Learning from errors: Psychological, relational, and cultural aspects

Although errors might foster learning, they can also be perceived as something to avoid if they are associated with negative consequences (e.g., receiving a bad grade or being mocked by classmates). Such adverse perceptions may trigger negative emotions and error-avoidance attitudes, limiting the possibility to use errors for learning. These students’ reactions may be influenced by relational and cultural aspects of errors that characterise the learning environment. Accordingly, the main aim of this research was to investigate whether relational and cultural characteristics associated with errors affect psychological mechanisms triggered by making mistakes. In the theoretical part, we described the role of errors in learning using an integrated multilevel (i.e., psychological, relational, and cultural levels of analysis) approach. Then, we presented three studies that analysed how cultural and relational error-related variables affect psychological aspects. The studies adopted a specific empirical methodology (i.e., qualitative, experimental, and correlational) and investigated different samples (i.e., teachers, primary school pupils and middle school students). Findings of study one (cultural level) highlighted errors acquire different meanings that are associated with different teachers’ error-handling strategies (e.g., supporting or penalising errors). Study two (relational level) demonstrated that teachers’ supportive error-handling strategies promote students’ perceptions of being in a positive error climate. Findings of study three (relational and psychological level) showed that positive error climate foster students’ adaptive reactions towards errors and learning outcomes. Overall, our findings indicated that different variables influence students’ learning from errors process and teachers play an important role in conveying specific meanings of errors during learning activities, dealing with students’ mistakes supportively, and establishing an error-friendly classroom environment

Psicologi scolastici in Emilia-Romagna

Gli psicologi scolastici sono presenti nei sistemi educativi di diverse nazioni a livello mondiale, tuttavia esistono notevoli differenze da paese a paese. In Italia, gli psicologi operano nel contesto scolastico dal 1970, in generale come consulenti a contratto. Recenti indagini (Matteucci & Farrell, 2018) hanno rilevato una presenza considerevole di psicologi che lavorano nelle scuole e per le scuole, realizzando prevalentemente attività di consulenza e formazione. Malgrado ciò, le conoscenze rispetto a tale ambito professionale e alle caratteristiche dell'attività degli psicologi che lavorano nelle scuole sono ancora limitate.. Il presente report illustra i principali risultati di un'indagine realizzata nel 2019 che intendeva approfondire la conoscenza delle pratiche professionali e delle principali sfide della professione di "psicologo scolastico"

Insegnanti e pandemia

A partire da febbraio 2020, l'emergenza sanitaria causata dal COVID-19 ha portato a provvedimenti di contenimento della diffusione del virus con restrizioni della mobilità dei cittadini, confinamento e chiusura delle scuole di ogni ordine e grado su tutto il territorio nazionale. A causa della chiusura delle scuole, inoltre, gli insegnanti hanno dovuto attivare repentinamente modalità di Didattica a Distanza (DaD), senza alcun tipo di preparazione o formazione preliminare. Il presente report illustra i principali risultati di un'indagine svolta durante la chiusura delle scuole che ha coinvolto più di 1000 insegnanti italiani. L'obiettivo era studiare se e come tale richiesta improvvisa di modifiche al proprio lavoro, la mancanza di competenze per l'insegnamento a distanza, unitamente alla condizione di confinamento, abbiano influito sul benessere psicologico e lavorativo e sul senso di autoefficacia degli e delle insegnanti

Synergistic Interactions between HDAC and Sirtuin Inhibitors in Human Leukemia Cells

