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The current study examined the psychometric properties of the Teachers' Goal Orientations for Professional Learning Scale (TGOPLS) in the context of learning and using information technology. The participants were 866 kindergarten teachers from 58 kindergartens in China. Based on a randomly split sample, the authors used Group 1 (n = 433) for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and Group 2 (n = 433) for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Both EFA and CFA results showed that the TGOPLS was composed of three subscales: mastery-approach, performance-approach and work-avoidance. In addition, latent factor means for the TGOPLS were invariant across age (less than 30 years vs. 30 years and more) and education level (high school vs. bachelor's or beyond). Finally, the authors investigated the TGOPLS' validity evidence, by examining and finding that the relations between the TGOPLS and three external measures (task interest, effort and adaptive help seeking) were consistent with theoretical expectations.

Emotion management is an important component under the self-regulated learning model, and teachers' emotion management plays an essential role in their technology integration into teaching practices. The current study investigated models of teachers' emotion management while learning and using information technology, using data from 866 teachers from 58 kindergartens in China. Results from multilevel analysis revealed that at the individual level, emotion management was positively related to monitoring motivation, managing time, arranging the environment, mastery orientation, and help seeking. Meanwhile, emotion management was negatively related to avoidance orientation. In addition, compared with young teachers, older teachers were less likely to take initiatives to manage emotion. At the kindergarten level, emotion management was negatively related to avoidance orientation. These findings were discussed with theory and research in related fields, and implications were drawn in terms of adding the self-regulated learning strategies in the professional trainings and increasing teachers' awareness to apply self-regulation strategies.

The current study examines reciprocal influences of homework purposes (approval-seeking, self-regulatory, and academic) and math achievement, using data from 1365 students in grade 8 at two measurement points. Results indicated there were positive reciprocal influences of (a) academic purpose and achievement, and (b) academic purpose and self-regulatory purpose. Results further revealed that prior achievement had a positive effect on later self-regulatory purpose. Meanwhile, prior approval-seeking purpose had a negative effect on later achievement. Taken together, the present study advance extant research, by differentiating three types of homework purposes using models of reciprocal influences, and by showing their respective relationships with math achievement over time., Author(s): Meilu Sun [sup.1] , Jianxia Du [sup.2] , Jianzhong Xu [sup.3] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.22069.3f, 0000 0004 0369 6365, East China Normal University, , Shanghai, China (2) grid.437123.0, 0000 [...]

Objective To investigate the role and mechanism of vitamin D and vitamin D receptor (VDR) in various stages of osteoclastogenesis. Methods First, bone marrow derived macrophages (BMMs) were extracted from the bone marrow of the femurs and tibias of C57BL/6 mice, and the BMMs were induced into osteoclasts by receptor activator of nuclear kappa B ligand (RANKL) and macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF). At the same time, different concentrations of 1, 25(OH)2D3 (0.1, 10 and 1 000 nmol/L) were added to activate VDR. TRAP and FAK staining, pit formation assay, qPCR and Western blotting were performed in this study. Results 1, 25(OH)2D3, as a strong agonist of VDR, effectively activated VDR at a dose of 1 000 nmol/L and inhibited the expression of c-Fos and NFATc1 at mRNA and protein levels at the early stage of osteoclast differentiation, and also inhibited the expression of CtsK and MMP9 at mature stage (P < 0.05). The dose significantly down-regulated the phosphorylation of IκBα (P < 0.05), and thereby suppressed the nuclear translocation and phosphorylation of p65. Conclusion 1, 25(OH)2D3 at 1 000 nmol/L significantly up-regulates the expression of VDR, and activates VDR to inhibit osteoclast differentiation, fusion and bone resorption activity through the IκBα/NF-κB p65 signaling pathway.

Traditionally recognized as an RNA splicing regulator, heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein C1/C2 (hnRNPC1/C2) can also bind to double-stranded DNA and function in trans as a vitamin D response element (VDRE)-binding protein. As such, hnRNPC1/C2 may couple transcription induced by the active form of vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) with subsequent RNA splicing. In MG63 osteoblastic cells, increased expression of the 1,25(OH)2D target gene CYP24A1 involved immunoprecipitation of hnRNPC1/C2 with CYP24A1 chromatin and RNA. Knockdown of hnRNPC1/C2 suppressed expression of CYP24A1, but also increased expression of an exon 10-skipped CYP24A1 splice variant; in a minigene model the latter was attenuated by a functional VDRE in the CYP24A1 promoter. In genome-wide analyses, knockdown of hnRNPC1/C2 resulted in 3500 differentially expressed genes and 2232 differentially spliced genes, with significant commonality between groups. 1,25(OH)2D induced 324 differentially expressed genes, with 187 also observed following hnRNPC1/C2 knockdown, and a further 168 unique to hnRNPC1/C2 knockdown. However, 1,25(OH)2D induced only 10 differentially spliced genes, with no overlap with differentially expressed genes. These data indicate that hnRNPC1/C2 binds to both DNA and RNA and influences both gene expression and RNA splicing, but these actions do not appear to be linked through 1,25(OH)2D-mediated induction of transcription.

