Racializing and concretizing gramsci in contemporary adult education practice

This response to Mayo’s book emphasizes its Gramscian aspects and explores two dimensions not addressed in the original. The first is Cornel West’s attempt to racialize Gramsci and examine how his ideas might serve the interests of African-Americans. The second is Michael Newman and Ian Baptiste’s exploration of the partisan, directive role of adult educators confronting situations of conflict.     

Integration of Play, Learning, and Experience: What Museums Afford Young Visitors

This paper examines important factors in maximizing children’s experiential learning in the context of inquiry-based children’s museums. Learning is understood as situated in physical, social, and interactive context that is best achieved when children have opportunities to engage in play-based inquiry. Recommendations for maximizing children’s learning in museums, supporting children’s interactions with peers and adults, and offering affordances for children’s play are discussed.     

Monet, Malaguzzi, and the Constructive Conversations of Preschoolers in a Reggio-Inspired Classroom

This study was conducted in a Reggio inspired child care classroom of 4-year olds where the fundamental principles of Reggio Emilia preschools are interpreted for a Canadian context. Qualitative case study methodology was employed to investigate how social interaction plays a role in young children’s learning processes. Drawing on social constructivist views of children’s learning and socialization, children’s discussions and interactions within a preschool learning group were examined. Examination of children’s discourse is valuable not only for understanding individual and group learning experiences but also for illuminating children’s agency and their active roles in their own learning. The study focused on the in-depth study of six children’s activities during a ‘Shades of Pink’ project. As the project, ‘Shades of Pink’ unfolded, the children faced cognitive conflict while they were talking about the details of Monet’s painting, but worked toward building common understandings. In this study, children are considered to be meaning makers and active participants in their own learning processes. In addition, the relationships between children became a context in which the co-construction of theories, interpretations and various understandings of reality took place. Small group work became a basis for creating unity, a space in which thoughts took shape as well as a way to compare interpretations; with the result that new thoughts and meanings were produced.     

Mothering young children: Child care, stress and social life

This study focuses on mothers’ and young children’s everyday social experience by analyzing their social relationships, social support in child care, mother-child interaction, and mothers’ evaluations of all these aspects. Three hundred and eighty-four mothers with a child aged between I and 3 years, living in a city in Central Italy, were interviewed. A Principal Components Analysis was performed on items concerning mothers’ and children’s social experience and mothers’ evaluations. Four PCA generated factors were regressed on the mother’s and Four PCA generated factors were regressed on the mother’s and child’s characteristics. Results show that, even in a context characterized by social conditions supportive to mothering, there is a comparatively widespread desire for social interaction with other mothers and children. A stress related to intensive mothering was found in a minority of the mothers and was predicted by the mothers’ continuous commitment in child care during the whole day. Results are discussed in relation to the hypothesis that social contacts with other mothers may have a mitigating effect on mothers’ stress. One implication is that early educational services that provide the opportunity for social intercourse among parents can be an important resource for them.     

Students’ Personality Types, Intended Majors, and College Expectations: Further Evidence Concerning Psychological and Sociological Interpretations of Holland’s Theory

Because it focuses on the interactions between students and their environments, Holland’s theory of vocational choice provides a powerful framework for studying college experiences. The present study assessed the relative merits of psychological and sociological interpretations of Holland’s theory by examining the relationships among students’ expectations about college, their personality types, and their intended academic majors. Results indicated that both the psychological and sociological aspects of Holland’s theory aid in understanding students’ college expectations.     

An integrative model of scholastic judgments: Pupils’ characteristics, class context, halo effect and internal attributions

This article proposes a model that integrates some of the determinants of scholastic judgment. The model is based on the assumption that a teacher’s judgment in a particular discipline is influenced by different variables: the pupil’s actual performance in the discipline, his/her actual performance in other disciplines (halo effect), the average performance of the class in the discipline (class context effect), the pupil’s individual characteristics such as whether he/she has ever repeated a grade and the teacher’s perception of the pupils’ causal explanations. Furthermore, the model proposes that a teacher’s perceptions are related to the pupil’s spontaneous expression of causality, which in turn is influenced by the pupil’s knowledge of the social value of causal explanations. In order to test the validity of the proposed model, the authors conducted a study in a real classroom setting on a population of 663 pupils from 38 classes (3rd grade) and their respective teachers. Path analyses showed that the theoretical model fit the data to a satisfactory extent. However, a comparison of the fit indexes of the theoretical model and two alternative models (one nonhierarchical and one hierarchical) showed that the initial theoretical model could be significantly improved by additional paths.     

