Terrill F. Saxon

Negotiation of meaning and co-construction of knowledge: An experimental analysis of asynchronous online instruction

Variations in group co-construction of knowledge and the extent to which participants engaged in negotiating meaning were directly related to instruction. The authors examined social interaction resulting from controlled variation in instruction using a counter-balanced design in two professional development courses for teachers. Both courses were held at the same time, included the same content with the same instructor, and were held in an asynchronous online format. Twenty-four subjects were randomly assigned to the two courses. Using socio-historical constructivist theory to guide instruction interventions, instruction frequency and questioning were intentionally manipulated during one-half of each course. The variations in instruction were hypothesized to promote negotiation of meaning and co-construction of knowledge within both groups. Transcript analysis using a dependent measure of social interaction was applied to the 782 utterances of the participants. Multiple comparisons revealed significant differences in the dependent measure in portions of the course where modified instructional strategies were implemented. The results show that relatively simple alterations in instructional practice (e.g., increasing instructional statements from once to twice per week and engaging participants in dialogue through open-ended questioning) yields a substantially enhanced learning outcome within this environment. Strong evidence suggests that online learning groups depend heavily on instruction to facilitate negotiation of meaning and co-construction of knowledge. This research raises concerns about whether or not instructors employ instructional strategies that influence social knowledge construction and subsequent learning outcomes from asynchronous online courses. In addition, the study demonstrates the utility of a previously published measure for social interaction in CMC.

Effects of professional development training on joint attention engagement in low‐quality childcare centers

This study carries forward the exploration of joint attention engagement in children from 18 to 24 months of age enrolled in ‘low‐quality’ childcare centers. Childcare providers and children were videotaped to capture social interactions in the classroom including duration and bids for joint attention. One‐half of 48 childcare providers were randomly assigned to receive professional development training (PDT) (the Focus‐Follow‐Talk® technique) designed to increase the frequency of joint attention. Three months after the PDT and three coaching visits for each subject in the treatment group, 30 minutes of videotape was recorded and coded for each childcare provider in the treatment and control groups. Significant findings were reported for the trained childcare providers on joint attention engagement duration and total bids for joint attention engagement. There was also evidence supportive of joint attention subtypes.

Internalizing problems among cyberbullying victims and moderator effects of friendship quality

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and internalizing problems among the youth. Moderator effects of a friendship quality were also investigated to examine if higher friendship quality moderated the negative effects of cyberbullying on psychological states of students.Design/methodology/approach – A total of 463 middle and high school students in Texas participated in an online survey. The frequency of cyberbullying victimization, the level of self‐esteem, depression, anxiety, stress, and the friendship quality were measured.Findings – There was a statistically significant association between cyberbullying victimization and internalizing problems. This study supported the results of past studies by demonstrating the aversive nature of cyberbullying. However, a quality of friendship quality did not seem to moderate negative psychological effects of cyberbullying. The results indicate the complexity and difficulty of intervening with cyberbu...

An Experimental Study of the Effects of Stereotype Threat and Stereotype Lift on Men and Women's Performance in Mathematics

In this study the authors examined the differential effects of stereotype threat and lift between genders on math test performance. They asked 3 questions: (a) What is the effect of gender on math test performance?, (b) What is the effect of stereotyping condition (threat, lift, or neither) on math test performance?, and (c) What is the effect of the interaction of gender and stereotyping condition on math test performance? Findings indicated that men performed better on math tests under conditions of stereotype threat than on stereotype lift; women performed better under stereotype lift than on stereotype threat. Practical applications are discussed regarding math test anxiety, social identities, and how teachers might address gender differences regarding stereotype threat and stereotype lift.

Does improving joint attention in low‐quality child‐care enhance language development?

This study examined effects of professional development for child‐care staff on language acquisition of children ages 14–36 months. Child‐care staff from 44 child‐care centres agreed to participate in the study. Child‐care staff from one‐half of the child‐care centres were randomly assigned to a one‐time, four‐hour workshop followed by three classroom visits over the subsequent three months. This treatment was designed to increase frequency and quality of joint attention episodes between the child‐care staff and the toddlers. Child‐care staff from the remaining 22 centres were assigned to a wait‐list control group. Toddlers (N = 121) in both the groups (n treatment = 64; n control = 57) were assessed with a measure of language acquisition after six months. While there were no significant differences on total language acquisition between groups, treatment group toddlers whose child‐care providers engaged in more frequent and longer bouts of joint attention acquired more language. The results of this study support that when child‐care staff engage in longer and higher quality bouts of joint attention with toddlers they can affect language acquisition.

