Explorations in policy enactment: feminist thought experiments with Basil Bernstein’s code theory

This paper builds on feminist elaborations of Bernstein’s code theory to engage in a series of thought experiments with interview data produced during a co-inquiry design-based research intervention project. It presents three accounts of thinking/writing with data. Our purpose in presenting three different accounts of interview data is to demonstrate the relation between theory and empirical data. In the first two accounts, interview data are interpreted and performed through the lens of theory. By contrast, in the third account attention is paid to the ways in which care is practised not only in terms of policy enactment, but also research enactment. Empirical data are not moulded to fit generalisable theoretical frameworks. Rather, empirical data push back on theoretical concepts in a collaborative thought experiment.     

The role of education in the development of Black feminist thought, 1860‐1920

Very few English secondary schools now include ‘Comprehensive’ in their titles, and political enthusiasm for comprehensive schools is hard to detect. According to David Skelton of Policy Exchange, politicians, like anthropologists, have often ‘investigated them, read thoroughly about them and even visited them, but they don’t really understand them’. Drawing on a variety of source materials, this article discusses the early comprehensive schools movement, the period of intensive circulars and legislation in the 1960s and 1970s and the subsequent waning of interest in comprehensive schools as a policy topic. At the heart of the discussion is a focus on politics and politicians at both the national and local levels, with close reference to some key personalities of the post-war period. It is argued that the story of comprehensive schooling in England needs more balance and that we should look to the present generation of politicians and historians to provide this.     

Suchting on the nature of scientific thought: Are we anchoring curricula in quicksand?

Scientific thought and the nature of science have been perennial concerns of science teachers and science curriculum developers. That is, the development of students' scientific thinking patterns and understandings of science as a way of knowing have been formally identified as desired outcomes of science instruction since the beginning of this century, and arguably earlier (Lederman 1992). Our desire to help students develop scientific thinking skills and an adequate understanding of the nature of science continues to this day, as is evidenced by the various contemporary reforms in science education (AAAS 1993; National Research Council 1994). Wallis Suchting's comprehensive search for a definition of the nature of scientific thought (Suchting 1995) has significant implications for the aforementioned goals of the science education community. Notwithstanding the almost certain disagreements regarding Suchting's analytical methods, his ultimate conclusion that there is no final, ultimate answer to the question of the nature of scientific thought should receive careful consideration as it has significant implications for science instruction, curriculum development, research in science education, and the content and focus of science education reform. In particular, these implications relate specifically to the science education community's current conceptions of science process, nature of science, and multiculturalism in science.     

Agamben’s Potentiality and Chinese Dao: On experiencing gesture and movement of pedagogical thought

Abstract

Agamben’s potentiality, and Chinese dao, entail experiencing movement on being. This article presents our experiments with these movements in the context of pedagogy, putting at stake our mode of existence in thinking. We examine Agamben’s potentiality as an aporetic experience in pedagogy. We find echoes of dao movement in a controversial pedagogical event in China. Interlacing potentiality and dao with our experience of pedagogical thinking, each makes the other intelligible. We show that reasonings of pedagogy in the USA and China repeat the very paradoxes and exclusions they seek to overcome. We also gesture towards a way that, suspending and holding pedagogical reasoning in being empty, welcomes what cannot be learned or taught. This way also offers an example for comparative education.     

Systemic ecological illiteracy? Shedding light on meaning as an act of thought in higher learning

Research on ecological literacy often takes for granted that participants understand, and can construct the meaning within, the complex concepts involved, simply because they are able to use the appropriate terminology in a ‘fluent’ manner and/or can select the correct option on multiple choice tests. In this study, and in the larger two-year study it is part of, a trend has been unearthed regarding the ecological literacy of university students entering into a Bachelor of Education program. An analysis of the meaning contained in participant definitions has revealed that the vast majority of teacher candidates, graduates of many different universities, are unable to explain the meaning of key integrating ecological concepts at even a minimal level of maturity, alluding to a possible systemic problem. The findings, though preliminary, suggest that until we inquire into the meaning that teachers possess for key concepts rather than accepting fluent but shallow use of these concepts, we may be taking too much for granted.     

