<p> The Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE) study contributed a wealth of knowledge regarding the differences across national/societal cultures. However, it did not attempt to measure the potential variations in implicit leadership theories (ILTs; leadership prototypes) that could occur due to individuals being influenced by more than one national culture within countries, such as bicultural individuals. Variations found within a country can be described by their extent of acculturation or adoption of one or more cultural influences. The extent of a person&rsquo;s acculturation may predict individual ILTs, which are the patterns of attributes that bicultural persons associate with good leaders. In addition, the extent of a person&rsquo;s cultural intelligence (CQ) may interact with acculturation in impacting ILTs because CQ influences a person&rsquo;s ability to understand and adjust mental modes to cultural norm. This study explored the relationships among acculturation, CQ, and ILTs in a sample of respondents from Mexican descent living in the United States. The results of the study provide a better understanding of how variations in national culture impact ILTs. In addition, the findings suggest interpretation of cultural dimensions is complex. Significant findings include (a) differences across acculturation levels regarding expectation for a leader to be characterized by the ILT dimensions of sensitivity and tyranny; (b) very Mexican-oriented individuals (acculturation Level 1) showing more expectation for a leader to be characterized as well-dressed, well-groomed, compassionate, understanding, sympathetic, and sensitive and less expectation for a leader to be domineering and demanding than Anglo-oriented individuals (acculturation Level 3), acculturation serving as a predictor of metacognitive CQ; (c) acculturation and metacogntive CQ clearly interacting thus complicating the picture of cultural effects occurring during adjustments to a new cultural setting; and (d) metacognitive CQ serving as a partial mediator between acculturation level and the ILT dimension of sensitivity.</p>

<p> This study examined secondary data that originated from Kaiser Permanente's Multidimensional Chronic Pain Treatment Program and focuses on <b>&rdquo;primary social support&rdquo;</b> and its significance in predicting chronic pain outcomes. <b>Primary social support</b> refers to the support derived from the one person whom the participant feels is his/her main supporter (i.e., a spouse, friend, neighbor, etc.). This study divides <b>primary social support</b> into four subcategories: general social support (PreSS), emotional support (PreEM), instrumental support (PreIN), and <b>negative reactions</b> (PreNeg). The hypotheses in this study predict that each <b>social support subcategory</b> can predict post-treatment pain severity (PostPain). Four hundred twenty five participants from four Kaiser Permanente hospitals participated in a <b></b>Multidimensional Chronic Pain Treatment Program<b></b>. Of the 425 participants, the scores of 196 participants with moderate to severe pain and impairment were eligible for data analysis. The treatment program consisted of a 10-week, 2.5 to 3-hour structured group intervention, with the goal of improving functioning, activity levels, coping skills, and overall emotional well-being (Bertagnolli, 2001). The participants completed the <b>West Haven Yale Multidimensional Pain Inventory (WHY-MPI)</b> at both the start and end of treatment. Through hierarchical linear regression analyses, <b>negative reactions</b> were found to significantly predict an increase of post-treatment pain scores. Meanwhile, general social support, emotional support and instrumental support were not significant in predicting post-treatment pain scores. These findings may guide future research of social support within a <b>Multidimensional Chronic Pain Treatment Program</b>.</p>

<p> I investigated linguistic patterns in middle school students' writing to understand their relevant embodied experiences for learning science. Embodied experiences are those limited by the perceptual and motor constraints of the human body. Recent research indicates student understanding of science needs embodied experiences. Recent emphases of science education researchers in the practices of science suggest that students' understanding of systems and their structure, scale, size, representations, and causality are crosscutting concepts that unify all scientific disciplinary areas. To discern the relationship between linguistic patterns and embodied experiences, I relied on Cognitive Linguistics, a field within cognitive sciences that pays attention to language organization and use assuming that language reflects the human cognitive system. Particularly, I investigated the embodied experiences that 268 middle school students learning about water brought to understanding: i) systems and system structure; ii) scale, size and representations; and iii) causality. Using content analysis, I explored students' language in search of patterns regarding linguistic phenomena described within cognitive linguistics: image schemas, conceptual metaphors, event schemas, semantical roles, and force-dynamics. I found several common embodied experiences organizing students' understanding of crosscutting concepts. Perception of boundaries and change in location and perception of spatial organization in the vertical axis are relevant embodied experiences for students' understanding of systems and system structure. Direct object manipulation and perception of size with and without locomotion are relevant for understanding scale, size and representations. Direct applications of force and consequential perception of movement or change in form are relevant for understanding of causality. I discuss implications of these findings for research and science teaching.</p>

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Fairleigh Dickinson University, 2002. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 63-02, Section: B, page: 1015. Chair: Andrew R. Eisen. Available also in print.

