Secondary School Students Research Articles

Math and German motivation transitions in early adolescence

BackgroundSome students are more motivated that others in one or multiple academic domains, and more motivated in one domain than another. These inner hierarchies of motivational beliefs are important because they can influence students’ achievement and study or career choices. However, little is known about the heterogeneity in inner hierarchies of motivational beliefs during early secondary school, when motivation typically declines. AimsThe aims of this study were to (1) identify profiles of self-concept and intrinsic value in mathematics and German during the first two years of secondary school, (2) explore stability and change in these profiles, and (3) explore how profile membership relates to student competence and gender, and perceived teacher behaviour. SampleParticipants were 721 secondary school students from Germany. MethodsStudents completed measures of self-concept, intrinsic value, and competence in grades 5 and 6, and measures of perceived teacher behaviour in grade 5. Data were analysed using latent transition analysis. ResultsFive profiles characterised by inter- and intraindividual differences in self-concept and intrinsic value were identified. Membership in these profiles was relatively stable. Inner hierarchies of self-concept and value were related to competence, with students demonstrating higher competence in domains they were more motivated in. Gender and perceived teacher behaviour were related to profile membership, but not profile transitions. ConclusionsWhen supporting the motivational development of students during the first two years of secondary school, teachers may need to adopt a holistic approach that recognises the heterogeneity in students’ inner hierarchies of motivational beliefs.

Employing Digital Tools for Collaborative and Flexible Mathematical Proving

AbstractThere is a clear disconnect between the linear and deductive presentation of written proofs and the non-linear and messy process of constructing one. This disconnect poses challenges for students who do not often have opportunities, or the necessary supports, to navigate the transition between the two, quite often contributing to feelings of exclusion. It is therefore important to design learning environments with increased epistemic transparency, so that students can flexibly work on mathematical problems while learning and failing together. In this article, I present an instructional design for online collaborative proving activities for secondary school students. I discuss how the use of digital post-it notes and digital shared workspaces can create opportunities for multiple ways of participating for youth, support the navigation of different reasoning patterns, and provide space for extended across-group knowledge sharing. I share a classroom example of how this could look like in practice and discuss main implications of some of the affordances and constraints of the tools used for equitable and respectful student participation in mathematical epistemic practices.

Investigating the mediating role of digital game addiction in the relationship between adolescents’ school belonging and resilience

ABSTRACT Objective The aim of this study is to investigate the mediating role of digital game addiction in the relationship between school belonging and psychological resilience of adolescents in middle school. Considering school belonging together with digital game addiction may help to better understand the risk and protective factors of psychological resilience and to create a comprehensive model of psychological resilience. Method The sample consisted of 316 secondary school students aged between 11 and 14 (M = 12.84), 47.5% (n = 150) female and 52.5% (n = 166) male. Data were collected using a demographic information form and three self-report scales. In addition to descriptive statis- tics, Pearson Correlation Coefficient and Bootstrap Analysis were used to analyses the data. The mediating role of digital game addiction in the relationship between school belonging and resilience was analysed using the Bootstrap method with 5000 resamples. This approach is regarded as providing more accurate results compared to the Sobel test. Results The results of the study show that there are significant positive relationships between school belonging and psychological resilience and negative relationships with digital game addiction. Also, the results of the study revealed that the mediating role of digital game addiction in the effect of school belonging on adolescents’ psychological resilience was statistically significant. Conclusion It was revealed that digital game addiction, which affects both psychological resilience and school belonging, which is a protective factor, in a very negative way, is a mediating variable whose effect should be reduced or eliminated.

Expressions of biblical origin in learners’ dictionaries of proverbs and phraseological units

