This paper reports the construction of a teacher rating instrument designed to monitor the social and emotional development of school age children and young people (4-17 years). The instrument was developed by reviewing previously implemented checklists to build an extensive list of behavioural and emotional criteria and through the use of focus…

This study poses two questions that grow out of the student involvement theory: First, what is the relationship between different forms of involvement? Second, what are the optimal amounts and combinations of different forms of involvement for students' cognitive and affective growth? Involvement in academic work and involvement in student clubs…

Recognizing barriers to academic success and full student development, some of which are medical in nature, is a primary task of school psychologists. Expanding biomedical information compels school-based psychologists to collaborate with medical professionals when their input can clarify diagnostic issues and expand treatment choices. This…

The use of "neutral or unsure" on an instrument designed to measure identity development in college students was explored. The nominal response model from item response theory was used to evaluate whether "neutral or unsure" was used more frequently by those at low or middle levels of development; the results depended on the subscale and sometimes…

Progress files, involving personal development planning (PDP), are becoming a feature of many higher education systems internationally. In the UK they will become mandatory for all undergraduate students from 2005. This presents a major implementation challenge, because while reflection has been a cornerstone of practice in some areas of higher…

This qualitative study compares experiences of two groups of senior women undergraduates: those who did and those who did not have a postgraduation plan. From analysis based on two constructive-developmental models, different paths emerged along the continuum from exploration to commitment. These findings suggest implications for career centers,…

A high-achieving district discovers some have been left behind, but teachers find a new way of working that helps more students succeed.

A laboratory experiment reinforces the concept of acid-base equilibria while introducing a common application of spectrophotometry and can easily be completed within a standard four-hour laboratory period. It provides students with an opportunity to use advanced data analysis techniques like data smoothing and spectral deconvolution to…

"Science days" is a project to encourage school students interest at an early age and to ensure that students experience the benefit out of this opportunity. It is found that majority of outreach program focused on chemistry alone as an important science subject, and young students interest in general, and it stated that science should be fostered…

Small group and classroom guidance interventions are commonly used by school counselors to address children's academic and personal-social development. Specifically, counselors in elementary school settings have used group work to help children prevent, remediate, and cope with a variety of experiences. For young children, the presence of and…

This paper reports on an empirical investigation into secondary school students' experiences of participating in a school production of the Cole Porter musical, "Anything Goes." The study was prompted by the absence in the research literature of any qualitative investigation of the extra-curricular activities that form a vital part of…

The organization of institutions of higher education has been seen as operating with ambiguous purposes in vertically oriented structures that are only loosely connected. The rationale for this ambiguity is twofold: (1) to allow for creative thinking, and (2) to respect--and even encourage--the autonomy of different disciplines. But ambiguity of…

At first glance, architectural design principles would seem to hold little in common with organizing a curriculum or a college student experience. What does designing physical space have to do with creating in-class and out-of-class learning opportunities? The authors believe the answer is "Quite a bit" if you spend any time with universal…

A common outcome of entering post-compulsory education as a mature aged learner appears to be development and growth of the self. However, this is often only viewed as an outcome or considered an added benefit, rather than an integral part of the academic process itself. This paper explores the relationship between academic growth and personal…

Teachers can modify their instructional strategies with minimal training and effort, and this can result in increases in their students' self-efficacy. Self-efficacy judgments are based on four sources of information: an individual's own past performance, vicarious experiences of observing the performances of others, verbal persuasion that one…