Multidisciplinary Studies

International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) (2003) found that 50% of fourth-graders but only 29% of eightgraders agreed strongly with the statement, "I enjoy learning mathematics." The present study explored attitudes towards mathematics through the use of adolescents' drawings and assessed the reliability and validity of drawings of math. One hundred twenty-nine U.S. students (mean age = 13.7 years) responded to these instructions, "Draw a picture of math and write about math. You can draw your feelings about math and your experiences with mathematics." Drawings were scored by independent raters according to sixteen criteria; with interrater reliability ranging from .67 to 1.00. One hundred and one students also expressed their levels of agreement on a four-point scale with the TIMSS statements about learning, valuing, and enjoying mathematics. Attitudes towards mathematics expressed in drawings significantly correlated with attitudes expressed in the TIMSS statements about mathematics. On their drawings many students expressed strong feelings about math ranging from "I absolutely love math!" to "You die math." This study demonstrated that adolescents' drawings provide a good means for assessing young adolescents' thoughts and feelings about math. The study also included comparisons of drawings of mathematics collected from 96 young adolescents from Ghana and South Africa.

This paper describes the process of establishing an Internet-based online graduate degree program for teachers. At Webster University (Missouri), this program was the first online degree to be offered by the institution. The paper reviews Webster University's experiences and outlines a planning process that includes defining the rationale (risks) and developing the major components (roadblocks), including courses, approvals, facilities, instructor support, student support, and evaluation. The lessons learned (rewards) are summarized, and recommendations are given for other institutions that wish to launch online degree programs for teachers.

Background: Given rising expectations for higher education institutions to rely more on private sources of funding, there is a search for viable models and directions that promise success. But the models used by successful institutions are often unique and not applicable to institutions needing guidance. Aims or focus of discussion: The aim of this paper is to review the development of Webster University, as a case example of how it has met the complex challenges facing private higher learning institutions. The analysis seeks to identify themes and guiding principles that can benefit other institutions. Arguments / comments / suggestions: Five themes explain how Webster University developed from its origin as a small Catholic college in 1915, to achieve its status today as a vibrant, independent, international university with 107 campuses and worldwide enrollment of 21,000. The themes include: (1) commitment to a clear mission; (2) global education programs; (3) diversity of students; (4) personalized learning; and (5) embedded technologies. The themes are conceived as guiding principles that can be shaped and customized to the needs, characteristics, and the particular circumstances of other institutions. The themes also have room for many creative solutions and directions, yet unknown or untested. Conclusion: The case study of Webster University's development gives credence and validation for other institutions to trust the visionary thinking, creative energies, resourcefulness, and commitment of everyone involved toward a viable, relevant and successful institution for the 21 st century.

This article describes insights and consciousness transformations reported in several contemporary peace pilgrimage oral histories and autoethnographies, including my own. Autoethnography is a form of autobiographical writing that stresses the interpretation of experiences in their psychosocial, cultural, and historical contexts. Peace pilgrimages are typically self-defined journeys and projects which may be inward and metaphorical, or which may involve actual travel to destinations that memorialize historical events of mass killing and profound suffering, and places that envision, cultivate and educate for global or inner peace. The insights and learnings include (a) the call to journey and other out-of-the-ordinary communications; (b) understanding the transformative learning process; (c) glimpsing the meaning of planetary consciousness; and (d) bearing witness to the inhuman. These paradigmatic themes may be applicable to one's personal search for meaning, and as signposts for collective, societal healing from psychic and social wounding and traumas. The themes may be useful for educators and researchers in peace studies, religious studies, history, biography, philosophy, psychology and consciousness studies.

