In mid-March, I will pay my first visit to South Korea. Having lived in the Far East for eleven years (Hong Kong five years and Bangkok six years), South Korea has always been the missing piece in my Asia travel jigsaw. I will be in Seoul visiting schools, then in Daegu for the IB Conference. I’m excited to be co-presenting with two of my favourite people – one is the talented Secondary Principal of a great MARIO school and the other, a senior member of the IB team and a genuine thought leader. Both share my passion for well-being and learning. Our session will begin with some disturbing trends in student anxiety and poor well-being, but will go on to share some of the positive changes we are seeing. Overall, it will be upbeat and optimistic, because at MARIO Education, we are actively addressing many of these issues.
We’re proud to be supporting our growing number of schools in helping their students in a range of ways:
· Our check-ins (which take only a couple of minutes) provide immediate data on how students are feeling, and this generates some fascinating data visualizations which can be filtered by grade level and by individual students. This ensures all students are heard and enabling them to indicate when things are all good, and when they’re not so good. School leaders, counsellors and well-being leads can view data across the school, identifying patterns and outliers and deciding how to allocate resources.
· Our MARIO 1:1 conversations address the data and help get students back on track to reach their goals and center themselves. Our founder, Phil has been offering free training sessions to all MARIO schools, upskilling teachers in how to conduct these powerful coaching conversations (these take between three – seven minutes).
· Our Personal Learning Plans (PLPs) are a way for each student to articulate who they are as a learner, how they learn best, how teachers and others can best help them, how they are progressing towards their goals, and how their friendships are. These PLPs are not only co-constructed by the students themselves, they also monitor and update them, teaching important self-management skills and habits.
· Our MARIO conferences focus on executive functioning skills and organizational aptitudes, helping students to develop their study skills and become more self-directed.
There are many other aspects to what we do (including class reflections, a range of bespoke surveys, IEP uploads etc.) and our extensive suite of strategies and tools can be viewed as a menu from which schools can select according to their needs.
Assuming I find my way around Seoul and then to Daegu via the superb but complex Korean train network without getting hopelessly lost, I look forward to sharing more about our conversations on well-being and learning when/if I return!
Best wishes,
Graeme
Mental Health, Psychology
This study seeks to explore the potential gap between the responsibilities assigned to Scottish secondary teachers and those they assume. Under Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence, the health and well-being of school pupils are deemed the ‘Responsibility of All’.
Addressing Mental Health in Teachers and Students
Many attempts to address mental health in schools have focused on raising awareness among both teachers and pupils. Recent recommendations include avoiding a “deficit model perspective” and embracing “techniques that encourage pupils to feel secure and foster good relations with teachers”. Integrating mental health interventions into daily school life, engaging all staff and parents, and collaborating with outside agencies have also been suggested.
Teachers can succumb to vicarious trauma as they grapple with the demands of dealing with children from traumatized backgrounds. This can lead to burnout, emotional exhaustion, and leaving the profession. Teachers’ emotional health is a key factor in maintaining their dedication, yet data shows that those working in the UK education sector report significantly higher levels of stress, depression, or anxiety compared to other industry sectors. Teachers who feel high levels of responsibility for student mental health often experience increased stress and worry.
The Role of a Teacher
The study consisted of a questionnaire, interviews, and a focus group involving teachers at a comprehensive secondary school near a large Scottish city. The interviews and focus group were semi-structured. Participants had teaching experience ranging from 1 year to over 40 years, some with additional responsibilities within departments or at a whole school level. Data gathered generated a total of 32 possible themes, further split into the following three broad areas/themes for discussion:
“It’s everything we do”: Teachers felt that paying attention to pupils’ mental health was a core aspect of their role.
“I’m not equipped”: All interviewees highlighted a lack of confidence in their ability to deal with pupils’ mental health issues.
“To the detriment of what?”: Educators felt they should ‘be there’ for pupils but also recognized limits to their responsibility for pupils’ mental health as they managed their responsibility for students’ academic success.
More Training is Needed for Teachers
While further investigation is needed to fully understand what teachers mean by “more training”, it’s clear they are asking for deeper knowledge and understanding of how mental health issues manifest in young people, strategies for dealing with these issues, understanding of brain function, and effective listening skills. Teachers noted this training would be most beneficial at the start of their careers and emphasized the importance of improved collaboration and shared language across agencies to provide consistent complimentary services.
