Heterogenität in motivationalen Entwicklungsverläufen in Mathematik und Deutsch in Abhängigkeit von Schulform und Geschlecht

Die Motivationsforschung zeigt konsistent eine Abnahme der Motivation mit zunehmendem Alter sowie Geschlechterunterschiede in der Motivation für verschiedene Schulfächer. Weniger erforscht wurde bislang, wie solche Unterschiede mit der besuchten Schulform zusammenhängen. In dieser Studie wurde daher Heterogenität in Fähigkeitsselbstkonzept und Wertüberzeugungen in Mathematik und Deutsch in Abhängigkeit von Jahrgangsstufe, Geschlecht und Schulform untersucht. Hierzu wurden Schülerinnen und Schüler (N = 8080) der Jahrgangsstufen 5 bis 10 an Gymnasien, Realschulen und Gemeinschaftsschulen in Baden-Württemberg zwei Mal im Abstand eines Schuljahres befragt. Schülerinnen und Schüler in höheren Jahrgangsstufen berichteten geringere Ausprägungen im Fähigkeitsselbstkonzept und in den Wertüberzeugungen. Zudem fanden sich Geschlechterunterschiede zugunsten der Jungen in Mathematik und zugunsten der Mädchen in Deutsch. Unter Kontrolle der Leistungen und des familiären Hintergrundes zeigten Schülerinnen und Schüler an weniger selektiven Schulformen höhere Ausprägungen in Fähigkeitsselbstkonzept und Wertüberzeugungen als Schülerinnen und Schüler am Gymnasium. Zudem variierten Jahrgangsstufen- und Geschlechterunterschiede zwischen Schulformen, was auf deren Bedeutsamkeit als Lern- und Entwicklungsmilieu in Bezug auf die Motivation der Schülerinnen und Schüler verweist.Motivation research has consistently shown a decline in motivation with increasing age as well as gender differences in motivation for different school subjects. Less research has focused so far on how such differences are associated with the type of school. In this study, heterogeneity in ability self-concept and subjective task values in mathematics and German depending on grade level, gender, and type of school was therefore investigated. To this end, several cohorts of students (N = 8080) in grades 5 to 10 from academic track schools (“Gymnasium”), medium track schools (“Realschule”), and comprehensive schools (“Gemeinschaftsschule”) in Baden-Württemberg were surveyed across two school years. Students in higher grade levels reported higher levels of ability self-concepts and subjective task values. Furthermore, gender differences favoring boys in mathematics and females in German were found. When controlling for achievement and family background, students in less selective school types showed higher levels of ability self-concepts and subjective task values compared with students in the academic track. Furthermore, grade level and gender differences varied between school types, which emphasizes their relevance as learning and developmental environments with respect to students’ motivation

School or Work? The Choice May Change Your Personality

According to the social-investment principle, entering new environments is associated with new social roles that influence people's behaviors. In this study, we examined whether young adults' personality development is differentially related to their choice of either an academic or a vocational pathway (i.e., entering an academic-track school or beginning vocational training). The personality constructs of interest were Big Five personality traits and vocational-interest orientations. We used a longitudinal study design and propensity-score matching to create comparable groups before they entered one of the pathways and then tested the differences between these groups 6 years later. We expected the vocational pathway to reinforce more mature behavior and curtail investigative interest. Results indicated that choosing the vocational compared with the academic pathway was associated with higher conscientiousness and less interest in investigative, social, and enterprising activities

Injections of Local Anesthetics into the Pharyngeal Region Reduce Trapezius Muscle Tenderness

