http://www.hindawi.com The latest articles from Hindawi Publishing Corporation © 2013 , Hindawi Publishing Corporation . All rights reserved. Thu, 16 May 2013 13:56:53 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2013/585420/ Background. Relevant literature reports no increase in individual scores when test items are reused, but information on change in item difficulty is lacking. Purpose. To test an approach for quantifying the effects of reusing items on item difficulty. Methods. A total of 671 students sat a newly introduced exam in four testing shifts. The test forms experimentally combined published, unused, and reused items. Figures quantifying reuse effects were obtained using the Rasch model to compare item difficulties from different person samples. Results. The observed decrease in mean item difficulty for reused items was insignificant. Students who self-scheduled to the last test performed worse than other students did. Conclusion. Availability of leaked material did not translate into higher individual scores, as mastering leaked material does not guarantee transfer of knowledge to new exam items. Exam quality will not automatically deteriorate when a low ratio of randomly selected items is reused. Michaela Wagner-Menghin, Ingrid Preusche, and Michael Schmidts Copyright © 2013 Michaela Wagner-Menghin et al. All rights reserved. Sun, 12 May 2013 15:10:27 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2013/363847/ This paper offers a sociological critique of the perceived Black-White gap in education and of the theory of “opposition” that underpins it. The literature extending back a century discusses how oppressed and segregated groups adopt attitudes opposed to those who oppress and contain them. Failure to situate the current oppositional culture in this larger body of literature makes opposition seem specific to Black Americans; it is not. Further, among people with similar economic resources, Black Americans have higher educational aspirations and go to college more than comparable Whites. The continued framing of a “race gap” without reference to economic circumstances reifies race and lays the blame for educational failure on schools, teachers, families, and students, when the real culprits are social and economic issues like jobs, wages, and residential segregation. But because politically we are unwilling to deal with these larger socioeconomic issues, educational professionals are compelled to practice as if economic inequality and poverty do not matter, but in fact they do. Because Black Americans are disproportionately represented in lower economic strata, a spurious correlation exists in professional and popular discourse that mistakenly identifies Black people as “opposed” to education. Net of socioeconomic status, Black Americans are no more opposed than anyone else. William Mangino Copyright © 2013 William Mangino. All rights reserved. Thu, 02 May 2013 14:49:23 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2013/936191/ This study examined mother-child interactions across two types of reading interactions—shared reading versus emergent reading—in order to determine (a) if mothers and children provide the same amount of language input across the two interactions, (b) if the socioemotional quality is consistent across the interactions, and (c) if the language input and socioemotional quality across the two interactions are differentially associated with children’s scores on early literacy assessments. Twenty-five mother-child dyads participated in both interactions. Children were given a standardized test of early reading and an emergent reading score based on a rubric designed particularly for the book they were reading. Results indicated that during the shared reading mothers provided more language input (i.e., they talked more), but children increased their amount of talk during the emergent reading, making such input effects null. Overall, socioemotional quality was consistent across the two interactions, except mothers provide more literacy feedback during shared reading. Both language input and socioemotional quality were associated with higher scores on early literacy assessments, but the contribution of these factors varied depending across the type of reading interaction. Results are discussed in terms of education implications for literacy practices at home and school. Stephanie M. Curenton and Symonne Kennedy Copyright © 2013 Stephanie M. Curenton and Symonne Kennedy. All rights reserved. Tue, 23 Apr 2013 09:55:42 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2013/108705/ Neoliberalism is now a globalised agenda that underpins educational strategy and policy in many nations. The evolution of the concept of the knowledge economy and of the knowledge worker has been allied to the rise of neoliberalism as an end with respect to educational processes. This review article considers the ways in which constructs of the knowledge economy within a neoliberal agenda have given rise to specific discourses and conceptualisations of educational outcomes and aims. In particular, the value of knowledge and learning within neoliberal constructions of education will be discussed. The positioning within these constructions of the learner as a reification of economic capital will also be explored. This paper argues for a reconsideration of the purposes of education if the commodified self is