Examining Openness To Pedagogical Change Among Secondary Mathematics Teachers: Developing And Testing A Structural Model

Widespread adoption of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (NGA & CCSSO, 2010) and other career and college readiness standards have prompted changes in the pedagogical practices of secondary mathematics teachers in the United States. The purpose of this study was to examine factors contributing to a math teacher’s willingness to alter pedagogical approaches. Key to the research was development of an instrument for measuring openness to change. The survey tool was created based on constructs drawn from the literature and was emailed to secondary mathematics teachers in the United States (N = 571). The instrument consisted of 65 questions pertaining to demographics, conception of mathematics, perceptions of learning mathematics, math mindset, teacher self-efficacy, professional identity, ambiguity tolerance, and attitude toward change. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses showed a six-factor structure to be effective for predicting openness to change. Structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques were used to test complexities among latent constructs and to support a theoretical model of correlations. Results revealed significant differences along demographic lines on the openness-to-change scale, with females more open to adaptation than males, urban teachers more open than rural, and those without a math degree more open than math majors. Since high school teachers were much more likely than middle school teachers to hold a math degree—72.2 percent compared to 27.4 percent—this last result relates to the finding that middle school teachers are more change-ready than their high school counterparts. No significant correlation was found between the change-scale score and age, experience, or years spent teaching mathematics. The structural equation model tested in this study showed the six latent constructs combining in complex ways to explain math teacher willingness to alter teaching strategies. The structural equation model developed here serves to illuminate complex issues around math teacher change and provides a framework for diagnosing and remedying professional development challenges. The model suggests instructional change can be facilitated through attention to teachers’ conception of mathematics, perceptions of learning mathematics, math mindset, self-efficacy, professional identity, and ambiguity tolerance

Black Online, Doctoral Psychology Graduates\u27 Academic Achievement: A Phenomenological Self-Directed Learning Perspective

Guided by the conceptual framework of self-directed learning and culture, this study investigated the effectiveness of Title IV private, for-profit colleges and universities (FPCUs). Little research has examined this topic, which is problematic considering the disproportionate rate of student loan defaults experienced by Black FPCU borrowers. A phenomenological design was used to explore the meaning of academic achievement for Black doctorate recipients who attained a doctorate in psychology through an FPCU. This study specifically examined how Black students experience the completion of doctoral psychology programs at 2 FPCUs and what factors contributed to these students finishing their degrees. A unique-criterion-purposive sample of 7 Black students who completed doctoral psychology programs at FPCUs within the past 5 years was recruited to participate in telephone interviews. Moustakas\u27 data analysis steps were applied to the data. The results indicated that study participants saw an association between attaining their doctorates in psychology and their self-actualization. They shared the experiences of selecting a suitable FPCU, choosing a specialty area, negotiating transfer credits, completing the doctoral coursework phase, and completing the dissertation phase. Their commitment to achieving self-actualization was a salient experience in finishing their degrees. A core aspect of self-actualization was their cultural knowledge, which helped them to overcome challenges and persevere. However, the results uncovered some insufficiencies in the FPCUs\u27 practices. They have implications for positive social change by highlighting how FPCU academic support services might use cultural knowledge and self-actualization strategies to maximize the successful matriculation of Black students

Gender and innovation processes in maize-based systems

This MAIZE report offers a panorama of the gender dimensions of local agricultural innovation processes in the context of maize-based farming systems and livelihoods

Visual Perceptual Difficulties and Under-Achievement at School in a Large Community-Based Sample of Children

Difficulties with visual perception (VP) are often described in children with neurological or developmental problems. However, there are few data regarding the range of visual perceptual abilities in populations of normal children, or on the impact of these abilities on children's day-to-day functioning. Methods Data were obtained for 4512 participants in an ongoing birth cohort study (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children; ALSPAC). The children's mothers responded to questions designed to elicit indications of visual perceptual difficulties or immaturity, when their children were aged 13 years. We examined associations with standardised school test results in reading and in mathematics at age 1314 years (SATS-KS3), accounting for potential confounders including IQ. Results Three underlying factors explained half the variance in the VP question responses. These correlated best with questions on interpreting cluttered scenes; guidance of movement and face recognition. The adjusted parameter estimates (95% CI) for the cluttered-scenes factor (0.05; 0.02 to 0.08; p<0.001) suggested positive associations with the reading test results whilst that for the guidance-of-movement factor (0.03; 0.00 to 0.06; p = 0.026) suggested positive association with the mathematics results. The raw scores were associated with both test results. Discussion VP abilities were widely distributed in this sample of 13-year old children. Lower levels of VP function were associated with under-achievement in reading and in mathematics. Simple interventions can help children with VP difficulties, so research is needed into practicable, cost-effective strategies for identification and assessment, so that support can be targeted appropriately

Developing live projects as part of an assessment regime within a dispersed campus model

Our newly designed MSc unit, Sustainable Business Management (SBM), is designed to engage students in the real‐life practical application of sustainability at work. The authentic assessment uses a live project approach to develop and evaluate both the practical and academic skills needed to deliver sustainability. The purpose of this paper is to discuss how the unit assessment needed to change beyond the original, intended design (March to December, 2016) and its first delivery (February to March, 2017) in order to accommodate the inclusion of a new transnational education partner delivering the unit synchronously. The use of video technology, weaved into a revised assessment design and adapted in an imaginative way, allowed for a localised delivery that retained the authenticity and creativity of the original assessment while ensuring the maintenance of academic standards