The Effect of English Language Proficiency and Glossary Provision on Personality Measurement

Research on English language learners suggests that language proficiency can affect the validity of standardized test scores. This study examined whether the provision of a glossary as a test accommodation during personality test completion influences the measurement of personality. Using an experimental research design, participants recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk and Prime Panels (n = 206) were first categorized as having limited or high English language proficiency and then randomly assigned to a glossary condition. The results indicate that providing a within-text glossary does not impact the construct validity and reliability of personality measures. The results also suggest that participants who received glossaries found them useful. However, those who were not provided with one disagreed that they would benefit from the provision of a glossary

Examining the relationship between stress and absenteeism : a research synthesis

Work stress and stress-related illness have been touted as significant causes of absenteeism in the popular press. Yet, solid research evidence for a stress-absence connection is currently lacking. Methodological variation across primary studies and multiple theoretical viewpoints preclude a comprehensive understanding of the association between these two variables. The purpose of this research was to synthesize and meta-analyze accumulated findings on the topic. The theory of causation was used to explore and build hypotheses about the nature of the stress-absence relationship, including mediating processes and moderating influences. Findings from 137 studies and 275 effects provide support for a positive causal relationship between stress and absenteeism, and confirm the operation of illness mediating processes. In addition, there is evidence suggesting that absenteeism might have the potential to play a maintenance role in regulating subsequent levels of stress and illness. Little support was obtained for the underlying voluntary-involuntary distinction between frequency and time lost measures of absenteeism. Among the individual-level moderators, the influence of attribution and disposition were confirmed, while the macro social context was the only contextual moderator to receive support. Findings shed light on many theoretical viewpoints, and provide a comprehensive understanding of work stress and absenteeism

Analyzing vigilance performance : task-type, feedback, and predictors

iv, 71 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm.Includes abstract.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 64-69).Two vigilance tasks, monitoring and inspection, were employed in the examination of the effects of feedback and predictors (personality and cognitive) on vigilance performance measured through hits, decrement, and false-alarm rate. The tasks differed on several characteristics including the type of discrimination, complexity, and operational relevance. A repeated-measures design was utilized in which 68 university students participated in computer simulations of both tasks. Differences in performance on the two tasks reveal that complexity may hinder hit performance, but may mitigate vigilance decrement and false alarm rate. Results also suggest that the usefulness of personality and cognitive predictors of vigilance performance may be task specific. Findings provide insights into the implementation of countermeasures such as introducing an element of complexity on simple tasks (perhaps through artificial signal injection) and reducing complexity through training on the inspection task. Insight into the inconsistencies surrounding previous attempts at predicting vigilance performance and into the delivery of feedback on vigilance tasks with complex visual displays is also provided

Combined Effects of Perceived Politics and Psychological Capital on Job Satisfaction, Turnover Intentions, and Performance

With a diverse sample (N = 231 paired responses) of employees from various organizations in Pakistan, the authors tested for the main effects of perceived organizational politics and psychological capital on turnover intentions, job satisfaction, and supervisor-rated job performance. They also examined the moderating influence of psychological capital in the politics–outcomes relationships. Results provided good support for the proposed hypotheses. While perceived organizational politics was associated with all outcomes, psychological capital had a significant relationship with job satisfaction and supervisor-rated performance only. As hypothesized, the negative relationship of perceived organizational politics with job satisfaction and supervisor-rated performance was weaker when psychological capital was high. However, the result for turnover intentions was counter to expectations where the politics–turnover intention relationship was stronger when psychological capital was high

Preliminary Assessment of an Undergraduate Biology Capstone Course for Gains in Research Skills and Attitudes.

Capstone courses are high impact educational experiences in any undergraduate major including those related to STEM. We designed a theme focused on microbial ecology for a preexisting undergraduate capstone course to enable biology majors to choose their own research focus from a wide array of possibilities, and then to use current techniques to engage in it. Here, we report the use of a newly developed quiz to assess gains in research skills. A survey already in use for all STEM courses targeted for the 4 year undergraduate research experience, was also used to gauge attitudinal changes that may relate to persistence in STEM. This new course theme appears to be effective, boosting both students’ self-efficacy and their research skills. We seek to share our course implementation and solicit feedback that will help to validate and/or improve on the course design and its assessment

An Innovative Approach to Hypothesis-Driven Laboratory Experience

Our purpose is to improve student attitudes toward science and ownership of research projects in Microbiology 3300K courses during the 2014 -2015 academic year. An innovative approach of hypothesis-driven laboratory work that increases undergraduate exposure to authentic research is being implemented. The project, The Small World Initiative (SWI) sponsored by Yale’s Center for Scientific Teaching, involves the discovery and cultivation of novel antibiotic-producing bacteria. The effect of this initiative can be evaluated through both attitudinal assessments and student learning outcomes. We hope to inspire participants to pursue careers in science and develop an appreciation for the scientific process. It is well established that undergraduate research experiences enrich STEM student learning outcomes. And in our increasing global society, student exposure to issues that affect diverse communities is imperative for career success. Incorporating SWI will significantly contribute to 1) undergraduate research experiences 2) improving student’s perspective of global scientific collaboration 3) enhancing student’s marketable skills and critical-thinking abilities and finally, 4) addressing an urgent global health-crisis (proliferation of antibiotic resistance). Attendees of this presentation will model our undergraduates’ experience: designing a soil collection/dilution plan, then observing soil isolates for antibiotic activity

Tapping the Power of Student Choice & Design: A Course Theme Designed to Promote Creative, Collaborative Undergraduate Research Experiences

Providing authentic research experiences embedded into curricula is a popular vehicle for increasing research accessibility for STEM majors at colleges and universities. Several models involve students investigating microbes in specified contexts. Here we describe a course design which provides students great flexibility in selecting their research focus within the broad area of microbial ecology. This course is a special theme within a regular offering that aims to provide upper level undergraduates an experience which will prepare them for pursuing STEM careers. Students will immerse in the collaborative nature of real world research within instructor designated groups of 3-4 and will practice communicating effectively both orally and in writing. We will share and discuss our plan of implementation, as well as preliminary successes, shortcomings and, student feedback in an effort to provide a model for developing similar courses, especially where independent research opportunities are limited