This study aimed at examining the suitability of questionnaire instruments commonly used in large-scale assessments for measuring non-cognitive school effectiveness criteria. It focused on questions of reliability and validity for capturing changes in students within schools across time and the instruments' sensitivity to school effects. The aim…

This research focusses on the analysis of learning experience. Together with the other factors of motivational structure: Intrinsic motivation, Personal goals, Attractivity of foreign language community, and Worries about learning, it creates motivational profile of foreign language (FL) learners. The analysis is based on the theoretical concept…

The increase of cross-cultural studies and intervention programs, based on the self-determination theory, highlights the urge for validated scales to ensure high-quality research, particularly in the domain of physical education. The present study aimed at evaluating the psychometric properties and measurement invariance of the revised Perceived…

The number of foreign languages spoken in Germany is rising, and as a result German is increasingly being learned as a second language (L2). This is a challenge for many secondary-school students, especially those who have learning disabilities (LD) and behavioral difficulties, which are often accompanied by reduced motivation to learn, in this…

The research in the field of positive psychology is alive for children and adolescents, and especially the effects of intervention studies are promising. While a large number of instruments exist for adults, there is a need for greater attention to basic measurement work of constructs for children. The Satisfaction With Life Scale is one of the…

Intercultural competence is a crucial element of foreign language education, yet the multifaceted nature of this construct makes it inherently difficult to assess. Although several tools for evaluating intercultural competence currently exist, research on their use in secondary school settings is scarce. This study reports on the development and…

There is a general recognition that learning of foreign languages is in decline in Australia. This paper uses the social constructivist theory as a conceptual framework to report on a project where university language students supported their high school peers in the learning of their specialist language in New South Wales, Australia. The project…

Career counselling in German-speaking countries lacks assessment instruments that are based on a systemic approach. As nobody lives in a vacuum, all individuals are affected by their surrounding systems, such as parents, friends and politics. The My System of Career Influences, (MSCI) is an assessment instrument that is based on the systems theory…

The increase in the use of educational technologies in Australian high schools has sparked this investigation into how Year 9 (13 to 14 years of age) students experience and negotiate a new technology enhanced learning environment in a bilingual classroom setting. The paper is about examining the students' language practices in German and English…

Far too few high-school students choose subjects from the natural sciences (NaSc) for their majors in many countries. Even fewer study biology, chemistry or physics at university. Those, that do, often lack training to present and discuss scientific results and ideas in texts. To meet these challenges the center for didactics of biology of Graz…

This article presents an innovative, gameful, multimodal, and authentic learning environment for training of oral communication in a foreign language--a virtual adventure called Berlin Kompass. After a brief presentation of the pedagogical and technological backgrounds, the system is described. Central results of a series of pilots in autumn 2013…

Background: To examine associations of cardiorespiratory fitness, physical activity (PA) and weight status with academic achievement 1 year later. In addition, the mediating role of psychological variables was tested. Methods: Longitudinal analyses included 1011 German students (M = 14.1 years, SD = 0.6 years). Cardiorespiratory fitness was…

This study focuses on the goal orientation of students with and without special education needs (SEN) in inclusive schools. Participants were 186 students (110 boys; 76 girls) from Grade 7 (mean age = 13.83). Of these, 93 were diagnosed as having SEN, while the other 93 were mainstream students matched on IQ. Students without SEN scored…

This paper explores the role of mediated intergroup contact in improving intergroup attitudes between Italian speakers and German speakers in South Tyrol, Italy. Specifically, we examine how German-language television consumption affects attitudes towards the German-speaking group among Italian- speaking youth. The data ("N" = 229) were…

This paper explores the intersection of learning methodologies to promote the development of 21st century skills with the use of Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) tools to enhance language learning among adolescent learners. Today, technology offers a greater range of affordances in the teaching and learning of second languages while research…