This study attempted to create a defensible theoretical and empirical foundation for humanistic-psychological education. The present lack of such a foundation has resulted in four major goal problems, including: (l)The goals are not operationally clear., (2)They are of questionable educational value., (3)They are not ethically justifiable., and (4)They • cannot be adequately evaluated or empirically

In studies conducted in the USA, teacher dispositional factors such as enthusiasm, professional esteem and learning motivation often emerge as the most significant variables affecting student learning and achievement from the primary grades through higher education. Do these factors play as significant a role in student learning and achievement in China as they do in the USA? This conceptual paper aims to compare the patterns of teacher dispositions in China with those patterns in the USA. Fourteen experienced teachers and instructors at schools and universities in China and the USA provided oral and written narratives in which they reflected on how teacher attitudes and dispositions affected student learning and achievement.

In studies conducted in the USA, teacher dispositional factors such as enthusiasm, professional esteem and learning motivation often emerge as the most significant variables affecting student learning and achievement from the primary grades through higher education. Do these factors play as significant a role in student learning and achievement in China as they do in the USA? This conceptual paper aims to compare the patterns of teacher dispositions in China with those patterns in the USA. Fourteen experienced teachers and instructors at schools and universities in China and the USA provided oral and written narratives in which they reflected on how teacher attitudes and dispositions affected student learning and achievement.

This study involved the construction of a theory arld scoring manual for assessing the developmental stages of individuals' concepts of marriage. Four stages (Magical, Idealized Conventional, Individualistic, A ffirmational) were identified. The reliability of the scoring procedure (interrater and item-total protocol)was judged to be acceptable. Correlations with age, schooling, ego development, and years of marriage support the marriage concepts stage sequence. Adolescents (N = 162) scored at the first two stages of marriage concepts. However, in ego development, their mean score was above the Conformist level, thus suggesting that the adolescents were more advanced in their overall personality development than in their developmental stages of marriage concepts.

Using a simple instrument, teachers can choose an approach to classroom discipline compatible with their own values. Student discipline is consistently a primary con cern of teachers and citizens. 1 In fact, teachers' in ability to manage students effectively is the main source of dissatisfaction for two-thirds of today's teachers. 2 Numerous books have been written to assist teachers with discipline problems, and there are many courses and workshops to choose from, ranging from "behavior modification methods" to "reality therapy" to "teacher effectiveness training." But the increasing number of choices makes decisions more difficult, especially for beginning teachers whose teacher prep aration programs gave them little exposure to disci pline strategies, and who have yet to develop their own styles. We have developed a way for teachers to clarify their beliefs on discipline so they can select strategies with which they are comfortable. Self-concept the orists, including Lecky3, Kelley4, Snygg and Combs5

This paper investigates the growth of State sponsored virtual schools and their role in providing for parental choice 1 in the face of limited access to high quality public education in certain areas. Furthermore this piece explores the increasing competition faced by the traditional "neighborhood school" from more centralized district based and or State sponsored virtual schools. Implications for the control of public schools remain critical to in what appears to be a struggle between centralization and decentralization that virtual schools represent. Introduction In the face of recent reports that online and hybrid learning programs are proving to be more effective than traditional face to face programs at the post secondary level (USDOE, 2009) it is not surprising that online learning is increasingly becoming a rapid growth area in education in the USA. A few recent studies also find that, online learning by itself is more effective than traditional face-to-face instruction in raising student academic performance in the areas of (Sivin-Kachala Jay and Bialo Ellen, 2009).

This paper describes a study of a social media knowledge community designed to induct preservice teacher candidates into the unstructured domain of teaching, The goal of the analysis was to examine the development of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) and resilience among preservice teachers within a highly immersive entry experience course. The paper presents social media as a viable platform for developing teacher learning and development. Surveys and content analyses of curated social media content offer data for the study. Findings from the study indicate that social media learning communities provide an engaging platform for knowledge building in the case of preservice teachers.

