The danger of domestication: a case study

Attempting to apply the ideas of Third World theorists to First World contexts is an inherently risky enterprise: the danger of domestication is ever‐present. In this article the author examines this thesis with reference to the work of the highly influential Brazilian adult educator, Paulo Freire. Four problematic tendencies are highlighted: the failure to consider Freire's work in its social context; fragmentation in reading Freirean texts; reductionism in appropriating Freirean principles and practices; and the reluctance to assess Freire's ideas critically.     

Reasonable suspicion: a pilot study of pediatric residents

OBJECTIVES: To identify pediatric residents' understanding and interpretation of reasonable suspicion, in the context of mandated reporting of suspected child abuse. METHOD: A survey was administered to pediatrics and combined medicine/pediatrics residents. An open-ended question plus three operational frameworks for interpreting likelihood examined how residents conceived of reasonable suspicion. Responses were examined for evidence of a group standard, and also compared for internal consistency. RESULTS: Forty-two of 49 residents completed the survey (86% response rate). There were no significant differences in responses based on age, gender, year of residency, or anticipated practice type. Respondents exhibited wide variation in the thresholds they set for reasonable suspicion. On a Differential Diagnosis scale, 10% indicated that abuse would have to rank 1st or 2nd; 45% set the threshold at 3rd or 4th; while 45% stated that abuse could be as low as 5th to 10th and still qualify as reasonable suspicion. Using a Estimated Probability scale, 9.5% indicated that abuse would need to be >75% likely before reasonable suspicion existed; 28.5% stated that a 60-70% likelihood was needed; 38% identified the necessary likelihood as 40-50%; and 24% set the threshold as low as 10-35%. In comparing individual resident responses for the two scales, 83.3% were internally inconsistent. CONCLUSION: There was no consensus among pediatric residents with regard to (1) a standard meaning for reasonable suspicion, (2) a standard application of reasonable suspicion, or (3) how likely abuse must be before reasonable suspicion can be said to exist. Additionally, many residents' conceptions of reasonable suspicion were internally inconsistent.     

Multidisciplinary assessment: a case study

Ann Starr, Curriculum Co-ordinator, Rosehill School, Worcester, and Penny Lacey, Lecturer in Special Education, The University of Birmingham, discuss aspects of the assessment of children with complex disabilities by professisonals from a variety of disciplines. Some of the problems and possibilities of working together are presented in a case study from a special school for pupils with physical and complex disabilities.     

Evolution of a laptop university: a case study

Technology is integral to carrying out many types of business transactions and has become entwined in the very fabric of everyday life. In the educational environment—particularly higher education—technology is underutilised as a pedagogical tool and in many cases remains largely untapped. Winona State University and its laptop programme learned some valuable lessons from the marriage between the application of the Seven Principles of Good Practice in Undergraduate Education and technology. The transformation into a leading laptop university was neither smooth nor easy, but it is a successful case about principle‐centred technological change and improved student learning outcomes.     

The Steward Street School experiment: a critical case study of possibilities

This article presents a critical case study of an inner city state school that for a decade (1940s–1950s) attracted the interest of a wide contingency of educationalists, policy makers, researchers, artists and various press and film media. It has been argued that if we are to progress ‘social alternatives’ in education, researchers need to construct ‘critical case studies of possibilities’ drawing inspiration from traces of experimental and utopian practice in schools from the past as well as the present. The article demonstrates how this might be achieved through research that questions dominant narratives, goes beyond the public accounts of particular sites of experimentation and explores multiple‐narratives embedded in the records of past practice. The authors argue that such situated counter‐currents in the history of education are necessary both to inform our collective notions of past experience and enrich our regard for future possibilities.     

Spelling Remediation: a single case study

An 11 year‐old spelling retarded boy was exposed to two different remediation programmes over 21 weeks. The first phase of the study was devoted to practice on a machine which allows two attempts at spelling a given word before presenting its correct spelling on a visual display panel. In the second phase, a rule‐based approach was introduced to teach those words which the child had failed to learn in Phase I. By the end of Phase I, the child had mastered over half the stimulus words and most of these were retained at follow‐up. However, progress was slow, and no generalisation occurred to matched untaught words. The rule‐based approach was effective in the immediate short term, but only half the stimulus words learnt were retained at follow‐up and no generalisation took place to untaught words. The design of the study did not allow for comparison of the relative efficacy of the two approaches. It was concluded that remedial instruction needs to span a much longer time period if it is to result in significant long‐term improvement in spelling skills.     

