A qualitative study of in-service teacher evaluation beliefs

Qiaoyan He, Martin Valcke, Antonia Aelterman
Department of Educational Studies, Ghent University, Gent, B9000, Belgium
School of Educational Science, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, 610101, China

Abstract
Evaluation is traditionally seen as judgment to help teachers assess the educational outcomes.
However, evaluation also plays an important role in the development of teaching and learning process
as a key driving element. As evaluation is often used as a tool, it offers little opportunity for these
attributes (learning environment, behaviour, competence and attitude) to develop. Thirty-one Chinese
in-service teachers were interviewed to ascertain their evaluation beliefs In the classroom. The result
shows that in-service teachers define their evaluation in terms of who, why, what, how and when to
evaluate. Implications of this research suggest in-service teachers should have an integral role in
designing a curriculum and systems relevant to the evaluation context if educational researchers are all
concerned with their beliefs.

Keywords: beliefs; evaluation; evaluation beliefs; in-service teachers

Teacher learning, transfer and motivation: facilitating improved outcomes for students

Lex McDonald
Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
Abstract
In this paper professional development (PD) of teachers is discussed with particular reference to
teacher learning, motivation and transfer of training. It is noted that training does not always transfer
and therefore a re-think about how PD translates into practice is necessary. A strategic approach
emphasizing the interactive relationship of teacher learning, motivation and transfer of training is
related to effective teacher change and improved students’ performance. Reference is made to a
successful professional education dance programme that utilised many of the features associated with
effective PD.
Keywords: PD; motivation; teacher learning; transfer of training

Easing the transition for newcomers

Marie J. Myers
Queen's University, 99 Beverley Street, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3Y7 Canada
Abstract
When language barriers exist, newcomers are faced with serious difficulties. With communication
being a crucial tool to help their transitioning, language accommodations in schools are essential. After
my involvement in Ministry sponsored research to update programs and implement change, I
investigated if the objectives set as a result of my study were met through document analysis. I report
here the importance in subsequent documents, of the impact of changes recommended in my study for
their possible effectiveness on newcomers' integration. Follow-up strategies include a more holistic
approach to language development, modified teaching outcomes and a pedagogical orientation around
cultural insertion.
Keywords: school success strategies; modified language expectations; programme accommodations for
newcomers; teachers’ awareness-raising

Emotional Intelligence as a predictor of academic performance in university

Firouzeh Sepehrian
Urmia University, Valfajr-e2 Street, Faculty of Literature & Humanities,Department of Pychology, Urmia 57166, Iran
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between emotional intelligence skills and
academic performance and to determine the predictive validity of emotional intelligence factors in
order to predict the students’ academic performance. To these ends, 357 subjects (187 males, 170
females) were randomly selected through multiphase cluster sampling from Urmia University in Iran.
First, Bar-on emotional intelligence test was administered. A t-test and regression analysis was used for
data analysis and the mean and standard deviation were reported. The result of regression analysis
indicated that problem-solving, reality testing, social responsibility, assertiveness, and interpersonal
relationships had a significant role in the prediction of students’ academic performance. The scores of
empathy, social responsibility, optimism and stress tolerance of male and female students were
significantly difference.
Keywords: emotional intelligence; academic performance; gender

The university study programme quality evaluation from engineering students’ perspective

Alina Crisan, Roxana Enache
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Daicoviciu 15, 400020, România
Petroleum - Gas University Ploiesti, Bdul Bucuresti, 39, 100680, Romania
Abstract
The students’ involvement, in their dual capacity as both internal and external customers of the university
in the process of evaluation of the university programmes is considered, in the present market economy
conditions, not just a trend but a necessity. This paper wants to be an empirical study that wants to
approach the problematic of identifying, classification and establishing priorities of the basic quality
evaluation indicators of the programmes from the students’ point of view.
Keywords: quality indicators; evaluation; study programme customers