A Galilean Approach to the Galileo Affair, 1609–2009

Galileo’s telescopic discoveries of 1609–1612 provided a crucial, although not conclusive, confirmation of the Copernican hypothesis of the earth’s motion. In Galileo’s approach, the Copernican Revolution required that the geokinetic hypothesis be supported not only with new theoretical arguments but also with new observational evidence; that it be not only supported constructively but also critically defended from objections; and that such objections be not only refuted but also appreciated in all their strength. However, Galileo’s defense of Copernicanism triggered a sequence of events that climaxed in 1633, when the Inquisition tried and condemned him as a suspected heretic. In turn, the repercussions of Galileo’s condemnation have been a defining theme of modern Western culture for the last four centuries. In particular, the 20th century witnessed a curious spectacle: rehabilitation efforts by the Catholic Church and anti-Galilean critiques by secular-minded left-leaning social critics. The controversy shows no signs of abating to date, as may be seen from the episode of Pope Benedict XVI’s attitude toward Paul Feyerabend’s critique of Galileo. Nevertheless, I have devised a framework which should pave the way for eventually resolving this controversy, and which is modeled on Galileo’s own approach to the Copernican Revolution.     

A rural math, science, and technology elementary school tangled up in global networks of practice

This is an ethnographic study of a newly created math, science, and technology elementary magnet school in a rural community fiercely committed to cultural preservation while facing unprecedented economic instability brought on by massive loss of manufacturing jobs. Our goal was to understand global- and community-level contexts that influenced the school’s science curriculum, the ways the school promoted itself to the community, and the implicit meanings of science held by school staff, parents and community members. Main sources of data were the county’s newspaper articles from 2003 to 2006, the school’s, town’s, and business leaders’ promotional materials, and interviews with school staff, parents, and community members. A key finding was the school’s dual promotion of science education and character education. We make sense of this “science with character” curriculum by unpacking the school and community’s entanglements with historical (cultural preservation), political (conservative politics, concerns for youth depravity), and economic (globalization) networks. We describe the ways those entanglements enabled certain reproductive meanings of school science (as add-on, suspect, and elitist) and other novel meanings of science (empathetic, nurturing, place-based). This study highlights the school as a site of struggle, entangled in multiple networks of practice that influence in positive, negative, and unpredictable ways, the enacted science curriculum.     

Lawson’s Shoehorn, Reprise

Lawson’s (Lawson, A.: 2004, Science & Education, 13, 155–177) analysis of the meteorite hypothesis of dinosaur extinction exhibits flaws similar to his earlier (2002) analysis of Galileo’s discovery of Jupiter’s moons (Allchin, D.: 2003, Science & Education, 12, 315–329).     

Metacognition and Self-Regulation in James,Piaget, and Vygotsky

This article investigates the intertwined constructs of metacognition and self-regulation as they emerge in the works and theories of James, Piaget, and Vygotsky. To coordinate this exploration, we use an interpretive framework based on the relation of subject and object. In this framework, James’s perspective on metacognition and self-regulation is aligned with the Self, Piaget’s with the other and object, and Vygotsky’s with the medium or agency of language. We explore how metacognition and self-regulation function within the realm of human behavior and development as described in the works of each of these theorists. Key questions or issues that emerge for current research are outlined, and the limitations and benefits of each theorist’s perspective vis-à-vis metacognition and self-regulation are discussed.     