to be resisted. Fiona Patrick Copyright © 2013 Fiona Patrick. All rights reserved. Mon, 22 Apr 2013 16:50:01 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2013/640609/ Three recurring emphases in the literature on formative assessment are (a) the importance of assessment design in prompting and sustaining students' learning, (b) giving students feedback that enables them to improve their work, and (c) clarity of standards to articulate the gap between past and desired performances. Much has been written on how each of these is important in designing and using assessment for learning. But there is considerably less attention (if any) on how these emphases should confluence each other. In this paper, I propose a framework for assessment for learning (AfL) wherein assessment standards (vertical axis), task design (horizontal axis) and feedback practices (incline) form a “triangle of practices” that construct the “space” for enhancing learning. Implications for formative assessment to extend learning beyond its triangulated frame are discussed. Kelvin Tan Copyright © 2013 Kelvin Tan. All rights reserved. Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:01:23 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2013/850827/ This paper analyses the labour market entry of Spanish school leavers and the match between education and work at the early stages of working life, using a specific data set drawn from the Spanish Module Education to Labour Market Transitions (2000). Special attention is paid to university graduates, because Spain experienced a strong growth in the demand for higher education during the last decades of the 20th century. The empirical evidence shows that although over-education is a common phenomenon in the Spanish youth labour market, being a graduate seems to be associated with a lower likelihood of over-education in the first job. Our results indicate that over-education affects more women than men and foreigners than Spaniards. Marta Rahona-López and Carmen Pérez-Esparrells Copyright © 2013 Marta Rahona-López and Carmen Pérez-Esparrells. All rights reserved. Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:18:04 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2013/839657/ This study examined the relationships between self-efficacy calibration and test-taking behavior as measured by the percentage of skipped items, unreached items, and incorrect responses on a mathematics test. Jewish and Arab 8th graders in four achievement levels, as defined by quartiles of the test score distribution, were compared with respect to their mathematics self-efficacy and their test-taking behavior. The results indicated that in every achievement level Arab students as compared to their Jewish counterparts tended to report higher levels of self-efficacy and to attempt more items on the test, which resulted in a higher rate of incorrect responses. The results support previous research findings pointing to the detrimental effect that overestimation of SE has on performance. The results were discussed with reference to the metacognitive processes involved in estimation of self-efficacy and in test performance. The identified gaps between the two ethnic groups were discussed in light of the learning culture that characterizes each of them. The contribution of the Israeli context, whereby students from two culturally diverse groups study according to the same mathematics curriculum but in separate schools, to understanding factors underlying culture-related group differences in mathematics test performance was underscored. Menucha Birenbaum and Fadia Nasser-Abu Alhija Copyright © 2013 Menucha Birenbaum and Fadia Nasser-Abu Alhija. All rights reserved. Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:04:34 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2013/196014/ This paper highlights how results from large-scale studies can be used to understand students’ knowledge of science. Several scholars express critique of today’s PISA framework, especially with regard to the presentation of the results as national rankings, and suggest alternative and complementary methods. The present study has used PISA data to reveal hidden patterns in the results. The results show a general descending trend in items focusing on the nature of science and how new scientific knowledge is generated. On the other hand, there is an obvious upward trend regarding tasks that measure fact-based elementary or root knowledge. These trends are slightly differentiated at a national level, as the time and magnitude of the decline or increase may vary. Anders Jakobsson, Eva Davidsson, Karl-Göran Karlsson, and Magnus Oskarsson Copyright © 2013 Anders Jakobsson et al. All rights reserved. Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:10:09 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2013/741807/ Our study monitored students’ alternative conceptions about some fundamental terms and processes of gene technology. Novice secondary school 10th graders (144 in total) described their conceptions in an open questionnaire. Using inductive category development, we iteratively categorized their responses. We found 13 categories describing students’ conceptions. Common categories were allocated to more than one different term or process. Specific categories were found only in the context of explaining one term or process. Using the collected conceptions, we then developed a questionnaire, which we administered to monitor the students’ conceptual change during a hands-on approach in our outreach lab. Knowledge about these conceptions and their consideration within science teaching should be of value both for preservice teacher education and for professional development of in-service teachers. Gaitano Franke, Franz-Josef Scharfenberg, and Franz X. Bogner Copyright © 2013 Gaitano Franke et al. All rights reserved. Tue, 09 Apr 2013 13:26:30 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2013/967610/ Despite overall increased access to technology both in and out of the classroom, technology is often still not being used to support learning and instruction in a meaningful manner. Teachers need to be helped to change the way they teach rather than just how to use computers. The TeachUp! Program was designed by Digital Opportunity Trust to improve the use of technology in day-to-day teaching activities through the use of interns who are present in the schools as a continuous support system and who provide an informal professional development. Interns examine types of technology available and how it can be utilized as a part of the design and implementation of the curriculum to extend the existing student knowledge and learning. Purposive samples from two school districts in southern Mississippi were selected to be interviewed on their perceptions of the integration of TeachUp! technology empowerment into the ongoing culture and operation of the schools, long-term systematic change, and improvement in education outcomes. According to the respondents, the TeachUp! Program has had a major sustaining effect on the respective school systems in these areas. The climate of the learning environment has evolved into a true 21st century learning organization with an increase in the use of technology. Marie-Anne Mundy and Lori Kupczynski Copyright © 2013 Marie-Anne Mundy and Lori Kupczynski. All rights reserved. Thu, 28 Mar 2013 14:12:46 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2013/845164/ This paper investigates the notion of uncertainty as elementary teachers engage in conversations intended to develop their understanding and implementation of reform-based mathematics teaching. Using a narrative methodology, several sources of teacher uncertainty are investigated: teaching and learning, the subject, and improving one’s own teaching. The data analysis indicates two important findings. The first is the importance of substantive and syntactic subject knowledge as a necessary foundation for teachers to understand uncertainty in terms that renew their classroom practice. The second is the need to develop and sustain communities in which teachers value opportunities to critique their classroom practices. Wayne Melville, Ann Kajander, Donald Kerr, and Jennifer Holm Copyright © 2013 Wayne Melville et al. All rights reserved. Thu, 14 Feb 2013 17:09:04 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2013/958530/ This paper provides a description of 30 years of research conducted on curriculum-based measurement. In this time span, several subject matter areas have been studied—reading, writing, mathematics, and secondary content (subject) areas—in developing technically adequate measures of student performance and progress. This research has been conducted by scores of scholars across the United States using a variety of methodologies with widely differing populations. Nevertheless, little of this research has moved from a “measurement paradigm” to one focused on “training in data use and decision making paradigm.” The paper concludes with a program of research that is needed over the next 30 years. Gerald Tindal Copyright © 2013 Gerald Tindal. All rights reserved. Tue, 29 Jan 2013 10:56:02 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2013/327680/ This paper examines the conceptualization and measurement of epistemological and ontological phenomena and makes recommendations for improving the conceptual framework and methodological assessment of these phenomena. I discuss the ways educational researchers have studied beliefs and how this research can be improved through a comprehensive conceptual framework and better measurement. This paper provides definitions of epistemological and ontological beliefs and world views, discusses six complementary strategies for assessing these beliefs, compares the strengths of these strategies, and provides examples of how they have been used in the research literature. This paper discusses challenges related to the development of a comprehensive theoretical framework for beliefs, as well as ways to improve measurement of these beliefs and summarizes six emergent themes. Gregory Schraw Copyright © 2013 Gregory Schraw. All rights reserved. Wed, 26 Dec 2012 08:37:14 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2012/413896/ This study examines how race and socioeconomic status contribute to disparities in study abroad participation. Our mixed methods approach provides a broad overview of the selection process into study abroad using national data. It also provides a nuanced understanding of the mechanisms that perpetuate inequality among Black and lower class students. Both quantitative and qualitative results show that students’ habitus, social networks, and cultural capital shape their study abroad experiences. We find that students