Self-Concept, Motivation and Identity

Self-Concept, Motivation and Identity

Author: Frédéric Guay

Publisher: IAP

Published: 2015-06-01

Total Pages: 357

ISBN-13: 1681231697

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The concept of the Self has a long history that dates back from the ancient Greeks such as Aristotle to more contemporary thinkers such as Wundt, James, Mead, Cooley, Freud, Rogers, and Erikson (Tesser & Felson, 2000). Research on the Self relates to a range of phenomena including self-esteem, self-concept, self-protection, self-verification, self-awareness, identity, self-efficacy, self-determination etc. that could be sharply different or very similar. Despite this long tradition of thinkers and the numerous studies conducted on the Self, this concept is still not very well defined. More precisely, it is not a precise object of study, but rather a collection of loosely related subtopics (Baumesiter, 1998). Also, in the philosophical literature, the legitimacy of the concept of “self” has been brought into question. Some authors have argued that the self is not a psychological entity per se, but rather an illusion created by the complex interplay between cognitive and neurological subsystems (Zahavi, 2005). Although no definitive consensus has been reached regarding the Self, we emphasis in this volume that the Self and its related phenomena including self-concept, motivation, and identity are crucial for understanding consciousness and therefore important to understand human behavior. Self-concept, motivation and identity: Underpinning success with research and practice provides thus a unique insight into self-concept and its relationship to motivation and identity from varied theoretical and empirical perspectives. This volume is intended to develop both theoretical and methodological ideas and to present empirical evidence demonstrating the importance of theory and research to effective practice.


The Homework Myth

The Homework Myth

Author: Alfie Kohn

Publisher: Da Capo Lifelong Books

Published: 2007-04-03

Total Pages: 268

ISBN-13: 0738211346

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Death and taxes come later; what seems inevitable for children is the idea that, after spending the day at school, they must then complete more academic assignments at home. The predictable results: stress and conflict, frustration and exhaustion. Parents respond by reassuring themselves that at least the benefits outweigh the costs. But what if they don't? In The Homework Myth, nationally known educator and parenting expert Alfie Kohn systematically examines the usual defenses of homework--that it promotes higher achievement, "reinforces" learning, and teaches study skills and responsibility. None of these assumptions, he shows, actually passes the test of research, logic, or experience. So why do we continue to administer this modern cod liver oil -- or even demand a larger dose? Kohn's incisive analysis reveals how a mistrust of children, a set of misconceptions about learning, and a misguided focus on competitiveness have all left our kids with less free time and our families with more conflict. Pointing to parents who have fought back -- and schools that have proved educational excellence is possible without homework -- Kohn shows how we can rethink what happens during and after school in order to rescue our families and our children's love of learning.


Academic Motivation of Adolescents

Academic Motivation of Adolescents

Author: Tim Urdan

Publisher: IAP

Published: 2002-09-01

Total Pages: 384

ISBN-13: 1607525542

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Few academic issues are of greater concern to teachers, parents, and school administrators than the academic motivation of the adolescents in their care. There are good reasons for this concern. Students who are academically motivated perform better in school, value their schooling, are future-oriented in their academic pursuits, and possess the academic confidence and positive feelings of self-worth so necessary to increasing academic achievement. Because academically motivated students engage their schoolwork with confidence and interest, they are less likely to drop out of school, suffer fewer disciplinary problems, and prove resilient in the face of setbacks and obstacles. It is precisely because academic motivation is so essential to academic achievement that motivation has taken a place along with cognition as one of the most followed lines of inquiry in educational psychology. In this volume, we are fortunate to gather together some of the most eminent scholars who have written extensively about the academic motivation of adolescents. We are fortunate also in that they represent the varied theories and lines of inquiry that currently dominate research in this area. In all, we believe that in the dozen chapters that comprise this volume, the authors provide elegant insights regarding the academic and social motivation of adolescents that will prove of interest to researchers, students, teachers, school administrators, parents, policymakers, and all others who play a pivotal role or are otherwise invested in the lives of adolescents in today's society. It is our hope that these insights will not only further the conversation on adolescence and education, but will serve as the impetus for further research capable of generating the creative ideas, programs, and structures so necessary to better the lives of the young people in our care.


Rethinking Homework

Rethinking Homework

Author: Cathy Vatterott

Publisher: ASCD

Published: 2018-09-25

Total Pages: 198

ISBN-13: 141662659X

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In this updated edition, Cathy Vatterott examines the role homework has played in the culture of schooling over the years; how such factors as family life, the media, and "homework gap" issues based on shifting demographics have affected the homework controversy; and what recent research as well as common sense tell us about the effects of homework on student learning. She also explores how the current homework debate has been reshaped by forces including the Common Core, a pervasive media and technology presence, the mass hysteria of "achievement culture," and the increasing shift to standards-based and formative assessment. The best way to address the homework controversy is not to eliminate homework. Instead, the author urges educators to replace the old paradigm (characterized by long-standing cultural beliefs, moralistic views, and behaviorist philosophy) with a new paradigm based on the following elements: Designing high-quality homework tasks; Differentiating homework tasks; Deemphasizing grading of homework; Improving homework completion; and Implementing homework support programs. Numerous examples from teachers and schools illustrate the new paradigm in action, and readers will find useful new tools to start them on their own journey. The end product is homework that works—for all students, at all levels.


