Showing papers on "Student engagement published in 2002"

Student retention in higher education: the role of institutional habitus

Abstract: This paper examines some of the issues surrounding student retention in higher education. It is based on the case study of a modern university in England that has good performance indicators of both widening participation (i.e. increasing the diversity of the student intake) and student retention. The two-fold nature of this success is significant, as it has been asserted that greater diversity will necessarily lead to an increase in student withdrawal. Furthermore, changes to student funding in the UK put greater financial pressures and stress on students, especially those from low-income groups. Nevertheless, many students cope with poverty, high levels of debt and significant burdens of paid work to successfully complete their courses of study. Drawing on the work of Reay et al. (2001), this paper adopts and explores the term ‘institutional habitus’, and attempts to provide a conceptual and empirical understanding of the ways in which the values and practices of a higher education institution impact on...

Motivation as an Enabler for Academic Success.

Abstract: Student motivation as an academic enabler for school success is discussed. Contrary to many views, however, the authors conceive of student motivation as a multifaceted construct with different com...

Mathematics and Science Achievement: Effects of Motivation, Interest, and Academic Engagement

Abstract: The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of 3 school-related constructs—motivation, attitude, and academic engagement—on 8th-grade students' achievement in mathematics and science. Although cognitive abilities of the students and their home backgrounds are important predictors of achievement, in recent years affective variables have emerged as salient factors affecting success and persistence in mathematics and science subject areas. The authors used the nationally representative sample of 8th graders drawn from the National Education Longitudinal Study 1988. They used structural equation models to estimate and test the hypothesized relationships of 2 motivation factors, 1 attitude factor, and 1 academic engagement factor, on achievement in mathematics and science. Results supported the positive effects of the 2 motivation factors, attitude and academic time on mathematics and science achievement. The strongest effects were those of academic time spent on homework.

Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age: Universal Design for Learning

Abstract: Ensuring that all students achieve the same high standard of learning would be much easier if you could quickly and easily customize lesson plans and curriculum materials to each student's needs, interests, and skills level. Here's a book that explains how to make that ideal a reality. Explore the concept of Universal Design for Learning and how it can help you meet standards while you address the unique needs of each student. Drawing from brain research and the power of digital technology, the authors explain how to: Set appropriate goals for every student. Choose the teaching methods and materials that give every student optimum instructional support. Ensure the fair and accurate assessment of every student's progress. A school case study, a set of templates, and links to online resources get you started in applying the concepts to your classroom. A companion website offers interactive experiences, classroom videos, lessons, online discussions, interviews with experts, student case stories, resource links, and more in-depth information.

Being (Dis)Engaged in Educationally Purposeful Activities: The Influences of Student and Institutional Characteristics.

Abstract: The self-reported experiences of 50,883 undergraduates at 123 institutions were analyzed using a multinomial hierarchical model to identify individual and institutional characteristics associated with varying levels of student engagement in educationally purposeful activities. Parental education and student academic preparation were positively associated with higher levels of engagement. White students were generally less engaged than students from other racial and ethnic groups whereas men were more likely to be either disengaged or highly engaged compared with women. Students at public institutions and research universities were less engaged than their counterparts at private colleges and other institutional types. Individual student perceptions of certain aspects of the institutional environment affected engagement in complicated ways.

The Link Between Teacher Classroom Practices and Student Academic Performance

Abstract: Quantitative studies of school effects have generally supported the notion that the problems of U.S. education lie outside of the school. Yet such studies neglect the primary venue through which students learn, the classroom. The current study explores the link between classroom practices and student academic performance by applying multilevel modeling to the 1996 National Assessment of Educational Progress in mathematics. The study finds that the effects of classroom practices, when added to those of other teacher characteristics, are comparable in size to those of student background, suggesting that teachers can contribute as much to student learning as the students themselves.

