A survey of practices of teachers of the gifted

The purpose of this study was to examine the self‐concepts, locus of control, and machi‐avellianism of 169 ethnically diverse middle grade students identified as gifted. Subjects consisted of 90 African‐American (31 boys, 18 girls). Self‐concept, locus of control, and machiavellianism were assessed by Me: A Self‐Concept Scale for Gifted Children (Feldhusen &; Kolloff, 1981), the Nowicki‐Strickland Locus of Control Scale (Nowicki &; Strickland, 1973), and Mach IV Scale (Christie &; Geis, 1970) respectively. A three‐way analysis of variance (group × Gender × Grade) on subjects’ scores revealed significant group differences in self‐concept. No significant gender or grade differences were found in self‐concept. No significant group, gender, or grade differences were found in locus of control and machiavellianism. Self‐concept was significantly and positively correlated with internal locus of control and with low machiavellianism. Mean scores indicated that ethnically diverse students who are gifted had positive self‐concepts, internal locus of control, and were low machiavellians.     

Trainee teachers with dyslexia: personal narratives of resilience

This paper tells the stories of two trainee teachers and their personal experiences of dyslexia. Both informants were English and training to be primary school teachers in England. Through drawing on their own experiences of education, the stories illustrate how dyslexia has shaped the self‐concept, self‐esteem and resilience of each informant. The narratives presented in this paper illustrate powerfully the ways in which teachers can have a positive or negative impact on the self‐concepts of students with dyslexia. Both had been inspired by teachers they had met, and these positive role models had given them the confidence to pursue their own ambitions. However, both had encountered teachers who lacked empathy and patience, and these teachers had a detrimental impact on their self‐concepts. For both of these trainee teachers, personal experiences of dyslexia also shaped their professional identities as teachers. Both trainees described themselves as caring and empathic teachers, suggesting that personal experiences of dyslexia had a positive impact on teacher professional identity.     

Students’ experiences of academic success with dyslexia: A call for alternative intervention

This article describes a small‐scale study exploring the perspectives of five undergraduate students with dyslexia. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted in two universities in the UK. The interviews explored participants’ perceptions of their dyslexia label and how it had affected their academic success. The aim of the research was to identify facilitating factors that supported participants with dyslexia during their education. The following themes were identified: age of dyslexia identification, family support, dyslexic identity, self‐advocacy skills and learning resources. The study makes a case for an intervention for children and young people (CYP) with dyslexia that, in addition to remedial literacy support, explores self‐advocacy, thinking and study skills and facilitates positive academic self‐concepts. Future research could evaluate such an intervention for its effectiveness on CYP's social emotional well‐being and literacy skills.     

Trajectories of maternal verbal aggression across the middle school years: associations with negative view of self and social problems

Objective

The primary research objective was to explore the relationship between trajectories of maternal verbal aggression (VA) experienced by low-income, community middle school students across a three-year period and outcomes that have been found to be related to VA in previous work, including a negative view of self and social problems.

Method

Longitudinal data were collected from 421 youth (51.8% male) attending two middle schools over 3 years using a multiple-informant survey design. K-means cluster analysis was used to identify trajectories of VA using youth ratings of the Conflict Tactics Scale: Parent-Child (Straus, Hamby, Finkelhor, Moore, & Runyan, 1998). Dependent variables were self-reported depression, self-esteem, delinquency, and peer victimization as well as peer-rated aggression and sensitive-isolated reputation.

Results

Four trajectory groups of VA were identified: Low Stable, Increasing, Decreasing, and High Stable. The 3-year average occurrence of VA was: 1.31, 9.18, 10.24, and 31.14 instances, respectively. Gender-specific MANOVAs revealed dramatic differences between the High Stable and Low Stable groups. High Stable boys reported significantly more depressive symptoms, delinquency, peer overt and relational victimization, and were less likely to have a sensitive/isolated reputation than Low Stable boys. High Stable girls reported significantly more depressive symptoms, low self-esteem, delinquency, peer overt and relational victimization and were rated by peers as having more aggressive/disruptive and relationally aggressive reputations than Low Stable girls. Girls in the High Stable group were more likely than other youth to report levels of depressive symptoms and delinquency >1 SD above the mean, while boys in the High Stable group were more likely to report levels of delinquency >1 SD above the mean. The Increasing and Decreasing groups also demonstrated significantly poorer functioning than the Low Stable group on most outcomes. Growth curve analysis revealed that VA showed a contemporaneous association with self-reported delinquency suggesting these factors are closely related.

Conclusions

Any level of VA greater than the 1–2 instances per year reported by youth in the Low Stable group was associated with less favorable outcomes.     

State of rhetoric: neoliberal discourses for education in state of the state addresses and gubernatorial press releases

ABSTRACT

Policy elites use rhetoric in speeches and press releases to provide framing that is intended to influence public opinion. These rhetorical events can be treated as instances in which speech usefully promotes particular discourses. Indeed, elected officials are able to influence how individuals think about problems and solutions through speeches and press releases. Two important rhetorical events in which political elites advance frames for social issues are annual state of the state addresses (SoSA) given by U.S. governors and gubernatorial press releases that inform media reporting about state policy. This study employed policy discourse and rhetorical analyses to examine SoSAs and press releases as rhetorical events within the context of educational policy. Our findings show that governors framed the roles of state government, governors, and educational stakeholders within a discourse that perpetuates a neoliberal version of education. In this framing, governors situated education’s purpose as being workforce and economic development, ignoring its role in addressing social issues and preparing informed, engaged participants for democratic society. Given that individuals make decisions about how to address social issues and understand public institutions based on framing provided by political elites, these findings raise implications for state educational policies and the public purposes of education.     

Evaluation of the Effects of the Medium of Instruction on Science Learning of Hong Kong Secondary Students: Students’ Self-Concept in Science

A longitudinal study has been conducted to explore the impact of a new language policy for Hong Kong secondary schools on science learning. According to this policy, only schools that recruit the best 25% of students can teach science in English, the students' second language, while the other schools have to teach science in Chinese, the students' native language. The study involved a student cohort of 100 schools starting from S1 for three years. The outcome of science learning is conceptualized as consisting of students' achievement and self-concept in science. This paper reports the possible effects of English-medium instruction (EMI) and Chinese-medium instruction (CMI) on students' self-concept in science, as measured by students' responses to a questionnaire. Comparing with the CMI students, the EMI students showed higher self-concepts in Chinese, English and Mathematics, but a lower self-concept in science. This finding suggests that the EMI students might experience greater learning problems in science than in other subjects, probably because science learning involves abstract thinking and the mastery of scientific terminology which make a high demand on language proficiency. The EMI students showed a greater interest in learning science than the CMI students, indicating that they were more academically oriented. The EMI students, however, formed a lower perceived self-competence in science than their CMI peers, despite that they performed better in the science achievement test than many of the CMI students. This perception supports the view that using English for instruction may have negative effects on science learning. It is also consistent with the observation that the EMI students perceived science as more difficult to understand and learn than the CMI students.     

自我形象与语音教学策略

文章作者认为,语音影响语言学习者的自我形象.克服外语学习者语音心理障碍的关键是学好英语语音.教师应在课堂教学中运用恰当的教学策略,减少学生的语音心理压力,树立学生良好的外语学习自我形象.     

Climbing the academic ladder: A critique of provincialism in contemporary rhetoric

Finding its place in the Sun, rhetoric has been corrupted by its own unexpected success.     

Policy rhetoric and the renovation of English schooling: the case of Creative Partnerships

My critical evaluation of the government's White Paper, Learning to Succeed: a new framework for post-16 learning, which was published in the Journal of Educational Policy (2000, 15(2), 237-246) has provoked a critique by Pat Ainley, which is the main purpose of this section of the journal on Documents and Debates. He claims that my article suffers from two sins of omission: first, I am apparently unaware that the new legislation excludes higher education; and second, I have apparently failed to see that the Learning and Skills Council may become a new Leviathan rather than a new enlightenment. Both criticisms are, in my opinion, wide of the mark for the reasons given below, and this response ends with some comments on Pat Ainley's contribution.     