The need to improve the lexicographic description of the phraseological units and proverbs of biblical ori[1]gin which are not always fully parameterised in learners’ dictionaries, determines the relevance of the research presented in this article. The study aims to justify the methods for expanding the historical and etymological parametric zone of dictionary entries representing proverbs and phraseological units traced back to the Bible. Moreover, another goal is to develop new models for describing this linguistically and culturally valuable material in learners’ dictionaries intended, first and foremost, for primary school learners. Parametric analysis of modern lexicographic publications enabled us to identify the specific features of presenting the cultural and historical background of phraseological units and proverbs of biblical origin to schoolchildren, as well as to outline ways of improving their historical and etymological commentary. We developed our own materials using the method of lexicographic modeling and the author techniques of etymological paraphrasing. Through historical and etymological analysis, the origin of phraseological units and proverbs selected for lexicographic description was specified. The results of the study supplemented the theoretical and methodological basis of learner’s lexicography, as well as substantiated the use of models for describing proverbs and phraseological units dating back to biblical texts in a discursive dictionary. For instance, to represent expressions that are culturally significant but rare in modern speech, we suggest using a model of a comprehensive linguo-cultural text written by the author-compiler. In addition, a model of a narrative text on the issues relevant to children is proposed for actively functioning proverbs and phraseological units. The paper concludes that the developed lexicographic description models foreground the spiritual and moral potential of proverbs and phraseological units of biblical origin. Moreover, working with dictionary materials enables the accomplishment of educational objectives. It is emphasised that the practical va[1]lue of the developed models for describing proverbs and phraseological units lies in the possibility of their use by teachers when preparing informative teaching materials on phraseology and paremiology for a Russian language lesson or an extracurricular event. As a research outlook, we plan to develop the concept of a learner’s phraseological dictionary for secondary school students with extensive use of the biblical text and various research assignments.

The Use of Simulation Techniques to Enhance English Speaking Skills of EFL Secondary School Students

This study aims to compare the English speaking skills of EFL secondary school students in Thailand before and after using simulation techniques, to investigate the progress of the students’ speaking skills, and to study the students’ attitudes towards simulation techniques. The study used a quasi-experimental research design with a one-group pre-test and post-test and involved ten grade-eight students in the 2/2021 semester. The participants learned through five simulations: Asking and offering help, Buying and selling, Asking and giving directions, Making a phone call, and Giving suggestions. The data were collected through a speaking pre- and post-test, with a rubric based on pronunciation, fluency, grammar, and vocabulary, and also through semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed using percentage, mean, standard deviation, inter-rater reliability analysis, Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test, and content analysis. The findings show that the post-test scores were significantly higher than the pre-test scores at P < 0.05 for all simulations. Moreover, the post-test scores for Simulation Five were significantly higher than the post-test scores for Simulation One, indicating the progress of the students’ speaking skills. Additionally, the students expressed positive attitudes towards simulation techniques, as they were able to learn new vocabulary, practice real-life situations, and increase their self-confidence. However, learning through simulations could make students anxious when they are worried about finding the correct and appropriate words. This result suggests that it is essential to build students’ vocabulary knowledge before having them participate in simulations.

Exploring Sources of Errors in L3 English Production of Natives of Moroccan Arabic

Language learners’ writing products can provide insights into how these learners acquire the target language through the analysis of the committed errors. Indeed, research has revealed that error analysis in writing essays is crucial for understanding and improving language acquisition by identifying common errors, and their sources, and informing teaching strategies to address these issues. The current paper aims to identify, describe and analyze errors committed by Moroccan secondary school students in writing. The study also attempts to determine some of the possible causes of the errors to offer an understanding of how linguistic interference influences the foreign language learning process. To this end, a sample of tasks written in English by a group of 20 secondary school students was collected. Then, an analysis procedure was conducted to analyze errors and explain their sources. Hence, this study adopts a mixed-method approach design to generate qualitative as well as quantitative data by identifying error categories and calculating the total number of error types and sources, respectively. The findings show that the errors are committed both at the word as well as the sentential level including lexical, grammatical, substance, and syntactic errors. Besides, the results indicate that learners commit errors in their English writings partly due to interference of Moroccan or Standard Arabic and French, but mostly due to other developmental sources within the scope of the target language. These findings offer valuable insights into how learners acquire a second or foreign language and what obstacles they encounter in the learning process and, thus, could suggest some implications to reduce the errors caused by negative language transfer and improve learners’ language proficiency.

The Relationship between Bullying, Organizational Silence and Sports Behaviors of Secondary School Students

This research was conducted to examine the perceptions of bullying, organizational silence and sports of secondary school students. According to the results of the research, the vast majority of the participants (75%) stated that they broke the rules at school. First of all, almost half of the participants stated that they prefer not to be exposed to bullying. Participants stated that they tried to explain the situation in general to those they thought were superior. In addition, resorting to physical violence, using psychological superiority and being patient are among the opinions expressed. It was determined that there were the same behaviors in the reactions given to them or given by themselves in the face of these behaviors. In the study, when the participants showed a bullying attitude to their friends, they stated that they would generally intervene and apply solutions in different ways in their own way.

