NIE Data Repository (National Institute of Education)
Not a member yet
317 research outputs found
Sort by
Related Data for: Impacts of deficit irrigation on photosynthetic performance, productivity and nutritional quality of aeroponically grown Tuscan kale (Brassica oleracea L.) in a tropical greenhouse
No full textTuscan kale was grown aeroponically with 5, 30 and 60 min nutrient spraying intervals (defined as 5 minNSIs, 30 minNSIs and 60 minNSIs). Four weeks after transplanting, some 5 minNSI plants were transferred to a 60 minNSI (5 minNSI → 60 minNSI) and 90 minNSI (5 minNSI → 90 minNSI) for one more week. Significantly lower light-saturated rates of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance were observed for plants grown with a 60 minNSI than with a 5 minNSI. However, all plants had similar internal CO2 concentrations and transpiration rates. Reduced light use efficiency but increased energy dissipation was observed in plants grown in a 60 minNSI. A higher nitrate concentration was observed in 60 minNSI plants compared to 5 minNSI and 30 minNSI plants, while all plants had similar concentrations of total reduced nitrogen, leaf soluble protein and Rubisco protein. Plants grown with prolonged NSIs (deficit irrigation) had lower biomass accumulation due to the inhibition of leaf initiation and expansion compared to 5 minNSIs. However, there was no substantial yield penalty in 5 minNSI → 60 minNSI plants. Enhancements in nutritional quality through deficit irrigation at pre-harvest were measured by proline and total soluble sugar. In conclusion, it is better to grow Tuscan kale with a 5 minNSI for four weeks followed by one week with a 60 minNSI before harvest to reduce water usage, yield penalty and enhance nutritional quality
Related Data for Thesis/Dissertation: The influence of rigid/ritualistic behavioural profiles in students with autism spectrum disorder on special education teachers' perceptions of their readiness for supported employment
No full textThis study investigated the effects of rigid/ritualistic behaviours in ASD, the student’s age and teacher-related variables on special education teachers’ perceptions of a student’s readiness for supported employment. A total of 111 (23 male, 86 female, two genders unreported; mean age = 33.71 years) teachers were randomly assigned to one of three conditions where as a result of their rigid/ritualistic profile, the student in the vignettes has: (1) a major negative reaction leading to a major disruption or prevention of activities; (2) some negative reaction leading to limited disruption of activities tolerable by most familiar people, or (3) no negative reaction to an event and is able to proceed with activities quickly. Ten short vignettes each describing a subtype of rigid/ritualistic behaviour exhibited during vocational activities were presented. Participants then rated their perceptions of the student’s readiness for supported employment. Results indicated that participants provided lower ratings to students with major negative reactions and lower ratings to an 18-year-old as compared to a 16-year-old student. In addition, older teachers were more likely to give lower ratings than younger teachers. Qualitative findings highlighted important factors such as the type of work, and employers’ readiness to accommodate the students’ rigid/ritualistic behaviours
Related Data for: Pre-school teachers’ perceptions of challenging behaviours of students with autism spectrum disorder within inclusive settings
No full textPurpose
Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have challenging behaviours that can create significant teaching challenges in group settings such as in mainstream pre-school inclusive settings. This study aims to identify and understand, from the perspectives of mainstream pre-school teachers in Singapore, the type of common challenging behaviours observed in pre-schoolers (mean age = 4.5 years, SD = 1.1, range = 3-6) with ASD.
Design/methodology/approach
Participants consisted of 62 teachers (mean age = 35.8 years; SD = 10.8) teaching in mainstream pre-school centres located in Singapore completed an open-ended survey. Twelve codes were generated and served as guidelines for coding the qualitative data. Codes with similar themes were then grouped to form four construct categories: social communication, restricted and repetitive behaviours, attention and learning and others.
Findings
Results indicated that difficulty with change/transition and social/peer interaction were the most concerning issues across all settings, whereas “lesson time” and “circle time” were the two most common activities/settings in which the concerns were reported by teachers.
Originality/value
Findings from this paper may add to the limited research looking at the challenging behaviours exhibited by children with ASD in mainstream pre-school settings in Singapore. Understanding the type of challenging behaviours presented in pre-schoolers with ASD and the activities/settings in which these behaviours occur may help the teachers to link the difficulties to specific interventions to further support their inclusion in a mainstream pre-school setting.</p
Related Data for Thesis/Dissertation: Predicting individual and collective flow : an examination of secondary band students' achievement goals, grit, commitment, and expectancy-value
No full textThe purpose of this study was to determine the predictors of individual and collective flow experienced by Secondary school students while they engaged in band. More specifically, it aimed to test Sawyer’s (2006) theorisation that collective flow predicts individual flow, and also to ascertain if grit directly predicts flow in instrumental contexts (Miksza & Tan, 2015).
Participants were 83 band students from two Secondary school bands in Singapore. Data were collected using two questionnaires that measured participants’ self-report levels of individual and collective flow while rehearsing, achievement goals towards band, grit while practising, commitment to band, and expectancy-value towards band. The main data analyses included: (1) descriptive statistics of all constructs (Research Question One); (2) between-subject t-test and one-way ANOVA to identify whether any constructs differed by gender or instrumental families (Research Question One); (3) correlational and regression analyses (Research Question Two); and (4) mediation analyses (Research Question Three).