Student Motivation and Self-Regulated Learning in the College Classroom

Abstract: College student motivation is a persistent and persuasive problem for faculty and staff at all levels of postsecondary education. Faculty at community colleges, comprehensive universities, small liberal arts colleges, and private and public research universities all bemoan the lack of student motivation. The questions that college faculty and staff raise include: why don’t the students seem to care about their work, why don’t they seem more interested in the disciplinary content of the courses, why do they only care about their grades but not learning, why don’t they try very hard, why don’t they study very much, why do they procrastinate and try to study for an exam at the last minute, or try to write a paper the day before it is due, why can’t they be more organized and plan their work better, and why don’t they learn or perform very well. All of these issues can be partially explained by a motivation and self-regulation perspective on student learning in the college classroom. Of course, there are other models of college student cognition and learning that are relevant, but in this chapter we will focus on motivational and self-regulatory constructs. The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of current research on college student motivation and self-regulated learning that should provide some insights into these general problems.

Student Satisfaction: Towards an empirical deconstruction of the concept

Abstract: This study examines how overall student satisfaction in Norway can be broken down into component assessments referring to broader aspects of the students' learning experience. The analysis reveals that the academic and pedagogic quality of teaching are crucial determinants of student satisfaction, pointing to a potential overlap between student satisfaction surveys and surveys on student assessment of teaching. However, the analysis also demonstrates that social climate, aesthetic aspects of the physical infrastructure and the quality of services from the administrative staff should not be underestimated when trying to improve student satisfaction and opportunity for learning.

Academic Engagement: Current Perspectives on Research and Practice

Abstract: Classroom behaviors that enable academic learning are the focus of this article. A brief perspective is offered on the development and validation of one enabler—engagement in academic responding—an...

Evaluation of Student Satisfaction: Determining the Impact of a Web-Based Environment by Controlling for Student Characteristics

Abstract: In this article, the authors discuss research findings of an evaluation of Web-based courses in which the researcher controlled for student input information-using Alexander Astin's (1993) Input-Environment-Outcome assessment model. Controlling for student characteristics decreased bias and minimized the chance of incorrectly attributing outcomes to the virtual environment. The results of this study support the view that students' satisfaction was influenced by the online environment and was not due to student characteristics.

Components of a Good Practicum Placement: Student Teacher Perceptions.

Abstract: In the secondpracticum I had instant rapport with my associate teacher; she made me feel very comfortable. One of the first things she said to me was, "I understand how important this report is, and I don't want you to worry because I m not going to give you a bad report. " She also said, "You know, you 're here to learn, you 're hereto make mistakes; we all make mistakes when we 're starting. " So she gave me the freedom to experiment that I didn 't have during the first practicum. (Liz, student teacher)

Leadership and school results

Abstract: This chapter focuses on three aspects of high school functioning in the context of educational reform: leadership and the school results of organisational learning and student outcomes. A brief review of recent and significant work in these areas provides a framework for a discussion of what makes a difference to high school performance. The findings of a three-year study of high schools in two Australian states is used to extend our present knowledge of these areas, and the nature of their interaction and influence on school processes and outcomes.

The impact of principal leadership behaviors on instructional practice and student engagement

Abstract: For decades educators have espoused the importance of the principal as the instructional leader of the school. The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between principal leadership behaviors and teacher instructional practice descriptors. This relationship was observed among schools participating in a systemic school improvement process. The study included eight elementary, eight middle, and eight high schools in the USA. Teachers in each school were surveyed on the principal’s instructional leadership abilities. Student and teacher engagement data were collected through school‐wide observations using the instructional practices inventory. Instructional leadership dimensions were found to correlate highly with instructional practice descriptors. This study confirms the significance of instructional leadership and provides specific insight into the nature of that leadership.