Notable Quotes:
“While the Scottish Government publicises a Responsibility of All approach, this is not enough to ensure that responsibility, in particular for pupil mental health, is felt by all teachers”
“Even those staff who had most experience dealing with pupils’ mental health issues still reported that they felt ‘ill-equipped’ and lacking in confidence describing themselves as having ‘a real case of imposter syndrome'”
“The continuum ranged from agreement that it is (mental health) a fundamental part of the role of any teacher to a refusal to accept it as part of the class teacher’s professional responsibility.”
Personal Takeaway:
It was an interesting read. It highlights the increased demands placed on teachers beyond academics. It begs the question, just how responsible are teachers for student mental health, and can they be held accountable? —Matt Browne
McKee, C., & Breslin, M. (2022). Whose Responsibility is it Anyway? Pupil Mental Health in a Scottish Secondary School. Scottish Educational Review, 54(1), 49-69.
Hi Everyone,
I’ve just transitioned from the classroom to focus solely on MARIO Education this month, and I must admit, I’m already feeling nostalgic about the teaching rollercoaster. Each day brings its mix of those ‘aha!’ moments and the ‘where’s my coffee?’ challenges, doesn’t it? Striving to excel in our teaching careers, particularly when applying to prestigious international or local schools, is quite the journey. We’re constantly balancing lesson planning, integrating technology, and catering to diverse student needs, all while aiming to refine our own skills. It’s as exciting as daunting and exhausting!
That’s where we come in. Our MARIO Educator and Assistant Certifications have garnered global recognition from school leaders as the premier standard in applying learning science in the classroom. We provide you with the most current and evidence-supported strategies, connect you with fellow educators worldwide, and seamlessly fit this into your hectic teaching schedule. This is more than just earning a certificate or graduate-level credit from San Diego University; it’s about joining an elite group of educators committed to mutual growth, sharing rich experiences, and driving significant impact in the classroom.
The feedback speaks for itself: a staggering 98% of our course participants recommend our programs. More than a third of our graduates have integrated our MARIO for Me software into their classrooms, and about 90% of these educators report enhanced learning outcomes for their students and saving precious time in their daily routines.
Our next Educator cohort starts in 40 days and Assistant course in 68 days. We’ll give you a 25% discount if you sign up this week.
Looking forward to having you join our team.
Philip Bowman
Co-founder and CEO, MARIO Education (and proudly, your peer)
Well-being has become widely regarded as a matter of concern for governments and public policy and, in recent years, schools have been increasingly seen as sites for promoting well-being. This has given rise to a substantial growth in research on school-based interventions related to student well-being. In this regard, the role of teachers has received particular attention, given the well-established association between the quality of student-teacher relationships, student engagement and well-being, and their social and emotional development However, research on the role of teachers has identified a need for conceptual clarification with what fostering well-being might entail.
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Well-being Should Be an Integral Part of Everyday Teaching and Learning
Previous research has indicated that teachers favored the term “well-being” and were more reluctant to use the term “mental health”. While teachers emphasize the importance of mental health, there is a gap in understanding how to implement practices. This has led to researchers suggesting that there needs to be more ways to increase mental health literacy among teachers.
Researchers have pointed out that much of the discourse around well-being is centered on how it can relate to better academic outcomes rather than well-being simply being a product of education. It was additionally noted that if well-being is viewed as integral to the educational process then supporting it should be anchored in everyday teaching and learning rather than in addition to it.
The Pressure of Producing High Academic Results Prevents Teachers From Addressing the Well-being Concerns in Schools
A qualitative study was done where researchers conducted focus groups. The study was carried out in the context of a continuing professional development program for teachers fostering student well-being across 10 municipalities with approximately 30 schools in Norway. 23 teachers participated (17 female and 6 male) with teaching experience ranging from 2-41 years. The teachers in this study gave high importance to their role in fostering student well-being, seeing it as related to students’ personal development and growth. Teachers in the study had a long-term perspective on their student’s growth and development and emphasized their role in facilitating conditions in which the students could thrive, explore, learn, and develop a sense of self-worth and social competence.
Teachers noted their concern about the high expectations on student performance in their school life including social pressure, academic pressure, and extracurricular demands. They said this has led to students feeling more overwhelmed and prone to mental health difficulties than they had in the past. While teachers would like to focus more on well-being and address these demands on students, they face their own unique set of demands, such as better test scores, leaving them with little time to foster overall student well-being.