Findings indicated a reciprocal relationship between individual and collective flow: individual flow predicted collective flow and vice versa. Among the myriad psychological constructs, value emerged strongly in the data—it was not only positively associated with commitment, mastery-approach goals, individual and collective flow, but was also the strongest predictor of collective flow. Finally, the effect of grit on individual flow was found to be indirect and mediated by expectancy and value. Based on the findings, implications for theory and practice were proffered
Related Data for: Leadership of professional learning communities in Singapore schools: The tight–loose balance
No full textPurpose:
This paper presents a study on how professional learning communities (PLC) are developed in an Asian setting, and the nature of leadership that helped to cultivate and sustain PLC in this setting.
Research Method:
The study adopted a sequential mixed method, starting with a survey followed by qualitative case studies, involving focused group discussions (FGDs) and interviews. This paper focuses on findings derived from the qualitative data, triangulated with the survey data.
Findings:
The study raises questions about common assumptions regarding PLC, and shares how Singapore’s unique cultural context mediates and filters Western notion of PLC and of leadership for PLC. The study suggests that leadership for PLC requires a centralised decentralisation approach, which provides clarity and alignment through strategic direction and supporting structures, while simultaneously enabling the distribution of leadership to teachers. The paper also explicates the tensions that arise due to the need to balance a tight–loose approach, and suggests how organisational and inquiry structures can both enable and constrain the distribution of leadership in a PLC.
Implications:
Findings from the study has implications for policy makers and school leaders who are steering PLC initiatives.</p
Related Data for: Validation of the Child Behavior Rating Scale (CBRS) using multilevel factor analysis
No full textBehavioral regulation supports children to control their cognitive and emotional skills and participate fully in classroom learning and interactions. Teacher ratings are frequently used to collect data but are highly susceptible to the teacher’s response bias, meaning much child level variance is attributable to the teacher level. Multilevel
modeling techniques are commonly used to assess the psychometric properties of measures at different levels by disaggregating within- and between-teacher variation in student behaviors. In this study, we attempt to identify the factor structure at each level using teacher ratings on the Child Behavior Rating Scale (CBRS). The sample of
1,375 preschool children (49.2%males)was drawn from a longitudinal study in Singapore. The teacher ratings of these children were collected at three time points (average age at Time 1 was 58.5 months, Time 2 was 69.8 months, and Time 3 was 80.9 months). Using multilevel exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, a
three-factor model at the within level and a two-factor model at the between level best fit the data. At the within level, the three factors were identified as basic interpersonal skills, advanced interpersonal skills, and learning related social skills. The three factors showed good internal consistency and differential correlates. The two
factors at the between level may be related to teacher and classroom characteristics. This study provides empirical support for (a) differential factor structures of CBRS at the within and between levels; and (b) two distinct interpersonal skills. Future studies should aim at exploring the sources of between level variability
Related Data for: The effect of beetroot ingestion on high-intensity interval training: A systematic review and meta-analysis
No full textDietary nitrate supplementation has shown promising ergogenic effects on endurance exercise. However, at present there is no systematic analysis evaluating the effects of acute or chronic nitrate supplementation on performance measures during high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and sprint interval training (SIT). The main aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the evidence for supplementation of dietary beetroot—a common source of nitrate—to improve peak and mean power output during HIIT and SIT. A systematic literature search was carried out following PRISMA guidelines and the PICOS framework within the following databases: PubMed, ProQuest, ScienceDirect, and SPORTDiscus. Search terms used were: ((nitrate OR nitrite OR beetroot) AND (HIIT or high intensity or sprint interval or SIT) AND (performance)). A total of 17 studies were included and reviewed independently. Seven studies applied an acute supplementation strategy and ten studies applied chronic supplementation. The standardised mean difference for mean power output showed an overall trivial, non-significant effect in favour of placebo (Hedges’ g = −0.05, 95% CI −0.32 to 0.21, Z = 0.39, p = 0.69). The standardised mean difference for peak power output showed a trivial, non-significant effect in favour of the beetroot juice intervention (Hedges’ g = 0.08, 95% CI -0.14 to 0.30, Z = 0.72, p = 0.47). The present meta-analysis showed trivial statistical heterogeneity in power output, but the variation in the exercise protocols, nitrate dosage, type of beetroot products, supplementation strategy, and duration among studies restricted a firm conclusion of the effect of beetroot supplementation on HIIT performance. Our findings suggest that beetroot supplementation offers no significant improvement to peak or mean power output during HIIT or SIT. Future research could further examine the ergogenic potential by optimising the beetroot supplementation strategy in terms of dosage, timing, and type of beetroot product. The potential combined effect of other ingredients in the beetroot products should not be undermined. Finally, a chronic supplementation protocol with a higher beetroot dosage (>12.9 mmol/day for 6 days) is recommended for future HIIT and SIT study