Analysis of high school students' awareness of the psychosocial effects of internet addiction

The present study aims to determine secondary school students' awareness of the psychosocial consequences of Internet addiction and to investigate differences in the level of awareness based on students' sociodemographic characteristics (Sex, grade level, number of family members, parent's marital status, education and occupation of the parents, and the family's monthly income). A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted from December 10, 2022, to December 30, 2023. The sample included (765) secondary school students were (375 males and 390 females). The population was composed of 10th and 12th grade students withdrawn from ten high schools located in the Babylon Governorate in Iraq. The results of the study revealed a variation in participants’ awareness of their knowledge of the psychosocial effects of Internet addiction, as more than half of them (57.5%) recorded a fair level of awareness, while (40.1%) of them recorded a good level, and only (2.4%) exhibited a waek level of awareness. Furthermore, the data revealed notable gender and grade-level differences in psychosocial awareness. Females exhibited a higher level of awareness (51.5%) compared to males. Additionally, students in the 10-grade showed a relatively higher rate of good psychosocial awareness (44.9%). It is necessary to understand the demographic factors in shaping awareness of the effects of Internet addiction, which helps in developing targeted intervention strategies to enhance awareness and improve students' control behaviors.

越南汉语学习者低龄化趋势：成因与现状分析——以胡志明市商业华语培训中心为例

<p>In recent years, there has been a noticeable trend of younger learners taking up Chinese globally. Since the Vietnamese Ministry of Education included Chinese as an elective foreign language in primary schools in 2021, the number of primary and secondary school students learning Chinese has significantly increased. To gain a more comprehensive understanding of the current state of Chinese learning in Vietnamese primary and secondary schools, identify potential challenges in the process of younger learners taking up Chinese, and provide valuable data support for the formulation of long-term Chinese education development plans, this study uses the Hoavan SHZ Chinese Training Center as a case study. It explores the enrollment situation and operational status of young learners over the past ten years. Through data analysis and interviews, the study examines changes in the age groups of young learners, the causes of the trend toward younger learners, the prospects for development, and the challenges faced. The results show that the number of young Chinese learners in Vietnam has been steadily increasing, with the age of learners continuously decreasing, including preschool children starting to learn Chinese. National education policies and the deepening of China-Vietnam cooperation are the main driving forces. To respond to this trend and meet the needs of parents and students, this paper advocates cultivating students' interest in learning, improving the quality of teachers, and refining teaching materials and methods.</p>

Pathways from School Belonging to Problematic Online Game Use among Chinese Adolescents: The Mediating Roles of Emotional Symptoms and the Moderating Role of Physical Exercise

Problematic online game use (POGU) causes various negative effects on adolescent development. Thus, it is necessary to explore the influential factors and mechanisms of adolescent POGU. The present study examined the relationship between school belonging and adolescent POGU and its mechanisms. A sample of 958 secondary vocational school students completed self-reported measures of school belonging, emotional symptoms, physical exercise, and POGU. The results showed that school belonging negatively predicted emotional symptoms (including depression, anxiety, and stress), which in turn positively predicted adolescent POGU. Besides, the moderating role of physical exercise in the relationship between school belonging and depression was significant, and the moderating role of physical exercise in the relationship between school belonging and anxiety was marginal but significant. The magnitudes of the above relationships were smaller as physical exercise increased. Results provide suggestions to reduce adolescent POGU by enhancing school belonging and decreasing emotional symptoms.

Empowering parents of students with and without learning difficulties to collaborate with schools: how are family–school partnerships related to parents’ motivational beliefs?

ABSTRACT Although parental involvement is known to be crucial for the academic and social development of students, especially those with learning difficulties, little is known about the relationship of schools’ invitations with parents’ motivational beliefs. A sample of N = 881 German parents of secondary school students, of which N = 119 were identified as parents of children with learning difficulties, participated in the study. Structural equation models were analysed to examine how different aspects of family–school partnerships are related to parental motivational beliefs. Our findings suggest that a welcoming culture and the quality of parent-teacher collaboration are positively associated with higher parental motivation, regardless of students’ learning difficulties. These results highlight the need for inclusive secondary schools to foster not only individual contacts between teachers and parents but also a positive and welcoming school culture.