The present study validated the Expectancy Value Scale (EVS) for teachers regarding information technology. Participants were 866 teachers from 58 kindergartens in China. Based on a randomly split sample, we used one half (n = 433) for exploratory factor analysis, and anther half (n = 433) for confirmatory factor analysis. Both EFA and CFA results revealed that Expectancy and Value were distinguishable. Furthermore, latent factor means for the EVS were invariant across age (less than 30 years vs. 30 years and more) and education level (high school vs. bachelor's or beyond). Finally, consistent with theoretical expectations, the EVS was negatively correlated with distractions while learning and applying information technology.

This study examines factors related to student self-efficacy beliefs in on-line groupwork. Participants in this study were 204 graduate students taking an online graduate-level course from a public university in the Southeast United States of America. Two-level hierarchical linear models were used to examine predictors of the students' self-efficacy. Three student-level variables were found to be related to groupwork self-efficacy: individual's willingness to handle groupwork challenge, trust relationship, and leadership influence. At the group level, the group's willingness to handle groupwork challenge was positively related to individual student's groupwork self-efficacy. Discussions of the findings suggest that leadership is important for groupwork. Instructors of online courses are recommended to design high-quality group projects that are purposeful, meaningful, challenging, and engaging. Communications between group members are also recommended to build trust. Implications of the findings to online learning and instruction as well as directions for future research are presented.

The current study validated the Homework Goal Orientation Scale (HGOS) for secondary school students. Results revealed that HGOS consisted of two distinct but related subscales: mastery-approach and performance-approach. Given satisfactory measurement invariance, the latent mean differences were then examined across gender (males vs. females) and grade level (7th vs. 9th). Findings showed no statistically significant mean differences across gender and grade level. Finally, consistent with theoretical expectations, compared with performance-approach, mastery-approach was more strongly associated with homework effort, homework emotion regulation, homework completion, and math achievement.

Teachers' homework follow-up practices, the in-class strategies teachers use to monitor their students' homework assignments, have an impact on their students' homework behaviors and academic achievement. The current study explored the perspectives of middle school mathematics teachers on the three domains of homework follow-up: the practices used in class, the purposes of each practice, and the aspects that may influence this process. Data were collected from two data sources (i.e., focus groups and classroom observations) and were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings showed that teachers monitored homework either using a single strategy or a combination of strategies (e.g., checking homework completion and providing individual feedback) linked to a specific purpose (e.g., promote students' involvement). The teachers also reported that they were under certain constraints when they delivered homework follow-up practices (e.g., pressure to follow the curriculum), so their practices' effectiveness sometimes can be compromised. Implications for practice are discussed.

This study validated the Homework Expectancy Value Scale (HEVS) based on 918 middle school students from China. The factor analytic results showed that the HEVS consisted of two distinct yet related subscales: Expectancy and Value. Results further revealed that latent factor means for the HEVS were invariant across gender. Finally, consistent with theoretical expectations, Expectancy and Value were negatively correlated with homework distraction, and positively correlated with homework effort, emotion regulation, completion, and academic achievement.

The purpose of the present research was to examine the interplay between teacher feedback, parental involvement and peer support and on homework engagement of students. The research adopted correlation research model, and the participants of the research were students (n = 450) in the central region of Turkey. In the research, ‘Teacher Feedback in Homework Scale’, ‘Parental Involvement in Homework Scale’, ‘Peer Support in Homework Scale’ and ‘Homework Engagement Scale’ were used as data collection instruments. For the analyses, Pearson product–moment correlation and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed. The results showed that all research variables have a positive significant correlation with each other. Also, the analysis indicated that teacher feedback, parental involvement and peer support predicted homework engagement of students significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine multilevel models posited to predict student perceptions of teacher feedback quality. A cross‐sectional survey design was used, involving 1072 middle school students. We incorporated two clusters of variables: (a) student characteristics (gender, prior knowledge, parent education, homework expectancy, homework value, homework cost, and help seeking) and (b) the characteristics of the classroom context (perceived homework quality, autonomy support, and teacher monitoring). Perceived feedback quality was positively related to perceived autonomy support and homework quality at the individual and class levels. Meanwhile, perceived feedback quality was positively related to homework expectancy, homework value, and help seeking at the individual level. Practitioner points: At the student level, homework expectancy, value, help seeking, homework quality, and autonomy support predicted student‐perceived feedback quality.At the class level, homework quality and autonomy support predicted student‐perceived feedback quality.It would be desirable to place more emphasis on homework quality and autonomy support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]