Didactic use of video games: an approach to the violent video games

Antonio Medina, M. Concepción Domínguez, C. Medina
Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Juan del Rosal 14, Madrid-28040, España
E-Logos, Juan del Rosal 14, Madrid-28040, España
Abstract
The use of video games in educational scenarios in the studied regions (Andalusia, Madrid and Castilla
La Mancha) provide their usefulness, in accordance with previous research done by Hopf, Huber and
Weiss (2008-2010) and the previous work of Medina and Cacheiro (2010).The studies prove the
formative potentiality of video games and the limitations of killer-games. We have adapted the
questionnaire designed by the above authors and completed it with the detailed study obtained from the
answers of more than a hundred teachers who filled in the questionnaire in 2008 and 2010-2011.
Teachers agree on the didactic or educational possibilities of video games and the relevance of using
them to promote competences such as communicative, digital and the willingness to learn. The
integration of video games into the educational processes will increase the flexibility of teaching and
student motivation.
Keywords: video games; aggresiveness; narratives; educational use of video games; plafulness.

Tutoring in European Higher Education Area: essential points for an integral model

Ernesto López Gómez
Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Juan del Rosal 14, Madrid-28040, España
Centro Universitario Villanueva, Costa Brava 2. Madrid-28034, España
Abstract
The university is involved in a process of deep change. According to the arrival of the European Higher
Education Area (EHEA) there are many issues to reconsider in university, such as: the introduction of
concept competence in the university curriculum, as well as the protagonism of the students (from
teaching to learning). In this article, we suggest that university tutoring is a possible action, as a way to
respond to the challenges of the EHEA, but it needs an integral tutoring model, whose basic lines we
venture to trace.
Keywords: Tutoring, university; European Higher Education Area

Creating transferable abilities through conversion programs for professional development – A case in mathematics learning

Ildikó Pelczer, Florence Mihaela Singer, Simona Eftimie, Cristian Voica
Concordia University, 1455 De Maisonneuve Blvd. W., Montreal, Canada
University of Ploiesti, 39 Bucuresti Bv., 100680, Ploiesti, Romania
University of Bucharest, 14 Academiei Str., 010014 Bucharest, Romania
Abstract
The paper presents a qualitative analysis of the impact of a conversion program on the teaching
activities of the participants. We found changes in conceptions and attitudes towards the new domain,
and we interpreted them as evidence that the participants became aware of the importance of
specialized content knowledge in effective teaching. It seems that such a conversion program,
concerning another school subject, is much more efficient as an in-service teacher training program,
inside the teaching subject.
Keywords: conversion program; specialized content knowledge; didactics of mathematics

How do people feel and react when friends consult them? Responses of non-professionals during consultations in daily life

Mieko Takahira
Chubu University, 1200 Matsumoto-cho, Kasugai, Aichi 487-8501, Japan
Abstract
This research investigated the variations in emotions and responses of non-professional consultees
when they were consulted from their close friends. Data from 180 university students in Japan were
analyzed. The results of factor analysis extracted five emotions: irritation, anxiety, pleasure, sadness,
and helplessness. As the responses shown by consultees, four factors: active listening, giving
suggestions, cheering, and affirmation. To analyze the relationships between emotions and responses,
I applied structural equation modeling. The results showed that emotions and responses had a special
connection. Positive emotions stimulated consultees to take an interest in the consulters. Negative
emotions reduced active responses, and often induced low involvement in the consulter’s problem.
Finally, I carried out comprehensive discussion of these results.
Keywords: consultation & counseling; helping method; emotions and responses of consultees

“Stress-Anxiety-Coping” triad in medical students

Lavinia Duica, Raul Talau, Daniela Nicoara, Laurentiu Dinca, Justinian Turcuc, Ghiorghe Talu
“V. Papilian” Faculty of Medicine Sibiu, Romania
Psychiatric Hospital Voila-Campina, Romania
Clinical Emergency Hospital Bacau, Romania
Abstract
The medical profession implies a series of stressful situations, and medical students start confronting
with specific stress factors (for example, sufferance, responsibility), and, besides these, others like,
academic (residency exam) or personal stress factors (for example, less leisure time). As a reaction to
these stress factors they develop different coping mechanisms and, sometimes even anxiety.
This work aims: 1) to analyse the stress factors acting on medical students; 2) to study the relationship
between demographic and stress factors, on the one hand, and the perceived stress, anxiety (state and/or
trait) and coping modalities, on the other hand; 3) to asses if maladaptive coping is a predictor for an
increased anxiety (state or trait).
Keywords: medical students; stress factors; perceived stress; anxiety; coping