First steps toward gender equity in the chemistry Olympiad: Understanding the role of implicit gender‐science stereotypes

Girls are underrepresented in mathematical and science Olympiads, global informal learning activities which often serve as stepping stones for admission to top universities and future STEM careers. The present article aims to investigate the role of implicit gender‐science stereotypes on representation and achievement among participants of the German Chemistry Olympiad using a cross‐sectional online study (N = 445, mean age 16.5 years, 51% female) entailing the Implicit Association Test and two motivational scales. This study was the first of its kind to use moderated mediation analysis to examine the effects of gender‐science stereotypes on participation and achievement, mediated by the expectancy and value beliefs self‐concept and topic interest. We found that in the female group, gender‐science stereotypes negatively predicted the participants' willingness to continue in the competition. This relationship was mediated through topic interest. In addition, we found self‐concept predictive for further participation among female participants, as well as for competition score among both gender groups. Furthermore, topic interest positively predicted male participants' willingness to continue with the competition. The results underline the negative association of implicit gender stereotypes with female participation in the German Chemistry Olympiad. Organizations such as the German Chemistry Olympiad should therefore critically reflect on existing gender biases within their own structure. In doing so they can create an environment that has the potential to heighten self‐concept and interest for all participants equally. Our findings add to existing expectancy‐value research in the context of gender differences in mathematics and science, supporting potential strategies toward gender equity.     

世界观教育基本矛盾论析

世界观教育的基本矛盾,就是社会所要求的、教育者在目标上设定的世界观与受教育者在进入世界观教育情境之前已经具有的世界观之间的差异和矛盾。这一矛盾实质上并不仅仅是一般的思想观念之间的矛盾,而是不同的心灵习性之间的矛盾、不同的经验结构之间的矛盾,以及在不同的世界视域中的生活实践方式之间的矛盾,即人的生命总体结构的矛盾。世界观教育基本矛盾表现在思想观念、思维水平、意识形态、历史发展和认识价值等诸多层面上。生活世界既给世界观教育基本矛盾的解决划定了幅度空间,也给这一矛盾的解决奠定了现实的基础。世界观教育基本矛盾解决的根本途径,乃是一种以回溯到生活世界的原初自明性为基础的、以教育者与受教育者之间的理解为必要环节的自我建构。     

从参与到融入——中国外交理念的转变与中国参与世界的历程

梳理中国参与世界的历程,分析影响中国参与世界的外交理念,我们发现参与行为与外交理念是相互作用的。理念的不断改变反应了中国对自身认识的变化,也体现了世界对中国的接纳程度,进而影响了中国参与世界的进程;反之,参与行为也改变了世界对中国的看法,使中国身份出现了变化,国家利益出现了变化。     

Time and Performance in Online Learning: Applying the Theoretical Perspective of Metacognition

Educational psychologists have found that metacognitive calibration predicts learning outcomes in self‐regulated learning. In this research the authors apply theories of metacognition from educational psychology and postulate that metacognitive calibration influences learning time and performance in online learning. Data gathered from 230 college students who completed online self‐regulated assignments in an introductory information systems course confirms that higher calibration accuracy leads to better performance on assignments, which contributes to higher exam grades. In addition, higher calibration accuracy also reduces the amount of time students spent on the online assignments. However, time spent on the assignments is not a mediator of the effect of calibration on learning performance. This research presents pioneering work in examining a holistic model that assesses the impact of metacognition in online learning on both assignment and exam level learning outcomes using field data collected through a natural learning setting. The findings highlight the need to include metacognitive calibration as one of the learner characteristics in research models addressing student performance in online learning.     

