This paper explores the perceptions of senior high school pupils in Shanghai regarding their motivation towards learning English and their perceived influence on this of important others (parents, teachers and peers). The study is based on 610 questionnaire responses and 64 interviews. The findings indicate that their English learning motivation…

This study formed the second wave of a longitudinal research project examining bullying from the students' perspective. A sample of 877 Swedish 13-year-olds filled out a questionnaire regarding the definition of bullying, reasons for why some students are bullied and the experience of adults' response to bullying. In their definitions, girls were…

This study focuses on the profile of principals who seem to be able to shape the school culture to best encourage teaching and learning. Data from a representative sample of primary schools (N = 46) were collected through questionnaires for principals and for teachers (N = 700) and semi-structured interviews with the principals. Functioning,…

This paper is based on the concept of inclusion as a process of recognising and minimising the barriers to learning and participation of all children, with teachers as the key players in implementing inclusion in practice. There are two key questions: (1) How do teachers rank different groups of marginalised children? (2) How do teachers see their…

The link between formal education and the formation of national attachment is widely acknowledged. Yet, research on teachers' national attachment is still relatively rare. Based on a comparative analysis of survey data obtained from 281 Berlin and London state secondary school head teachers, this paper proposes a multivariate model in which…

This study focuses on students' learning approaches in the context of a competency-based program on Applied Sciences, with portfolio assessment as its core mode of assessment. The study examines students' perceptions of these assessment practices and the relationships to their learning approaches. Additionally, differences in perceptions and…

Purpose: eduroam[TM] has already been proved to be a scalable, secure and feasible way for universities and research institutions to connect their wireless networks into a WLAN roaming community, but the advantages of eduroam[TM] have not yet been fully discovered in the wireless community networks aimed at regular consumers. This aim of this…

This research aimed to assess the nature and level of pupils' educational aspirations and to elucidate the factors that influence these aspirations. A sample of five inner city comprehensive secondary schools were selected by their local authority because of poor pupil attendance, below-average examination results and low rates of continuing in…

The emergence of the incorporation of culture into EFL education is a growing trend in Taiwan. The purpose of the study was to examine: (1) the effects of the ethnographic interview project on Taiwanese students' cognitive development in understanding native English speakers and their cultures; (2) changes in students' self-awareness and…

Students' perceptions of actual and preferred classroom environment were investigated using the "What is happening in this class? questionnaire" (WIHIC). The WIHIC assesses seven classroom environment dimensions: student cohesiveness, teacher support, involvement, task orientation, investigation, cooperation and equity. A sample of 978…

Parental involvement and teacher perceptions of parental involvement in the education of children were studied in relation to level of parental education and pupil achievement. A questionnaire was administered to 218 parents and 60 teachers. Correlational analyses and paired-sample analyses showed teacher perceptions to be weakly related to…

The induction period is a very important time in the career of a teacher and has a long-term influence on the teacher's professional development, efficacy, job satisfaction and the length of his/her career. One of the key roles in this period is played by the trainee's mentor. This paper presents the results of the extensive project…

Much of the research in higher education has treated student bodies as homogeneous groups with a consequent neglect of any consideration of gender differences. To test the validity of such research a questionnaire was administered to 255 psychology students. The results showed some important differences in responses between the genders. In…

This longitudinal study set out to examine, in the light of the parents' education and gender and the child's gender, the changes that occurred in the course of five years in parents' satisfaction with the functioning of their child's school. Academically and vocationally educated mothers and fathers (N = 391) were asked to indicate their…

Early murmurs concerning teacher attrition in the United States have risen to an alarming level since the 1990s. Given that half of the 1990s teaching force were/are expected to retire between 2000 and 2010, the cry has been heard loud and clearly throughout the nation. Furthermore, today's fledgling teachers are fleeing at astronomical rates,…