The Role of Educators Concerning Student Well-being Needs To Be Clarified
The authors emphasized the tension and issue facing educators: wanting to find time to emphasize and address student well-being, but feeling ill-prepared and being short on time to do so. This in turn threatens the well-being of teachers and leaves them with a sense of uncertainty about their role in student well-being. One suggestion made was to offer more continuing professional development in this area and have more meaningful conversations about the educator’s role concerning student wellbeing.
Notable Quotes:
“[…]the dominant discourse has focused on how students’ wellbeing can lead to better academic outcomes, rather than wellbeing being an outcome of education[…]”
“At an overarching level, the teachers in this study considered fostering student wellbeing to be integrated into their professional role.”
“This situation left teachers struggling to balance their various responsibilities; on one hand they felt that they should put pressure on the students to make them work harder and get better test scores, and on the other hand they felt that this might come at the expense of their focus on fostering students’ overall wellbeing”
Personal Takeaway:
It was an interesting read. I resonated with valuing student well-being but being unsure of how to actually make this happen in practice. I also appreciated the way the tension teachers face with student well-being and academic achievement was articulated.—Matt Browne
Samnøy, S., Thurston, M., Wold, B., Jenssen, E. S., & Tjomsland, H. E. (2022). Schooling as a contribution or threat to wellbeing? A study of Norwegian teachers’ perceptions of their role in fostering student wellbeing. Pastoral Care in Education, 40(1), 60-79.
Psychology, Pedagogy, Mental Health
The research delves into the realm of phobic disorders in children, exploring how these phobias unfold in response to the influence of various social factors on young minds.
The Impact of Family on the Prevalence of Anxiety-Phobic Disorders
The study reveals that anxiety-phobic disorders are observed in 2% of children, making them a relatively common independent pathology in childhood. Additionally, these conditions often coexist with other disorders in children with various types of dysontogenesis.
The research emphasizes the significant role of family factors in the emergence and development of anxiety states in children. Dysfunctional family relationships, including hyper-protection, emotional rejection, and abuse, are identified as contributors to the development of neurotic disorders in children.
Structural deformation of the family, such as the absence of one parent, is identified as a strong factor affecting the negative development of a child’s personality. The type of family structure is found to be associated with the strength of anxiety-phobic experiences in children, with different types of education influencing fear levels and anxiety symptoms.
Influential Factors Contributing to the Negative Development of a Child’s Personality
The study employed a clinical-psychopathological method and examined 28 children aged 7-10 with anxiety-phobic disorders. The research focused on analyzing family factors and psychological characteristics of parents and children to understand the interdependence between family structure and anxiety-phobic experiences in children. While the study did not explicitly mention a survey, it utilized clinical observations and analysis of family dynamics among the identified participants.
The results revealed a significant impact of family dynamics on children with anxiety-phobic disorders. Specifically, the absence of one parent and the use of non-harmonious, pathological upbringing were identified as influential factors contributing to the negative development of the child’s personality. Children experiencing phobic disorders exhibited characteristics such as frustration, heightened emotional arousal, interpersonal difficulties, and the use of low-adaptive coping strategies. Parents, depending on the family type, demonstrated impaired self-awareness and dissatisfaction, with fathers expressing discontent in marital relationships and distorted perceptions of their children.
These findings suggest a complex interplay between family structure, parenting styles, and the manifestation of anxiety-phobic experiences in children. The results provided insights into the nuanced relationship between family factors and the psychological well-being of children with anxiety-phobic disorders, contributing valuable information to the understanding of this prevalent issue in childhood and adolescence.
A Need Has Been Identified for Targeted Interventions
The discussion section underscores the crucial role of family dynamics in shaping anxiety-phobic experiences in children, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to address dysfunctional parenting styles. The results suggest that understanding and addressing family factors, such as the absence of a parent and non-harmonious upbringing, are vital in mitigating the negative impact on a child’s psychological well-being. The study prompts a call for practical strategies in parenting education and family support programs to enhance the overall mental health of children with anxiety-phobic disorders. Furthermore, the findings highlight the complexity of the relationship between family structure and the manifestation of anxiety-phobic symptoms, paving the way for future research to explore nuanced aspects of family dynamics and their specific contributions to childhood neurotic disorders.