This conceptual paper analyses the potential impact of the Internet of Things (IoT) on education. IoT is more than just novel educational arrangements with new technology and networked computing devices. Taking a systems design perspective, the author argues that IoT represents a paradigm shift in the key drivers of education systems. IoT flattens hierarchies, clarifies purpose around learner needs and reshapes instructional systems. IoT represents a paradigm shift in how instruction can be delivered as well as how and when formal learning occurs. Our analysis suggests that IoT technology will allow for more personalized learning arrangements as well as more responsive learning settings. The paper utilizes a content analysis of current literature on IoT in education and bolsters this with a review of IoT on social media. Findings suggest that: (1) IoT technology has the potential to impact how education systems are reimagined and redesigned; (2) that logistics of educational management and the design of learning facilities can become more responsive to student learning needs due to IoT technology; and (3) instructional delivery systems will be reconstituted by IoT technology. This article is of most value to educators, administrators, and information systems professionals. Industries of focus include k-12 education, higher education and specialized training fields. Background One pathway to begin thinking about IoT in education is to ask the question, how and from whom would I learn, if I were wearing an always-on, always listening, internet connected computer? This thought might be frightening at the outset, but it is this type of lens through which, IoT holds real promise for revolutionizing all facets of education. IoT is both a type of technology and a concept that describes new approaches to human-computer interaction. In an IoT world, learners experience personalized forms of instructional delivery and individualized forms of learning designs. A teacher or artificial intelligence tutor can view the performance metrics of each learner and can automatically assign new lessons or activities to deepen learning. Wearable emotion or cognitive sensors can communicate the frustrations, anxiety or confusion of a learner and present the teacher with recommendations of supports for each student. Learners involved with skill-development and role-play can record and playback their performance and an artificial intelligent tutor can monitor and score their execution of the skill or suggest novel ways to improve performance based on learning preferences and prior learning workstyle.

This study involved the construction of a theory and scoring manual for assessing the developmental stages of individuals' concepts of marriage. Four stages (Magical, Idealized Conventional, Individualistic, Affirmational) were identified. The reliability of the scoring procedure (interrater and item-total protocol) was judged to be acceptable. Correlations with age, schooling, ego development, and years of marriage support the marriage concepts stage sequence. Adolescents (N=162) scored at the first two stages of marriage concepts. However, in ego development, their mean score was above the Conformist level, thus suggesting that the adolescents were more advanced in their overall personality development than in their developmental stages of marriage concepts.

This article describes insights and consciousness transformations reported in several contemporary peace pilgrimage oral histories and autoethnographies, including my own. Autoethnography is a form of autobiographical writing that stresses the interpretation of experiences in their psychosocial, cultural, and historical contexts. Peace pilgrimages are typically self-defined journeys and projects which may be inward and metaphorical, or which may involve actual travel to destinations that memorialize historical events of mass killing and profound suffering, and places that envision, cultivate and educate for global or inner peace. The insights and learnings include (a) the call to journey and other out-of-the-ordinary communications; (b) understanding the transformative learning process; (c) glimpsing the meaning of planetary consciousness; and (d) bearing witness to the inhuman. These paradigmatic themes may be applicable to one's personal search for meaning, and as signposts for collective, societal healing from psychic and social wounding and traumas. The themes may be useful for educators and researchers in peace studies, religious studies, history, biography, philosophy, psychology and consciousness studies.

International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) (2003) found that 50% of fourth-graders but only 29% of eightgraders agreed strongly with the statement, "I enjoy learning mathematics." The present study explored attitudes towards mathematics through the use of adolescents' drawings and assessed the reliability and validity of drawings of math. One hundred twenty-nine U.S. students (mean age = 13.7 years) responded to these instructions, "Draw a picture of math and write about math. You can draw your feelings about math and your experiences with mathematics." Drawings were scored by independent raters according to sixteen criteria; with interrater reliability ranging from .67 to 1.00. One hundred and one students also expressed their levels of agreement on a four-point scale with the TIMSS statements about learning, valuing, and enjoying mathematics. Attitudes towards mathematics expressed in drawings significantly correlated with attitudes expressed in the TIMSS statements about mathematics. On their drawings many students expressed strong feelings about math ranging from "I absolutely love math!" to "You die math." This study demonstrated that adolescents' drawings provide a good means for assessing young adolescents' thoughts and feelings about math. The study also included comparisons of drawings of mathematics collected from 96 young adolescents from Ghana and South Africa.