Regular School Settings Research Articles

Mobile App Intervention to Reduce Substance Use, Gambling, and Digital Media Use in Vocational School Students: Exploratory Analysis of the Intervention Arm of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

During adolescence, substance use and digital media exposure usually peak and can become major health risks. Prevention activities are mainly implemented in the regular school setting, and youth outside this system are not reached. A mobile app ("Meine Zeit ohne") has been developed specifically for vocational students and encourages participants to voluntarily reduce or abstain from a self-chosen addictive behavior including the use of a substance, gambling, or a media-related habit such as gaming or social media use for 2 weeks. Results from a randomized study indicate a significant impact on health-promoting behavior change after using the app. This exploratory study focuses on the intervention arm of this study, focusing on acceptance and differential effectiveness. The aims of this study were (1) to examine the characteristics of participants who used the app, (2) to explore the effectiveness of the mobile intervention depending on how the app was used and depending on participants' characteristics, and (3) to study how variations in app use were related to participants' baseline characteristics. Log data from study participants in the intervention group were analyzed including the frequency of app use (in days), selection of a specific challenge, and personal relevance (ie, the user was above a predefined risk score for a certain addictive behavior) of challenge selection ("congruent use": eg, a smoker selected a challenge related to reducing or quitting smoking). Dichotomous outcomes (change vs no change) referred to past-month substance use, gambling, and media-related behaviors. The relationship between these variables was analyzed using binary, multilevel, mixed-effects logistic regression models. The intervention group consisted of 2367 vocational students, and 1458 (61.6%; mean age 19.0, SD 3.5 years; 830/1458, 56.9% male) of them provided full data. Of these 1458 students, 894 (61.3%) started a challenge and could be included in the analysis (mean 18.7, SD 3.5 years; 363/894, 40.6% female). Of these 894 students, 466 (52.1%) were considered frequent app users with more than 4 days of active use over the 2-week period. The challenge area most often chosen in the analyzed sample was related to social media use (332/894, 37.1%). A total of 407 (45.5%) of the 894 students selected a challenge in a behavioral domain of personal relevance. The effects of app use on outcomes were higher when the area of individual challenge choice was equal to the area of behavior change, challenge choice was related to a behavior of personal relevance, and the individual risk of engaging in different addictive behaviors was high. The domain-specific effectiveness of the program was confirmed with no spillover between behavioral domains. Effectiveness appeared to be dependent on app use and users' characteristics. German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00023788; https://tinyurl.com/4pzpjkmj. RR2-10.1186/s13063-022-06231-x.

Students’ motivational trajectories in vocational education: Effects of a self-regulated learning environment

Motivation is central for successful learning processes and lifelong learning. In the present study, the motivational development of vocational students in a learning environment promoting self-regulated learning (SRL) was examined in comparison to a control group with regular, teacher-centered instruction. The first aim was to examine the development of the dispositional and situational motivation of vocational students. The second aim was to gain a deeper understanding of the students' motivational experiences and the factors of the learning environment that promote and impede motivation. For this purpose, a mixed-methods design was applied. Through multilevel analysis, we investigated the development of dispositional motivation between the beginning and the end of the first year of vocational education (N = 159), as well as the development of situational motivation over the first 14 weeks using weekly motivation measures (N = 119). In addition, we interviewed 19 students from the SRL-promoting and regular school settings. The quantitative results revealed significant changes in dispositional and situational motivation over time. The qualitative results showed that the three basic psychological needs (relatedness, competence, and autonomy) were central determinants of the students’ motivation in both learning environments—albeit to varying extents. Overall, the SRL-promoting learning environment has positive effects on student motivation, but interindividual differences must be considered. Moreover, the results shed light on the coexistence of different motivation regulations within students and interindividual differences in the interpretation of the satisfaction of the three basic psychological needs.

A Systematic Analysis of Inclusion Teachers' Work Engagement: An In-Depth Study of Inclusion Teachers' Dedication, Passion, and Teachers’ Appreciation of Inclusion

Work engagement of inclusion teachers is a crucial factor affecting the quality of education for children with special needs in regular school settings. The role of the inclusion teacher is not only limited to the delivery of learning materials, but also includes dedication, passion, and appreciation for the special needs of these children. The method used is a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) which allows for a detailed examination of structured data search steps in the context of aspects of work engagement in inclusive teachers. Searches were conducted through databases such as Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar, Mendeley, and ResearchGate. The literature reviewed is limited to the years 2012-2022. Literature search keywords include Teachers' Work Engagement, Inclusive Teachers, and Inclusive Teachers' Vigor, Dedication, and Absorption. The results show that the dedication of inclusive teachers plays a key role in creating a learning environment that supports the development of children with special needs. Passion and appreciation of responsibility also contribute to determining the quality of education provided. Inclusive teachers with high levels of work engagement are considered important change agents in improving the quality of education for children with special needs.

