scholarly journals How Do Spelling, Handwriting Speed, and Handwriting Quality Develop During Primary School? Cross-Classified Growth Curve Analysis of Children's Writing Development

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Gosse ◽  
Michael Parmentier ◽  
Marie Van Reybroeck
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Writing Development ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Testing Time ◽  
Growth Curve Analysis ◽  
French Speaking ◽  
Graphic Complexity ◽  
Handwriting Speed ◽  
Transcription Skills

Aim: Longitudinal studies are rare in the field of writing research, and little is known about the concurrent development of the two transcription skills: spelling and handwriting. This study was designed to provide a comprehensive picture of the development and the longitudinal relations between spelling, handwriting speed, and handwriting quality at the word level.Method: Over a period of 3 years (coh1: Grades 2–4; coh2: Grades 3–5), 117 French-speaking children were assessed on a single-word dictation task. At each testing time, measures of spelling accuracy, handwriting speed, and handwriting quality were collected on 40 words. Words varied in both orthographic and graphic complexity, making it possible to investigate the influence of these levels of complexity on transcription abilities.Results: Linear growth analyses using cross-classified Bayesian structural equation modeling (CC-BSEM) revealed that spelling and speed continued to improve until Grade 5, while handwriting quality reached an early plateau in Grade 2. In the younger cohort, graphic complexity had a significant influence on the pace of development of handwriting speed and on spelling and handwriting quality performance in Grade 2. In the older cohort, a positive relation between spelling and speed and a negative relation between handwriting speed and handwriting quality were found, indicating that fast handwriting is associated with high spelling ability and that fast handwriting is detrimental to handwriting quality. By providing a better understanding of writing development, this study yields innovative findings not only regarding the development of transcription skills but also regarding how spelling, handwriting speed, and handwriting quality can influence each other's performance throughout primary school.

scholarly journals The Effect of Environmental Values on German Primary School Students’ Knowledge on Water Supply

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 702
Author(s):  
Jennifer Schneiderhan-Opel ◽  
Franz X. Bogner
Keyword(s):  
Water Supply ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Environmental Values ◽  
Knowledge Retention ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Environmental Knowledge ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
School Students

Permanent access to safe drinking water is guaranteed in most industrialized countries, while climate change is turning it into a serious global issue. Knowing how to use the valuable resource water consciously and sustainably requires well-informed and ecologically aware citizens. Environmental education approaches should help develop long-term environmental knowledge, pro-environmental attitudes, and behavior with the overall goal of promoting environmental citizenship. The present study, thus, examines the influence of environmental values on students’ environmental knowledge in a German primary school sample (9–10-year-old students) by providing an authentic, out-of-school learning experience on the topic of fresh water supply. Our approach goes beyond mere correlation analyses by using structural equation modeling (SEM) to measure effects between the two variables. Environmental values were monitored using the Two Major Environmental Values Model (2-MEV) with its two dimensions, Preservation and Utilization of nature. Following a quasi-experimental design, we assessed the learners’ knowledge before (T0), directly after (T1), and six weeks after (T2) module participation. Confirmatory factor analysis verified the two-factor-structure of the 2-MEV. Preservation turned out as a direct positive predictor of pre-knowledge (T0) but did not show any significant effect on post-knowledge (T1) and knowledge retention (T2). Utilization displayed a larger albeit negative direct effect on knowledge across all testing times, especially for pre- and post-knowledge. Our findings shed light on the significant impact of anthropocentric attitudes on knowledge acquisition within primary school samples and provided valuable insights into feasible environmental learning approaches.

Factors Contributing to Violent Discipline in the Classroom: Findings From a Representative Sample of Primary School Teachers in Tanzania

2021 ◽  
pp. 088626052110152
Author(s):  
Faustine Bwire Masath ◽  
Laura Hinze ◽  
Mabula Nkuba ◽  
Tobias Hecker
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Representative Sample ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Model Fit ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Primary School Teachers ◽  
Societal Norms ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Past Experiences

The need for intervention strategies aiming to reduce teachers’ use of violent discipline methods has been expressed repeatedly, especially for countries where this practice is socially and legally accepted. Nevertheless, initial targets for interventions are not clearly identified, as factors contributing to teachers’ use of violence are still understudied. In the present study, we examined the interplay between teachers’ own experiences of violence, their attitudes, current stress, and their use of violent discipline in a representative sample of 173 Tanzanian primary school teachers (53.7% female, Mage = 38.1 years, SDage = 10) using structural equation modeling. Our model showed good model fit ( χ2 [48, n = 173] = 78.058 ( p = .004), CFI = .962, TLI = .948, RMSEA = .060 [90% CI [.034, .084], PCLOSE = .233], SRMR = .048). Results indicated direct associations between positive attitudes toward violent discipline ( β = .41), stress ( β = .23), and teachers’ own experiences of violence ( β = .21) with teachers’ use of violence. Teachers’ own experiences of violence were significantly associated with positive attitudes ( β = .39), and these significantly mediated the association between teachers’ own experiences of violence and their use of violent discipline ( β =.23). Our findings underscore the relevance of past experiences, societal norms, and current working conditions in understanding teachers’ violence against students. Interventions aiming to reduce teachers’ use of violent discipline may focus on stress management, societal norms, personal beliefs on violent discipline, and how teachers’ own previous experiences of violence may influence teacher’s disciplining behavior.