Aberrant histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity is frequent in human leukemias. However, while classical, NAD+-independent HDACs are an established therapeutic target, the relevance of NAD+-dependent HDACs (sirtuins) in leukemia treatment remains unclear. Here, we assessed the antileukemic activity of sirtuin inhibitors and of the NAD+-lowering drug FK866, alone and in combination with traditional HDAC inhibitors. Primary leukemia cells, leukemia cell lines, healthy leukocytes and hematopoietic progenitors were treated with sirtuin inhibitors (sirtinol, cambinol, EX527) and with FK866, with or without addition of the HDAC inhibitors valproic acid, sodium butyrate, and vorinostat. Cell death was quantified by propidium iodide cell staining and subsequent flow-cytometry. Apoptosis induction was monitored by cell staining with FITC-Annexin-V/propidium iodide or with TMRE followed by flow-cytometric analysis, and by measuring caspase3/7 activity. Intracellular Bax was detected by flow-cytometry and western blotting. Cellular NAD+ levels were measured by enzymatic cycling assays. Bax was overexpressed by retroviral transduction. Bax and SIRT1 were silenced by RNA-interference. Sirtuin inhibitors and FK866 synergistically enhanced HDAC inhibitor activity in leukemia cells, but not in healthy leukocytes and hematopoietic progenitors. In leukemia cells, HDAC inhibitors were found to induce upregulation of Bax, a pro-apoptotic Bcl2 family-member whose translocation to mitochondria is normally prevented by SIRT1. As a result, leukemia cells become sensitized to sirtuin inhibitor-induced apoptosis. In conclusion, NAD+-independent HDACs and sirtuins cooperate in leukemia cells to avoid apoptosis. Combining sirtuin with HDAC inhibitors results in synergistic antileukemic activity that could be therapeutically exploited

Learning from effors : Psychological, relationaI, and cultural aspects

Although errors might foster learning, they can also be perceived as something to avoid if they are associated with negative consequences (e.g., receiving a bad grade or being mocked by classmates). Such adverse perceptions may trigger negative emotions and error-avoidance attitudes, limiting the possibility to use errors for leaming. These students' reactions may be influenced by relational and cultural aspects of errors that characterise the leaming environment. Accordingly, the main aim of this research was to investigate whether relational and cultural characteristics associated with errors affect psychological mechanisms triggered by making mistakes. ln the theoretical part, we described the role of errors in learning using an integrated multilevel (i.e., psychological, relational, and cultural levels of analysis) approach. Then, we presented three studies that analyses how cultural and relational error-related variables affect psychological aspects. The studies adopted a specific empirical methodology (i.e., qualitative, experimental, and correlational) and investigated different samples (i.e., teachers, primary school pupils and middle school students). Findings of study one (cultural level) highlighted errors acquire different meanings that are associated with different teachers' error-handling strategies (e.g., supporting or penalizing errors). Study two (relational level) demonstrated that teachers' supportive error-handling strategies promote students' perceptions of being in a positive error climate. Findings of study three (psychological level) showed that positive error climate foster students' adaptive reactions towards errors and learning outcomes. Overall, our findings indicated that different variables influence students' learning from errors process and teachers play an important role in conveying specific meanings of errors during learning activities, dealing with students' mistakes supportively, and establishing an error-friendly classroom environment. -- Bien que les erreurs puissent favoriser l'apprentissage, elles peuvent également être perçues comme quelque chose à éviter si elles sont associées à des conséquences négatives (par exemple, recevoir une mauvaise note). De telles perceptions négatives peuvent déclencher des attitudes d'évitement des erreurs, limitant ainsi la possibilité d'utiliser les erreurs pour apprendre. Ces réactions des étudiants peuvent être influencées par les aspects relationnels et culturels des erreurs qui caractérisent l'environnement d'apprentissage. Par conséquent, l'objectif principal de cette recherche est d'étudier si les caractéristiques relationnelles et culturelles associées aux erreurs affectent les mécanismes psychologiques déclenchés après des erreurs. Dans la partie théorique, le rôle des erreurs dans l'apprentissage est décrite avec une approche intégrée à plusieurs niveaux (c'est-à-dire les niveaux d'analyse psychologique, relationnel et culturel). Ensuite, trois études analysent comment les variables culturelles et relationnelles liées aux erreurs affectent les aspects psychologiques. Les études adoptent une méthodologie empirique spécifique (c'est-à-dire qualitative, expérimentale et corrélationnelle) et se focalisent sur différents échantillons (c'est-à-dire des enseignants, des élèves de l'école primaire et du collège). Les résultats de la première étude (niveau culturel) mis en évidence que les erreurs acquièrent différentes significations qui sont associées à différentes stratégies de gestion des erreurs des enseignants (par exemple, soutenir ou pénaliser les erreurs). La deuxième étude (niveau relationnel) montre que les stratégies de gestion des erreurs des enseignants favorisent la perception des élèves d'être dans un climat d'erreur positif. Enfin, la troisième étude (niveaux psychologique) démontre qu'un climat d'erreur positif favorise les réactions adaptatives des élèves face aux erreurs et aux résultats d'apprentissage. Dans l'ensemble, les résultats indiquent que différentes variables influencent le processus d'apprentissage des élèves à partir d'erreurs et que les enseignants jouent un rôle important en en créant un environnement de classe favorable aux erreurs