The impact of teaching stress-coping techniques on vulnerable marital relationships

Mahsa Esmaeilikia, Behnam Fahimnia, Mahmood Golzari, Faramarz Sohrabi
AllamehTabatabai University, Faculty of Psychology and Education, Tehran, Iran
University of Technology Sydney, UTS Business, School of Management, Sydney, Australia
Abstract
This study aims to examine the effectiveness of teaching stress-coping techniques to women whose
partners have committed infidelity. A research sample of 20 married women is considered for this
purpose. Candidates are chosen from those who had sought professional advice from two wellrecognized
counseling centers in Tehran. Training sessions are conducted to educate the stress-coping
essentials to selected candidates during a three-month period. Four questionnaires (including three
widely-used questionnaires and a researcher-made questionnaire) are used to record the performance of
the test and control group before and after the conduction of the training sessions. The collected data is
analyzed using SPSS software. The important and interesting results achieved from this experiment
indicate that three out of five decision variables have responded positively to the stress-coping training
sessions. The positively responded variables include ‘improvement in candidate’s dysfunctional
attitudes’, ‘better use of problem-oriented strategies’, and ‘less use of ineffective coping strategies’. No
meaningful relationship can be observed from the results between teaching stress-coping techniques
and ‘overall martial satisfaction of candidates’ and ‘less use of emotion-oriented coping strategies’. The
findings of this research call for the development of more effective approaches for teaching stresscoping
techniques to enhance the marital satisfaction of distressed couple.
Keywords: stress; stress-coping strategies; infidelity; marital satisfaction.

School help professionals’ ideas on child abuse and neglect

Hakan Usakli
Sinop University, Education Faculty, 57000 Sinop, Turkey
Abstract
Method: In this study, a qualitative research has been carried out; there were interviews with 50 school
counselors working in Sinop; they stated their ideas on child abuse and neglect.
Analysis: Data collected via semi constructed interviews have been subjected to descriptive and content
analysis.The participant counselors were asked three questions.
Findings: In this study, the counselors have been able to differentiate features and to determinate the
negligence and abuse cases. However, it has been determined that the counselors’ information on
intervention is limited.
Conclusion: Although counselors have enough information on features and about the neglected and
abused child they think that their knowledge is insufficient. Counselors should participate in
conferences, seminars, symposiums or any information sharing process on child negligence and abuse.
Keywords: child negligence; child abuse; school profesionals

Age and gender differences regarding sexual behavior of Romanian young people

Claudia F Pop, Maria Olivo del Valle, Lucia M Lotrean
Department of Nursing, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Oviedo University, Spain
Department of Hygiene, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca,
Romania
Abstract
The objective of this study was to assess sexual related behaviour among Romanian high school and
university students, giving special attention to possible age and gender differences. The data were
obtained from a cross–sectional study using anonymous questionnaires conducted among 968 high
school and university students aged 15-24 years from two counties-Cluj and Hunedoara- of Romania.
The study confirms the early age of sexual initiation, particularly amongst males and the importance of
providing and reinforcing safe sex messages early, starting with the last years of secondary school and
continuing during high school and university.
Keywords: sexual behaviour; Romanian young people; condom use; health promotion

Ethno-cultural interrelationships in Dobrudja

Adrian C. Papari, Mihaela Sandu, Georgeta C. Cozaru
"Andrei Saguna" University of Constanta, B-dul. Al. Lapusneanu, no. 13, 510500, România
Abstract
This paper want to evaluate of the interethnic climate in Dobrudja and of the types of relationships
established between members of the ethnic groups in rural and urban Dobrudja.
The study was done on a non-probabilistic sample of 350 study participants, 50 members on behalf of
each ethnicity: Romanian, Armenians, Rroma, Russians-Lipovans, Turks, Tatars and Greeks. After a
complex and varied processing, using both quantitative and qualitative methods, we can conclude that
the type of these relationships is, mostly, of collaboration. Thus, Dobrudja is now a safe ethnic harbour,
an example of ethno-cultural diversity based on inter-cultural dialogue and mutual respect, and the
development at the cultural, economic and religious level of the ethnicities on this region.
Keywords: interethnic relationships; Dobrudja; cohabitation; globalisation