with a positive predisposition toward internationalization (having foreign-born parents and/or experiencing different cultures overseas) were more likely to study abroad. Whites and high socioeconomic status students were also more likely to have family and friends who valued study abroad than were lower socioeconomic status and Black students. These advantaged students were better able to acquire and use cultural capital when accessing information from institutional agents. They were also more likely to possess the knowledge and background that complied with institutional standards. These factors contributed significantly to the race and class disparities in study abroad participation. This study contributes to the scant literature on study abroad by revealing mechanisms through which the reproduction of inequality is shaped in the university setting. We argue that patterns found to apply to this process are likely to take place in other processes in higher education as well. Jennifer Simon and James W. Ainsworth Copyright © 2012 Jennifer Simon and James W. Ainsworth. All rights reserved. Mon, 17 Dec 2012 13:19:55 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2012/424715/ Teacher retention has been an issue that has influenced education for many years. The purpose of this research was to uncover the factors that influence a mathematics teacher’s decision to leave the teaching profession. This study compared teachers’ responses by regions of the country, as well as responses between middle school and high school mathematics teachers. Findings from the study indicate an alarmingly high rate of teachers who will be leaving the teaching field for reasons other than retirement. The role of administrators in teacher retention is significant, and implications from the research suggest that an increase in administrator training could play a major role in keeping our nation’s mathematics teachers in the classroom. Carol Curtis Copyright © 2012 Carol Curtis. All rights reserved. Tue, 27 Nov 2012 11:06:46 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2012/848562/ The study's aim was to develop two different intervention programs and to evaluate their contribution to students' self-regulated learning and academic achievement in Latin classes. The concept of our study referred to a process-focused model of self-regulated learning that divides the phases of the self-regulated learning process into different areas, which we applied to domain-specific translation strategies. Within a pre-, post-, and follow-up-test design with 109 tenth graders, self-regulated learning skills and translation competency as well as translation strategy application were assessed using both a self-regulation questionnaire and a standardized translation test. Three different conditions were compared: (a) combined training group (ComG): self-regulated learning and translation, (b) translation training only (TG), and (c) control group (CG). The intervention consisted of nine sessions spread over a period of three weeks. Results of analyses of variance with time as a repeated measurement indicated interaction effects between time and groups for self-regulated learning in favor of the intervention groups. The ComG showed marginally higher self-regulatory skills than the TG. Regarding the translation competencies as well as the strategy application, the results revealed significant training effects in comparison to the control group, with the TG showing the highest increase. Daniela Wagner and Franziska Perels Copyright © 2012 Daniela Wagner and Franziska Perels. All rights reserved. Mon, 05 Nov 2012 09:33:54 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2012/501589/ This paper synthesizes the evidence on the causal impact of attitudes on educational attainment using a simple four-element model of causation—requiring association, sequence, intervention, and explanation. Overall, there was no clear evidence that intervening to change the educational attitudes of disadvantaged students will lead to enhanced attainment. Some mental concepts, such as external motivation, show promise and could be developed further. Others, like locus of control, show little promise and could even be dangerous if used without care. Given that there are other approaches that can help to overcome the poverty gradient in schools, raising aspirations is not the way for policy to go. The stratification of educational outcomes is more likely to be structural rather than mental. An improved attitude without the competence to do something about it could be ineffective, whereas competence may be sufficient in isolation. The current evidence is that attitudes do not cause variation in attainment, and so policies and practices based on a belief that they do are being, and will continue to be, ineffective. Such policies also present opportunity costs, using budget that could be used for more promising approaches, and leaving the poverty gradient largely untouched for yet another generation. Stephen Gorard Copyright © 2012 Stephen Gorard. All rights reserved. Tue, 16 Oct 2012 17:20:20 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2012/934941/ Successful studying in Ph. D. education is a complex matter. Although Ph. D. students are a highly select group, some never finish. This paper explores the problems that doctoral candidates face during their doctoral studies as well as students' well-being