Teacher and child variables as predictors of academic engagement among low‐income African American children

Abstract: A causal model for understanding the complex interplay between student-reported teacher behaviors, student self-systems, and student engagement was tested. One hundred seventeen African American students in grades 1 through 12 completed a comprehensive questionnaire regarding teacher context, self, and engagement variables. A series of hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to test the hypothesized mediation models and to construct a path model. Most hypotheses were supported. Student self-system variables (perceived competency and autonomy) mediated relations between teacher context (structure and autonomy support), and engagement. Contrary to predictions, however, teacher involvement exerted a strong and direct effect on student engagement even when controlling for grade level and self-system variables. Given existing research showing that African American students are at risk for low teacher involvement and that engagement is critical for academic success, research and intervention strategies are urgently needed to promote teacher involvement with these students. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Schools as learning organisations: The case for system, teacher and student learning

Abstract: An Australian government‐funded four‐year research project involving 96 secondary schools, over 5,000 students and 3,700 teachers and their principals has provided a rich source of information on schools conceptualised as learning organisations. The LOLSO project focused on three aspects of high school functioning: leadership, organisational learning and the impact of both on student outcomes. This research has established a relationship between the system factors of leadership and organisational learning and student outcomes as measured by student levels of participation in and engagement with school. This paper summarises this research and reports on a study that empirically tests the relationship between students’ participation in and engagement with school and student achievement using model building and path analysis. The importance of learning at the system, teacher and student level is discussed in the context of school restructuring.

Beyond Traditional Structures of Student Teaching.

Abstract: In this set of papers, we have an analysis and discussion of many issues concerning student teacher learning during the practicum. These papers represent a variety of contexts: preservice programs at New York University (NYU), Mills College, and Roosevelt University (all relatively small programs), and the University of Haifa. The papers also represent a variety of methodologies that have been used to address the question of what makes a good placement setting: surveys of student teachers, cooperating teachers, and university supervisors; interviews with mentors and preservice and inservice teachers; and analyses of student teacher journals. On the one hand, I agree with much of what is asserted in the papers: (1) Student teaching is a critical aspect of preservice teacher education and cooperating teachers are key participants in determining the quality of learning for student teachers. (2) Being a good cooperating teacher is important but is not synonymous with being a good teacher. Being a good cooperating teacher is more than providing access to a classroom or modeling a particular version I of good practice. It involves active mentoring. (3) Ken Zeichner is a Learning to be a good mentor is a complex and professor with the demanding process. (4) The quality of human rela College of Education at tionships is important to the making of a good the University of student teaching placement. Specifically, the impor Wisconsin-Madison, tance of a safe and supportive environment where Madison, Wisconsin. student teachers feel able to take risks and explore

Exploring Roles in Student Teaching Placements

Abstract: Mari Koerner is a If we want to grow in practice, we have two primary professor and chair of the places to go: to the inner ground from which good Department of teaching comes and to the community of fellow Curriculum and teachers from whom we can learn more about t . .. . ourselves and our craft. Instruction at the J n . ... TT . , —Parker Palmer, 1998, p. 141 University oj Massachusetts, Boston, Most teachers claim that the most important ele Massachusetts; Frances ments in their professional education were the school O 'Cornell Rust is a experiences found in student teaching (Guyton & professor in the Mclntyre, 1990). Student teaching is the culminat Department of Teaching ing experience in a teacher education program. For and Learning of the good or ill, this experience has a significant impact School of Education at on the student teacher who must juggle the respon New York University, New sibilities of teaching (and all that entails) while York City, New York; and establishing and developing relationships with one Frances Baumgartner is a or more cooperating teachers and a university super lecturer in the School of visor. Student teachers are surrounded not only by Education at Roosevelt other adults who share in certain power relationships University, Chicago, with them but also with children with whom they Illinois. share a different sort of power relationship (Hargreaves,

Exploring complex phenomena: Grounded theory in student affairs research.

Abstract: Understanding the undergraduate student experience is of utmost importance to many educators (Upcraft & Schuh, 1996). However, as more sophisticated questions are raised about student learning, student development, and student identity on college campuses, more sophisticated research studies must be designed to answer these questions. Student affairs practitioners in their component subspecialties are uniquely positioned to make significant contributions to this endeavor because of their connections to college students. Although the contributions of quantitative studies to the research literature have been significant, more researchers are employing qualitative methods to get a better understanding of the complex interactions between the student and the college environment (Attinasi, 1992; Baird, 1996). Quantitative and qualitative modes of inquiry have different purposes (generalizability and prediction vs. contextualization and interpretation), approach (experimental and

Student engagement with school : individual and school-level influences.

