the as-rolled state exhibited an increase in martensite content related to an increase in the cooling rate following hot rolling. The increase in martensite content influenced the alloys' mechanical properties by raising their bulk hardness, UTS and yield strength. This was coupled with a decrease in the elongation and impact toughness of the alloys. Furthermore, the Ac1 was found to increase with higher cooling rates following hot rotting. Variations in the as-rolled microstructures influenced the alloys' subsequent annealing response, with there being a greater and more immediate response to the annealing treatment by alloys subjected to higher cooling rates after hot rolling. The fully annealed alloys showed little variation in their microstructures or mechanical properties, despite clear variations in their as-rolled microstructures

Exploring the Lived Experience of Youth Who Have Been Suspended From Secondary School: A Narrative Inquiry

Despite evidence suggesting that out of school suspensions do more harm than good, they remain prevalent in education system. According to the Ontario Ministry of Education, 33,030 secondary school students were suspended during the 2017-2018 academic year. These students are at an increased risk for future suspensions and are less likely to complete secondary school. This study aimed to document, analyze and interpret the lived experience of youth who have been suspended one or more times from an Ontario secondary school and hear their voices. The data for this narrative inquiry was collected through three in depth semi-structured interviews with each one of the three participants. Participants shared about their aspirations, feelings of being ignored and excluded, their experiences with childhood adversity, and parental support and expectations. Using a temporal-needs threat model of ostracism, the findings can help to increase our understanding of youths’ experiences

Perspectives des étudiants sur l'éducation financière transdisciplinaire en Ontario

In increasingly uncertain economic times, education curricula around the world are changing to include the topic of financial literacy for students. This article reports the findings of a financial literacy study that examined the perspectives of students on their experiences with transdisciplinary teaching and learning of personal financial literacy. In this study, 344 post-secondary students reflected on their educational experiences in Ontario secondary schools by completing a quantitative survey composed of questions and self-assessments related to personal financial literacy curricula. While students felt that personal financial literacy education was important, they felt that there was a need for more knowledge and understanding in secondary school. Further, survey data identified variations in the personal financial literacy education students received that was linked to the stream (advanced or general) students were enrolled in. The findings are discussed, with particular attention to how students’ perspectives can inform policy and curriculum design moving forward.Dans un contexte économique de plus en plus incertain, les programmes d'enseignement du monde entier évoluent pour inclure le thème de la littératie financière des élèves. Cet article présente les résultats d'une étude sur la littératie financière qui a examiné les points de vue des étudiants sur leurs expériences de l'enseignement et de l'apprentissage transdisciplinaires de la littératie financière personnelle. Dans le cadre de cette étude, 344 étudiants de l'enseignement postsecondaire ont réfléchi à leurs expériences éducatives dans les écoles secondaires de l'Ontario en répondant à une enquête quantitative composée de questions et d'auto-évaluations liées aux programmes de la littératie en matière de finances personnelles. Alors que les étudiants estimaient que l'éducation à la littératie financière personnelle est importante, ils pensaient qu'il est nécessaire d'approfondir les connaissances et la compréhension à l'école secondaire. En outre, les données de l'enquête ont mis en évidence des variations dans l'éducation à la littératie financière personnelle reçue par les élèves, en fonction de la filière (avancée ou générale) dans laquelle ils sont inscrits. Les résultats sont discutés, en accordant une attention particulière à la façon dont les perspectives des étudiants peuvent éclairer la politique et la conception des programmes d'études

Self-trapping and excited state absorption in fluorene homo-polymer and copolymers with benzothiadiazole and tri-phenylamine

We thank the EPSRC [EP/J009318/1 and EP/J009016/1] for funding. MJP thanks the European Research Council (ERC) for funding under the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013)/ERC Grant No. 258990.Excited state absorption (ESA) is studied using time-dependent density functional theory and compared with experiments performed in dilute solutions. The molecules investigated are a fluorene pentamer, polyfluorene F8, the alternating F8 copolymer with benzothiadiazole F8BT, and two blue-emitting random copolymers F8PFB and F8TFB. Calculated and measured spectra show qualitatively comparable results. The ESA cross-section of co-polymers at its maximum is about three times lower than that of F8. The ESA spectra are found to change little upon structural relaxation of the excited state, or change in the order of sub-units in a co-polymer, for all studied molecules. In all these molecules, the strongest ESA transition is found to arise from the same electronic process, exhibiting a reversal of the charge parity. In addition, F8PFB and F8TFB are found to possess almost identical electronic behaviour.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Developing an online course in Computer-Supported Collaborative Design (CSCD)

This paper documents the creation of an online course in CSCD. Through identification of gaps in knowledge and investigation into the best ways to learn softer skills such as collaboration skills, the requirements for the class were established. The class was created on a free to use LMS for all students globally to participate in a 3 class course

Ceramics studio to podiatry clinic: The impact of multi-media resources in the teaching of practical skills across diverse disciplines

This paper draws on the experiences of students from two vastly different disciplines to both explore the theoretical background supporting the use of multimedia resources to teach practical skills and provide a qualitative evaluation of student perceptions and experiences of using bespoke resources. Within ceramics and podiatry, practical skills are traditionally taught via an apprenticeship model within small groups. We explore the practical and pedagogic benefits of developing bespoke multimedia resources to teach practical skills, identifying common themes from these disparate discipline areas. Student focus groups revealed that, practically, the opportunity for repeated viewing at convenient times promoted less reliance on lecturers and better preparation prior to practical demonstrations. Pedagogically, time for reflection and sense making underpinned an increase in confidence which in turn led to increased creativity. The student voice was also used to identify recommendations and challenges driving future change

Temporal dynamics of genetic clines of invasive European green crab (Carcinus maenas) in eastern North America

Evolutionary Applications published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Reproduced with the permission of the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Two genetically distinct lineages of European green crabs (Carcinus maenas) were independently introduced to eastern North America, the first in the early 19th century and the second in the late 20th century. These lineages first came into secondary contact in southeastern Nova Scotia, Canada (NS), where they hybridized, producing latitudinal genetic clines. Previous studies have documented a persistent southward shift in the clines of different marker types, consistent with existing dispersal and recruitment pathways. We evaluated current clinal structure by quantifying the distribution of lineages and fine-scale hybridization patterns across the eastern North American range (25 locations, ~39 to 49°N) using informative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; n = 96). In addition, temporal changes in the genetic clines were evaluated using mitochondrial DNA and microsatellite loci (n = 9–11) over a 15-year period (2000–2015). Clinal structure was consistent with prior work demonstrating the existence of both northern and southern lineages with a hybrid zone occurring between southern New Brunswick (NB) and southern NS. Extensive later generation hybrids were detected in this region and in southeastern Newfoundland. Temporal genetic analysis confirmed the southward progression of clines over time; however, the rate of this progression was slower than predicted by forecasting models, and current clines for all marker types deviated significantly from these predictions. Our results suggest that neutral and selective processes contribute to cline dynamics, and ultimately, highlight how selection, hybridization, and dispersal can collectively influence invasion success