Two studies examined the conceptualization of career interests as traits using self-other agreement data. Study 1 participants were 114 college student-friend dyads, and Study 2 participants were 93 student-parent dyads. In each study, students provided interest (using Holland's realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising, and…

The present study investigated the relationship between gender roles and night-sky watching in a sample of college students (N=161). The Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI) and the Noctcaelador Inventory (NI) were used to investigate the differences between gender role groups for night-sky watching. The results supported the hypothesis that androgynous…

The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a History Interest Inventory (HII) to measure Chinese K-12 students' history interest. In this study, data were drawn from two independent samples of a city in Eastern China, and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted to reduce instrument size…

The present report consists of two further validity studies using the Jackson Career Explorer (JCE), a short form and continuous version of the Jackson Vocational Interest Survey, measuring 34 interests. The first study examined the relationships between the JCE and five personality factors, from a sample of 528 individuals. The correlations found…

Background: Past research has revealed the positive impact that interest development can have on achievement outcomes with early-adolescents in physical education (PE). Interest is considered a psychological state of engaging and willingness to reengage in specific content that develops over time; however, little work to date has examined interest…

This study investigated the favorite subject to teach and enjoyment of teaching of 490 elementary school teachers (K-5) from two rural school districts in the southeastern United States. Reading and language arts were consistently ranked among the favorite and most enjoyed subjects to teach, whereas science and writing were consistently ranked…

Increased enrollment of college students with disabilities raises concerns regarding appropriate communication. Faculty and administrators' lack of knowledge, false assumptions, and fear of the unknown may lead to an inequitable educational experience for students with visual disabilities. The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine the…

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceived level of skill development of professional staff (consisting of new professionals, midlevel managers, and senior administrators) at a private university in a Middle Atlantic state. The secondary purpose of this study was to determine the activities and methods respondents prefer to use to…

Access to information and communication technologies can enable academics to design courses with learning opportunities that bring together and engage students from diverse backgrounds and locations. For first year university students, knowing how to access and participate in learning opportunities is part of their transition to successful study.…

The study aimed at making a theory-driven inventory of end-of-life preferences. Participants were asked about a variety of preferences representing all eight motivational states described in Apter's Metamotivational Theory (AMT; Apter, 2001). Data from a convenience sample of 965 community participants and a convenience sample of 81 persons…

Purpose: This article reports on a study designed to uncover the factors aspiring secondary school principals consider important when deciding whether to apply for a specific post. The aspiring principals involved in the study had all confirmed their desire to be a principal; about half were already vice-principals. Methods: Evidence for the study…

Most studies indicate primary students' attitudes towards and interest in science decline as they progress into the secondary years. Longitudinal qualitative research exploring this phenomenon is rare as is research which focuses on the students' voice as they cross the interface. In this study multiple qualitative data sources, supported by a…

The present study examined the "better-than-average" (BTA) effect among secondary school students during 3 consecutive years. It was hypothesized that boys would overestimate their abilities relative to their classmates more than girls and that comparative evaluations of liking would be positively related to comparative evaluations of…

Increasing the scientific literacy of Australians has become an educational priority in recent times. The "Science State--Smart State" initiative of the Queensland Government involves an action plan for improving science education that includes a Science for Life action. A desired outcome is for an increased understanding of the natural…

A significant proportion of individuals suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder do not seek or receive effective treatment. Understanding the reasons why an individual chooses to seek treatment or prefers one treatment to another is a critical step to improve treatment seeking. To begin to understand these reasons, we conducted a qualitative…