The interdisciplinary curriculum of science, technology, engineering, math, and project-based learning (STEM-PBL) has currently received deep contemplation for its diverse benefits. This major attention has been focused on optimizing the curriculum by developing tools for assessing the diverse aspects of STEM in relation to teaching methods (e.g., PBL, teacher-centered learning, and game-based teaching), and students' attitude. Following the principle of fallibility, the current research examined psychometric properties of the scale of students' attitudes toward STEM-PBL. Also, the power of predictability of academic achievement by means of students' attitude, and the mediating role of demographic factors were aimed to explore. The scale was completed by 337 students who were selected randomly. Using confirmatory factor analysis, Graded Response Modeling (GRM) based on Item Response Theory (IRT) provided technical informative details about each item of scale. Examining the items of scale displays reasonable psychometric properties including the validity of Student Attitude toward STEM-PBL Questionnaire. However, the analysis revealed that the removal of one of the items (item 22) may result in a better fit of the questionnaire. The results also showed that attitude toward STEM-PBL can predict students' academic achievement using grade point average (GPA). Exploring the role of some mediating and demographic factors in this prediction revealed that self-learning had a high significant unique contribution in predicting GPA among respondents. The results displayed the significant association between GPA and students' father education level. Also, students whose GPA and their fathers' educational levels were high showed more positive attitude toward self-learning.
Our replication study embarked on in the Middle East, used an Arabic translation of the original research tool, the Safety-Oriented Personality Style or Phobicentric Psychopathology Individual Questionnaire (SOPS/PCPIQ) that was employed in the North American study, which could identify adults with more serious chronic anxiety. SOPS/PCP, described as dimensional and neurobiologically-based is the hypothesized construct from which SOPS/PCPIQ is derived. SOPS/PCP, a brand-new formulation, arose serendipitously from clinical observations and followed in the new tradition of attempting to avoid characterizing personality disorder in the categorical and non-theoretical style of the previously influential Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The present study is intended to produce results that confirm that SOPS/PCP may be experienced outside North America. The results supported the hypotheses that the Arabic version of the SOPS/PCPIQ would demonstrate adequate reliability and validity. They further showed that individuals with a history of trauma exposure scored significantly higher than the other subjects. As such, the similar results from this Arabic study to those from Canada and the United States showed that this cross-national study successfully replicated the original North American findings. Discussion addresses the potential role of this study's psychopathology to provide meaningful contribution to the recognition and reduction of global anxiety disorder and help change the current direction of personality disorder research.
Focusing on social learning and cognitive developmental theories, this study pursued whether children have gender-typed preferences of toys, and also to what extent the variability of children’s preferences of toys can be determine by age, gender and social and economic status (SES). 256 children aged between 4 and 10 years old with the age mean 7.23 were selected randomly. Results revealed that children had clear gender-typed recognition and preferences for some toys. This preference was independent of biological gender factor. This study also revealed some dramatic changes in children’s responses; that is, through growing up, children gradually prefer some toys as neutral not gender-related toys. This dramatic change was different for each toy.
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