Perceptions of teachers, students and parents of the characteristics of good teachers: a cross-cultural comparison of China and the United States

Since the 1920’s many researchers have conducted studies exploring the qualities of good teachers. However, a limited number of empirical studies have been conducted in the People’s Republic of China (hereafter called China). The current study has two objectives. The first one aims to compare a good teacher’s characteristics in China and the USA. To achieve this, qualitative data of a good teacher’s characteristics were collected in China. The results obtained from China were then compared to those reported in the USA. The second objective was to test whether or not there are differences among teachers’, students’ and parents’ perceptions of a good teacher’s characteristics in China. To achieve this, questionnaires were administered, and then statistical analyses were conducted. The qualitative data analyses have revealed four themes about the characteristics of good Chinese teachers: Teacher ethics, professional skills, professional development, and students’ test scores. The ANOVAs have found no differences among teachers’, students’ and parents’ perceptions of the qualities of good teachers in China on most of the items. This study helps readers better understand good teachers in a Chinese context and provides a framework for future comparative study between China and the USA regarding the qualities of good teachers.     

Maternal mediation in book reading, home literacy environment, and children’s emergent literacy: a comparison between two social groups

The researchers addressed two questions: (1) Does maternal reading mediation and family home literacy environment (HLE) relate to children’s emergent literacy (EL) level? and (2) Do the relationships among these variables differ as a function of socioeconomic strata (SES) level. A total of 94 5–6-year-old children, 47 from low SES (LSES) and 47 from high (HSES) families, and their mothers participated. Mother–child interactions while reading an unfamiliar book were videotaped and their verbal expressions were coded for extracting maternal mediation level. Children’s independent EL level was assessed prior to the interaction. Compared with the LSES group, HSES children showed higher EL levels and their homes had a richer literacy environment. Maternal mediation level differed by SES: LSES mothers paraphrased text more often; HSES mothers’ higher mediation level included a discussion of the written system and making connections beyond the text. In the HSES group, maternal mediation level and HLE related to children’s EL; no such relationships appeared in the LSES group. Results are discussed in terms of children’s socio-economic background and their reading experiences. Implications for researchers and educational practices about the relationships between children’s literacy development, SES, HLE, and parental mediation are discussed.     

On identity, diversity, and educational change

In this article, I discuss two areas of Andy Hargreaves’ scholarship, teachers’ identity and biography and the three periods of educational change spanning the 1960s to 1990s, that have influenced my work as a teacher educator and researcher. I describe research projects, including self-studies, in which I have examined the influence of teachers’ identities and biographies on their beliefs and practices of responding to student diversity. I also explore how the topic of teachers’ identity and biography are integrated into the courses I teach. Additionally, I describe how I have related the three periods of educational change—a period of optimism and innovation, a period of complexity and contradiction, and a period of marketization and standardization, along with the monocultural restoration—to corresponding policies and practices of responding to student diversity in the US and Ontario, Canada. Finally, I discuss a current project in which Andy and I are exploring core issues related to educational leadership and diversity.     

‘Thinking Schools, Learning Nations’ Implementation of Curriculum Review in Singapore

‘Thinking schools’ will be sites of learning for everyone declared the Singapore Prime Minister, Goh Chok and Minister of Education Teo Chee Hean’s in 1997 also spoke on the model of’ ‘thinking schools, learning nation’. Gardner’s model was used for the thinking school model in Singapore, in order to develop critical and creative thinking in students. This was to be done with the use of instructional technology as an enabling tool using a diversity of approaches including integrated project work. This paper reports on how one school went about changing approaches to teaching and learning by implementing integrated project work as a way of integrating the content areas of the curriculum, mathematics and science through English language, supported by the tools of instructional technology.     

Training Level, Acculturation, Role Ambiguity, and Multicultural Discussions in Training and Supervising International Counseling Students in the United States

This research partially replicated Nilsson and Anderson’s Professional Psychology: Research and Practice (2004) study on training and supervising international students. It investigated the relationships among international counseling students’ training level, acculturation, supervisory working alliance (SWA), counseling self-efficacy (COSE), role ambiguity (RA) and multicultural discussion (MD) in supervision. In the present study (N = 71), two acculturation variables and RA predicted SWA. SWA and MD did not predict COSE, while language use in acculturation did. Training level differences were only associated with COSE. Findings indicate that supervisors should attend to role ambiguity and multicultural issues when supervising international students, including acculturation issues and their impact on students’ performance. Results are discussed against Nilsson and Anderson’s original study and the implications for supervision of international counseling students.     

