NIE Data Repository (National Institute of Education)
Not a member yet
317 research outputs found
Sort by
Related Data for: Associations between parent attitudes and on- and off-screen behaviours of preschool children in Singapore
No full textThe research aims were to examine the relationships between parent and child digital media use and to describe the characteristics of the top and bottom quartiles of child digital media use in meeting the 24 h integrated guidelines for sleep, physical activity, and sedentary behaviour. Parent-reported on- and off-screen habits and quality of life of children were collected from 1481 parents of preschool children aged 2–5 years in 2019. Significant relationships were detected between parent and child digital media use (weekday, r = 0.274; weekend, r = 0.421, p 0.05). Age of first exposure to fixed screens, daily digital media use, and physical play durations were significantly different between heavy (child-TQ) and light (child-BQ) child users of digital media (p < 0.05). Parental perceived importance of child digital media use and parental awareness and practice of guidelines for child digital media use differed significantly between parents of child-TQs and parents of child-BQs (p < 0.05). The number of 24 h movement guidelines met between child-TQs and child-BQs differed (p < 0.05). Parents voiced serious concerns for child digital media use, including addiction (75–76%), poor eyesight (73%), access to inappropriate content (73–74%), a lack of parent–child interaction (65%), poor sleep (49–55%), and a lack of physical activity (55–59%), but these findings did not translate to parental enforcement of the guidelines. Parent education on how to get the best digital media use outcomes for preschool children is recommended
Related Data for: An evaluation of a custom intervention programme to address problematic mobile phone use of youth athletes in Singapore: A hybrid mixed-methods research design
No full textThe study sought to evaluate a custom intervention programme, informed by the Theory of Planned Behaviour, which aimed to help youth athletes reduce their problematic mobile phone use. A hybrid mixed-methods design was employed in this study, involving a one-group pretest–posttest design and a mixed-methods multiple case study design. 23 Singaporean youth athletes (aged 13–19 years) participated in the intervention programme, and were assessed at pre, post, and follow-up timepoints for their objective and subjective measures of mobile phone use. After the intervention programme had concluded, a smaller sample of eight participants were selected to participate in semi-structured interviews to get their views and feedback on the intervention programme. The results showed that while there were no significant differences in the objective measures of mobile phone use (i.e., duration and frequency) between the timepoints, there was a significant reduction in the subjective measure (i.e., SAS-SV) of problematic mobile phone use in both post and follow-up timepoints. This was supported by the multiple case study analysis, which found that participants were able to implement the various strategies that were taught during the intervention programme, and that those strategies were able to help them reduce their level of problematic mobile phone use. Overall, participant feedback for the intervention programme was positive, with participants stating that it was fun, interactive, relatable, and informative. There were still some barriers that prevented participants from reducing their problematic mobile phone use, and suggestions were given on how to improve the intervention programme in future
Related Data for: Using transcript levels of nitrate transporter 2 as molecular indicators to estimate the potentials of nitrate transport in Symbiodinium, Cladocopium, and Durusdinium of the fluted giant clam, Tridacna squamosa
No full textGiant clams are important ecosystem engineers of coral reefs because they harbor large quantities of phototrophic Symbiodiniaceae dinoflagellates of mainly genera Symbiodinium, Cladocopium, and Durusdinium. The coccoid dinoflagellates donate photosynthate and amino acids to the clam host, which in return needs to supply inorganic carbon and nitrogen to them. The host can conduct light-enhanced absorption of nitrate (NO3–), which can only be metabolized by the symbionts. This study aimed to clone nitrate transporter 2 (NRT2) from the symbionts of the fluted giant clam, Tridacna squamosa. Here, we report three major sequences of NRT2 derived from Symbiodinium (Symb-NRT2), Cladocopium (Clad-NRT2) and Durusdinium (Duru-NRT2). Phenogramic analysis and molecular characterization confirmed that these three sequences were NRT2s derived from dinoflagellates. Immunofluorescence microscopy localized NRT2 at the plasma membrane and cytoplasmic vesicles of the symbiotic dinoflagellates, indicating that it could partake in the uptake and transport of NO3–. Therefore, the transcript levels of Symb-NRT2, Clad-NRT2, and Duru-NRT2 could be used as molecular indicators to estimate the