“Food for thought”一节英语课堂教学改进——课堂行动研究的一次尝试

课堂是研究性教学的重要场所。所谓研究性课堂教学,就是基于强调学科原理形成过程和师生互动为主要特征的教学方式。因为,许多定理的条件和结论并不是事先就知道的,而是通过教师对许多具体、特殊的现象进行不断分析和探究才得到的,所以,我们的教学应从创设问题情境出发,激发学生的兴趣和探究激情,引导学生自主探究和体验知识的发生过程,还原原来的科学思维活动,通过师生互动、双向交流的形式,鼓励质疑批判和发表独立见解,培养创新思维和创新能力,这是研究性课堂教学设计的精髓。研究性教学     

I thought to myself: what a long way I’ve come … : teacher writing for professional learning

As governments the world over continue to advocate the importance of teacher professional learning, researchers and practitioners continue to explore ways to enact that learning in meaningful ways. The value of narrative for teacher education has been widely discussed and several studies show that learning is significant when teacher–writers engage in written dialogue. This article is a critical, narrative-based account of the professional learning of Orly, an Israeli teacher. Written reflection and narrative play a crucial mediating role in her learning. This practitioner inquiry explores narrative writing as a means of learning, empowerment and professional renewal for Israeli educators. The author presents multiple ways in which language from a professional learning context can connect with classroom practice and discusses the dialogical nature of this kind of learning.     

Less direct than you thought: Do teachers transmit math value to students through their cognitive support for understanding?

Students' valuing of subject domains is an important contributor to students' educational success. As one avenue to foster students' valuing, social-cognitive motivational theories suggest that teachers might transmit their value beliefs to students through their instructional strategies. Accordingly, the current study examined the transmission of teacher's math value to students' math value via the content-related instructional strategy of cognitive support as reported by teachers and students. Using a longitudinal dataset of 1429 students (51% males, 68% Hispanic) and their 26 teachers (48% female), manifest-latent multilevel regression analyses showed some indication that teacher's endorsement of math valuing for their students, but not their personal value beliefs, might be associated indirectly with class average students' interest value through teacher's provision of cognitive support. Furthermore, teacher's reported cognitive support was related to the class average of students' value beliefs through class average students' perceptions of cognitive support, highlighting the importance of students' perceptions.     

解读《城市》——读《The city，a dictionary of quotable thought on cities and urban life》

“城市”几乎成了时下使用频率最高的词汇。城市象征机会、象征现代生活、提供财富和成功希望；城市同时隐藏危机，显露奢华糜费，引人焦灼浮躁；城市给我们带来麻烦。中国人刚刚过上我们憧憬已久的好日子，城市化就这样扑面而来，将更多的人毫无准备地紧紧包围。因此，我们最关心的是，如果城市化的浪潮是不以我们的意志为转移的话，我们怎样做，才能从中获得更多的机会和利益，并且成功地绕开陷阱和漩涡。从这个意义上说，吴良镛先生的话颇有见地。他指出，我们住在城市，生活在城市，工作在城市里头，偏偏最不理解它。这里所说的理解，不是一般意义的知道、了解或认识，而是把城市作为一个具有时空延展性的整体，作为一个有生命的历史过程。作为一个复杂的巨系统，作为一门科学来探索研究。因此，     

“I thought＋主语＋过去式”结构调型的辨义功能——预期性和非预期性反应

英语的某种调型总是与某种句型有着密切的关系,它具有一种反映语法内在规律的功能,即语义作用（semantic function）。“I thought＋主语＋过去式”结构的调型：降升调,升降调,英关人士常用来对某一问题做出预期性回答和非预期性回答。     

基于主题语境的高三英语词汇复习——以外研版高中英语必修二“unit 1 Food for thought”为例

高三英语词汇复习是高三总复习的重点,但传统的讲授式英语词汇复习课通过独立的词语操练和单纯的词语记忆进行教与学,存在教学方式单一、教学内容枯燥等问题,导致学生词汇复习效率不高。以外研版高中英语教材必修二“unit1 Food for thought”的教学为例,探讨基于主题语境开展高三英语词汇复习的策略,以提高单词学习效率。     

‘They’re a lot cleverer than I thought’: challenging perceptions of disability support staff as they tutor in an adult literacy program

Being literate empowers individuals to be effective consumers, to be informed about lifestyle options, to read aesthetically for relaxation and enjoyment and to further their knowledge of people and places that can enable them to participate more fully in communities. However, there are limited literacy opportunities and programs specifically designed to meet the needs of individuals with intellectual disabilities across their lifespan. The aim of this Australian National Training Authority funded project was to develop and implement a training, teaching and resource package for the development of literacy for adults with intellectual disabilities. The aim of this project was to assess, develop, train and assist support staff in two community‐based services for clients with intellectual disabilities to act as literacy tutors for their clients. The project was undertaken within two disability‐service programs using an applied action research approach. The results indicated that the tutors learnt much about tutoring and about the literacy abilities of their clients. There was some initial resistance from the tutors about the value of literacy learning for their clients. However, resistance decreased as tutors developed confidence, and clients demonstrated interest, engagement and skills in the activities. Implications for the effectiveness of such programs lie in the needs to tailor any training specifically to the needs of the support staff; and to provide time for implementation, on‐going support and access to appropriate resources.