Background: Neck pain is a frequent reason for seeking medical advice. Neuroanatomical findings suggest a close connection between the pharynx and the trapezius region. Irritation of the pharynx may induce tenderness of this area. Specific tender points, called neck reflex points (NRPs), can be identified here with high reproducibility. We hypothesized that therapeutic local anesthesia (TLA; or neural therapy, NT) in the pharyngeal region can reduce tenderness in patients with therapy-resistant neck pain. Patients and Methods: 17 consecutive female patients with chronic cervical pain and positive trapezius NRPs received bilateral injections of 0.5 ml 1% procaine into the palatine velum. The NRPs were assessed using a 3-level pain index (PI = 0, 1, or 2) before and 3-5 min after each injection. Results: We found a significant reduction in tenderness of the NRP of the trapezius region (NRP C7) immediately after TLA/NT. 30 positive NRPs were found before therapy and only 13 after therapy (p < 0.01). The average PI of the NRP C7 was 1.24 ± 0.77 before and 0.35 ± 0.59 after therapy (right side), and 1.34 ± 0.59 before and 0.59 ± 0.69 after therapy (left side). The pre- and post-therapy PI values were significantly different on both the right and left sides of the trapezius region (p < 0.01). No adverse effects were observed. Conclusions: Pharyngeal irritation may induce and maintain therapy-resistant cervical pain in patients with chronic pharyngeal disease. These patients could benefit from remote TLA/NT injections in the pharyngeal region

Inter-Rater Reliability of Neck Reflex Points in Women with Chronic Neck Pain

Background: Neck reflex points (NRP) are tender soft tissue areas of the cervical region that display reflectory changes in response to chronic inflammations of correlated regions in the visceral cranium. Six bilateral areas, NRP C0, C1, C2, C3, C4 and C7, are detectable by palpating the lateral neck. We investigated the inter-rater reliability of NRP to assess their potential clinical relevance. Methods: 32 consecutive patients with chronic neck pain were examined for NRP tenderness by an experienced physician and an inexperienced medical student in a blinded design. A detailed description of the palpation technique is included in this section. Absence of pain was defined as pain index (PI) = 0, slight tenderness = 1, and marked pain = 2. Findings were evaluated either by pair-wise Cohen’s kappa (ĸ) or by percentage of agreement (PA). Results: Examiners identified 40% and 41% of positive NRP, respectively (PI > 0, physician: 155, student: 157) with a slight preference for the left side (1.2:1). The number of patients identified with >6 positive NRP by the examiners was similar (13 vs. 12 patients). ĸ values ranged from 0.52 to 0.95. The overall kappa was ĸ = 0.80 for the left and ĸ = 0.74 for the right side. PA varied from 78.1% to 96.9% with strongest agreement at NRP C0, NRP C2, and NRP C7. Inter-rater agreement was independent of patients’ age, gender, body mass index and examiner’s experience. Conclusion: The high reproducibility suggests the clinical relevance of NRP in women

Was tun? Perspektiven für eine Unterrichtsqualitätsforschung der Zukunft

Die Unterrichtsqualitätsforschung hat in den vergangenen Jahrzehnten viel zum Verständnis der Merkmale beitragen, die einen qualitätsvollen Unterricht auszeichnen. Sie hat einflussreiche Modelle hervorgebracht, die eine gemeinsame Grundlage für die Erforschung des Unterrichts bereitstellen. Gleichzeitig bringen gesellschaftliche Veränderungsprozesse eine Neuorientierung des schulischen Unterrichts mit sich, und es lässt sich fragen, ob die Unterrichtsqualitätsforschung mit ihren bisherigen Ansätzen in der Lage ist, in Zukunft zum Gelingen von Unterricht beizutragen. Im Rahmen einer Zukunftswerkstatt hat das Leibniz-Netzwerk Unterrichtsforschung daher einen längerfristig angelegten Prozess gestartet, um sich mit dem Unterricht der Zukunft zu beschäftigen und zu versuchen, drängende Fragen und Handlungsfelder für die Unterrichtsqualitätsforschung zu identifizieren. Der vorliegende Beitrag stellt die Ergebnisse dieses initialen Austauschs dar. Zudem wird ein Einblick in die gegenwärtige Arbeit im Netzwerk gegeben, die aufbauend auf den Ergebnissen der Zukunftswerkstatt eine Weiterentwicklung der Unterrichtsqualitätsforschung anstrebt