The Role Of Social Interdependence On Student Perceptions Of Affective Learning, Motivation, Classroom Communication Apprehension, And Classroom Climate

Colleges and universities have begun using the language of vocation and calling to help undergraduates think about the future direction of their lives. This language has been employed in both secular and religious contexts, but it has deep roots in a specific theological tradition. Given the increasingly multi-faith context of undergraduate life, many have asked whether this originally Christian terminology can truly become a new vocabulary for higher education. This volume’s 13 contributing scholars identify with a wide variety of faith traditions, including Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Sikhism. Some claim more than one tradition; others would claim none. Rather than seeking to “translate” Christian language into other perspectives, they reflect on various facets of vocation from the standpoint of their own traditions. Both individually and collectively, they seek to expand the range of vocational reflection and discernment well beyond its traditional Christian origins, addressing themes such as religious pluralism and difference, the importance of multiple voices, the role of affective learning, the relationship between process and result, and the development of an integrated life. The authors recognize that all undergraduate students—regardless of their academic field, religious background, or demographic identity—need to make space for reflection, to overcome obstacles to vocational discernment, and to consider the significance of their own narratives, beliefs, and practices. Accomplishing these goals will require college campuses to reimagine their curricular and co-curricular programming in order to support their students’ interfaith reflections on issues of meaning and purpose, as well as personal identity.

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The Role of Aggressive Peer Norms in Elementary School Children’s Perceptions of Classroom Peer Climate and School Adjustment

Journal of Youth and Adolescence ◽

10.1007/s10964-021-01432-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Lydia Laninga-Wijnen ◽

Yvonne H. M. van den Berg ◽

Tim Mainhard ◽

Antonius H. N. Cillessen

Keyword(s):

Elementary School ◽

Elementary Education ◽

Classroom Climate ◽

School Adjustment ◽

Fifth Grade ◽

Peer Norms ◽

Descriptive Norms ◽

Climate Perceptions ◽

School Maladjustment

AbstractAlthough prior research has indicated that peer norms for aggression enhance the spread of aggression in classrooms, it is unclear to date how these norms relate to students’ classroom climate perceptions and school adjustment. Aggressive descriptive norms reflect the average aggression of all students in classrooms, whereas aggressive popularity norms represent the extent to which aggressive behavior relates to popularity among peers. This study examined the role of aggressive descriptive and popularity norms in the classroom climate perceptions (cooperation, conflict, cohesion, isolation) and school adjustment (feelings of belonging; social, academic, and general self-esteem) of popular, well-liked, and victimized children. Self-reported and peer-nominated data were obtained from 1511 children (Mage = 10.60 years, SD = 0.50; 47.2% girls) from 58 fifth-grade classrooms. The results indicated that aggressive descriptive and popularity norms both matter in elementary school, but in diverging ways. Specifically, aggressive descriptive norms—rather than popularity norms—contributed to negative classroom climate perceptions irrespective of students’ social position. In addition, whereas descriptive norms contributed to between-classroom variations in some aspects of school adjustment, aggressive popularity norms related to increased school maladjustment for popular and victimized children specifically. Thus, aggressive descriptive norms and popularity norms matter in complementary ways for children’s classroom climate perceptions and adjustment in elementary education.

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