Formal Operational Performance: Epochal and Sociocultural Differences in the First Level of Secondary School Students in Argentina

Formal Operational Performance: Epochal and Sociocultural Differences in the First Level of Secondary School Students in Argentina

The Affecting Mechanism of Secondary School Students’ Psychological Rich on Pro-environmental Behavior in Hunan Province of China

The Affecting Mechanism of Secondary School Students’ Psychological Rich on Pro-environmental Behavior in Hunan Province of China

Effect of Gamification-Based Teaching on Junior Secondary School Student's Academic Performance in Mathematics at Kwara State

Gamification is a cutting-edge pedagogical approach to addressing student social behaviour, motivation, and academic performance in the classroom, particularly in subjects that are perceived to be difficult such as mathematics where there was a perceived failure. Hence, this study investigated the effect of gamification-based teaching on junior secondary school student’s academic performance in mathematics in Kwara State. The study adopted a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest, non-equivalent group design. The population was all junior secondary students in Kwara State while the target population were all junior secondary students in J.S.S. 2 in Kwara-North Senatorial district. A purposive sampling technique was used to select two junior secondary schools based on the availability of computer laboratories. A total of 122 students (experimental group 64; control group 58) were involved. Three instruments were used for data collection. Split-half was used to test the reliability of the instruments and coefficients of .89 were obtained Data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics at 0.05 level of significance. The study revealed that; gamification-based teaching had a significant effect on the experimental group (F (1,54) = 1.826; p< 0.05) and female students in the experimental group significantly performed better than male students after the treatment. This study concluded that the use of gamification-based teaching in mathematics enhanced teaching-learning effectiveness in mathematics. The study, therefore, recommended among others, that mathematics teachers should use gamification in teaching mathematics to reduce the level of abstractness associated with teaching-learning of mathematics.

Teachers’ Perceptions on Differentiated Learning in Teaching English Speaking Skill Among Upper Secondary School Students: A Conceptual Paper

Teachers’ Perceptions on Differentiated Learning in Teaching English Speaking Skill Among Upper Secondary School Students: A Conceptual Paper

A multigroup random-intercept cross-lagged panel model for Finnish secondary school students in frame of situated expectancy-value theory

The aim of this study is to examine both within-person and between-person associations of academic self-concept and task values in literacy and mathematics to identify the most promising motivational construct to prevent motivational decline during school transitions. The sample included 3636 students (average age at the start: 15.73 years, SD: 0.32 years) followed up three times from lower secondary school (T1) to the third year (T3) of upper secondary education, either in vocational or academic tracks. Multi-group random intercept cross-lagged panel models detected several spillover (cross-lagged) effects between self-concept and task values in mathematics but not in literacy. There were also marginal but significant differences between students from different educational tracks in both subjects. Overall, utility value and academic self-concept in mathematics were found to be the most promising motivational constructs in changing motivational beliefs, thus presenting important starting points in motivational interventions. Educational relevance and implications statementThis study highlights that spillover effects are more pronounced in maths than in literacy, emphasising the need for tailored interventions in mathematics education. Moreover, the potential disruption in students' motivational beliefs during school transitions suggests the importance of ensuring continuity in support to help mitigate the impact of these transitions. While our results indicate limited carryover effects, it is possible that school transitions are experienced as breaks in motivational development. The role of utility value in exhibiting spillover effects over school transitions in both maths and literacy suggests the significance of emphasising the practical relevance of academic subjects to sustain students' motivation. Additionally, recognising the superior role of academic self-concept in maths in spillover effects on task values underscores the importance of nurturing students' confidence and beliefs in their own mathematical abilities.

Identifying Psychosocial and Ecological Determinants of Enthusiasm In Youth: Integrative Cross-Sectional Analysis Using Machine Learning.

