Too much too little: educating just in case?

Cultural Studies of Science Education - This response builds upon some of the issues raised in the article Windows and mirrors: three images of the US science curriculum as reflected through...     

你会正确使用too many,too much和much too吗?

too m any熏 too m uch 和 m uch too 都 有 “太多”,“ ”的意思,在使用时容易混淆。下面谈谈它 太们的用法。 这三个词语的主要区别在于它们的中心词以及它们所修饰的词不同。三者之中的前一个词都是修饰词,用来加强语气,后一个词是中心词。因此,在使用时只需要考虑后一个词的用法就行了。分述如下: 一、 的中心词是 用法与 too m any m any熏 相同,用来修饰复数可数名词。例如:m any H e’s got too m any questions to ask you.他有很多问题要问你。 They bought too m any eggs yesterday. 昨天他们鸡蛋买得太多…     

Can difference make a difference? A critical theory discussion of religion in sexuality education

This article conceptualizes religion as a critical theory challenge to sexuality education. Religious views in sexuality education are often perceived as intolerant and incompatible with today’s progressive and modern society. This article engages with the idea that the inclusion of religious viewpoints on sexuality will challenge the efficacy of current sexuality education in Australia and New Zealand school contexts, to create a more contemporary and inclusive learning experience that caters for all students’ sexual needs and lives. Utilizing a critical theory lens, I demonstrate how religion can challenge dominant views of sexuality education, introduce alternative modes of content and delivering, promote critical thinking skills and more egalitarian ways of learning about sexuality. Drawing on data collected from Australian and New Zealand public schools, this article endeavors to reframe current discussions of the relationships between religion and sexuality education.     

What do students believe about effective classroom management? A mixed-methods investigation in Western Australian high schools

Students’ views about teaching, learning, and school experiences are important considerations in education. The purpose of this study was to examine students’ perceptions of teachers who create and maintain safe and supportive learning environments. To achieve this, a survey was conducted with 360 students to capture students’ views on their classroom experiences. Follow-up focus group discussions were used to further elaborate and clarify students’ perceptions. Despite varying school contexts, students provided consistent reports that effective classroom managers meet students’ needs by developing caring relationships and controlling the classroom environment while developing student responsibility and engaging students in their learning.     

Negotiating diversity: an empirical investigation into family,school and student factors influencing New Zealand adolescents’ science literacy

The purpose of this study was to examine a factor triad consisting of family, school and student variables contributing to New Zealand adolescents’ science literacy performance on Programme for International Student Assessment 2006. Results indicated that the selected variables in our study explained 25% of total differences in New Zealand students’ science achievement. Family socio-economic status (SES) as well as adolescents’ motivation to learn science and general value of science were influential factors in students’ science achievement. Findings also revealed a statistically significant interaction effect between SES and first-generation immigrant students but not between SES and second-generation immigrant students. Although parents’ perception of general value of science showed a positive effect on adolescents’ scientific performance, its predictive power was relatively weak.     

Why should I read? - A cross-cultural investigation into adolescents’ reading socialisation and reading attitude

While reading behaviour of adolescents is a frequent object of research, most studies in this field are restricted to a single country. This study investigates reading as a leisure-time activity across social groups from three regions differing in reading tradition as well as in the facilities available for reading. The authors analyse the reading behaviour of a total of 2,173 adolescents in the Netherlands, in Beijing (China), and in Cape Town (South Africa). Taking Icek Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behaviour as a starting point, the authors adjusted it to model the three most important determinants of reading behaviour, namely (1) reading attitude; (2) subjective norms (implicit and explicit social pressure to read); and (3) perceived behavioural control, which includes reading proficiency and appropriateness of the available books (book supply). While they found the adjusted model to fit the Dutch and Beijing situation quite well, it appeared to be inappropriate for the Cape Town situation. Despite considerable cultural and situational differences between the Netherlands and Beijing, the results show a similar pattern for these two environments. The most important determinants turn out to be: the hedonic reading attitude, the implicit norm of family and friends, the attractiveness of the available choice of books, and the perceived reading proficiency.     

Does spelling instruction make students better spellers,readers, and writers? A meta-analytic review

Despite the importance of spelling for both writing and reading, there is considerable disagreement regarding how spelling skills are best acquired. During this and virtually all of the last century, some scholars have argued that spelling should not be directly or formally taught as such instruction is not effective or efficient. We conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis of experimental and quasi-experimental studies to address these claims. The corpus of 53 studies in this review included 6,037 students in kindergarten through 12th grade and yielded 58 effect sizes (ESs) that were used to answer eight research questions concerning the impact of formally teaching spelling on spelling, phonological awareness, reading, and writing performance. An average weighted ES was calculated for each question and the quality of included studies was systematically evaluated. Results provided strong and consistent support for teaching spelling, as it improved spelling performance when compared to no/unrelated instruction (ES = 0.54) or informal/incidental approaches to improving spelling performance (ES = 0.43). Increasing the amount of formal spelling instruction also proved beneficial (ES = 0.70). Gains in spelling were maintained over time (ES = 0.53) and generalized to spelling when writing (ES = 0.94). Improvements in phonological awareness (ES = 0.51) and reading skills (ES = 0.44) were also found. The positive outcomes associated with formal spelling instruction were generally consistent, regardless of students’ grade level or literacy skills.     

The price of admission: Who gets into private school,and how much do they pay?

