Claudette M. Peterson

A cross-cultural validation of the Technology-Rich Outcomes-Focused Learning Environment Inventory (TROFLEI) in Turkey and the USA

Background Studies exploring the relationship between students’ achievement and the quality of the classroom learning environments have shown that there is a strong relationship between these two concepts. Learning environment instruments are constantly being revised and updated, including for use in different cultures, which requires continued validation efforts. Purpose The purpose of this study was to establish cross-cultural reliability and validity of the Technology-Rich Outcomes-Focused Learning Environment Inventory (TROFLEI) in both Turkey and the USA. Sample Approximately 980 students attending grades 9–12 in Turkey and 130 students attending grades 9–12 in the USA participated in the study. Design and method Scale reliability analyses and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were performed separately for Turkish and US participants for both actual and preferred responses to each scale to confirm the structure of the TROFLEI across these two distinct samples. Results Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficients, ranging from α = 0.820 to 0.931 for Turkish participants and from α = 0.778 to 0.939 for US participants, indicated that all scales have satisfactory internal consistency for both samples. Confirmatory factor analyses resulted in evidence of adequate model fit across both samples for both actual and preferred responses, with the root mean square error of approximation ranging from 0.052 to 0.057 and the comparative fit index ranging from 0.920 to 0.982. Conclusions This study provides initial evidence that the TROFLEI is valid for use in both the Turkish and US high-school populations (grades 9–12). However, the psychometric properties should be examined further with different populations, such as middle-school students (grades 6–8).

What Managerial Leadership Behaviors do Student Managerial Leaders Need? An Empirical Study of Student Organizational Members

Student leadership is a buzzword on most university campuses. However, recent research indicates that the leadership learning assumed to be taking place may not have happened at the depth currently believed. One explanation is that, as management education and development scholars, we are not clear on what leadership skills these student leaders require. This manuscript identifies the critical managerial leadership behaviors these student leaders need to successfully move their student organizations forward. It is based on empirical data from student members of the very organizations the student leader is trying to influence.

Dance? I Can’t Dance! Developing an Understanding of Mental Models Through Line Dancing:

Mental models guide our attitudes and direct our actions. Senge defined a mental model as a deeply ingrained set of assumptions, generalizations, or images that influence how we understand and respond to the world around us. Line dancing is an example of a process that includes many types of mental models. In fact, each dance is a mental model of its own. In addition, we each come to dancing with our own mental models about dancing and our self-concept. In this article, we share experiences of using line dances in classes as a way to help students be engaged while learning about a complex topic. Three sets of supplemental materials are included: (a) music suggestions, video links, and steps to help teach each dance; (b) suggestions to apply line dancing in various business courses; and (c) reflections on dance and mental models by the instructors.

Leading Through Courageous Following The Artist’s View

Engaging a student’s mind is critical to the learning process. In this article, you will learn about an assignment that engages the whole mind of a student. You will also learn about the underlying learning theories that make this an effective technique. This art project could be used in many different management courses. Ideas for how to use art in other types of management courses are provided as a supplementary document to this article. Instructors who want an engaging assignment that integrates competencies such as written and oral communication, creativity, and problem solving would find this article useful. You will hear from a group of students and see their artistic depictions of followership and personal leadership. The students involved in this specific project were freshmen, but the authors have used similar art projects with juniors, seniors, and graduate students with positive impact on their leadership development.

Affecting Student Perception and Performance by Grading With 10,000 Points

As professors, we each have our own approach to grading which allows us to assess learning and provide useful feedback to our students, yet is not too onerous. This article explains one approach we have used that differs from standard grading scales we often hear about from our colleagues. Rather than being based on 100 points or 100% over the course of a semester, it is based on 10,000 points. This might sound very complicated, but it is actually more simple and straightforward and could be used in any discipline. This article addresses current thinking about grading scales, challenges we face related to student paradigms about grading, how the grading scale based on 10,000 points mitigates those issues, considerations for implementing such a grading scale, and how students reacted to the grading scale.