Notable Quotes:
“Neurotic conditions occupy one of the leading positions in children’s neuropsychic disorders, and disorders in the form of symptoms of anxiety occur in 10-15%. At the same time, most often – 2% of the total number of children – they act as an independent pathology.”
“The most sensitive periods for the emergence of such affective states are periods of change or complication of the ‘man-to-man’ system of relationships. Simultaneously with the growth of the child, his system of relations changes, that is, not only objective relations with the people around him but also his subjective attitude towards others.”
“Depending on the structure of the family, the contribution of the pathologized type of education to strengthening the anxiety-phobic experiences of children will be different. The pathological type of education contributes to increased fear and increased anxiety symptoms. The incoherent type of education is interconnected with the child’s relationship system, affecting both his self-esteem and the perception of family members.”
Personal Takeaway:
What caught my attention as an educator was how this study stressed the role of family in shaping anxiety in kids. The idea that families can impact a child’s personality in both good and not-so-good ways resonates with what I’ve seen in my teaching experience. The thought that a child’s personality groundwork happens in the family, and by primary school age, they’re pretty set in their ways, reinforces how vital early support is. It matches with the idea that creating a caring family environment can have a lasting impact on a child’s mental well-being. Even though the study dives deep into the psychology of parents and kids, its message for educators is clear. It reminds us that working together with parents is key to creating an environment where kids can emotionally grow —Kalyan Kumar V
Temirpulotovich, T. B. (2023). Effects of social factors in children with anxiety-phobic disorders. Journal of healthcare and life-science research, 2(10), 35-41.
Interventions
This study examines the effectiveness of Readable English, a reading fluency and comprehension program, on underperforming rural middle school students over one school year. The goal is to address the increasing number of middle school students entering without proficient reading skills.
Multifaceted Strategies Are Needed for Reading Interventions
Edmonds et al. (2009) discovered that comprehension strategy instruction significantly improved reading comprehension but had no significant impact on word recognition, fluency, or word reading. Word study interventions had small to moderate effects on comprehension, and fluency instruction alone did not affect comprehension. Lovett et al. (2000) found that instruction in syllabic segmentation and decoding strategies not only improved decoding skills but also enhanced passage reading comprehension without direct comprehension instruction. The best interventions for low readers were those with instruction in linguistics skills and spelling, followed by fluency and reading comprehension strategy instruction.
The complexity of reading necessitates multifaceted strategies and the research underscores the importance of a combined approach that addresses both linguistic skills and comprehension strategies.
The Readable English Intervention Helped Students in All Reading Areas
This action research study involved 17 teachers from four schools in rural Indiana and was conducted over two years with American English-speaking students. Three districts participated, with one implementing Readable English for all middle school students. The study included 167 student participants in grades six through eight in the intervention condition and 177 in the typical practice condition.
Results showed that students in the intervention group outperformed those in the typical practice group in reading accuracy, rate, comprehension, and oral reading fluency. The study found that 10% of the improvement in reading comprehension in the intervention group can be attributed to Readable English instruction.
An Intervention That Combines Both Linguistic and Comprehension Skills
The Readable English program is an effective and sustainable reading intervention program for adolescent students. It incorporates linguistic skills components and comprehension strategies, along with a conversion tool that makes English phonetic, to provide targeted support to students with various reading deficits. The program also supports cross-curricular integration and allows students to control their own learning. Implementation with fidelity is crucial, but the program has the potential to help students develop the necessary reading skills to become proficient readers and lifelong learners.
During a classroom visit, the author spoke with teachers and students who reported that Readable English had helped students who hated reading to read and learn new things, with enough support for below-average readers to explore topics and content in school. The students also made connections between their books and the content they were learning. The program’s conversion tool, now available as a Chrome browser extension, could be used across content areas for multiple years and benefit homeschool and online students.
Notable Quotes:
“Reading programs should be educationally sustainable across multiple platforms used in schools and be able to support students with differing needs across grade levels.”
“Teachers must have access to intensive, targeted reading interventions that support students at their current reading ability level and help them develop the requisite skills to become proficient, skillful readers.”
“Explicit instruction of linguistics skills components with comprehension strategy instruction that has shown promise with other interventions probably accounts for most of the improvement in students’ reading skills.”