Are we ready for education in Metaverse? PLS-SEM analysis

The objective of this study is to investigate the adoption of met-averse education in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, by employing the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as the foundational theoretical framework. Metaverse education, utilizing immersive and interactive virtual environments for educational objectives, is an innovative and auspicious methodology in the contemporary digital realm. Data collection was conducted via judgmental sampling. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used for the analysis. The results suggest a significant and positive impact of Consumer Intention (CI) on the practical use (AU) of the met-averse in the field of education. Furthermore, the factors of Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC), Subjective Norm (SN), and Perceived Value strongly influenced Consumer Intention (CI) in a positive manner. Moreover, Emotional Value (EV) and Social Value (SV) had a substantial impact on the Perceived Value (PV) of using the metaverse in educational contexts. Nevertheless, the lack of statistical significance in the relationship between Attitude towards Behavior (ATB) and Consumer Intention (CI) is recognized. This research not only addresses a significant gap in the theory of IS literature but also offers valuable insights for educators, policymakers, and developers. If you really understand the things that make people open to metaverse education, you can make big changes to plans and actions that are used to successfully add metaverse education to the regular school setting, especially in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Giving Another Purpose to Sport: Teaching Social and Emotional Learning Through the Sociocultural Curriculum Model

Sports are well known to provide students the opportunity to practice social and emotional skill sets that they will use in everyday life. However, student participation in high school–sanctioned extracurricular activities has decreased exponentially in the past 10 years. Many teachers, parents and administrators hypothesize that today’s students have social and emotional challenges post-COVID-19. They might struggle with basic social skills, such as cooperation, sportsmanship and empathy. Coincidence? Some researchers even hypothesize that an increased emphasis on academic performance in schools has led to a slight decline in other developmental areas, such as behavior and stress management. Social and emotional learning (SEL) implementation has become a significant priority for many school administrators and staff. The sociocultural curriculum model (SCCM) uses sport as a platform to teach SEL to physical education students. It gives educators practical application of standards-based teaching practices to their current physical education classroom. The current article will give purpose to this curriculum and detail its application in a regular school setting.

Exploring disproportional use of exclusionary punitive practices by disability group: Evidence of higher disproportionality in low‐SES Chilean students with ADHD

AbstractAlthough inclusive education policies conflict with punitive discipline measures, inclusion in mainstream schools may coexist with or allow such exclusionary punitive discipline. In Latin America, however, there is scarce research on how punitive measures are distributed, and if and how they affect students with disabilities enrolled in regular school settings. The purpose of this study was to characterize the occurrence of punitive exclusionary practices among students with disabilities enrolled in mainstream schools. We analysed reports from a national sample of Chilean students (N = 447,697) and parents on the frequency of punitive exclusionary discipline practices to identify the contribution of individual, classroom and school factors to student exclusion from general education settings. Individual characteristics included different disability groups. Multilevel logistic regression results consistently showed that students with ADHD were more likely to receive disciplinary exclusions, both in primary and in high school, with an odds‐ratio increase from 30% to nearly 150%, with higher rates for low‐SES students with ADHD. These findings suggest that in Chile, student‐level factors of gender, class and disability are strongly associated with exclusionary punitive discipline in schools. We discuss the intersectional dynamics of gender, class, race and disability in disciplinary processes of exclusion.

From theory to practice: Student-centered pedagogical implementation in primary music demonstration lessons in Guangdong, China

Demonstration lessons are used in China to provide models of quality music instruction. However, to date, no research has been done on the quality of demonstration lessons and how this relates to the improvement of school music education in China. This content analysis provides an insight into China’s music demonstration lesson implementation and its contextual adaptation for student-centered education (SCE). A total of 19 music demonstration lessons over 760 minutes have been examined, using both a systematic observational method and a qualitative thematic analysis method to look at in-class behavior and interaction. An analysis of data reveals that: (a) direct content-driven activities are still taking dominant roles in class, (b) students’ individuality is seldomly promoted, (c) activity-based lesson structures have become prevalent, and (d) sequential patterns under a behaviorist perspective still can be seen in China’s demonstration lessons. Although findings may not necessarily represent exactly what is happening in a regular school setting and it reveals a different adaptation of SCE compared to an international perspective, it serves as a starting point for understanding the official educational views of China and a different angle in perceiving the adaptation of SCE in practice under China context.

