Academic Beliefs Research Articles

Academics' Beliefs Regarding the Importance of Curriculum Internationalization in the Ethiopian Research Universities

This study set out to investigate the beliefs of academics regarding the importance of curriculum internationalization in Ethiopian research universities. A convergent-parallel mixed-method design was used to achieve this purpose. Quantitative data was gathered from 415 randomly chosen academics taken from a sample frame of 6808 through a questionnaire. Using a semi-structured interview, 16 purposefully chosen individuals provided qualitative data. The questionnaire's construct, face, content, and pilot test validity were examined. Moreover, triangulation, use of multiple methods, external audits, and low inference descriptors were employed for the qualitative instrument. Descriptive statistics (frequency, percent, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statics (Chi-square, Cramer's-V test, and one-way ANOVA) were used to examine the quantitative data. Bell's “Spectrum of Acceptance of Internationalizing Curriculum,” integrated with Ellingboe's “Great Divide,” was used to identify the positions of the academics in their beliefs. The qualitative data was analyzed using descriptive statements and presented thematically based on research questions. Hence, major findings revealed that academics' representations based on their demographic variables were not as expected; their variation was practically not significant among universities; the majority of academics had crossed Ellingboe's “Great Divide”; significant differences among disciplines and/or universities were not observed in this study. Finally, urging academics to actively integrate international perspectives into their curricula, elevating curriculum internationalization of higher education to a national priority, and undertaking extensive national research emerged as key recommendations for the Ethiopian Research Universities, Ethiopian Ministry of Education, and future research endeavors, respectively.

제주도 당신앙 속 여산신(女山神)의 흔적과 변주

In this Thesis, we looked back on the traces of the “female mountain god” that were rarely dealt with in the category of community beliefs on Jeju Island. In particular, the discussion aimed to concretely reconstruct the traces of the “sequence of female mountain gods” Jeju Island's Belief in Dang. which has a close relationship with “Mt. Halla” and can be assumed as a “specific type” and “the sequencing of Belief in Dang” It is a common academic belief to regard the Seonma-Seonpa(Seon-Mago) in Jang Han-cheol'’s “Pyo-Hae-rok” as the same existence. but there were not a few discussions refuting this. As a result, based on the existence of the “Madame of Seonnyeo-guk” of Guayangdang, a person most similar to the Seonma-Seonpa(Seon-Mago), Jeju Island, which has been handed down, and the place of Gongju Mt.Mudeung, it was heard that similar gods can be found in several villages related to the god's faith in the middle of Jeju Island. These female mountain gods were closely related to the west direction as “female mountain gods with a history of overseas,” which had been differentiated and expanded as spouses of male gods of Mt. Halla descent. In addition, based on this assumption, the correlation between these female mountain gods and the goddess se-myung-ju was solved in relation to the goddess Beck-ju-to served by Songdang-Bonhyangdang and Sehwa-Bonhyangdang.

Academic procrastination and fear of failure: The role of irrational/rational academic beliefs

AbstractExtant research has consistently demonstrated that both irrational and rational beliefs contribute to the occurrence and persistence of procrastination. Most of these studies have focused on the role of general irrational and rational beliefs, without addressing domain‐specific beliefs that may influence academic procrastination. This cross‐sectional study aims to fill that gap by investigating the relationship between irrational/rational academic beliefs, fear of failure, and academic procrastination in a sample of undergraduate students (N = 354). The current findings suggest that irrational academic beliefs are indirectly associated with academic procrastination through fear of failure. Furthermore, the positive relationship between irrational academic beliefs and academic procrastination via fear of failure differs based on the level of rational academic beliefs. These findings suggest that interventions designed to improve domain‐specific rational academic beliefs and reduce fear of failure may help prevent or reduce academic procrastination, especially among undergraduates with high levels of irrational beliefs.

Struggling at School: Are Exposure to Television's Eurocentric Appearance Norms and Objectified Body Consciousness Associated Factors?