The Case Against Homework

The Case Against Homework

Author: Sara Bennett

Publisher: Harmony

Published: 2007-08-28

Total Pages: 306

ISBN-13: 030734018X

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Does assigning fifty math problems accomplish any more than assigning five? Is memorizing word lists the best way to increase vocabulary—especially when it takes away from reading time? And what is the real purpose behind those devilish dioramas? The time our children spend doing homework has skyrocketed in recent years. Parents spend countless hours cajoling their kids to complete such assignments—often without considering whether or not they serve any worthwhile purpose. Even many teachers are in the dark: Only one of the hundreds the authors interviewed and surveyed had ever taken a course specifically on homework during training. The truth, according to Sara Bennett and Nancy Kalish, is that there is almost no evidence that homework helps elementary school students achieve academic success and little evidence that it helps older students. Yet the nightly burden is taking a serious toll on America’s families. It robs children of the sleep, play, and exercise time they need for proper physical, emotional, and neurological development. And it is a hidden cause of the childhood obesity epidemic, creating a nation of “homework potatoes.” In The Case Against Homework, Bennett and Kalish draw on academic research, interviews with educators, parents, and kids, and their own experience as parents and successful homework reformers to offer detailed advice to frustrated parents. You’ll find out which assignments advance learning and which are time-wasters, how to set priorities when your child comes home with an overstuffed backpack, how to talk and write to teachers and school administrators in persuasive, nonconfrontational ways, and how to rally other parents to help restore balance in your children’s lives. Empowering, practical, and rigorously researched, The Case Against Homework shows how too much work is having a negative effect on our children’s achievement and development and gives us the tools and tactics we need to advocate for change. Also available as an eBook


Research Methodologies of School Psychology

Research Methodologies of School Psychology

Author: Ryan J. Kettler

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2019-04-08

Total Pages: 248

ISBN-13: 1317529863

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Research Methodologies of School Psychology is a comprehensive, actionable resource that offers graduate students and school psychologists the knowledge and skills to apply key scientific techniques in practice. A volume in the Foundations of School Psychology Research and Practice Series, this book directly addresses the need for definitive resources on mastering research methodologies in the field. Covering topics such as development and evaluation of measures, application of various designs, and drawing inferences from data, Ryan J. Kettler provides rigorous yet accessible methodological guidance. Each chapter includes illustrative examples, summaries of essential learnings, and reflective concluding questions. Using these engaging and invaluable strategies, graduate students and school psychologists will be effectively prepared to apply the scientific method in their own professional contexts.


Percepts, Concepts and Categories

Percepts, Concepts and Categories

Author: B. Burns

Publisher: Elsevier

Published: 1992-10-09

Total Pages: 715

ISBN-13: 0080867472

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The most important distinction derived from the computational view of thought is between structures and processes. So proclaimed Farah and Kosslyn in 1982, arguing that structures and processes cannot be examined in isolation and concluding that converging operations are required to isolate the structure-process pair that can explain a particular finding. The distinction between structure and process within the study of percepts, concepts and categories is considered in depth in this volume, with penetrating commentaries by fellow authors concluding each chapter. This interesting format achieves a broad coverage of the various aspects and implications of the structure-process distinction. It affords a salient indication of the diversity of positions as to the description and utility of distinguishing structures and processors. At the same time, it reveals that researchers specializing in areas of study ranging from simple structure and process involved in perceptual organization and texture to complex structure and process associated with reading graphs and chess expertise, do utilize such a distinction in similar ways. The analysis is organized into four major parts within the book: Early Visual Representation and Processing; Percepts, Concepts, Categories and Development; Categories, Concepts and Learning; and Higher-Order Representation and Processing.


Self-Regulated Learning and Academic Achievement

Self-Regulated Learning and Academic Achievement

Author: Barry J. Zimmerman

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2013-05-13

Total Pages: 316

ISBN-13: 1135659141

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This volume brings together internationally known researchers representing different theoretical perspectives on students' self-regulation of learning. Diverse theories on how students become self-regulated learners are compared in terms of their conceptual origins, scientific form, research productivity, and pedagogical effectiveness. This is the only comprehensive comparison of diverse classical theories of self-regulated learning in print. The first edition of this text, published in 1989, presented descriptions of such differing perspectives as operant, phenomenological, social learning, volitional, Vygotskian, and constructivist theories. In this new edition, the same prominent editors and authors reassess these classic models in light of a decade of very productive research. In addition, an information processing perspective is included, reflecting its growing prominence. Self-regulation models have proven especially appealing to teachers, coaches, and tutors looking for specific recommendations regarding how students activate, alter, and sustain their learning practices. Techniques for enhancing these processes have been studied with considerable success in tutoring sessions, computer learning programs, coaching sessions, and self-directed practice sessions. The results of these applications are discussed in this new edition. The introductory chapter presents a historical overview of research and a theoretical framework for comparing and contrasting the theories described in the following chapters, all of which follow a common organizational format. This parallel format enables the book to function like an authored textbook rather than a typical edited volume. The final chapter offers an historical assessment of changes in theory and trends for future research. This volume is especially relevant for students and professionals in educational psychology, school psychology, guidance and counseling, developmental psychology, child and family development, as well as for students in general teacher education.