Effects of Working Memory Training on Children’s Memory and Academic Performance: the Role of Training Task Features and Trainee’s Characteristics

Learning and academic performance are explained mainly by basic limited-capacity processes, most notably by working memory (WM). Consequently, training WM has been considered a promising approach to fostering these abilities. However, school-based investigations are rare. This study examined the effects of training task features and trainees’ characteristics on transfer to cognitive and academic measures. Eighty-six typically developing 8–12-year-old children completed 6 weeks of either WM training with n-back and complex span tasks or a control training with perceptual-matching tasks in a regular school setting. The study also assessed some personal variables of the children, such as neuroticism, conscientiousness, joy of learning, and power of endurance. The WM training group showed increased WM and math performance compared to the control group. Also, there was a trend toward some improvements in vocabulary after WM training, and overall improvements after both trainings were observed in fluid intelligence and reading. Analyses of individual differences in the WM training group indicated increased training performance in relation to emotional stability, conscientiousness, power of endurance, as well as teacher-reported joy of learning and social integration of participants. Thus, the results indicate the potential of WM training to improve WM capacity and mathematical skills and reveal the impact of regulative, motivational, and social factors on cognitive training performance.

La perception des parents d’adolescents présentant un trouble du spectre de l’autisme concernant la transition vers la classe spéciale en école ordinaire de niveau secondaire

Using semi-structured interviews, this study aims to document the perceptions of fifteen parents of autistic adolescents regarding their transition towards a special-needs class in a regular high school setting. This study has found an important presence of co-occurring conditions among this population. It also concludes that the transition towards high school is difficult, that an imbalance exists among school staff’s roles, and that resources are limited. Finally, parents are satisfied with the teachers’ qualities as well as with the collaboration established among the teaching staff and professionals within the private and public health system. However, cooperation among school professionals and the principals is considered suboptimal.

Social Skills Group Training for Students with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities in Senior High School-A Qualitative Multi-Perspective Study of Social Validity.

Including students with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDDs) in regular classrooms has become a law-enforced common practice in many high- and middle-income countries. Still, without appropriate actions supporting the implementation of inclusive pedagogical practice, students with NDDs remain at increased risk for absenteeism, bullying and underachievement. There is limited knowledge on the feasibility of social skills group training (SSGT) in naturalistic settings. Using a qualitative approach, the objective of this study was to explore the lived experiences of (i) students diagnosed with autism or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and those showing subclinical social difficulties receiving either SSGT or active social control activities in a regular senior high school setting, (ii) teachers providing SSGT or the active control activity and (iii) school leaders facilitating the implementation of these actions. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, comparison between real life versus digital administration of SSGT was also examined. Within a randomized controlled pilot trial of the school-tailored SSGT SKOLKONTAKT®, the primary perspectives of 20 students, teachers and school leaders on SSGT or the social control activities were explored. All groups perceived SSGT to enhance school attendance and academic achievement of students, as well as teacher inclusion skills and the social school climate. Findings indicate that SSGT is largely feasible and socially valid, and broader implementation of SSGT in school settings appears meaningful.

Brief report: the effect of gender on teachers’ perceptions of behaviours in students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

ABSTRACT Objective It has been suggested that gender stereotypes can influence social perception and how people perceive behaviours in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) based on the individual’s gender. This study aimed to investigate the effect of student’s gender on teachers’ perceptions of ASD behaviours in regular school settings. Method The sample consisted of 60 primary school teachers with a mean of 11.82 years (SD = 7.34) of teaching experience. Participants read a total of 20 vignettes depicting students’ behaviours and were asked to rate the featured student’s behaviour using a 5-point Likert scale (i.e., 1 = Strongly Negative to 5 = Strongly Positive). The survey vignettes were presented in a randomised order and participants were randomly assigned to either the female gender group or the male gender group. Results Results indicated that teachers rated the male ASD student’s social behaviours but not the repetitive and restricted behaviours significantly more negatively than the female ASD student. Using multiple regression analysis, teachers’ prior awareness of ASD affected their ratings for the social behaviours. Conclusion Findings from this study would have implications for teacher training in understanding and supporting students with ASD.