L'analisi dei bisogni nei contesti scolastico-educativi.

La progettazione in ambito scolastico-educativo comporta la creazione di interventi volti alla soluzione di problematiche o alla promozione di benessere, implementati all’interno di un contesto, la scuola, estremamente complesso, formato da diversi attori che mostrano diverse esigenze, e influenzato dalle caratteristiche socioculturali della società in cui è inserito. In altre parole, la scuola è considerata qui dal punto di vista socio-costruttivista, un approccio che spiega fenomeni intraindividuali, cioè di tipo individuale o psicologici, alla luce sia di dinamiche interindividuali, ossia le relazioni tra individui, sia di dinamiche sociali e culturali, cioè l’insieme di norme sociali e di significati culturali condivisi all’interno della scuola e del contesto più ampio

CLIMA DELL\u2019ERRORE E RISULTATI DEGLI ALUNNI IN MATEMATICA. UNO STUDIO CON STUDENTI DI SCUOLA SECONDARIA Maria Cristina Matteucci1, Annalisa Soncini2

Gli errori possono essere considerati come un \u201ctrampolino di lancio\u201d verso l\u2019apprendimento (Bray & Santagata, 2014), ma sono spesso percepiti in modo negativo nel contesto scolastico. Il modo in cui gli errori diventano parte del processo di apprendimento va a definire il costrutto di clima dell\u2019errore, importante aspetto del clima di classe (Matteucci, Corazza, & Santagata, 2015). La percezione del clima dell\u2019errore negli studenti \ue8 stata studiata recentemente da Steuer, Rosentritt-Brunn, e Dresel (2013), i quali hanno proposto una concettualizzazione del clima dell\u2019errore percepito dagli studenti in classe con otto sottodimensioni e un unico fattore superordinato. Gli stessi autori hanno anche trovato che il clima dell\u2019errore percepito influenza le reazioni all\u2019errore e la possibilit\ue0 di imparare dagli errori

Teachers navigating distance learning during COVID-19 without feeling emotionally exhausted: the protective role of self-efficacy.

In the context of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, teachers faced unprecedented challenges and threats while implementing distance learning. Consequently, teachers may have experienced emotional exhaustion. The aim of our study was threefold: To explore teachers’ threat appraisals, to investigate the relation between teachers’ threat appraisals and their emotional exhaustion, and to examine processes protecting teachers from emotional exhaustion. Self-efficacy belief, especially, may have driven teachers’ perceptions of distance learning as an opportunity (i.e., distance learning strengths), rather than an impediment (i.e., distance learning weakness) to teaching. During the first wave of COVID-19, Italian teachers (N = 1,036) filled in an online survey. A mixed-method design was used to address our three research aims. Findings indicated that, above and beyond other COVID-19 threats, one third of teachers reported worries, fears, and concerns related to their job (i.e., job-related threats). Furthermore, those who mentioned job-related threats experienced greater emotional exhaustion. Finally, teachers’ self-efficacy was related to lower emotional exhaustion both directly and indirectly via teachers’ perceptions of distance learning. Indeed, distance learning weaknesses (but not distance learning strengths) mediated the negative relationship between self-efficacy and emotional exhaustion. Altogether, our findings encourage reflection on possible interventions to reduce teachers’ job-related threats and help them navigate distance learning effectively. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved