Schule und Schulklasse als soziale Kontexte der Entwicklung im Jugendalter

Studies dealing with the importance of social contexts already have a long tradition in empirical sociological and educational research. One possibility of applying context analysis is to consider schools as multi-level systems. The contribution focuses on the question of the relevant context factors on classroom and school level for the development of school achievement as a key aspect of development in adolescence. It is also examined whether social responsibility goals and norms are indicators of mediating processes between context variables on the one hand and school achievement on the other hand. Data base is the study “Competences and attitudes of students” (KESS) that examines the development of Reading achievement from grade 7 to 8 of a whole student cohort (9,682 students in 467 classes and 142 schools in Hamburg, Germany). Stepwise multi-level regression analyses reveal individual student characteristics, the average ability composition on the class level and the attended track on the school level as relevant predictors of the development of achievement. Social responsibility goals and norms are relevant indicators of mediating processes within the proximal context of the classroom, but not within the context of the schools. These processes are, however, gender-specific.     

Achtsamkeit im Team: Entwicklung eines Fragebogens und Hinweise zur Anwendung in der Praxis

Whereas the important role of individual mindfulness in organizations is more and more empirically supported, collective mindfulness—especially on the team level—is neglected. To foster research on mindfulness in teams, scientific sound questionnaires are important. Based on previous literature on collective mindfulness and semi-structured interviews this article in the journal Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation (GIO) aims at identifying relevant factors of mindfulness in teams and at developing a questionnaire based on these factors. The examination of 239 employees supports the factor structure which was assumed based on the interview results (deference to expertise; aspiration for flexibility; sensitivity to operations; reluctance to simplify interpretations; preoccupation with failure) and further hints at convergent and divergent validity. The application of the developed questionnaire to practice promoting mindfulness in teams is discussed.     

Entwicklung von Gruppenstruktur, Zusammenhalt und Selbstvertrauen im Verlauf erlebnispädagogischer Segelmaßnahmen

Two groups of 11–13 year old students were participants in a one-week experimental program with sailing as the medium. Their estimations of group coherence, self-confidence, the value of nature experience and highlights during the program were assessed with questionnaires and sociometry. These assessments were attached prior, immediately after and at 4 weeks after the program. The results show favorable changes in respect to group coherence and self-confidence which were also stable over time. The structure of the relationships between group members also showed a clear change during the program. The coping of common tasks in the sailing boat, new social insights and the chance to free activity and self efficiency in a unfamiliar surrounding were of great influence on the reported changes.