in relation to their studying engagement. The study is part of a larger research project on doctoral education. Altogether 669 doctoral students from the Faculties of Arts, Medicine, and Behavioural Sciences responded to the survey. Doctoral students' perceptions of the problems they encountered during their studies varied. The problems reported were related to general working processes, domain-specific expertise, supervision, the scholarly community, and resources. Doctoral students' well-being and study engagement showed a clear relationship. More effective means are needed to foster students' ability to overcome problems encountered during their Ph. D. studies. Kirsi Pyhältö, Auli Toom, Jenni Stubb, and Kirsti Lonka Copyright © 2012 Kirsi Pyhältö et al. All rights reserved. Wed, 05 Sep 2012 13:23:15 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2012/810129/ Current English-as-a-second and foreign-language (ESL/EFL) research has encouraged to treat each communicative macroskill separately due to space constraint, but the interrelationship among these skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) is not paid due attention. This study attempts to examine first the existing relationship among the four dominant skills, second the potential impact of reading background on the overall language proficiency, and finally the relationship between listening and overall language proficiency as listening is considered an overlooked/passive skill in the pedagogy of the second/foreign language classroom. However, the literature in language learning has revealed that listening skill has salient importance in both first and second language learning. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of each of four skills in EFL learning and their existing interrelationships in an EFL setting. The outcome of 701 Iranian applicants undertaking International English Language Testing System (IELTS) in Tehran demonstrates that all communicative macroskills have varied correlations from moderate (reading and writing) to high (listening and reading). The findings also show that the applicants’ reading history assisted them in better performing at high stakes tests, and what is more, listening skill was strongly correlated with the overall language proficiency. Hossein Bozorgian Copyright © 2012 Hossein Bozorgian. All rights reserved. Wed, 29 Aug 2012 08:42:47 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2012/651426/ This cross-sectional case study investigates the curriculum implementation at the School of Medicine at the Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCar), comparing the perspectives of the different participant types involved in this training (i.e., students, lecturers, and preceptors) and the programme goals. The sample included 22 lecturers, 55 students, and 16 preceptors. The researchers created a structured questionnaire based on study indicators extracted from the following aspects of the educational programme: teaching and learning process, integration of competency areas, teaching and learning scenarios, integration of theory and practice, and assessment. A Likert scale with four response options was used to score the respondents' choices. The participants answered the questionnaire online, and the responses were entered into a MySQL database. Using this database, an analysis was conducted based on the subjects' responses and the indicators. Comparative analysis was performed using the bootstrap method for responses and analysis feasibility with a 5% empirical significance level. The teaching and learning process, integration of theory and practice, and assessment indicators were in agreement with the educational programme, while integration of competency areas and teaching and learning scenarios require greater attention to establish consistency with the educational programme and training qualifications. Aline Guerra Aquilante, Roseli Ferreira da Silva, Mariza Borges Brito de Souza, and Renata Gianecchini Bongiovanni Kishi Copyright © 2012 Aline Guerra Aquilante et al. All rights reserved. Thu, 16 Aug 2012 13:43:22 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2012/726270/ New faculty at small teaching institutions experience varied challenges related to navigation of three academic pillars: teaching, scholarship, and service. New faculty are often not prepared by doctoral or terminal degree granting institutions for faculty roles. This increases the responsibility of the hiring institution to introduce new faculty to the academic culture and provide development opportunities aimed at promoting academic success. For the purpose of this study seventeen faculty members, employed between one and three years at four northeastern USA colleges, were recruited for interviews. The Motivation-Hygiene Theory was applied to study the impact of challenges, barriers, and facilitators on faculty satisfaction with faculty development initiatives. The qualitative results emphasize a need for institutions to enhance the new faculty development initiatives: comprehensive new faculty orientations, ongoing teaching and learning workshops, mentoring programs, and other methods to facilitate the transition of faculty to the new academic position. Aditi Puri, Daren Graves, Arlene Lowenstein, and Lily Hsu Copyright © 2012 Aditi Puri et al. All rights reserved. Sun, 05 Aug 2012 09:16:25 