Abstract: This report examines the engagement of young people with school. Engagement is an important outcome of schooling, and there are a number of ways in which it can be defined. In this report, engagement is defined through Finn’s (1989) taxonomy of engagement or participatory behaviours, which examines students’ level of participation in the extracurricular activities offered to them by their schools. Finn (1989) argued that with such participation comes identification with school, a ‘belonging’ that can help to promote a feeling of self-worth and assist students to become resilient learners, particularly if they are part of a group at risk of leaving school before completing Year 12. Participation in extracurricular activities has been described as providing all students with an educational safety net, and several US studies have found participation to be positively related to a range of positive educational outcomes. In a British study utilising a large national database of student and parent attitudes to school, Barber (1996) found that students’ enthusiasm for extracurricular activities was seen by them as a particularly positive aspect of the school experience, and that parents strongly endorsed their value. An enduring effect of extracurricular participation has been shown to be the greater likelihood of participating in voluntary social activities as young adults (Lindsay, 1984).

Student Teachers' Perceptions of School-based Mentoring in Initial Teacher Training (ITT)

Abstract: In recent years school-based mentoring has become an increasingly important aspect of the process by which student teachers begin to learn how to teach. This article reports secondary PGCE students' evaluations of their school-based mentoring experiences. The data were collected via in-depth interviews with 16 student teachers and self-complete questionnaires completed by 224 student teachers from four different training courses in central and northern England in 1999. The main findings are that: (1) student teachers consider mentoring to be a, if not the, key aspect of school-based ITT; whilst (2) student teachers' accounts of their school-based experiences suggest that teacher-mentors are not always successful in creating conditions for effective student teacher learning.

Key Determinants of Student Satisfaction.

Abstract: Student life is seemingly a web of interrelated activities and experiences This article examines which aspects of a student's educational experience are more important in influencing student satisfaction The findings suggest that “student centeredness” and “instructional effectiveness” are key determinants of how satisfied a student is with his/her overall educational experience Implications are included that should help universities enhance student satisfaction and student retention

Implicit theories, goal orientations, and perceived competence: Impact on students' achievement behavior

Abstract: The present study was designed to explore relations between implicit theories of intelligence, goal orientations, perceived competence, and school achievement. It was assumed that implicit theories of intelligence orient individuals toward particular goals, which in turn influence achievement behavior. Perceived competence was hypothesized to moderate the relationship between implicit theories, goal orientations and actual achievement. Subjects were 451 elementary and junior high school students. The results of Pearson product moment correlations and Path analysis show theoretically important intercorrelations that replicated previous research. Implicit theories were not related to academic achievement. Goal orientations had an indirect effect on achievement, which was mediated through perceived competence. Educational implications of these findings are discussed. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Previous research has shown that students’ beliefs about themselves and their academic competence affect classroom achievement. The findings of these studies have stressed the role of self-concept, self-efficacy, causal attributions, self-regulation, and self-determination (Deci, Vallerand, Pelletier, & Ryan, 1991; Schunk, 1989; Zimmerman, 1990). More recently, the emerging research on the cognitive and motivational factors influencing learning has stressed the role of two motivational factors that are related to students’ achievement beliefs and approaches to learning: implicit theories of intelligence and academic goal orientations (Ames, 1992; Dweck & Leggett, 1988). One of the best articulated models in this respect is that of Dweck (1986, Dweck & Leggett, 1988), who postulated that student engagement, persistence, and course achievement, can be explained by different academic goal orientations, which in turn, are due to implicit theories students hold about intellectual ability. Implicit theories of intelligence are beliefs about the fundamental nature of intelligence, specifically whether intelligence is a fixed entity that cannot be changed (an entity theory) or a malleable quality that can be increased through one’s efforts (an incremental theory). These theories create a framework for processing information, constructing representations of events and making inferences (Dweck, Chiu, & Hong, 1995; Gervey, Chiu, Hong, & Dweck, 1999). Research has shown (Dweck & Leggett, 1988; Faria, 1996) that students’ entity vs. incremental conceptions of intelligence have a definite impact on cognition and behavior in academic situations. The importance of implicit theories of intelligence is their link to effort and preference for challenge. It seems that students with an incremental view of intelligence tend to increase their effort as task difficulty increases with the primary intent to understand the task and ultimately to increase knowledge. On the other hand, students with an entity view, being more concerned with the success of their performance, they often avoid challenging tasks that involve a high degree of risk for poor performance and subsequent evaluations of incompetence (Dweck & Leggett, 1988). The second motivational factor related to students’ achievement beliefs, is achievement goals. Weiner (1990) has pointed to goal orientation theory as “a major new direction, one pulling

