scholarly journals A Meta-Analysis of Middle School Students’ Science Engagement

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leanna B. Aker ◽  
Arthur K. Ellis
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
School Setting ◽  
Cognitive Engagement ◽  
Operational Definition ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
School Students ◽  
Science Engagement ◽  
Definition Of

The extent to which middle school students are engaged in required science courses is an elusive but increasingly documented phenomenon. Anecdotal and empirical evidence alike raise concern with a perceived decline in science engagement reported by students as they transition into the middle school setting. Even what it means to be engagé is not thoroughly agreed on. Though an agreed-on operational definition of engagement is still nascent, an emerging consensus on a three-faceted model of student engagement exists in the research literature (Fredricks, Blumenfeld, & Paris, 2004). Thus, a synthesis of existing primary research of early adolescents’ science engagement under this emerging conceptualization is warranted. The results of this meta-analysis indicate that instructional methods, class characteristics and competence predictors comprise the strongest relationship with self-reported science engagement in early adolescence. These predictors also show the strongest relationship with affective and cognitive engagement sub-types. Though affective and cognitive engagement were well-represented in primary studies, behavioral engagement was under-represented in student self-reports.

Gender Differences in Health Risk Behaviors and Physical Activity Among Middle School Students

2006 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tsu-Yin Wu ◽  
Sherry E. Rose ◽  
Joanna M. Bancroft
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Middle School ◽  
Gender Differences ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
Health Risk ◽  
Risk Behaviors ◽  
School Setting ◽  
Health Risk Behaviors ◽  
Urban Setting ◽  
School Students

Adolescence is a period of accelerated growth and change, bridging the complex transition from childhood to adulthood. This period offers adolescents an opportunity to begin planning for their futures and to adopt healthy attitudes about risk behaviors that can continue into adulthood, thus setting the stage for a lifetime of desirable health behaviors. This study used the Youth Risk Behavior Survey on middle school students and examined the gender differences of health risk behaviors among 674 8th-graders from an urban setting. The results showed that males were more likely to be involved in fights, to initiate alcohol use, and to participate in physical activity; whereas females were more likely to try to lose weight with unhealthy practices, such as fasting and laxatives. School nurses are in a prime position to promote adolescent health in the school setting by providing health-related services and teaching to help students initiate and maintain healthy lifestyles.

In-Game Actions to Promote Game-Based Math Learning Engagement

2019 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 863-885
Author(s):  
Jewoong Moon ◽  
Fengfeng Ke
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Sequential Analysis ◽  
Mathematical Thinking ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Cognitive Engagement ◽  
Game Based Learning ◽  
School Students ◽  
Learning Engagement

Game-based learning (GBL) has increasingly been used to promote students’ learning engagement. Although prior GBL studies have highlighted the significance of learning engagement as a mediator of students’ meaningful learning, the existing accounts failed to capture specific evidence of how exactly students’ in-game actions in GBL enhance learning engagement. Hence, this mixed-method study was designed to examine whether middle school students’ in-game actions are likely to promote certain types of learning engagement (i.e., content and cognitive engagement). This study used and examined the game E-Rebuild, a single-player three-dimensional architecture game that requires learners’ application of math knowledge. Using in-depth gameplay behavior analysis, this study sampled a total of 92 screen-recorded and video-captured gameplay sessions attended by 25 middle school students. We adopted two analytic approaches: sequential analysis and thematic analysis. Whereas sequential analysis explored which in-game actions by students were likely to promote each type of learning engagement, the thematic analysis depicted how certain gameplay contexts contributed to students’ enhanced learning engagement. The study found that refugee allocation and material trading actions promoted students’ content engagement, whereas using in-game building tools and learning support boosted their cognitive engagement. This study also found that students’ learning engagement was associated with their development of mathematical thinking in a GBL context.

Asthma Education for Middle School Students and Staff

2002 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lenore “Lennie” Harris
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
Education Program ◽  
School Setting ◽  
School Personnel ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Physical Education Teachers ◽  
School Students ◽  
Asthma Education ◽  
Extensive List

In recent years, the number of middle school students identified with asthma has increased dramatically. In addition, physical education teachers were concerned about the lack of class participation among many of these students. Students with asthma had little knowledge about the respiratory system or how to control their asthma. After overcoming certain barriers, an asthma education program was developed for the middle school students. The primary objective was to promote self-management of asthma and provide resources as needed. In addition, an asthma education program was presented to school personnel to enhance their ability to assist students with asthma and allergies in the school setting. Included in this article is an extensive list of resources about asthma.

scholarly journals Non-suicidal self-injury in Shanghai inner bound middle school students

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. e100083
Author(s):  
Fang Zhang ◽  
Paula F Cloutier ◽  
Hongmei Yang ◽  
Wenjing Liu ◽  
Wenhong Cheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
Emotional Disorders ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
School Mental Health ◽  
School Setting ◽  
School Students ◽  
Study Objective ◽  
Self Injury ◽  
Behavioural Characteristics

BackgroundNon-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) behaviour is very common among adolescents. Its prevalence and behavioural characteristics may vary according to regional and cultural differences. Investigation of NSSI locations and diagnosis of adolescents with NSSI are relatively lacking in China.AimsThe study objective was to determine the prevalence and features of NSSI among middle school students in Shanghai.MethodsThe participants were from grade 6 to 8 selected from three junior schools in Jing’an District. Consenting students completed the Ottawa Self-Injury Inventory to determine the prevalence and characteristics of NSSI. Those who indicated NSSI within the past month were administered the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children and Adolescents to assess for emotional disorders.ResultThe result shows 510 participants (21.7%; mean age 13.51 (0.97) years old; 56.7% female) reported at least one instance of NSSI during the previous 12 months. NSSI was significantly more common in girls than boys (24.9% vs 18.5%; χ2=14.03, p=0.00). Commonly reported reasons for NSSI were for internal and external emotion regulation (87.9%, 82.3%) and social influence (57.8%). Anxiety disorders were the most common (28.9%) disorder associated with NSSI.ConclusionThe rate of NSSI of middle school students in Shanghai inner bound is similar to those reported in North American and European youth. It is essential that school mental health professionals are aware of how to manage NSSI within the school setting.

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