Psychological,Philosophical, and Educational Criticisms of Harry Frankfurt’s Concept of and Views about “Bullshit” in Human Discourse,Discussions, and Exchanges

Princeton University Press recently published the American moral philosopher Harry Frankfurt’s book On Bullshit, which quickly made the New York Times best seller list. Originally published in the journal Raritan in 1986, Frankfurt’s book has been heralded as an important theoretical development in the study of what he (and society) colloquially refer to as “bullshit.” Frankfurt formally defines BS as a situation where ones inclination and obligation to speak about a topic or concept far exceeds one’s knowledge of the topic, which most certainly has been a rising problem for a number of reasons over the past 20 years. However, Frankfurt’s book, which purports to be a moral victory of sorts, and despite its popularity, is not only severely flawed and outdated from an educational, cognitive, and philosophical perspective, but it is also highly oppressive in several different but very important ways. Because this book and its main arguments are being cited favorably in a number of different academic circles (including the science education community), this paper highlights the limitations and flaws of this book and develops a counter-argument and model of BS that has important implications for science, mathematics, philosophy, and educational theory and research.     

Pathways in Learning to Teach Elementary Science: Navigating Contexts,Roles, Affordances and Constraints

This case study of a fifth-year elementary intern’s pathway in learning to teach science focused on her science methods course, placement science teaching, and reflections as a first-year teacher. We studied the sociocultural contexts within which the intern learned, their affordances and constraints, and participants’ perspectives on their roles and responsibilities, and her learning. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with all participants. Audiotapes of the science methods class, videotapes of her science teaching, and field notes were collected. Data were transcribed and searched for affordances or constraints within contexts, perspectives on roles and responsibilities, and how views of her progress changed. Findings show the intern’s substantial progress, the ways in which affordances sometimes became constraints, and participants’ sometimes contradictory perspectives.     

Teachers’ affective presentation of children’s books and young children’s display of affective engagement during classroom book reading

This study examines how teachers’ use of affective strategies (voice intonation, dramatization, personal involvement comments) during the reading and discussion of books influence young children’s affective reactions (dramatization, personal engagement, language play comments). Twenty kindergarten teachers read four books, two fiction and two information ones (narrative/expository text). We found significant differences in both teachers’ affective presentation and young children’s affective reactions between fiction and information books, between the two fiction books but not between the narrative and expository text. A strong bi-directional relationship was found between teachers’ affective presentation of stories and young children’s affective reactions. In particular, teachers’ personal involvement comments prompted children’s personal engagement reactions, teachers’ reenactment was followed by children’s imitations of such reenactments and teachers’ voice intonation elicited children’s personal engagement comments. On the other hand, children’s use of paralinguistic cues and personal engagement comments reinforced teachers’ use of voice intonation and personal involvement comments. Finally, text features, such as rhyming, were followed by children’s language play.     

Developing Ideas of Refraction, Lenses and Rainbow Through the Use of Historical Resources

The paper examines different ways of using historical resources in teaching refraction related subjects. Experimental procedures can be taught by using Ptolemy’s and Al Haytham’s methods. The student can check the validity of the approximations or rules which were presented by different people. The interpretation of the relations is another subject. Refraction phenomena were interpreted either by the principle of least time or by particles or by waves. The law of refraction can be used as an example of a law which was discovered but put aside. The use of the law to construct lenses can be seen in Ibn Sahl’s hyperbolical lenses. Al Farisi’s method of “cones” is used for the interpretation of the rainbow. Al Farisi’s model was discovered again by Descartes. These models were not able to explain the supernumerary arcs. For this reason a simple wave model is presented. The models proposed by Al Haytham of atmospheric refraction can be used to show that refraction actually cannot be considered as the cause of the change of the size of the moon. Finally Huygens model of refraction in the atmosphere is used to introduce the wave fronts as more fundamental than rays.