The Relationship between Parenting Styles and Creativity in a Sample of Jamaican Children.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between parenting styles and creativity among a sample of Jamaican students and their parents. A total of 54 parents and 66 students participated in the study. Results revealed that the authoritarian style of parenting is the most salient predictor of creativity in children and that this relationship was negative. In addition, parents’ level of creativity was greater than that of their children and was also predictive of childrens level of creativity. The creativity level of children in the sample was lower than that of the normative sample. Because creativity is linked to critical thinking, the implications of this study is especially pertinent to the Jamaican population, which is noted for its authoritarian style of parenting.

Applying the Theory of Reasoned Action to Domestic Violence Reporting Behavior: The Role of Sex and Victimization

Domestic violence is a serious social issue that affects one in every four relationships. Interventions for victims and abusers are contingent upon reporting of the violence, but many cases are never reported. The theory of reasoned action may offer a model for understanding reporting behavior in adolescents and young adults. In a sample of 891 adolescents and young adults, social norms and attitudes were predictive of reporting intentions and subsequently, reporting behavior. For the purposes of this study, reporting behavior was defined as reporting the domestic violence to any individual not directly involved, which could include law enforcement personnel or other individuals who may provide assistance. Understanding how attitudes and social norms affect reporting behavior could be helpful for agencies serving individuals affected by domestic violence.

The Influence of Youth Assets on the Career Decision Self-Efficacy in Unattached Jamaican Youth.

The present study expands the career decision self-efficacy (CDSE) literature by focusing on a sample of unattached Jamaican youth to determine if youth assets (protective factors like family communication and peer role models) were predictive of increased CDSE. Unattached youth are defined as those that do not have a job or are not currently enrolled in any educational or other training program. Participants consisted of 921 unattached Jamaican youth (557 females) ranging from 16 to 25 years of age. Participants completed the Career Decision Self-Efficacy-Short Form Scale and the Youth Asset Survey. Results from multiple regression analyses revealed that female youth reported higher CDSE scores than their male counterparts. Results also indicated that youth who reported making more responsible choices, having higher future aspirations, and having more peer and nonparental adult role models had higher CDSE scores. Implications for practice are discussed relative to the culture of Jamaica and unattached youth.

Joint Attention and Toddler Characteristics: Race, Sex and Socioeconomic Status∗

In studies of joint attention and sequences of interaction that foster joint attention, limited focus has been placed on toddler characteristics such as race, sex and socioeconomic status (SES). The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between joint attention and toddlers race, sex and SES. Eighty‐four dyads of diverse race, sex and SES were videotaped playing, and joint attention and initiating matemal bid sequences were coded. Joint attention related to a “persisting” mother, whether or not the toddler accepted the initial maternal bid. No race differences were found; however, females engaged in more frequent bouts of joint attention and had more frequent nonpersistent maternal responses after the bid was accepted. Finally, SES was generally unrelated to joint attention. The manner in which bids for joint attention transpired and the amount of joint attention that occurred was largely independent of the dyads SES as measured here. ∗This research was funded by a university r...

Language Competence and Joint Attention in Mother-Toddler Dyads.

Research suggests that caregiver‐infant interaction facilitates language competence. Joint attention, an ostensive interaction, presumably provides a context for learning language; however, the relationship between joint attention and language competence is not firmly established. The primary objective of the present study was to investigate the relationship between language competence, joint attention and interaction that fosters joint attention. Results indicated that no correlation was found between joint attention and concurrent language yet joint attention was related to toddler age which correlated with language. These findings are consistent with recent reports (e.g., Tomasello et al., 1996; Baldwin, 1993) suggesting that non‐ostensive settings need further exploration since infants use fairly sophisticated, subtle referential cues to learn language within them. The issue of contrived laboratory measures of joint attention is discussed.