<p> As higher education changes to reach larger numbers of students via online modalities, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels, the issue of student attrition and other measures of student success become increasingly important. While research has focused largely on undergraduate online students, less has been done in the area of online non-traditional doctoral student success, particularly from the student trait perspective. On the trait level, the concept of grit has been identified as an important element of the successful attainment of long-term goals. Earning a doctorate can be classified as a long-term goal; therefore the purpose of this study was to examine the influence of doctoral student grit scores on student success. Success was measured in three ways: (a) in terms of persistence as measured by longevity in the program (the number of courses a student had successfully completed), (b) by examining current student GPA, and (c) by studying whether or not students have reached the critical milestone of successfully defending their dissertation proposal. The results of the study found no significant differences in mean grit scores for first, second, or third year students, nor found differences in mean grit scores for students that had or had not successfully defended their dissertation proposals. However, significant relationships were found between grit and current student GPA, grit and the average number of hours students spent of their program of study weekly, and grit and age. The results of this research are important for informing how doctoral education is structured, which characteristics may help students succeed, as well as providing areas for future research. </p><p> <i>Keywords: Higher education, grit, doctoral education, non-traditional students, online education, academic success, attrition</i></p>

<p> As a relatively new field of psychology, positive psychology generates momentum to enlighten a reciprocating view of human nature, to look at human potential as opposed to human shortfalls. In the course of building the field and theoretical foundations, courses and programs in adult learning environments have been established to educate students. Quantitative measures of formative and summative evaluation evaluate one type of learning. Given the idea stemming from Aristotle philosophies that noted education as part of meaning in life (as cited in Curren, 2010), the established theoretical view that meaning itself is created by an individual and sets a path for a more flourishing life. Thus, by creating meaning from integrating established knowledge and new knowledge, the transformation processes takes place. For the reason that these types of transformations cannot be quantifiably measured, a collective case study was used to support the theoretical foundations for the presented research. The presented research paper reflects the critical element of data collection and interpretation. The research study details the qualitative dissertation exploration of the research question: How do educators teaching Positive Psychology in the adult learning environment describe students&rsquo; personal transformations in response to the curriculum? The specific research investigation was to explore the perceptions of the presiding educators and to realize their portrayals of the learning transformations in the positive Psychology adult learning environment. After addressing inclusive criteria for a bounded unit, data were collected from seven presiding educators of the adult learning positive psychology environment. Additionally, the participant wrote reflective narratives to deepen and widen the perspective of the study. The interviews consisted of conversational open-ended questions, and the narrative was a free-writing exercise to purposely unburden participants from parameters. From the data collected, a code list was generated and then categorized into themes through a constant comparison of similar of codes from within and between individual participant cases. The themes represented generated patterns across data that created a description the phenomenon associated with the research question. As a result of the findings, implications of usefulness and recommendations for further studies were discussed.</p>

<p>Game-based learning has become a topic of interest in education, especially within the science education community. Although some evidence supporting the effectiveness of digital games for science learning is emerging, the results overall have been largely inconclusive. In order to further advance research on game-based learning, the purpose of this study was to apply an interdisciplinary approach using the cognitive-affective integrated framework, the information-processing model of selective attention (Broadbent, 1958; Lachter et al., 2004), and the dual-process theories of cognition (Kahneman, 2011; Svahn, 2009), to construct a comprehensive view of the mental processes of visual attention during gameplay in relation to the positive affective state of Flow experience. This study utilized a mixed methods design, using a concurrent embedded strategy QUAN/qual (Creswell, 2008) to collect and analyze both quantitative and qualitative data. Thirty-one high-school students (<i>N</i>=31) in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States, between ages 14 and 17, played the Serious Educational Game (SEG) called Neuromatrix. Self-report surveys and an eye tracking method were used to collect quantitative data for statistical analysis. A gaze duration sequence diagram (Raschke, Chen, &amp; Ertl, 2012) was adopted for data visualization and qualitative scanpath analysis. Two Flow scales (FSS-2 and eGameFlow) were used to explore the differences in psychometric properties between the generic and context-specific Flow measures. The results showed a negative linear relationship between visual attention and Flow experience (<i>p</i> &lt; .001). Three visual attention variables were identified and served as the indicators of Flow and perceived science learning in an SEG environment: (a) low fixation counts indicated students&rsquo; focused attention and immersion in an SEG; (b) short total visit duration represented the efficiency of selective visual attention and may serve as an indicator of Flow experience during gameplay; and (c) total fixation duration illustrated the extent to which students looked at specific learning materials that could possibly pass through the selective filter into conscious attention and thus, lead to learning. The interplay between affective and cognitive processes during gameplay played a key role in students&rsquo; deep engagement and had an impact on their positive science learning in an SEG. An interactive effect of total fixation duration and Flow on perceived science learning was found (<i>p</i> &lt; .001, <i> p</i>&eta;² = .324), implying that a well-designed SEG that aligns gameplay and learning objectives may promote synergy between engagement and learning. Moreover, two individual differences factors, science interest and self-efficacy for computer use (<i>p</i> &lt; .01) &ndash; that predicted Flow were identified by a stepwise regression analysis; these factors were shown to influence the attentional processes and cognitive processes of gameplay. The evidence of a positive relationship between science interest and Flow in an SEG may encourage teachers and parents to take an active role in instilling students&rsquo; science interest in their early years, and to support students&rsquo; ongoing development of science interest through exposure to various formal and informal learning contexts. </p>