Theoretical work on objectified body consciousness, comprised of body surveillance and body shame, proposes several negative sequelae of holding an objectified view of the self (i.e., valuing the body primarily for its attractiveness to others). Few studies have examined associations between objectified body consciousness and academic beliefs and strategies among adolescent girls, especially girls of color. In the present study, we investigated a conceptual model whereby exposure to Eurocentric appearance norms through TV consumption is related to body surveillance and body shame which, in turn, are related to academic beliefs and strategies among a racially diverse sample of United States girls. Participants were 650 self-identified Asian American/Pacific Islander, Black, and White adolescent girls ( Mage = 15.45, SDage = 1.50). Higher Eurocentric appearance norms exposure was associated with higher body shame which, in turn, was associated with maladaptive academic beliefs and strategies for all three groups of girls. In contrast, higher Eurocentric appearance norms exposure was associated with higher body surveillance and just one academic belief, and in White girls only. Future work should continue to examine these associations among adolescent girls of color. In addition, we encourage educators to include body image content in media literacy curricula as a means of disrupting associations between Eurocentric appearance norms, body shame, and academic functioning.

An Overview of Constructivism in the Special Needs Spectrum

Constructivism has dominated science education the last decades exerting great influence in that field. Nevertheless, this has not been the case for special needs sector. Indeed, few researchers have tried to extend constructivism in special needs and even fewer have investigated alternative ideas of students who lie within this spectrum. The current study tries, through literature review, to move along this line and present studies that have explored alternative ideas of students with special needs. In particular, published studies were identified through academic search engines which led to citation chasing. The collected data was read, and scrutiny analyzed leading to the final studies that were incorporated in the article. Therefore, the current article presents in a detailed and holistic view these studies that deal with alternative ideas of students with autism, learning difficulties as well as deafness about diverse physical phenomena such as mechanics, thermal phenomena, and the nature of science. Research findings suggest that these students tend to use the same alternative conceptions with those used by students of typical development, on a different frequency thought. These findings clearly support the academic belief of a holistic, inclusive education. Along this line, the findings can equip teachers with the appropriate tools to design and implement their plans based on the constructivism theory of learning in an inclusive framework. Consequently, the article fulfill to act as a motivational call for the science education community to expand research to further group of students within special needs spectrum.

Sağlık Akademisyenlerinin Eğitim İnançları ile Öğrenen Özerkliğini Destekleme Davranışları Arasındaki İlişkinin İncelenmesi

In this study, it was aimed to examine the relationship between the educational beliefs of health academics and their behaviors to support learner autonomy. Relational screening model was used. The study was completed with 186 health academics in the 2021-2022 Academic Year. Data; The data were collected with the 'personal information form' created by the researcher, 'Educational Beliefs Scale (EDS)' and 'Learning Autonomy Support Scale (SSS)'. Descriptive analysis, t-test, ANOVA and correlation analyzes were used in the evaluation. According to the research results, the highest philosophy adopted by academics is existentialism. Essentialism education approach is adopted more by male academicians. With the increase in the titles of academicians, the traditional understanding of education emerges. It has been determined that the rate of providing the opportunity for autonomy to the students of health academics is high, but the rate of support for decision making is low. In addition, a high level, negative significant relationship was found between the education belief of academicians and the total scores of the autonomy support scale. In this direction, it is recommended to create academic awareness trainings and learning environments that support learner autonomy to increase the two-way teacher-learner relationship in university life.

Reducing the math and language arts gender gaps in elementary school students through gender integration

Math and English Language Arts (ELA) are two major areas that continue to show gender achievement gaps in U.S. students. Given the importance of peer relations in academic success, the degree of gender integration in classrooms in early elementary school may shift student interest and performance to lessen these gender gaps. We tested the hypothesis that Gender Integration (GI; i.e., when students perceive that boys and girls work cooperatively in a classroom) would positively impact students' math and ELA-related outcomes. Further, we examined both cognitive and affective processes underlying this relation. Participants were 884 3rd to 5th graders (51.1 % boys; Mage = 9.04 years, SD = 0.90; 47.2 % White, 37 % Latine). Over the course of an academic year (fall, winter, and spring), we gathered student and teacher data. Path analyses showed that fall GI directly predicted greater spring ELA but not math achievement. Further, academic beliefs significantly mediated math achievement for girls and ELA achievement for boys. Because GI is malleable, the findings highlighted the importance of promoting GI early in students' educational environments as a way to promote both girls' and boys' educational beliefs and achievement.

An investigation on mental representations on coagulation and melting phenomena of preschool pupils with learning disabilities and typical development

The aim of the present study is to investigate the mental representations regarding the coagulation and melting phenomena of preschool pupils with learning disabilities. In addition, to compare them with the corresponding representations of typically developing children. By so doing, it aspires to shed light to the feasibility of implementing inclusion into teaching science. To fulfil this purpose, an experimental investigation was conducted with 25 pupils with learning difficulties (M=72.50 months, s.d.=8.11) and 25 pupils with typical development (M=72.50 months, s.d.=9.50). Pupils were selected with convenience sampling while interviews were recorded and transcribed. According to data analysis, pupils’ responses were classified into three distinct levels: sufficient, intermediate and insufficient in terms of school knowledge. Drawing from constructivism theory a digital tool called M.R.H.E.T (Mental Representations Heat Exploration Tool) was developed to fulfill research’s goal. A part of this tool is used for the present study. Findings suggest that preschools pupils with learning difficulties use almost the same ideas on thermal phenomena with those used by preschool pupils with typical development, on a different frequency though. This inevitably reinforces the academic belief of inclusive education for pupils with learning disabilities in teaching science.

The Mediating Effects of Learning Strategies and Self-efficacy on the Relationship Between Academic Beliefs and Achievement of Korean University Students in Chinese Language Courses

The Mediating Effects of Learning Strategies and Self-efficacy on the Relationship Between Academic Beliefs and Achievement of Korean University Students in Chinese Language Courses

Classroom transmission processes between teacher support, interest value and negative affect: An investigation guided by situated expectancy-value theory and control-value theory

Are motivated students less likely to express negative achievement emotions in math, and how do teachers impact such academic beliefs? Guided by the situated expectancy-value theory and the control-value theory, this study is interested in how teacher support influences students’ negative affect in math through students’ perception of teacher support and students’ interest value (teacher-to-student transmission between and within classes). Thus, associations were modeled at the individual and classroom levels to investigate cross-level interactions. Using data from 1,429 students in grades 7–12 (49% males, 67% Hispanic Americans, 15% Asian Americans, 18% other racial/ethnic groups), cross-level indirect effects suggested an association of teacher-reported support for collaboration and cognitive support with decreasing negative affect through students’ perception of teacher support and students’ interest value. These associations were supported within but not between classes.

Does Reclassification Change How English Learners Feel About School and Themselves? Evidence From a Regression Discontinuity Design

Reclassification can be an important juncture in the academic experience of English Learners (ELs). Literature has explored the potential for reclassification to influence academic outcomes like achievement, yet its impact on social-emotional learning (SEL) skills, which are as malleable and important to long-term success, remains unclear. Using a regression discontinuity design, we examine the causal effect of reclassification on SEL skills (self-efficacy, growth mindset, self-management, and social awareness) among 4th to 8th graders. In the districts studied, reclassification improved academic self-efficacy by 0.2 standard deviations for students near the threshold. Results are robust to alternative specifications and analyses. Given this evidence, we discuss ways districts might establish practices that instill more positive academic beliefs among ELs.

Analysis of the Relationship between Physical Education Teacher Candidates’ Academic Life Satisfaction and Their Beliefs in Teaching Profession: A Study on Physical Education and Sports Teachers (Sample of the Mediterranean Region)

In this study, it was aimed to examine the relationship between physical education and sports teacher candidates’ academic life satisfaction and their beliefs in the teaching profession. The population of the research consisted of 1482 physical education and sports teacher candidates studying in the Mediterranean region. The sample group consisted of 318 teacher candidates who participated in the study in this universe. Volunteers were asked to fill in the personal information form, the academic life satisfaction and professional belief scales. It was decided to apply non-parametric tests in the statistical analysis of the data obtained. Spearman correlation analysis was applied to reveal the relationships between the scores obtained from the scales. As a result; it was determined that the academic life satisfaction levels of the teacher candidates were above the average, and the average of the scores they got from the total professional belief scale and the sub-headings of the scale were found to be high. It was found that there is a moderate relationship between academic life satisfaction and professional beliefs. It is thought that the results of the present study are due to the fact that physical education and sports teacher candidates learn the sportive knowledge and skills that may be necessary in their future profession, theoretically and practically, at the highest efficiency level in the undergraduate programs they study, and that they can actively apply this knowledge and skills in the field with different internship applications.