Personal Takeaway:
The topic of addressing adolescent readers interested me because a large part of my job is working with students who have not yet mastered reading to learn. As the article mentions and as I have observed, students with reading struggles fall further behind their peers in knowledge. I am glad to know that reading programs continue to be developed that leverage technology and effective instruction for improved outcomes. My takeaway is to remember that reading is complex, requiring explicit instruction in the linguistic aspect and comprehension strategies.—Dana Wells
Coggins, J. (2023). Righting Reading in Middle School: Readable English Helps Underperforming Adolescent Readers. Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk (JESPAR), 1-30.
Cognitive Science
The first objective was to examine the effects of a “next-generation” fraction intervention on fourth- and fifth-grade students. This intervention, which featured six enhancements compared to a previously validated fraction intervention, aimed to address career- and college-readiness standards. The second goal was to assess the long-term impact of the next-generation fraction intervention one year after its completion. The third objective was to isolate the effects of one specific enhancement: interleaved fraction calculation instruction.
Single Topic Instruction vs Interleaved Practice in Teaching Math Skills
While robust research supports the efficacy of fourth-grade fraction interventions, the existing studies were conducted during the early implementation of career and college readiness standards (CCRS), limiting their applicability to present-day students. Research indicates that the prevalent approach in mathematics textbooks, school instruction, and interventions is blocked instruction. This approach involves the teacher focusing on a single operation or problem type, with practice involving solving problems of the same type. Interleaved instruction, a less common approach, addresses more than one operation or problem type simultaneously and provides practice on different problem types, even before all types have been taught.
Interleaved Instruction Is an Important Component of Math Interventions on Fractions
This study involved fourth- and fifth-grade students scoring at or below the 20th percentile in math on the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT-4). One hundred and fifty-eight students with intellectual abilities falling broadly within the average range were selected. There were three groups: Groups 1 and 2 received the enhanced next-generation fraction intervention, focusing on magnitude understanding and calculation. Group 1 received interleaved instruction, while Group 2 received blocked instruction. Group 3 served as a business-as-usual control group. Students in Groups 1 and 2 who received the next-generation fraction intervention showed stronger fraction outcomes than the control group. Although the advantages were smaller and less significant one year after the intervention than immediately following it, there was still an indication that the next-generation fraction intervention had more robust results than the control group. This study replicates a recurring finding in the cognitive science literature regarding the long-term advantages of interleaved instruction, applying it to a different population—students with intensive intervention needs—and within the context of a structured comprehensive instructional design. The conclusion is that interleaved instruction is a crucial component of fraction calculation intervention for this population.
Future Research Should Focus More on Interleaved Interventions
This study suggests that the next-generation intervention produces stronger post-test results than the control group. Interleaved instruction emerges as a vital design feature in interventions for fraction calculation. Future research should specifically isolate the effects of interleaved calculation interventions related to whole numbers and algebra for this study’s population and the broader spectrum of students experiencing mathematics difficulties.
Notable Quotes:
“First, when contrasted against a control group representing CCRS national reform’s enriched classroom fraction instruction and students stronger fraction learning, next-generation intervention produces a strong posttest conceptual and calculation advantage for students with intensive intervention needs at grades 4 and 5.”
“We note the possibility that persistence may be stronger for the present study’s fraction intervention and other mathematics interventions if review of intervention strategies were to be provided during the subsequent school year.”
“Cognitive science demonstrates that although confusion and errors likely occur early into interleaved instruction, long-term outcomes favor interleaved over blocked instruction”
Personal Takeaway:
It’s definitely worth looking into the SSNIT (super solvers intervention) that was the basis of instruction for the next-generation fraction intervention. I would like to see if it’s something I can use for my own practice when providing interventions. This article also highlighted the importance of maintenance following an intervention which I think is often overlooked.—Matt Browne
Fuchs, L. S., Malone, A. S., Preacher, K. J., Cho, E., Fuchs, D., & Changas, P. (2023). Next-Generation Fraction Intervention and the Long-Term Advantage of Interleaved Instruction. Exceptional Children, 89(3), 332-352.
With the winter holidays drawing near and January just on the horizon, it is a great time to recognize the tremendous value of professional development (PD) in reigniting our passion for teaching and fostering fresh beginnings. PD plays a crucial role in enhancing educators’ knowledge and skills, ultimately leading to improved student outcomes. It revitalizes our attitudes and beliefs, and has the potential to seismically shift how we approach our work. Therefore, as we set our sights on the new year ahead, let’s prioritize PD to ensure that we are equipped with the best tools and strategies to support our students’ success.