<p> Industries in which effective teamwork is critical for safe operations are quickly discovering the benefits of simulation-based training (SBT). Research has shown the aviation industry, military operations, and medical field utilize impressive simulations allowing people to refine their technical and nontechnical skills in a "no consequence" environment. Grounded in team cognitive and group dynamic research, researchers are focusing their efforts on how to effectively use simulation as a training tool. The focus of this study was to determine how the degree of simulation difficulty affects teamwork. With a unique high fidelity simulation lab, the participants completed 3 hour work shifts to a run a simulated regional airline. Teamwork was based on the following five variables: contributing to teamwork, interacting with the team, keeping the team on track, expecting quality, and having the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's). The experimental design consisted of three teams randomly assigned to either a minimal, moderate, or maximum level of difficulty. After completion of the simulation, the participants completed an online survey for evaluations of their performance. The findings suggest some components of teamwork are affected by the design of the simulation, while others are not as susceptible to its effects. It was discovered the level of difficulty significantly affected individual and group performance in their expectation of quality and having relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's). As simulation difficulty only affected two out of the five teamwork variables, this leads to the conclusion that generally a team will perform based on their level of team cognition and efficient group behaviors, not necessarily based on the degree of difficulty presented during a simulation.</p>

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, 2000. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 61-06, Section: B, page: 3304. Adviser: Frances Campbell-LaVoie.

Magister Educationis - MEd / The research explores the effects of Community of Enquiry practices on the teaching and learning of Mathematics and Literacy in two local primary schools. After the 1994 elections, both the government and education system changed in South Africa. With the introduction of Outcomes Based Education (OBE), critical outcomes that emphasized thinking and collaboration became a vital part of the curriculum. Soon after, the Education system adopted the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) and thereafter the Revised National Curriculum Statement (RNCS), which maintained these outcomes. The Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) was introduced to the Foundation Phase in 2012 and to the Intermediate Phase in 2013 with the Critical Outcomes, (which emphasizes thinking) now stated as the aims of CAPS. However, no guidelines are provided regarding classroom practice. The approach to teaching these aims is not made clear. Lipman’s Philosophy for Children (P4C) is one way of working towards these aims, and promoting thinking and is consistent with many of Vygotsky’s ideas. He initiated ideas about cognitive development in which he refers to the importance of dialogue in which one is able to talk and communicate with others. Vygotsky also emphasised scaffolding where the teacher provides the learner with clues and suggestions in order to develop better problem- solving techniques and thinking habits. His concept of the zone of proximal development (ZPD) refers to the individual’s ability to accomplish more or to perform a challenging task with the proper assistance. The development of language is considered important within his theory as Vygotsky believes that individuals are born only with lower mental processes and develop their thinking ability (higher mental processes) by acquiring the thinking tools developed in a particular culture, the most important of which is language. The research followed a qualitative research methodology. The study explored the perceptions of both educators and learners after an intervention based on Philosophy for Children. Qualitative data involved two group interviews with teachers, one with the Cognitive Education Co-ordinator and interviews with four focus groups of selected Grade 5 and 7 learners (12 per group) whose teachers implemented Lipman’s Community of Enquiry pedagogy in the classroom the previous year. Quantitative data included a learner self-rating scale. All the educators of the two schools, who were involved in the classroom Community of Enquiry training, were invited to participate in the study, as were selected learners from the two Grade 5 and 7 classes at each school. I made use of thematic analysis of the interview data from both learners and teachers. Themes within the interviews were identified. Themes pertaining to teacher perception of self-change, teacher perception of learner change, and learner perceptions of self change were identified. During thematic analysis, the three research sub-questions were underlined. These were: (1) What are the teachers’ perceptions of self-change? (2) What are the teachers’ perceptions of learner change? (3) What are the learners’ perceptions of self-change? The conclusion of the study was that P4C has the potential to affect the teachers professionally and to influence the learners positively in Mathematics and Literacy classrooms. Ongoing support in cognitive education is vital in order to reach the aims required for the new CAPS curriculum.