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2012/364176/ The benefits from attendance of lectures have been established in the literature. This paper focuses on attendance not of the lecture, but of smaller labs. These labs are 50 minutes one-day-a-week sessions to emphasis material covered during lecture. Using a 200-student Principles of Economics class that covers microeconomics with six different labs, we investigate the effect of lab attendance on exam performance by taking into account individual characteristics. We find that lab attendance benefits the student in overall exam performance. Kirk Adair and Omari H. Swinton Copyright © 2012 Kirk Adair and Omari H. Swinton. All rights reserved. Thu, 19 Jul 2012 15:22:34 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2012/816590/ This paper is a report on the findings of a study conducted on ten primary and secondary schools in Spain where we evaluated how digital tools can contribute to reinforce and develop new ways of tutoring and counseling. The research shows how many counseling functions can be highly enhanced with the use of virtual tools, that is, academic planning, career postsecondary planning, tutoring, counseling, and personal-social development. One of the most important school counselor’s roles is to coordinate resources and services to best assist students and families in fulfilling their needs. Virtual tutoring and counseling through the development of virtual communities are key strategies to better connect with groups—students, parents, administrators, teachers, and others—as part of comprehensive developmental tutoring and counseling programs. Indeed, effective school counseling programs are a collaborative effort among many important groups of people whom digital tools help significantly. Esteban Vázquez Cano and Eloy López Meneses Copyright © 2012 Esteban Vázquez Cano and Eloy López Meneses. All rights reserved. Tue, 26 Jun 2012 16:08:55 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2012/161039/ This paper discusses the role of special education in Finland and Norway. There are major differences in how special education is understood in these countries. The different perspective that Finland and Norway have on the concept of inclusion is also striking. The PISA test results show that the Finnish school is performing well, partly because of flexible part-time special education; the early intervention strategy also plays a role in this success. These aspects are making Finnish schools inclusive; support is offered immediately when it is needed without any bureaucratic process. An effective teacher education program is also a key element in creating a successful school system. Norway’s relatively weak educational results could mean that despite their strong focus on inclusion, Norwegian schools are not inclusive. The quality of special education is debated. If it is true that special education is helping to create success in schools, then clearly there is a need to discover more about the different systems and what factors may influence that success. Despite the close geographical and political relationship between Norway and Finland, there exists clear differences in the educational area. Marjatta Takala and Rune Sarromaa Hausstätter Copyright © 2012 Marjatta Takala and Rune Sarromaa Hausstätter. All rights reserved. Sun, 24 Jun 2012 08:58:21 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2012/350713/ It is suggested that all psychologists gain basic training in the types of complementary and alternative therapies (CAT) their clients may be using. As psychology students are the next cohort of health professionals who will inform future initiatives in the field, it is important to understand the factors which influence their decisions about CAT integration. Drawing on the theory of planned behavior, we investigated the beliefs that differentiate between psychology students who are high or low on willingness to access training in CAT for future practice use. Undergraduate psychology students (𝑁=106) completed a questionnaire assessing the likelihood of positive and negative consequences of accessing training and utilizing CAT within a psychological practice, important others’ approval, and barriers preventing them from this integration behavior. Those students higher on willingness were more likely to endorse positive outcomes (e.g., offering a more holistic approach to therapy) of accessing CAT training for future practice use and to believe that important others (e.g., clients) would support this behavior. A regression analysis examining the relative importance of these belief sets broadly supported the belief-based analyses. These beliefs of student psychologists can inform educators and policy makers about CAT training and integration in psychology practice. Lee-Ann M. Wilson, Kyra Hamilton, and Katherine M. White Copyright © 2012 Lee-Ann M. Wilson et al. All rights reserved. Wed, 06 Jun 2012 13:03:29 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2012/291782/ This paper introduces a new methodology for measuring multicultural levels/intensity based on a study on attitudes towards multiculturalism conducted among college students in Israel. We developed an innovative methodological tool, “multicultural intensity,” that is composed of 8 different scales: the presence of two nationalities and cultures in the college; social friendships between Arabs and