Inclusion and Social Integration of Students with Educational Challenges: Perspectives of In-Service and Pre-Service Teachers and College Students

The increasing trend to mainstream students with educational challenges (SEC) has obligated mainstream teachers to develop different approaches to deal with heterogeneous classes. Previous research on in-service and pre-service teachers has shown that successful inclusion is correlated with positive attitudes towards inclusion, a high sense of self-efficacy, and minimal stigmatization of SEC. However, it remains unclear whether training programs for in-service and pre-service teachers can impact initial attitudes towards inclusive education. This study examined the different components of attitudes towards inclusion in three groups: in-service teachers, pre-service teachers, and college students enrolled in non-education majors. An online questionnaire was administered by a survey company to 489 participants: in-service teachers who had at least one SEC in their classes (n=196), pre-service teachers (n=143), and college students (n=150). The results showed that pre-service teachers had the most positive attitude towards inclusion of SEC, whereas in-service teachers had the most negative attitude. Attitudes towards inclusion were predicted by stigmatizing attitudes and self-efficacy. Stigmatizing attitudes were predicted by gender, religion, education, and self-efficacy. Thus, the main route to more inclusive and less prejudiced teachers may lie in strengthening teachers\u27 self-efficacy. These results have implications for training programs, which should focus on eliminating myths, strengthening the concept of inclusion throughout the entire program, and enhancing the expertise of in-service teachers

An international study of correlates of women's positive body image

Positive body image (PBI) has received attention in the recent research literature. Despite this, its role in daily functioning in different cultural contexts, particularly its potential relationship with academic outcomes, is still lacking. This study aimed to offer an international perspective on the association between PBI and body mass index (BMI), perceived academic achievement, and educational aspirations, as well as the mediating role of self-esteem. A cross-national study was conducted in eight European countries with a total of 2653 female university students. Participants completed an online survey measuring PBI (conceptualized as body appreciation), self-esteem, perceived academic achievement and aspirations, and body mass index (BMI). Results revealed differences in PBI between countries (low magnitude). PBI correlated negatively with BMI in all national groups (low-to-moderate magnitude). Mediation analysis showed that self-esteem mediated the association between PBI and academic variables. Findings from this study suggest that building students' self-esteem and PBI can be a suitable way to boost academic success

An International Study of Correlates of Women's Positive Body Image

Positive body image (PBI) has received attention in the recent research literature. Despite this, its role in daily functioning in different cultural contexts, particularly its potential relationship with academic outcomes, is still lacking. This study aimed to offer an international perspective on the association between PBI and body mass index (BMI), perceived academic achievement, and educational aspirations, as well as the mediating role of self-esteem. A cross-national study was conducted in eight European countries with a total of 2653 female university students. Participants completed an online survey measuring PBI (conceptualized as body appreciation), self-esteem, perceived academic achievement and aspirations, and body mass index (BMI). Results revealed differences in PBI between countries (low magnitude). PBI correlated negatively with BMI in all national groups (low-to-moderate magnitude). Mediation analysis showed that self-esteem mediated the association between PBI and academic variables. Findings from this study suggest that building students' self-esteem and PBI can be a suitable way to boost academic success

"Dreaming in colour’: disabled higher education students’ perspectives on improving design practices that would enable them to benefit from their use of technologies"

The focus of this paper is the design of technology products and services for disabled students in higher education. It analyses the perspectives of disabled students studying in the US, the UK, Germany, Israel and Canada, regarding their experiences of using technologies to support their learning. The students shared how the functionality of the technologies supported them to study and enabled them to achieve their academic potential. Despite these positive outcomes, the students also reported difficulties associated with: i) the design of the technologies, ii) a lack of technology know-how and iii) a lack of social capital. When identifying potential solutions to these difficulties the disabled students imagined both preferable and possible futures where faculty, higher education institutions, researchers and technology companies are challenged to push the boundaries of their current design practices

Perceived Body Appearance and Eating Habits: The Voice of Young and Adult Students Attending Higher Education

This study examined the relationship between social-environmental influences and body image perception. Specifically, the study explored the perceived body appearance among young and older students attending higher education, and their eating experiences, as related to four main social-environmental circles: family, friends, work colleagues, and media. The present study interviewed 30 students (14 men and 16 women) ages 20⁻40. The findings show that most of the participants were concerned about their appearance, reported on various eating habits rooted on family tradition. Findings revealed differences among gender and age groups regarding, especially regarding sport and dissatisfaction with their own perceived appearance. Although more women reported on healthy eating habits and doing sport, they reported higher dissatisfaction with their body appearance. It was found that in both groups, family habits and their parents’ remarks about bodies had an ongoing effect and significant influence on their body self-perceptions. Further health promotion should be directed in particular to individuals with a perceived negative body image, in order to enhance positive body self-perception, implementing heathy eating habits and engaging higher commitment to sport

Computer-based communication and cyberbullying involvement in the sample of Arab teenagers

Abstract The use of the internet among teenagers has increased in recent years andnearly 92 % of all teenagers in Israel surf the internet. This study examined thecharacteristics of involvement in cyberbullying among 114 adolescents in the MuslimArab sector, and its relationships with emotional aspects. The students completedquestionnaires regarding cyberbullying and face-to-face bullying, loneliness and anxiety.Results show that more students experience cyberbullying (82 %) than face-to-facebullying (42 %). The students who were cybervictims reported higher levels ofloneliness and anxiety. No gender differences were found. The development of interventionprograms is recommended in order to raise awareness, equip students with theappropriate tools to cope effectively with cyberbullying, and allocate resources toreduce and eventually prevent this phenomenon.14 Halama

Cognitive-Social Sources Of Wellbeing: Differentiating The Roles Of Coping Style, Social Support And Emotional Intelligence

Social support and coping are reliably associated with wellbeing during adolescence, but it is unclear whether relationships between these constructs and affect are inter-related or independent. Emotional intelligence (EI) also correlates with greater wellbeing, but the key processes supporting the association are likewise uncertain. This study aimed to compare support and coping as predictors of wellbeing and stress using structural equation modeling to test alternate latent factor models. It also aimed to test how EI, measured as an ability, might influence the constructs. Data were collected from 203 Israeli high-school students. Modeling suggested that social support was a stronger influence than coping style on wellbeing, although avoidance coping made a unique contribution to lower wellbeing. EI was associated with social support, but not coping or outcome. It is concluded that social support is critical for wellbeing, over and above coping, consistent with theoretical perspectives that emphasize the importance of social engagement in adolescence. Ability EI appears to have only a modest influence on emotional functioning during adolescence

Bully versus victim on the internet: The correlation with emotional-social characteristics

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THE ROLE OF THE EDUCATIONAL COUNSELOR IN THE INCLUSION AND INTEGRATION PROCESSES

The current study examined the attitudes and perceptions of educational counselors with respect to the inclusion of students with special needs in mainstream classrooms (mandated by the Israeli Special Education law), along with assessing their sense of self-efficacy, job satisfaction and stress. 101 elementary and middle school educational counselors filled out questionnaires on self-efficacy, job satisfaction, stress and mainstreaming perceptions. In addition, 11 semi-structured interviews were conducted in order to gain a deeper understanding of the ways they cope with inclusion. Significant differences were found between elementary school and middle school educational counselors in their attitudes toward inclusion, where elementary school counselors were more favorable, had a higher sense of self-efficacy and expressed more positive attitudes towards inclusion. Self-efficacy and job satisfaction were correlated. In general, educational counselors deal with a wide variety of stress factors and are aware of the difficulties inherent to social inclusion as compared to academic inclusion.  Article visualizations