No abstract

No abstract

In this study, the authors examined the concurrent validity, predictive validity, and concurrent and predictive classification accuracy of using schoolwide behavior expectations as a universal behavioral screener. Three elementary schools implementing schoolwide positive behavior supports (SWPBS) participated. Within each school, the entire school population was screened using items derived from schoolwide behavior expectations. Structural equation modeling revealed moderate to strong associations between SWPBS expectations and constructs formed from the criterion measure. SWPBS expectations converged with the school problems, externalizing problem behaviors, and adaptive skills constructs but diverged from the internalizing construct. Concurrent classification with a norm-referenced screener was generally adequate but varied depending on school and index. Predictive classification analyses using office discipline referrals also yielded comparable results as the norm-referenced screener. Although not without limitations, this study provides initial evidence of the validity of using SWPBS expectations to screen for behavioral risk.

This study investigated pre-service teachers' epistemic beliefs about the Internet using the Inventory of Internet-Based Epistemic Beliefs (IBEB). Also examined were their belief profiles to delineate the effect of IBEB on pre-service teachers' engagement in online reading activities and intention for ICT integration for constructivist learning activities. Participants were 474 teacher education students in Taiwan. Results revealed the four hypothesised constructsstructure, uncertainty, source, and justification for Internet knowledge -with good validity and reliability. Four epistemic belief groups were derived based on these constructs; and they exhibited differential effects on the validating variables. Cluster 1 was characterised by four positive epistemic beliefs (the positive beliefs), Cluster 2 by four negative epistemic beliefs (the negative beliefs), Cluster 3 by modest scores of the epistemic beliefs (the modest beliefs), and Cluster 4 by positive uncertainty and justification scores as well as negative structure and source scores (the high justification and uncertainty). Findings suggest that intervention targeting pre-service teachers in the negative beliefs and the modest beliefs may be necessary to foster positive epistemic beliefs for better constructivist learning in the online environment.

Premised on Web 2.0 technology, the current study investigated the effect of facilitating critical thinking using the Collaborative Questioning, Reading, Answering, and Checking (C-QRAC) collaboration script on university students' science reading literacy in flipped learning conditions. Participants were 85 Taiwanese university students recruited from two introductory educational psychology courses. Groups were formed by affinity grouping and were randomly assigned to collaborative learning conditions with or without C-QRAC script support. Both groups received direct introduction to critical thinking and were given the assigned reading before class. Results of the study showed that direct instruction on critical thinking may have an immediate effect on science reading literacy for both groups. Moreover, the effect of the C-QRAC collaboration script was contingent upon time, gender moderation, and test formats. Students who followed the C-QRAC script performed better on the delayed advanced multiple-choice items than those in the control group. Further, the C-QRAC script helped eliminate the gender gap in immediate and delayed total MC. But in delayed basic MC, males demonstrated higher scores than females. Higher prior knowledge predicted better scores on delayed basic MC as well as immediate and delayed constructed-response items. The findings imply that providing structure for university students in the flipped collaborative science reading had a sustained effect on their learning such that they were more likely to think about the questions discussed with partners, to try to find the answers to the questions, to discuss findings in the reading content with friends, or to reread the shared online note or article. As a result, we suggest use of the C-QRAC collaboration script to facilitate students' critical thinking and enhance their self-directed learning in flipped learning conditions. ARTICLE HISTORY