Belief in Counseling Service Effectiveness and Academic Self-Concept as Correlates of Academic Help-Seeking Behavior Among College Students

This study aimed at understanding students’ academic self-concepts, academic help-seeking behaviors, and beliefs in counseling service effectiveness. Based on a correlational research design, a closed-ended questionnaire was administrated to 182 college students. An independent-sample t-test revealed that the average scores of male students were significantly higher than average scores of female students in academic self-concept, help-seeking behavior, and beliefs in counseling effectiveness. An analysis of the relationship between them confirmed that academic help-seeking behaviors, beliefs in counseling service effectiveness, and academic self-concepts significantly correlated with each other. This study also revealed that the variance of academic self-concept and belief in counseling service effectiveness contributed to 36% of the variance in academic help-seeking behavior. Therefore, enhancement projects on academic self-concept and female students’ belief in the effectiveness of counseling services should be taken as an agenda by teachers, college administrators, academic advisors, and counselors.

Academic beliefs and prescription stimulant misuse among college students: Investigating academic locus of control, grade orientation, and academic entitlement

Objective This study examined the relationship of students’ academic beliefs to the theoretical predictors of prescription stimulant misuse outlined in the Theory of Planned Behavior. Participants Participants included 147 college students (Mage = 19.65) from a mid-sized university in the Southwestern United States. Method An online questionnaire distributed in the 10th week of the semester assessed students’ academic locus of control, grade orientation, and academic entitlement in relation to their attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, behavioral intention, and actual misuse behavior. Results Partial correlations controlling for age, gender, and Greek life involvement indicated that academic locus of control is significantly related to all TPB variables aside from actual behavior, while grade orientation was related to perceived behavioral control and behavioral intention. Academic entitlement was not related to TPB variables in this study. Conclusions The associations between academic beliefs and prescription stimulant misuse hold theoretical and practical implications.

Associations of social and emotional competencies, academic efficacy beliefs, and emotional distress among students in lower secondary school

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate how perceived social-emotional competencies (SECs), relationship skills, emotional regulation, and the ability to structure schoolwork at school and at home were associated with academic efficacy belief (AEB) and emotional distress among 1142 Norwegian eighth-grade students. The students answered an Internet-based questionnaire during school hours. Structural equation modeling was used to assess the paths of associations. In the structural model, AEB was treated as an intermediate variable predicted by the other SECs and as a predictor of emotional distress. Perceived relationship skills, emotional regulation, and the ability to structure schoolwork showed moderate to strong associations with AEB. AEB showed a strong association with emotional distress, whereas relationship skills and emotional regulation showed a moderately strong association with emotional distress. The results suggest that all SECs play a role in AEB, whereas high AEB, good perceived ability for emotional regulation, and relationship skills are linked to less emotional distress. Good perceived relationship skills, emotional regulation, and structuring of schoolwork were more strongly related to less emotional distress among females. Moreover, emotional regulation and structuring of schoolwork were more strongly associated with AEB for females. These findings may indicate that these SECs may be more essential to emotional well-being among female adolescent students.

A phenomenographic outcome space for ways of experiencing lecturing

ABSTRACT After decades of increasing evidence in favour of active learning, lecturing remains the dominant face-to-face teaching mode. Just as a rigorous research approach is required to understand how to improve student learning outcomes, we also need research about how to reform teaching practice. Some initial steps in this direction have shown that successful pedagogical reforms are long-term, contextualised, and address teachers’ beliefs about teaching. It is not enough to put in place overarching policy directives about active learning, nor to simply share best practice, because these strategies do not engage with the particular teaching contexts and beliefs of individual academics. Professional development programs to shift academics away from the traditional lecture must incorporate academics’ conceptions of lecturing. Although there has been some research into conceptions of university teaching in general, there is a dearth of literature focusing on conceptions of lecturing in particular. This article addresses that gap, by using a phenomenographic approach to interview 30 academics about their lecturing experiences. From analysing the transcripts, a hierarchy of five ways of experiencing lecturing was identified: (1) Lecturing as soliloquy, (2) Lecturing as connecting meaning, (3) Lecturing as cultivating individuals, (4) Lecturing as transformatively co-creating, (5) Lecturing as enacting research. Three themes of expanding awareness framed this hierarchy: interaction, student diversity, and lecture purpose. By extrapolating these themes downwards, a zeroth category was conjectured: Lecturing as reading. Implications for educators are discussed, along with potentially fruitful avenues of future research.