scholarly journals Nurture interest-driven creators in programmable robotics education: an empirical investigation in primary school settings

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Siu-Cheung Kong ◽  
Yi-Qing Wang
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Discriminant Validity ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
School Students ◽  
Robotics Education ◽  
Convergent And Discriminant Validity ◽  
Confirmatory Factor ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractIn response to the call from the founders of the Interest-Driven Creator (IDC) theory, this study aimed to explore the relationship of the interest loop with creativity in the context of robotics education. Specifically, we designed a programmable robotics course for primary school students. We attempted to explore in detail how interest loop, i.e., triggering interest, immersing interest, and extending interest, exerts influences on students’ robotics creation. Eight hundred one online questionnaires were collected from students who participated in our designed programmable robotics activities. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was first used for validation of each study variable, and results suggested a good fit of the study variables in terms of convergent and discriminant validity. Then, structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted for examining the potential relationships between them, and results indicated significant and positive paths from triggering interest to immersing interest, and from immersing interest to extending interest, suggesting the valid theoretical proposition of interest loop of IDC theory. In addition, immersing interest is positively related to robotics creation, which in turn increases the chance of extending interest. Our findings suggested the importance of raising students’ interest in robotics learning such that young students can become life-long interest-driven creators. Implications of the study were discussed at the end of the paper.

One-size-fits-all? A cross-validation study of distributed leadership and teacher academic optimism

2020 ◽  
pp. 174114322092650 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Mee Thien ◽  
Sui Yin Chan
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Distributed Leadership ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Positive Relationship ◽  
School Context ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Academic Optimism ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Significant Positive Relationship ◽  
Sense Of Efficacy

This study aims to validate Western-based distributed leadership and teacher academic optimism scales in the Malaysian primary school context. This study further examined the relationships between distributed leadership and teacher academic optimism as well as each dimension of teacher academic optimism. Data were collected from 442 primary school teachers in Penang, Malaysia. This study used exploratory factor analysis and partial least squares structural equation modeling for data analyses. Findings revealed that both distributed leadership and teacher academic optimism scales were applicable in the Malaysian primary school context. Distributed leadership has a significant positive relationship with teacher academic optimism by controlling teacher gender and teaching experience. Likewise, distributed leadership has a significant positive relationship with academic emphasis, teachers’ trust in students and parents, and teacher sense of efficacy. Implications and future studies are presented.

scholarly journals Development and Cross-National Validation of a French Version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy for Students

2021 ◽  
pp. 016327872110333
Author(s):  
Margaret W. Gerbase ◽  
Marie-Paule Gustin ◽  
Nadia Bajwa ◽  
Milena Abbiati ◽  
Anne Baroffio
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Latent Variables ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Underlying Structure ◽  
Undergraduate Medical Students ◽  
French Speaking ◽  
Jefferson Scale Of Empathy ◽  
Cross National

Empathy is a multifaceted personal ability combining emotional and cognitive features modulated by cultural specificities. It is widely recognized as a key clinical competence that should be valued during professional training. The Jefferson Scale of Empathy for medical students (JSE-S) has been developed for this purpose and validated in several languages, but not in French. The aims of this study were to gather validity evidence for a newly developed version of the JSE-S and compare it between two French-speaking contexts. In total, 1,433 undergraduate medical students from the universities of Lyon (UL), France and Geneva (UG), Switzerland participated in the study completing the JSE-S in French. Total and partial scores of the three subscales (“perspective taking,” “compassionate care” and “walking in patient’s shoes”) were calculated for each site. Construct validity of the JSE-S was analyzed considering three sources of evidence: content, internal structure and relations to other variables. A first-order Confirmatory Factor Analysis using structural equation modeling examined the three latent variables of the JSE-S subscales. Cronbach’s α coefficients were 0.75 (UG) and 0.81 (UL). The items’ discrimination power ranged between 0.29 and 1.60 (median effect size of 1.24). The overall correlations between items and total or partial scores derived from the latent JSE-S subscales were consistently similar in both study sites. Findings of this study confirm the latent structure of the JSE-S in French and its cross-national reproducibility. The comparable underlying structure of the questionnaire tested in two distinct French-speaking contexts endorses the generalizability of its measure.

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