John Todman

Theoretical models of culture shock and adaptation in international students in higher education

Theoretical concepts of culture shock and adaptation are reviewed, as applied to the pedagogical adaptation of student sojourners in an unfamiliar culture. The historical development of ‘traditional’ theories of culture shock led to the emergence of contemporary theoretical approaches, such as ‘culture learning’, ‘stress and coping’ and ‘social identification’. These approaches can be accommodated within a broad theoretical framework based on the affective, behavioural and cognitive (ABC) aspects of shock and adaptation. This ‘cultural synergy’ framework offers a more comprehensive understanding of the processes involved. Implications for future research, policy and practice are explored.

Gender differences in computer anxiety among university entrants since 1992

It has been reported that the proportion of computerphobic adults, including those comprising the population of first-year university students, remained fairly constant over several years preceding 1992, with estimates ranging from 25% to 50%. There has been a rapid increase in availability of computers during the following years and it was predicted that the incidence of computerphobia will have declined since 1992. Self-report computer anxiety (CA) scores obtained for five samples of first-year university students between 1992 and 1998 confirmed a reduction in mean levels of CA and in the proportion of computerphobic students over that period. However, the overall reduction in CA concealed a widening gap between mean CA scores of female and male students (p<0.01). Furthermore, female representation in the group at the high-scoring (computerphobic) end of the CA scale increased from 1992 to 1998 (p<0.001).

Qualitative differences in computer experience, computer anxiety, and students' use of computers: A path model

Abstract Biographical information (age and gender) was obtained on 180 first year psychology students along with self-report measures relating to computer use. The measures were: age of initial introduction to computers; qualitative aspects of early computer experience (how relaxed and unpressured the experience was and the extent to which the individual had felt ‘in control’ and competent during the experience); level of computer anxiety; current and anticipated future frequency of use of computers. A path model linking the above variables was proposed and tested. Apart from gender, all of the predictor variables exerted direct and/or indirect influences on use made (and expected to be made) of computers. In particular, an early introduction to computers was generally associated with a more favourable quality of initial experience, leading to lower anxiety and greater readiness of students to use computers.

Analysis of Pre‐test‐Post‐test Control Group Designs in Educational Research

Abstract Pre‐test‐post‐test control group designs are well suited to investigating effects of educational innovations and are common in educational research. They are frequently analysed by means of an ANOVA on change scores, or, what amounts to the same thing, a repeated measures ANOVA to test the treatment by occasion interaction. Although the analysis of change scores has intuitive appeal, such analyses are often inappropriate. An ANCOVA on post‐test scores, with pre‐test scores as co‐variate usually provides a more appropriate and informative analysis. Advantages of the ANCOVA approach are explained and illustrated using SPSS‐X analyses of fabricated data sets.

Primary children and teachers' attitudes to computers

Abstract An attitude to computers scale for primary age children was piloted and revised following item analysis. The final questionnaire, which yielded scores on the full scale and three sub-scales (fun, ease of use, usefulness), was completed by 721 children in the P3, P5 and P7 classes of 10 randomly selected local schools. A scale was also administered to the teachers of these classes. Except on the ease of use sub-scale, boys had more favourable attitudes than girls, the difference being unaffected by primary level. There was no overall age effect, except on the fun sub-scale on which scores decreased over primary levels, but there was an interaction between primary level and school. Pupil-teacher attitudes were positively correlated, except at the P3 level, where they were unrelated. Attitudes of neither pupils nor teachers were related to school ethos ratings, but both correlated negatively with a deprivation index (percent of children receiving free school meals).

Rate and quality of conversations using a text-storage AAC system: Single-case training study

“TALK”is a text-storage and retrieval AAC system designed for literate people who are unable to speak. It aims to support free-flowing social conversation by means of features that model pragmatic aspects of unaided conversation. A single-case, six-phase training study was carried out to help a user to take advantage of the pragmatic potential of the system. She had 10 conversations in a baseline phase, 4 following each of 4 training interventions (about 6 hours in total), and 4 in a maintenance phase. Over phases, her average prespeech pause times decreased (from 9 to 5 seconds) and her conversational rate increased (from 36 to 64 words per minute). Participant and observer ratings indicated that the quality of the conversations increased and perceptions of the users competence and personal qualities became more positive as her conversational rate increased. Speed and rating gains were sustained in the maintenance phase.

Computer anxiety: the role of psychological gender

Abstract A relationship between computer anxiety (CA) and gender has been found in a number of studies, with females generally scoring higher than males. Findings are variable, however, and biological gender does not adequately account for this variability. It is possible that psychological gender, in conjunction with the concept of masculinisation, may provide a more satisfactory account. Measures of CA and psychological gender were obtained for 138 first year undergraduate students in two departments, one in the Arts and Social Sciences faculty and one in the Science and Engineering faculty. Partial correlations revealed that psychological gender predicted CA with biological gender and faculty controlled, whereas biological gender failed to predict CA with psychological gender and faculty controlled. Results were discussed in relation to Bem’s theory of psychological gender.

Whole Utterance Approaches in AAC

Increased communication rate has long been a goal of both individuals who use AAC and device manufacturers. There is evidence that utterance-based approaches have the potential to deliver faster rates without loss of coherence. An overview of the historical development of devices that embody such approaches is set out here. This account focuses on the theoretical origins of utterance-based devices (UBDs) and the range of approaches that these have produced. Next, the issue of a causal relationship between conversational rate and positive attributions is addressed. Three recent studies supporting a causal relationship are described, followed by an account of a direct comparison between a UBD and a word construction system in office environments that involved a mix of transactional communication and social chat. Conversational rate and perceived communicative competence were both higher when the UBD was used. Finally, some issues for the future development of UBDs are discussed.

Should We Stay or Should We Go? A Social Psychological Model of Schisms in Groups

The authors present and test a model of schismatic processes in social groups. According to this model, schismatic intentions are caused by the perception that a proposed new norm fundamentally changes a central aspect of group identity. Also, the impact of this perception on schismatic intentions is mediated by the belief that group identity has been subverted, whose effect on schismatic intentions is, in turn, mediated by perceived inability to voice dissent and perceived lack of group entitativity. Data from officials of the Church of England who are against the ordination of women to the priesthood (N = 211) fit the predicted model.

Visual-Action Code Processing by Deaf and Hearing Children.

Abstract Groups of deaf and hearing children, matched on age and non-verbal reasoning ability, were tested on one of three versions of a short-term memory task involving the production of action responses to previously paired visual stimuli. One version of the task required free (i.e. unordered) recall of actions when visual stimuli were presented simultaneously (i.e. in a composite figure). In the other versions of the task, there was serial presentation of the same sets of stimuli followed either by free recall or serial recall of actions that had been paired with the stimuli. There was a significant interaction between hearing status and task version, with deaf children showing superior performance on the simultaneous presentation-free recall task and inferior performance on the serial presentation-serial recall task. The results were interpreted in terms of differences in coding orientation arising from different histories of communicative experience.