Jews on campus; studying in joint classes; ways of providing assistance to students for whom Hebrew is not their mother tongue; legitimization to deal with political and social topics within the academy; classroom curriculum; multicultural tools; reality and political views toward the Arab minority in Israel. We found that Arab and Druze groups manifested more support for multicultural policies than Jewish groups. The paper suggests that “multicultural intensity” will enable researchers and practitioners to collect knowledge as to the success/failure of multicultural policies and programs among various audiences and subsequently could improve their implementation. Shmuel Shamai and Tamar Hager Copyright © 2012 Shmuel Shamai and Tamar Hager. All rights reserved. Thu, 10 May 2012 15:14:56 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2012/234125/ In this quantitative study of college students spanning three waves, the 10 theoretical precursor steps of transformational learning did predict its occurrence. The most consistent predictor was the step of reflection. Maturity and ethnicity also showed a predictive value, but college major was not a significant differentiator for transformative learning. Sabra Brock, Ionut Florescu, and Leizer Teran Copyright © 2012 Sabra Brock et al. All rights reserved. Tue, 08 May 2012 10:57:32 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2012/456094/ This study aimed at revealing scaffolding sequences of behavior during the training phase of a learning potential test. Involved were two conditions of four children with learning gains and four children without learning gains after the training phase of the subtest Classification of the Application of Cognitive Functions Scales. This subtest included three tasks: classification of color, form, and size. A dynamic system approach was used to describe the existence of four types of scaffolding that supposedly underlie the training phase. A microgenetic data analysis of the videotapes allowed coding of the behaviors of the training phase from the children and the diagnostician. Four sequences of scaffolding were defined, asking for attention of the child and giving attention as a child, asking for understanding of the child and responding to the diagnostician as a child; giving feedback to the child and responding to the feedback of the child, and offering strategies to the child and using strategies as a child. The results revealed no significant differences in the number of sequences between the conditions. Changes, however, were exposed in the relative frequency of each type of scaffolding from subtask 1 to 3. Moreover, the hierarchy of frequency of sequences differed between the conditions. The description of the findings of a boy from each condition in frequency per sequence, rainbow plot, and representative transcript revealed emergence of sequences over time. The findings are discussed with regard to theoretical reflections and methodological issues. Geerdina M. van der Aalsvoort, Floor van Loo, and Paul van Geert Copyright © 2012 Geerdina M. van der Aalsvoort et al. All rights reserved. Thu, 26 Apr 2012 08:29:59 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2012/290157/ Peer Instruction is a popular method of implementation when using Student Response Systems (SRS) in classroom teaching. The students engage in peer discussion to solve conceptual multiple choice problems. Before discussion, students are given time to think and give individual responses with a voting device. In this paper, we investigate how this initial voting session affects students’ experiences of the following discussion. The data is based on student interviews which were analyzed using analytical tools from grounded theory. The students emphasize the individual thinking period as crucial for constructing explanations, argumentation, and participation during discussions, and hence for facilitating learning. However, displaying the results from the initial vote can be devastating for the quality of the discussions, especially when there is a clear majority for a specific alternative. These findings are discussed in light of recent quantitative studies on Peer Instruction. Kjetil L. Nielsen, Gabrielle Hansen-Nygård, and John B. Stav Copyright © 2012 Kjetil L. Nielsen et al. All rights reserved. Mon, 09 Apr 2012 09:49:09 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/isrn/education/2012/731072/ This paper defines ideology as the belief systems, attitudes, views, and mindsets of educationists which inform their work. It examines the ideologies of school inspectors, principals, and teachers in the implementation of decentralized, cluster-based educational change in Namibia (see Pomuti 2009). Data were collected in three diverse school clusters. Data analyses resulted in the ideologies of the educationists being characterised as authoritarian, bureaucratic, and managerial. The paper argues that while the postapartheid Namibian government has changed the governance structures in education, it has not succeeded in changing the mindsets and actions of important reform implementers. These have more in common with the apartheid system than with the participatory, collaborative, and democratic ideas upon which cluster-based school management in the new Namibia is based. Hertha Pomuti and Everard Weber Copyright © 2012 Hertha Pomuti and Everard Weber. All rights reserved.