Understanding the factors contributing to mental well-being in youth is a public health priority. Self-reported enthusiasm for the future may be a useful indicator of well-being and has been shown to forecast social and educational success. Typically, cross-domain measures of ecological and health-related factors with relevance to public policy and programming are analyzed either in isolation or in targeted models assessing bivariate interactions. Here, we capitalize on a large provincial data set and machine learning to identify the sociodemographic, experiential, behavioral, and other health-related factors most strongly associated with levels of subjective enthusiasm for the future in a large sample of elementary and secondary school students. The aim of this study was to identify the sociodemographic, experiential, behavioral, and other health-related factors associated with enthusiasm for the future in elementary and secondary school students using machine learning. We analyzed data from 13,661 participants in the 2019 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS) (grades 7-12) with complete data for our primary outcome: self-reported levels of enthusiasm for the future. We used 50 variables as model predictors, including demographics, perception of school experience (i.e., school connectedness and academic performance), physical activity and quantity of sleep, substance use, and physical and mental health indicators. Models were built using a nonlinear decision tree-based machine learning algorithm called extreme gradient boosting to classify students as indicating either high or low levels of enthusiasm. Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) values were used to interpret the generated models, providing a ranking of feature importance and revealing any nonlinear or interactive effects of the input variables. The top 3 contributors to higher self-rated enthusiasm for the future were higher self-rated physical health (SHAP value=0.62), feeling that one is able to discuss problems or feelings with their parents (SHAP value=0.49), and school belonging (SHAP value=0.32). Additionally, subjective social status at school was a top feature and showed nonlinear effects, with benefits to predicted enthusiasm present in the mid-to-high range of values. Using machine learning, we identified key factors related to self-reported enthusiasm for the future in a large sample of young students: perceived physical health, subjective school social status and connectedness, and quality of relationship with parents. A focus on perceptions of physical health and school connectedness should be considered central to improving the well-being of youth at the population level.

Income inequality and comorbid overweight/obesity and depression among a large sample of Canadian secondary school students: The mediator effect of social cohesion

BackgroundComorbid overweight/obesity (OWO) and depression is emerging as a public health problem among adolescents. Income inequality is a structural determinant of health that independently increases the risk for both OWO and depression among youth. However, no study has examined the association between income inequality and comorbid OWO and depression or tested potential mechanisms involved. We aimed to identify the association between income inequality and comorbid OWO and depression and to test whether social cohesion mediates this relationship. MethodsWe used data from the 2018–2019 Cannabis, Obesity, Mental health, Physical activity, Alcohol, Smoking and Sedentary behavior (COMPASS) project. Our sample was composed of 46,171 adolescents from 136 schools distributed in 43 census divisions in 4 provinces in Canada (Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, and Quebec). Gender-stratified multilevel path analyses models were used to examine whether income inequality (Gini coefficient) was associated with comorbid OWO and depression and whether the association was mediated by school connectedness, a proxy measure for social cohesion. ResultsThe direct effect between income inequality and OWO-depression comorbidity was not significant. However, income inequality was significantly associated with increased risk of comorbidity via social cohesion. One standard deviation increase in the Gini coefficient was associated with a 9% and 8% increase in the odds of comorbidity in females (OR=1.09; 95% CI=1.03, 1.16) and males (OR=1.08; 95% CI=1.03, 1.13). ConclusionPolicies aimed at reducing income inequality, and interventions to improve social cohesion, may contribute to reducing the risk of OWO-depression comorbidity among adolescents.

High-density living, migratory status, and perceived crowding: A study of juveniles in Hong Kong

ABSTRACT Based on a questionnaire survey of senior secondary school students, this study examines the determinants of perceived crowding of juveniles in Hong Kong, a city that has accommodated generations of migrants from mainland China and elsewhere in the world and is renowned for its extreme densities. The analysis is threefold. First, it identifies factors directly affecting perceived crowding such as home density, housing tenure type, and environmental referent. The next stage, then, examines what factors determine home density. It is found that juveniles in both public- and private-sector-owned housing tend to have significantly more housing space than those residing in rented housing. Newcomers to the city enjoy less housing space compared to more established Hong Kong residents. The third stage analyzes the sorting of households into housing tenure types. New migrants are most likely to be private renters. Over time, the difference in home density and housing tenure types between students with locally born parents and those with mainland-born parents becomes smaller. However, no such trend is observed for students of overseas backgrounds.

Comparison Of Cognitive Abilities Of Yoga And Non-Yoga Secondary And Senior Secondary School Students

Comparison Of Cognitive Abilities Of Yoga And Non-Yoga Secondary And Senior Secondary School Students