Teaching and technology in higher education: student perceptions and personal reflections

Abstract: Over the past few decades universities in the United Kingdom have undergone fundamental and accelerating change with the resultant outcome of a radical move from what can be described as an elitist model of education to a popular or "populist" model. Entrance routes to higher education courses of study have diversified, and as a consequence the student population has also diversified in terms of age, gender, ethno-religious background and socio-economic profile. This paper describes one author's response to these changes and assesses his implementation of a technologically rich approach to introducing the principles of business marketing to under-graduate students. The political, intellectual and institutional contexts which generated the desire to make increased use of technology in the classroom are considered as well as student feedback. The paper concludes with some recommendations for possible areas of development in the use of computer technology as a means of improving the quality of learning and teaching.

Student Engagement and the Social Relations of Pedagogy

Abstract: Drawing on the 'sociology of pedagogy', the present article addresses a continuing challenge for teachers and policy-makers. The challenge is how to encourage disengaged learners to take up offers of educational success. The article brings important theoretical frames from the sociology of pedagogy into current research debates about 'productive pedagogies'. Focusing on the social relations of pedagogy, the article promotes a theoretical and empirical imperative to look keenly to the insights provided by students to construct clearer solutions to the challenge of providing engaging pedagogies.

Learners' Perceptions on the Value of PowerPoint in Lectures.

Abstract: Students of today, who have grown up with and become accustomed to the visual stimulation of television, computers, and video games, expect technology to be used effectively as part of their learning experience. As a result, faculty are continuously challenged to hold the attention of these learners from the high-tech generation. Through the thoughtful use of computer presentation programs, faculty can create professional-looking presentations to enhance student learning and achieve course goals. The intent of this study was to assess student perceptions on the value of PowerPoint presentations in lectures. One hundred sixty undergraduate students at the University of Pittsburgh completed a 12-item Likert scale survey and two open-ended questions regarding the use of PowerPoint. Results from the survey are discussed, along with the professor's goals for using PowerPoint. The majority of students agreed that PowerPoint had a positive effect on lectures, especially in helping them to take notes and to study for exams. They preferred PowerPoint lectures to traditional lectures using a blackboard or whiteboard. They also perceived professors who delivered PowerPoint as being more organized. Students did not believe that making PowerPoint slides available before class was a strong motivator or deterrent in attending class. A literature review and the student PowerPoint survey are included. (AEF) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Learners' Perceptions on the Value of Power Point in Lectures By Barbara A. Frey, D.Ed. Instructional Designer The Center for Instructional Development & Distance Education University of Pittsburgh http://www.pittedut-ciddeweb/ David J. Birnbaum, Ph.D. Associate Professor and Chair Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures University of Pittsburgh http://clover.slavic.pitt.edu/-tales/

The Sociology of the Classroom and Its Influence on Student Learning

Abstract: (2002). The Sociology of the Classroom and Its Influence on Student Learning. Peabody Journal of Education: Vol. 77, No. 3, pp. 85-100.