This month, our team was excited to launch five new self-study courses designed to provide participants with professional learning that is purposeful and transferable, all while keeping in mind the busy schedule of an educational professional. Registration is now open for the following courses:
Understanding & Supporting Social and Emotional Learning
Understanding & Supporting Executive Functions
Measuring Your Impact
Each asynchronous, self-study course addresses a single conceptual strand, exploring key educational practices and enhancing the participant’s understanding of how to incorporate the MARIO for Me software and The MARIO Approach intervention within their unique context. These courses require, on-average, 10 hours to complete, and each module includes robust content, comprehension checkpoints, and reflection prompts that allow each participant to connect the content of the module with their personal experience. In addition to the primary content, each course includes resource packages which enhance the participants’ readiness to transfer their learning into action. These resource packages include tools that can be used immediately, case studies that put the content into a context, and research summaries that facilitate the implementation of the science of learning and wellbeing as it relates to the highlighted strand. Enrollment operates on a rolling-basis and participants are given one year to complete the course. Click here to start your learning journey today!
Additional self-study courses will continue to be added as we expand our course offerings. Reserve your spot for the following self-study courses launching in 2024:
Communicating Effectively with Parents
Implementing Highly Effective Learning Strategies
Developing Self-Directed Learners
Innovating & Iterating Your Classroom with Design Thinking
Improving Academic Outcomes
We wish you all a joyful year of learning and hope you take the opportunity to refresh your practice and reignite your love of teaching with MARIO Education.
All the best,
Taryn and Erin
Self-Efficacy
This article aims to take a step towards a better understanding of which aspects of the social learning environment pre-service teachers and their students take into account when positioning themselves on behavior management efficacy.
Primary School Behavior Strategies Lose Their Effectiveness in Higher Grades
While many researchers have been interested in teachers’ difficulties relating to behavior
management, little work in this field concerns secondary school classes specifically (e.g., Schwab et al., 2019). This is surprising since behavior management can be particularly challenging when it comes to adolescents with whom several strategies, although well suited for primary school students, lose their effectiveness (Malmgren et al., 2005), probably contributing to the fact that secondary school teachers seem to have to face bigger challenges leading to higher levels of emotional exhaustion (Lazarides et al., 2020).
Let’s note, however, that although teachers’ sense of self-efficacy is considered to be a reliable student and teacher behavior predictor (Brown et al., 2015), it is difficult, if not impossible, to know which comes first: positive behavior or the feeling of self-efficacy, given that they influence each other (Pajares, 1996).
Positive Relationships Are Necessary for Behavior Management
Data was collected in a teacher training institution as well as in secondary schools in Fribourg, Switzerland. 686 middle school students from 35 classes took part in this study; no demographic information concerning students is available.
These classes were chosen through 35 pre-service teachers, 23 women and 12 men for an average age of 26 years, in their last year of training.
Students had paper questionnaires split into 2 parts, an adapted version of the scale of teacher self-efficacy questions and the student version of the Classroom Learning Environment Scale
(Author, 2012) which covers class cohesion, teacher proximity, rules and organization, innovation, student difficulty, and task orientation and implication. Students were asked to rate the learning environment of the classroom using a 6-point Likert (from 0 to 5).
Teachers completed an online questionnaire split into three parts. The first part is comprised of demographic questions (age and sex). The second part is an adapted version of the scale of teacher self-efficacy regarding behavior management in the classroom for middle school teachers (Author, 2018). The third part is the Classroom Learning Environment (for teachers) Scale (Author, 2012). The number of items and dimensions is the same as in the version submitted to students so that a comparison can be made. Results showed that the social learning environment’s dimensions are associated with the perception of teacher efficacy by students.
It also highlighted that effective behavior management within the classroom requires a positive relationship between teachers and their students and the way rules and organization are taken into account by students demonstrates the need for a proactive approach in which teachers’ expectations are clear.
Comparing Teaching and Parenting Styles
The report mentions that “students rely on their perception of the social learning environment to determine whether their teacher is implementing effective classroom behavior management or not.” This would be interesting to unpack further, what creates a positive perception for a middle school student vs. what an adult feels creates a positive perception. Especially when they refer to “Baumrind’s studies of parenting styles show that the most adaptive parenting style for children combines both parental demandingness (rules, discipline) and responsiveness (warmth and acceptance)” (Baumrind, 1991; Maccoby & Martin, 1983).