解读《功夫熊猫》的“中国性”

好莱坞动画电影《功夫熊猫》在全球范围内票房大获全胜。这部充满中国元素的电影似乎表达了中国文化的精粹,而实质上只是一个载有对东方异域想像的商业电影,影片在对东方思想的理解中不可避免地渗透了西方思想。本文将从意义构建、概念凝练、儒家思想等方面对该片进行文本解读,并从跨文化传播的视角解构其“中国性”的传播效果。     

海安沿海开发中的人力资源状况剖析

海安沿海地区属革命老区,工业基础薄弱,在当今我国经济社会发展蓬勃发展的浪潮中,借助南通沿海、沿江两大发展战略叠加区的优势,制定出符合本地实际的发展规划。然而,要实现跨越式发展,人才瓶颈始终是必须解决的大问题,迫切需要整个社会在人才观念、用人制度和社会保障等方面进行改革和完善。     

“自我”与“他者”双重建构的悲剧——后殖民视角下的别格·托马斯

《土生子》的主人公别格通过对白人和命运的反抗刷新了读者一直以来心目中逆来顺受的黑人形象,然而最终还是难逃命运的魔爪。后殖民语境中的东西方二元对立关系为分析别格的身份认同问题提供了一个切入点。白人眼里的别格即西方眼里的东方,而“他者”是美国主流社会对别格的定位,在此前提下塑造出的是别格非正常的“自我意识”。因此,别格及其所代表的广大黑人的悲剧是“自我”与“他者”双重身份建构下的悲剧。     

邓小平关于加强教师队伍建设的思想探讨

全党全社会都要尊重知识,尊重人才,但是,建国50多年来,由于若干时期受到“左”的错误影响,教师的地位跌到了社会的最低层。打倒“四人帮”后,邓小平首先挺身而出,力排众议,在科学和教育工作座谈会上公开为广大的知识分子正名,将“尊师”的思想与现代化建设事业联系起来,强调了“尊师”的“社会性”,提倡尊重教师具有创造性的劳动。“尊重知识,尊重人才”就是尊重马克思主义,尊重群众,尊重人类社会文明,从而摆脱愚昧无知状态。概括地说就是“尊重知识,尊重人才”八个字。所以,他主张除了精神鼓励外还要努力改善教师的物质待遇,使教师成为人人向往和羡慕的职业。能不能为社会主义建设培养合格的人才,培养德智体全面发展、有社会主义觉悟的有文化的劳动者,关键在教师,因此,只有提高教师素质,加强教师队伍建设,发挥我国巨大的人力资源优势,抓住机遇,与时俱进,把建设有中国特色社会主义教育事业全面推向二十一世纪!     

浅谈城建档案在经济建设中的作用

城建档案属于科学技术档案范畴。反过来又为城市建设服务 ,是城市建设与发展的基础性工作。用好城建档案对于城市勘察、规划设计、改建扩建等方面都能提供可靠依据 ,并产生巨大经济、社会效益     

On explaining curriculum change: H. B. Beal,organizational categories and the rhetoric of justification

ABSTRACT

In response to a perceived reluctance to engage with poetry on the part of teachers and trainee teachers, a questionnaire was administered to a group of 48 trainees in their second year of training, before they undertook the part of their course dealing with the teaching of poetry. Their responses indicated that they had had a positive experience of poetry during their own primary education but had ceased to enjoy or understand poetry at secondary level. In discussing the responses, attention is drawn to the importance of understanding the difference between poetry as a specialist subject and as a vehicle for teaching other things. The difference between ‘enjoyment’ and ‘appreciation’, as outlined by Wittgenstein, is defined and applied to the study of poetry. Ways of extending trainees’ understanding and ability to teach poetry are explored. It is concluded that in order to get ‘on the inside of the subject they should (a) be allowed to respond freely to poetry at their own level and (b) be initiated into the kind of skills and knowledge which will enable them to identify the progressive features of poetry itself as well as the instrumental aspects of poetry teaching in the primary school.     

Students' voices: a report of the student view of dyslexia study skills tuition

This article reports research using case studies of 22 university students receiving study skills development funded by the Disabled Student's Allowance at an independent dyslexia consultancy. In‐depth semi‐structured interviews were conducted. The students identify the primary benefits of the tuition as: developing an understanding of dyslexia and specific learning difficulty as part of the process of self‐development; normalising their experiences; and developing their critical analysis and problem‐solving techniques to support the skills needed for studying. The implications for good practice in supporting university students with dyslexia are considered.