potential of NO3– transport in five organs of 13 T. squamosa individuals. The transcript levels of form II ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (rbcII) of Symbiodinium (Symb-rbcII), Cladocopium (Clad-rbcII) and Durusdinium (Duru-rbcII) were also determined in order to calculate the transcript ratios of Symb-NRT2/Symb-rbcII, Clad-NRT2/Clad-rbcII, and Duru-NRT2/Duru-rbcII. These ratios expressed the potentials of NO3– transport with reference to the phototrophic potentials in a certain genus of coccoid dinoflagellate independent of its quantity. Results obtained indicate that Symbiodinium generally had a higher potential of NO3– transport than Cladocopium and Durusdinium at the genus level. Furthermore, some phylotypes (species) of Symbiodinium, particularly those in the colorful outer mantle, had very high Symb-NRT2/Symb-rbcII ratio (7–13), indicating that they specialized in NO3– uptake and nitrogen metabolism. Overall, our results indicate for the first time that different phylotypes of Symbiodiniaceae dinoflagellates could have dissimilar abilities to absorb and assimilate NO3–, alluding to their functional diversity at the genus and species levels
Related Data for: ‘I feel like my awareness grew’: Fostering dialogues to increase awareness through virtual book clubs
No full textThis article adopts a Bakhtinian understanding of dialogue to explore the affordances of virtual book clubs, and how they can foster dialogues and encourage dialogic thinking in students. Drawing on a qualitative case study of 11-year-old students participating in an online book club, we explore how digital book clubs open dialogic spaces for students to build on discussions of texts. Readers learn to read beyond the text by becoming more aware of the text and other readers, and also learn collaboratively by building on each other’s responses and being exposed to different perspectives and ideas. We demonstrate how online spaces such as virtual book clubs can enhance students’ reading engagement and open dialogic spaces for the different exchanges they have with others. Implications for using online book clubs for offering students opportunities to read and think critical and collaborative learning are discussed
Related Data for: Competence, autonomy, and relatedness in the classroom: Understanding students’ motivational processes using the self-determination theory
No full textThe purpose of the current study is to examine the relationships between need satisfaction, motivation, and outcomes as well as the differential effects of the three psychological needs. The sample consisted of 1549 students from 10 secondary schools in Singapore. Structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis showed that students’ psychological needs are positively related to autonomous motivation, and this in turn, lead to higher enjoyment, value and lower pressure. On the other hand, the three psychological needs were negatively related to controlled motivation. Controlled motivation was positively related to pressure but negatively related to enjoyment and value. In terms of the differential effects of the three psychological needs, relatedness contributed strongly to autonomous motivation, compared to autonomy and competence. In contrast, while autonomy and relatedness contributed to controlled motivation negatively, competence positively predicted controlled motivation. Finally, competence was found to link to pressure in a negative way. In summary, the findings of the current study provide support to the propositions of SDT and add some insight to the differential effects of the three psychological needs
Related Data for: The contribution of intrinsic motivation and home literacy environment to Singaporean bilingual children's receptive vocabulary
No full textThis study examined the within- and cross-language relationships between intrinsic language learning motivation, home literacy environment (shared book reading, parental literacy involvement, and parent perceived child literacy interest), and receptive vocabulary in 185 bilingual preschoolers and 233 primary school children in Singapore. Age differences were also examined. Unlike the motivation decline commonly observed in middle childhood, the primary school children demonstrated higher levels of intrinsic motivation than the preschoolers in both English and the second language (L2). Results showed a motivation gap between English and children’s L2 in primary school children but not in preschoolers. The hierarchical regression results revealed that intrinsic motivation and the three facets of home literacy environment (HLE) were differentially involved in receptive vocabulary across languages and age groups. Within-language relations showed that intrinsic motivation only predicted receptive vocabulary in English among primary school children, but not among preschoolers. Among primary school children, parent perceived child literacy interest in L2 was the only significant predictor of L2 receptive vocabulary; among preschoolers, shared book reading was the only significant predictor. Cross-language relations revealed that parental literacy involvement in English negatively predicted L2 receptive vocabulary in primary school children, and there were no L2 effects on English receptive vocabulary