Concept And Practices In Inclusive Education

The philosophy of inclusion is not new to India. It was very much there in the ancient times when all children were sent to ‘gurukuls’ for education. In today's context also, the emphasis is on providing education to all children in an inclusive environment. Inclusive education means education of all children, with and without disabilities together in regular schools. It is an approach, which takes into account unique characteristics, interests, abilities and learning needs of all children. It is an attempt to meet the unique needs of every child in a regular school setting where all children, including those with disability, try to participate in all facets of school life. The goal is to provide accommodating and personalized education for all students within the context of a general educational classroom. The need of the hour is to develop a universal design of learning which makes learning joyful for all children.

How do competitiveness and previous contact with people with disabilities impact on attitudes after an awareness intervention in physical education?

ABSTRACT In addition to inclusion as an educational philosophy, integrated schooling has emerged worldwide as an influential trend in education over the last few decades; this has increased the number of students with disabilities in classrooms, including in physical education (PE). This state of affairs requires that teachers provide support and resources to ensure that all students, regardless of ability, can reach their full potential through opportunities for equal participation. The previous contact with people with disabilities and the level of the students’ competitiveness are two factors where there is a lack of clarity as to their effects on attitudes towards the inclusion of a partner with a disability. Therefore, it is necessary to deepen the understanding of how these variables influence students’ attitudes after the implementation of an intervention to raise awareness of the inclusion of students with disabilities in PE. This study aimed: (1) to analyse the effects of the educational programme ‘Inclusive Sport in School’ on the attitudes of students without disabilities towards the inclusion of peers with a disability, (2) to analyse the influence of the previous contact with people with disabilities on the attitudes of students towards inclusion in PE after the intervention, and (3) to explore the level of competitiveness on attitude outcomes. A sample of 1068 students (534 girls and 534 boys) without disability (13.9 ± 1.76 yr.) was divided according to the type of established contact at their school setting: regular school settings (no contact), inclusive settings with non-structured contact and inclusive settings with structured contact (where students with disabilities were included in the PE classes). Attitudes towards inclusion were measured through Spanish version of the Children’s Attitudes Toward Integrated Physical Education Revised inventory CAIPE-RS. A mixed-factor analysis of variance was implemented, with an intra-group factor (i.e. pre vs post-intervention) and two between-group factors: the three types of contact and the reported level of competitiveness (low, moderate, or high). Results showed a significant impact on the general subscale of attitude after the intervention. The interaction effects between the between-group and the intra-group factors were not significant. However, the t-test of related measurements showed significant differences on the general attitude subscale for the students of the inclusive centres where there were [t(351) = −6.11; p < 0.01)] or there were not [t(199) = −2.43; p = 0.016)] students with disabilities in the PE class, showing more positive values of attitude after the intervention. Additionally, those perceived to have a moderate or high level of competitiveness also exhibited an increase in their degree of general attitude after the intervention while the students from inclusive schools with a low competitive level showed a significant decrease in attitude on the specific attitude subscale. It is concluded that the effect of the intervention could be influenced by the type of contact and that the level of competitiveness is a constraining variable for awareness interventions in PE. To develop interventions which have a significant impact on attitude towards inclusion in PE, awareness programmes should be designed which consider direct contact with people with disabilities to generate the target attitude.

Prospects and Challenges of Inclusion of Children with Disabilities into Regular School Setting in Nigeria

Prospects and Challenges of Inclusion of Children with Disabilities into Regular School Setting in Nigeria

“But When do I do Critical Literacy?” Perspectives for Designing Critical Literacy Activities in EFL Classrooms

Abstract This paper aims to present a set of principles for the design of critically grounded activities for English classes in regular school settings. Such principles are based on the pillars of critical literacy according to renowned linguists and scholars of the area, as well as pre-established criteria proposed by Richards (2001) and adapted by Rashidi (2011) for critical-pedagogical practice. A brief contextualization will be presented, as well as theoretical foundations for the organization of such criteria. Following this moment, two practical examples, based on the Brazilian context, will be presented in order to demonstrate the applicability of these theories in language classes at regular schools. The directions hereby proposed are aimed at guiding ELT teachers’ reflections as they try to implement critically based activities in their classrooms.