Caribbean Immigrant Youths’ Ethnic Identity and Academic Achievement: The Role of Academic Beliefs

Ethnic identity (EI) can facilitate racially and ethnically marginalized youths’ academic achievement but the mediating process by which it exerts its influence is unclear. This study examines how EI is associated with academic achievement through academic beliefs in a sample of Caribbean first and second generation immigrant adolescents whose identities are connected to cultural groups outside of the U.S. Youth ( N = 128; 12–18 years old, M = 16.32, SD = 1.81; 69.3% second generation; 58.6% Black) reported on their EI affirmation and belonging and EI achievement, academic self-efficacy, academic aspirations, and grades. Results of our serial mediation model showed that stronger EI achievement was associated with higher academic self-efficacy and in turn higher academic aspirations, and higher grades. These findings offer potential targets (i.e., academic self-beliefs) for supporting the academic success of Black and Hispanic Caribbean immigrant students and have implications for their boosting educational outcomes.

Engagement in Learning as Mediator between Motivational Beliefs and School Achievement: A Path Analysis

"This study applied the Expectancy-Value Theory to explore the directionality of the associations among academic self-efficacy, motivational beliefs (e.g., expectation of success, task value), procrastination, and engagement in learning as well as the impact of these constructs on educational attainment. The data analysis was done by using structural equation modeling. The results reveal important associations among students’ personal variables. Correlational and path analyses show that: (a) self-efficacy is consistently found to predict both expectation of success, task value and procrastination, (b) the associations between self-efficacy and engagement are mediated by motivational beliefs and procrastination, (c) different faceted of engagement (class participation, homework completion, absenteeism) in high school predict educational attainment, and (d) class participation had stronger effects on educational attainment than homework completion. The data analysis provided empirical evidence to better understand the mechanism that mediates self-efficacy and school achievement. Also, the study provides empirical evidence supporting the multifaceted nature of school engagement and demonstrates its utility relative to educational success. The implications of these findings for teaching and learning a specific subject matter in formal classroom contexts are discussed. Keywords: self-efficacy, engagement in learning, expectation of success, valuing of school, procrastination."

Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace: Turkish Academics' Self-efficacy Beliefs in their Spoken English

Academics are known as individuals designing and conducting scientific research and they are to hold problem-solving skills, use scientific methods, carry out research, and publish at a global level. That said, they may encounter problems while performing the actions mentioned above due to a lack of foreign language proficiency, which interferes with sharing their knowledge with the others in the international arena. Taking that into consideration, this study aims to scrutinize the self-efficacy beliefs of Turkish academics regarding their oral communication in English. For this purpose, the data were collected through e-mails, and a total of 352 academics working in the departments of educational sciences participated in the study. Qualitative (document analysis) and quantitative research (survey) methods were used together in the study. The scale A Self-efficacy Instrument for Academics’ Oral Communication in a Foreign Language developed by Ozer, Cakir & Uzun (2019), was utilized in the quantitative data collection phase. The findings were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings revealed that the self-efficacy scores of academics with respect to their oral communication in English showed no significant difference in terms of their department, academic title, academic experience, and age variable. It also turned out that there is a significant difference between self-efficacy belief scores and experience abroad, current language exam scores, and involvement in academic events abroad. As a result of the document analysis, it was uncovered that the number of studies, especially those that examine foreign language use, is limited. It is believed that the present study will contribute to the existing literature.

Raising Aspirations of Boys and Girls through Role Models: Evidence from a Field Experiment

We analyse gender differences in children’s aspirations and academic beliefs that affect their academic potential. We use administrative data on the test scores of a primary school in rural China and a novel survey instrument in the evaluation of a randomised controlled trial of a role-model intervention. Our intervention increases Chinese test scores by 0.116 standard deviations, which is driven by boys’ 0.33–0.35 standard-deviation performance boost that persists into 1 year after the treatment. Girls only experience a short-term increase in performance within a week after the treatment. The impact of the treatment is especially pronounced for children starting with low aspiration, self-efficacy, or cognitive ability. While there is no average impact on Mathematics test scores, we find that boys holding traditional gender attitudes and having a high self-efficacy, and girls of high self-efficacy and aspirations, perform better in response to the treatment. Aspirations, confidence, and gender attitudes account for parts of our findings.