The aim of this study is to examine the role of Dutch second grade (age 13-14) high school peer networks in mediating socioeconomic background and school type effects on smoking behavior. This study is based on a longitudinal design with two measurement waves at five different high schools, of the complete networks of second grader friendships, as…

Participatory culture, in which citizens feel and exercise the agency of being cocreators of their culture and not just passive consumers of culture created by others, depends on widespread literacies of participation. One can't participate without knowing how. And cultural participation depends on a social component that is not easily learned…

This work describes efforts to incorporate and evaluate the use of a YouTube writing assignment in large lecture classes to personalize learning and improve conceptual understanding of chemistry through peer- and self-explanation strategies. Although writing assignments can be a method to incorporate peer- and self-explanation strategies, this…

Despite increasing rates of HIV infection among young men who have sex with men (YMSM), only a minority participate in formal HIV prevention efforts. Semi-structured mixed-methods interviews were conducted with a diverse sample of YMSM (N = 100, M[subscript age] = 25.0 years) in Los Angeles, California, to identify facilitators and barriers to…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to document how pre-service teachers in a children's literature course experienced blogging on a social networking site as a form of literature response. Understanding how pre-service teachers experience these tools can inform the ways we instruct them to integrate Web 2.0 tools into their teaching.…

In recent years, the "sexualisation of childhood" has moved into the centre ground of public policy and debate internationally, despite the conceptual confusions and inadequate evidence surrounding the processes denoted by the term. This paper focuses primarily on the most recent of several UK government-commissioned reviews and reports,…

Facebook has become one of the most popular social network sites among many students. However, current research on Facebook use has focused mainly on Anglo-American students. Relatively little is known about Facebook use in Singapore. Data were collected from 83 students (ages ranged from 15 to 23). This study uses a naturalistic case study…

As the old model of study abroad welcomes a new generation of student, administrators are forced to grapple with how and whether to adapt the old model to new communication technologies. Assumed in the traditional model of study abroad, and in the cultural and language learning theories around which those programs were constructed, is that…

In the United States, international students, especially from Asia, have reportedly experienced difficulty adjusting to their new life and culture. Little research has been done to understand the role of social network service (SNS)s, including instant messaging, blogs, chatting websites, and email on these students. Korean students are the…

Background: The family context has proven to be a useful target in which to apply prevention efforts aimed at child and adolescent health risk behaviors. There are currently a variety of cultural adaptation models that serve to guide the international adaptation of intervention programs. Objective: The cultural adaptation process and program…

On Dec. 1, Nick Penning, a longtime fixture on the advocacy team at the American Association of School Administrators (AASA), retired as the association's senior legislative analyst. In his 26 years with the association, Penning played many roles relating to advocacy, but the one he relished the most was serving as the principal communicator with…

Searching for employment during this recession-battered market has proven difficult for many new college graduates. As unemployment trends and hiring outlooks continue their slow resurgence, the competition for jobs remains fierce, and the students are feeling the pressure. In this article, the author describes Nichols College's new, web-based…

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to advance the preparation of prospective school administrator students by extending the Web 2.0 application of blogging to discover students' strengths and successful leadership experiences. During the blogging process, students reflected on and responded to appreciative inquiry (AI) blog posts that…

Background: There is still relatively little research on the social context within which bullying develops and remains stable. Aim: This study examined the short-term stability of bullying victimization among primary school students in the United Kingdom and Germany (mean age, 8.9 years) and the individual and social network factors that…

"Sense of place" no longer applies only to the physical library. All students are distance learners to one extent or another, and all distance services must be considered as a single virtual learning commons. Librarians at Bucks County (PA) Community College implement and integrate current teaching, learning, virtual reference, and mobile access…