数形结合信息选择题分类例析

数形结合信息选择题形式简洁、条件隐藏,是高考的重点.常见于直线、二次函数、幂函数和指数函数当中.     

Access to numeracy: a case study

More and more pupils with learning difficulties are being taught in mainstream settings but how inclusive is the teaching they experience? In this illustrative case study, Ruth Germain, a teacher in a mainstream primary school, looks at how Paul, a pupil with Down's syndrome, is supported during 'dedicated numeracy time'. She examines the relationships between whole-class, group and individual teaching; the nature of the support Paul receives; and his educational and behavioural responses. The article closes with a call for further research into the implications for teaching and learning of the inclusion of pupils with learning difficulties in mainstream contexts.     

Practices of parental participation: a case study

The nature of parental participation in children’s education is changing rapidly. A growing body of research points to the positive effect that parental involvement has on outcomes of schooling and on children’s well‐being. This paper examines parental participation practices in terms of parents working together with a range of professionals, exchanging knowledge and information regarding their child’s SEN, challenging practices, and negotiating SEN provision. The parents in this study exercised agency – that is, they showed resilience and took initiative, within a context of shared responsibility and accountability, and advocated for their child’s right to educational provision. This paper argues for a strengths‐based approach towards enabling active parental participation and advocacy.     

The Discourse of Research Degrees Supervision: a case study of supervisor training

This article is designed to add to the literature dealing with the supervision of research degrees. It examines the discourse of supervision in the context of accredited research supervisor training at one British university. The data is based on naturalistic observation of course participants and in‐depth interviews with a range of stake‐holders. It explores the metaphors employed by supervisors to describe their roles within the research award process. This is the first stage of a larger project that is looking in more depth at supervisory discourse and using the analysis of that discourse as a heuristic device to encourage reflection in professional education.     

The formative and summative uses of a Professional Development Portfolio: a Maltese case study

The paper examines the rationale and the uses of portfolios in initial teacher education. This rationale is then applied to explore the development and implementation of the Professional Development Portfolio (PDP) as an integral part of the initial teacher education programme offered by the Faculty of Education, University of Malta. The paper considers the responses of students and lecturers to this mode of assessment; in particular, how the tensions between the formative and summative functions of portfolios were experienced and responded to at institutional level. The paper is the result of the debates and discussions among the three authors. Deborah Chetcuti and Grace Grima were directly involved in the development of the assessment innovation, Patricia Murphy was a visiting academic and external examiner during the period.     

Professional Development of Teacher Trainers: a case study

This paper reviews the literature on teacher trainers with special reference to current initiatives in Spain, and provides a case study of the design, delivery and follow‐up to a course for teacher trainers of English language teaching and the pedagogy of language. The course was designed to promote the concept of teachers as reflective practitioners.     

Foreign Universities in China: a case study

The international dimension of higher education has expanded rapidly in recent decades and private provision is becoming increasingly widespread in response to the diverse pressures of globalisation, rapid expansion in demand and increased pressures on public finances. As higher education has become marketised, opportunities for international providers have increased dramatically. Foreign providers may opt for delivery locally or remotely and via a variety of different legal and organisational arrangements. The focus of this article is on foreign provision of HE with specific reference to China and the UK. In the period post-Mao, the policy environment for higher education in China has changed dramatically, culminating in 2003 in the decision to allow foreign universities to formally establish partnerships with Chinese universities for the delivery of higher education. The development and operation of the University of Nottingham Ningbo, China, is discussed in order to provide more detailed insights into the nature and challenges of delivering foreign HE provision in a Chinese context.     