A Meta‐Analysis on the Effects of Text Structure Instruction on Reading Comprehension in the Upper Elementary Grades

AbstractIn this meta‐analysis, the authors synthesize results from 44 (quasi‐)experimental studies on informational and narrative text structure interventions involving students in grades 4–6 in regular school settings. Findings show that text structure instruction had positive immediate effects on students’ reading comprehension but that effect sizes varied largely across outcome measures: questions (Hedges’g = 0.25), summarization (g = 0.57), recall (g = 0.37), and knowledge about text structure (g = 0.38). However, students who received text structure instruction no longer outperformed control groups at delayed posttests. Content‐related features, such as a focus on paragraph‐level structure, active construction of graphic organizers, and teaching rule‐based summarization techniques, moderated the effectiveness of text structure instruction, but these effects also varied across outcome measures. Instructional features moderated delayed effects: Interventions with opportunities for individual student practice resulted in higher delayed effects for comprehension questions. The authors argue that text structure instruction deserves a place in the primary school curriculum so the positive effects on reading will be maintained.

How odor cues help to optimize learning during sleep in a real life-setting

Effortless learning during sleep is everybody’s dream. Several studies found that presenting odor cues during learning and selectively during slow wave sleep increases learning success. The current study extends previous research in three aspects to test for optimization and practical applicability of this cueing effect: We (1) performed a field study of vocabulary-learning in a regular school setting, (2) stimulated with odor cues during the whole night without sleep monitoring, and (3) applied the odor additionally as retrieval cue in a subsequent test. We found an odor cueing effect with comparable effect sizes (d between 0.6 and 1.2) as studies with sleep monitoring and selective cueing. Further, we observed some (non-significant) indication for a further performance benefit with additional cueing during the recall test. Our results replicate previous findings and provide important extensions: First, the odor effect also works outside the lab. Second, continuous cueing at night produces similar effect sizes as a study with selective cueing in specific sleep stages. Whether odor cueing during memory recall further increases memory performance hast to be shown in future studies. Overall, our results extend the knowledge on odor cueing effects and provide a realistic practical perspective on it.

School Inclusion in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders in France: Report from the ELENA French Cohort Study.

Children and adolescents with ASD are increasingly included in regular school settings, however little is known about how placement decisions are made. In the present study, we examined the types and duration of school attendance among children and adolescents in the ELENA Cohort, a multi-center study of children and adolescents with ASD, ages 2-16years, in France. Results showed that 88% of subjects were attending school and that children and adolescents with more severe adaptive and cognitive deficits were less likely to attend school. The results provide a topography on school inclusion and ASD in France. Challenging behaviors and sensory processing difficulties were associated with partial-inclusion; and co-occurring anxiety symptoms were associated with inclusion on a full-time basis.

Improving Compliance in Primary School Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Complying with common instructions is considered an important skill, critical to school success; however, students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often exhibit low levels of compliance creating barriers to their inclusion in regular general education school settings. While self-management interventions have the potential to address compliance issues, there has been little research investigating their effectiveness in regular education school settings that include young children with ASD. Accordingly, the present study examined the effects of a self-management intervention for two 8-year-old boys with ASD and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. A multiple-baseline across settings design was used. Results indicated that the intervention was associated with increased rates of compliance and concomitant increases in on-task behavior for both participants within their respective classroom. Effects were maintained at follow-up, and social validity ratings suggested that the intervention was highly acceptable for both the students and their teachers. This study contributes to the knowledge base on effective and feasible interventions to support the inclusion of children with ASD in general education settings.

Evaluating the real-world effectiveness of a cognitive behavior therapy-based transdiagnostic program for emotional problems in children in a regular school setting

BackgroundThe present study examined the real-world effectiveness of a transdiagnostic prevention program, Super Skills for Life (SSL), among children with emotional problems in regular school settings. SSL is based on the principles of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), behavioral activation, and social skills training. MethodsParticipants were 205 children, aged 8–12 years, who were referred by their teachers as having significant emotional problems. All the children completed measures of emotional and behavioral problems and self-esteem, both before and after participating in SSL, and at six months after the intervention. The children's parents and class teachers also completed a questionnaire that measures children's general difficulties and positive attributes. Children also gave a 2-minute speech task in front of the video in sessions 1 and 8. ResultsThere was agreement among self, parent, and teacher report, showing significant decreases of emotional symptoms from pretest to posttest and pretest to follow-up. Main effect of gender was significant for anxiety symptoms, emotional symptoms peer problems, and prosocial behavior. Video analysis of the 2-minute speech task showed significant improvement in length of eye gaze, vocal quality, length of speech, manifestation of comfort, and conversational flow. However, hypothesized increases in self-esteem did not act as a mediator of change in pre- to post-anxiety symptoms or social phobia subscale scores. LimitationsThe present study used an open clinical trial design. ConclusionsThis study provides initial support for the effectiveness of the manual-guided CBT for emotional problems in regular school settings when delivered by school services staff.