The sample consists of pre-service teachers working in fairly advantaged schools so it would be interesting to see how the results would compare across different socioeconomic status schools where resources, funding etc. will be different.
Notable Quotes:
“While many researchers have been interested in teachers’ difficulties relating to behavior
management, little work in this field concerns secondary school classes specifically (e.g., Schwab et al., 2019).”
“The classroom’s social learning environment is the subjective and multidimensional perception of the environment and of the functioning of personal and academic relationships between students and the teacher of a class by these same individuals (Author, 2004).”
“It can be anticipated that students will expect an efficient teacher…to be able to create a healthy relationship with appropriate rules and class organization. “
Personal Takeaway:
I would love to know more about why similar research in the past has not spent as much time focusing on secondary school students. Having taught students up to the ages of 16, there are many layers of complexity when it comes to understanding teens and young adults and it would be so interesting to see how students from diverse backgrounds respond to behavioral management and the social learning environment in the classroom.
It would also be interesting to know how much representation matters. As there is no demographic data on the students and no race/ethnicity data for the teachers we don’t know the diversity of backgrounds and cultures within this study so it would be interesting to see if/how behavioral management develops within diverse classrooms and/or if the teaching staff do not represent a diverse student body.—Lilly
Bapst, Malika S., Philippe Ambroise Genoud, and Marine Hascoët. “Taking a step towards understanding interactions between teacher efficacy in behavior management and the social learning environment: a two-level multilevel analysis.” European Journal of Psychology of Education (2022): 1-16.
Cognitive Science, Interventions, Psychology
Anxiety is becoming more and more prevalent with the CDC citing more than 25.5% of American adults exhibiting symptoms of anxiety disorder in a 2020 study. Barriers such as cost and compliance with best practices can limit access to effective treatment for anxiety. Social robots can provide a solution for some of these barriers as they can provide consistent treatment and have the potential to be cost-effective.
Comparing Social Robots That Have Been Created To Treat Anxiety
The authors based their work on research involving other social robots. This included CAKNA, a robot that verbally guides users through psychological techniques such as deep breathing and was shown to be more effective in reducing anxiety levels than a computer. Jibo, another social robot, provided measurable improvements in well-being.
Positive Results Shown After a Session With the Robot
Ommie, the social robot in this study, was designed to be calming and engaging, provide instruction on deep breathing, and include a haptic experience (designed for users to feel comfortable with touching the robot and feeling its breathing). The study included two cohorts: the first was a wellness cohort made up of 21 participants ages 18-38. The second cohort was focused on anxiety and made up of 22 people ages 18-29 who were actively treating anxiety-related disorders with medical professionals. Each breathing session lasted 15-20 minutes. The results indicated a measurable drop in anxiety in the anxiety cohort. Both cohorts noted positive regard for the robot. All participants saw improvement in at least one aspect of their anxiety levels after a session with the robot.
A Companion That Can Reduce Anxiety
The authors noted that the haptic interaction was powerful for the participants as they could use their sense of touch to help guide their breathing. The participants also viewed the robot as a companion which the authors believe to be potentially beneficial. It was also noted that the participants held the robot in a variety of ways including on the robot’s “shoulders” and “stomach”. Overall the authors concluded that Ommie could potentially be a good way to guide people through deep breathing techniques to reduce anxiety.
Notable Quotes:
“Social robots have the capacity to help solve some of these challenges by providing distributed and consistent coaching, monitoring, compliance support, and companionship.”
“Multiple participants also preferred the robot’s non-verbal guidance, inclusive of both the haptic movements and audio chimes, to verbal meditation.”
“When asked about their overall experience with the robot, many users commented on how “natural”, “easy”, and “intuitive” it felt.
Personal Takeaway:
While the use of a robot for social-emotional learning and counseling practices isn’t something I have encountered or expect to encounter in my work as a school-based educator, it was interesting to see the barriers that the robot eliminated. The robot provided consistent, replicable, customizable, and best-practice guidance for the users. As educators, we often encounter the barrier of time and adjusting our instruction for the needs of each individual we work with. It is interesting to see how technology can assist with this.—Matt Browne
Matheus, K., Vázquez, M., & Scassellati, B. (2022, August). A social robot for´ anxiety reduction via deep breathing. In 2022 31st IEEE International Conference on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN) (pp. 89-94). IEEE.
*This article was summarized in the April edition of MARIO Connect, but this is an updated version of that summary.