Related Data for: Profiles of antisocial behavior in school based and at risk adolescents in Singapore: A latent class analysis
No full textThis study used latent class analysis to examine whether multiple subgroups can be identified based on rule-breaking and aggressive behavior in school-based and at-risk adolescent samples. These groups were tested for differences in behavioral, emotional, personality and interpersonal correlates. Rule breaking and aggressive behavior co-occurred across all classes. School-based adolescents were classified as having minimal, minor or moderate antisocial problems. At-risk adolescents were classified as having mild, medium or severe antisocial problems. Generally, at-risk adolescents had higher levels of antisocial behavior, and greater severity of antisocial behavior was associated with more problems in various domains. Results differed however, for the school-based and at-risk samples with respect to emotional problems, sensation-seeking and peer conformity pressure. There is a need to jointly consider both non-aggressive rule-breaking behavior and aggressive behavior in prevention and intervention work, as it is insufficient to address isolated symptoms and problems in children and adolescents
Related Data for: A multilevel description of textbook linguistic complexity across disciplines: Leveraging NLP to support disciplinary literacy
No full textDisciplinary Literacy as a pedagogy and research program aims to understand and teach the linguistic differences amongst disciplines. Limited studies have been done, however, on the differing linguistic complexity demands of disciplines. In this study, linguistic complexity is measured at the clause, phrase and lexical levels, across eight disciplines represented by a corpus of secondary school textbooks. Innovative natural language processing systems extract an unprecedented number of complexity measures, and discriminant function analysis describes features that best differentiate disciplinary writing. Results indicate disciplines vary along different clines of complexity. The first tends to discriminate humanities from science subjects, along features such as academic phraseology, possessive noun phrases, auxiliary verbs and clause dependents. Other clines show that subjects such as history and physics can be similarly complex in features such as their prepositional expansion of noun phrases. The paper concludes with detailed and specific pedagogical takeaways for teachers
Related Data for: Investigating the instructional leadership of STEM educators in Thailand
No full textThis article reports on the survey findings of a study on the STEM leadership of 134 STEM middle school educators (118 teachers and 16 principals) in Thailand who led in STEM curriculum writing and teaching in their schools. The data were analysed using Rasch analysis of three constructs, namely, their views about STEM teaching, STEM capital and self-empowerment to teach STEM lessons. The findings showed that the educators generally responded positively to the three constructs. They thought that STEM should be integrated and could potentially stand alone as an independent discipline. The teachers wished for more resources and had the support of colleagues. The teachers lacked confidence in STEM teaching. Implications for specific areas of support, especially the forming of STEM professional learning communities to support the teachers, are suggested
Related Data for: The extended photoperiod impacts on sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) in a natural tropical greenhouse
No full textSweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) is valued for its culinary and medicinal properties. It thrives in full sunlight and long daylight hours under natural conditions. This study examined the effects of extended photoperiod on sweet basil grown in a hot and humid tropical greenhouse. Some plants received only natural sunlight (SL), while others had SL supplemented with LED light for 6 h (6 h) before sunrise and/or after sunset. Plants grown under only natural SL (L1) had a smaller leaf number, smaller leaf area per plant, lower shoot, and root productivity than those grown under other light conditions. The shoot fresh weight of basil grown under supplemented LED light for 3 h before sunrise and 3 h after sunset (L2), 6 h after sunset (L3), and 6 h before sunrise (L4) was 2.68, 2.33, and 1.94 times higher than L1 conditions, respectively. The maximum quantum efficiency of PSII, electron transport rate, effective quantum yield of PSII, and Chl a/b ratio were also higher in L2, L3, and L4. The total leaf soluble protein, ascorbic acid, total phenolic compounds, and dietary minerals followed the same trend. Among all treatments, L2 consistently showed significantly higher values, making it the optimal lighting strategy for extended photoperiod