The impact of post-literacy: A Tanzanian case study

Literacy has long been associated with commercial and political power, so that many countries have embarked on mass literacy with an assumption that socio-economic and political transformation will result. In the case of Tanzania, this is embodied in the policy of socialism and self-reliance. Tests have shown a drop in the illiteracy rate from 67 per cent in 1970 to 10 per cent in 1986, but for more than a decade economic difficulties have hindered the advance of post-literacy. A 1983 impact study shows an increase in income and political participation, and improvements in health and nutrition, but a general impact study does not reveal information as precise and useful as a specific study. The favourable impression of the 1983 study is contrasted with practical problems thrown up by investigations of the rural press, rural libraries, radio and film education, agricultural shortages, and economic constraints. These range from distribution and maintenance difficulties to political dependence, international prices and lack of marketing knowledge. There are thus many factors controlling development besides reinforcement of literacy.

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Zusammenfassung Alphabetisierung ist seit langem mit wirtschaftlicher und politischer Macht verbunden, so daß viele Länder die Massenalphabetisierung angefangen haben, in der Annahme, daß sozio-ökonomische und politische Veränderungen daraus resultieren würden. Im Falle Tansanias ist dies in der Politik des Sozialismus und self-reliance mit eingebettet. Tests haben einen Rückgang des Analphabetismus von 67 Prozent (1970) auf 10 Prozent (1986) ermittelt, aber seit mehr als einem Jahrzehnt behindern wirtschaftliche Schwierigkeiten den Ausbau der Nachalphabetisierung. Eine 1983 erstellte Impaktstudie zeigt eine Steigerung des Einkommens und der politischen Partizipation, sowie Verbesserungen in der Volksgesundheit und in der Ernährung, aber eine allgemeine Untersuchung gibt keine so genauen und nützlichen Informationen wie eine spezifische Studie. Der günstige Eindruck der 1983 erstellten Studie steht im Kontrast zu den praktischen Problemen, die durch die Untersuchungen der ländlichen Presse, der ländlichen Büchereien, der Bildung durch Radio und Film, der landwirtschaftlichen Defizite und der wirtschaftlichen Einschränkungen aufgeworfen wurden. Die Bandbreite reicht von Verteilungs- und Instandhaltungsproblemen bis zur politischen Abhängigkeit, von internationalen Preisen bis zum Mangel an Marketingwissen. Es gibt also sehr viele Faktoren, die neben der Stärkung der Alphabetisierung die Entwicklung bestimmen.

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Résumé On a longtemps associé l'alphabétisation au pouvoir commercial et politique, si bien que beaucoup de pays ont lancé des campagnes d'alphabétisation de masse, en supposant qu'il en résulterait une transformation socio-économique et politique. Dans le cas de la Tanzanie, cette attitude se reflète dans la politique de socialisme et d'indépendance. Des tests ont montré une baisse du taux d'analphabétisme de 67 pour cent en 1970 à 10 pourcent en 1986, mais, pendant plus de dix ans, des difficultés économiques ont entravé le déroulement de la postalphabétisation. Une étude d'impact menée en 1983 révèle une augmentation des revenus et de la participation politique, ainsi que des améliorations en matière de santé et de nutrition, mais une étude générale de l'impact n'apporte pas des informations aussi précises et utiles qu'une étude spécifique. L'impression favorable qui se dégage de l'étude de 1983 contraste avec les problèmes pratiques qui ont été identifiés par les recherches de la presse et des bibliothèques rurales, de la radio et des films éducatifs, des récoltes agricoles insuffisantes et des contraintes économiques. Ceux-ci vont des difficultés de distribution et de maintenance à la dépendance politique, aux prix internationaux et au manque de connaissances en marketing. Ainsi, de nombreux facteurs influencent le développement à côté du renforcement de l'alphabétisation.

     

Inclusive work at a European level: a case study

In this article, Paul Stephenson and Glynis Rumley describe the way in which educators in Kent have developed strong links with their colleagues and neighbours from Nord Pas de Calais in France. From a variety of projects undertaken, some of which were assisted by funding from European sources, children of all abilities and needs have been able to work and learn together. The PILOTE programme, developed in Kent by the local education authority's Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) team, has been used to overcome language barriers and, by making learning fun, has enabled both adults and children alike to communicate with each other during the project work which has been undertaken. From a strong emphasis upon enjoyment and within a natural context for learning, teachers with little previous foreign language experience have been empowered to enhance their children's language skills. The approaches used have been relevant both to children in the mainstream situation as well as those in specialist provisions. The ‘Above and Beyond Barriers’ projects have enabled children to find out more about their European counterparts and communicate with them in a meaningful and enjoyable way.