I analyze how elementary and secondary private schools decide which students to admit from their applicant pool using mechanism design theory. The problem for an individual private school of who to admit and how much to charge in tuition, is complicated by the existence of peer-effects: the value students place on attending school is increasing with the average ability of the entire class at that school. This feature, coupled with the fact that students can always attend public school for free, places constraints on the types of classes the private school can admit. In my model, students have an ability type that is known to the school through testing, as well as a wealth type that is private information. Students report their wealth to the school and on the basis of the results from the ability test and wealth reports, the school institutes an allocation rule and a payment rule. Allocation rules which only admit all high ability students and no others, or all high wealth students and no others are not feasible. I utilize a simple example to show how in a revenue-maximizing allocation, the private school always under-admits the highest ability students relative to the allocation rule that maximizes social welfare.     

Does shame influence nonsuicidal self-injury among college students? An investigation into the role of shame,negative urgency,and brooding

College students experience high levels of life stress that put them at increased risk for nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). It is important to understand which vulnerabilities put students most at risk, in order to inform treatment in college counseling centers. This study investigated the joint contributions of specific vulnerabilities to lifetime history and frequency of NSSI among a sample of undergraduates (50% reported a history of NSSI). Results showed shame-proneness was uniquely associated with NSSI frequency beyond other negative emotions. Negative urgency and brooding exacerbated this effect. This study provides insights into the contributions of specific vulnerabilities to NSSI and implications for practice.     

“Or is that just your opinion?“: Incorporating faculty of color into the foundational literature on learner-centered classrooms—A review

Learner-centered classrooms are cooperative learning spaces in which instructors intentionally incorporate the needs, experiences, and feedback of students in order to design course objectives, materials, and assessments. This paper is concerned with the question: To what extent does the literature on learner-centered classrooms address the unique teaching challenges of faculty of color in higher education? Through a review of the foundational literature on learner-centered classrooms and scholarship on faculty of color's teaching experiences, as well as the incorporation of personal vignettes, the author argues that scholarship on learner-centered classrooms in higher education excludes faculty of color epistemologically, or as sources of knowledge about learner-centered classrooms, and experientially, as practitioners enacting learner-centered pedagogical practice. In fact, many recommendations in the literature on learner-centered classrooms directly contradict scholarship on the experiences, challenges, and best practices of faculty of color. This paper ends with directions for future research and practice.     

Who studies STEM subjects at A level and degree in England? An investigation into the intersections between students’ family background,gender and ethnicity in determining choice

The relative lack of students studying post‐compulsory STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects is a key policy concern. A particular issue is the disparities in uptake by students’ family background, gender and ethnicity. It remains unclear whether the relationship between student characteristics and choice can be explained by academic disparities, and whether students’ background, gender and ethnicity interact in determining university subject choices, rather than simply having additive effects. I use data from more than 4000 students in England from ‘Next Steps’ (previously the LSYPE) and logistic regression methods to explore the interacting relationships between student characteristics and subject choice. There are four main findings of this study. Firstly, disparities by students’ ethnicity are shown to increase when controlling for prior attainment. Secondly, family background indicators are differentially related to uptake for male and female students, with parents’ social class and education larger predictors of choice than financial resources. Thirdly, gender, ethnicity and family background interact in determining choices. Particularly, as socio‐economic position increases, young women are more likely to choose STEM over other high‐return subjects. Finally, associations between student characteristics and subject choices, including interactions, largely persisted when accounting for A‐level choices. Implications for policy and future research are discussed.     

Does participatory action learning make a difference? Perspectives of effective learning tools and indicators from the conservation cropping group in north Queensland,Australia

Abstract

In Australia, the introduction of extension approaches based on adult learning, action learning and action research theory has resulted in a turn around in the way in which Research, Development and Extension (RD&E) agencies operate. These approaches are being used particularly in projects involving farmer groups to improve decision‐making skills of both fanners and extension agents and have become common agendas of funding bodies and agencies that support such projects. However, the questions remain concerning both funding bodies and extension agencies: ‘Does participatory action learning (PAL) make a difference? And is it more effective than traditional models of extension for improving the adoption of sustainable farming practices? This paper presents the results from evaluating the learning occurring within an on‐going conservation cropping farmer group using PAL. The results illustrate real‐world evidence to suggest that participatory action learning and other action research based approaches make a difference in improving the effectiveness of group learning compared to more traditional extension approaches. Qualities of and indicators for effective learning can be developed from empirical research as well as common concepts drawn from theories of learning. In addition, the use of qualitative evaluation methods (eg. convergent interviewing) and ‘soft’ systems approaches, are useful for traditionally perceived ‘difficult‐to‐measure’ advances in learning. The overall finding is that PAL was both feasible and rewarding.     

Special educational needs and inclusion,moving forward but standing still? A critical reframing of some key issues

This article draws together my thinking in relation to special educational needs and inclusion that have dominated my practice. The article, through the concept of embodiment, revisits, reviews and reframes the key issues of the construction of special educational needs, inclusion and the ideology that binds them together. Through this exploration, I argue we often seem to move forward with policy while in reality standing still in ensuring the ‘success’ of all of our pupils. By critiquing and reframing taken‐for‐granted assumptions and the sacred words ‘success’ and ‘achievement’, this article maps out the future directions of inclusive education. It concludes with a reflection on my first days as a ‘teacher of special educational needs’ and my work to support Kenny, a student with cerebral palsy. This personal reflection maps out a different form of educational success that perhaps could provide a forward momentum to develop more successful inclusive education policy and practice.     

“A boy,being a victim,nobody really buys that,you know?”: Dynamics of sexual violence against boys

The aim of this study was to present the dynamics of sexual violence against boys. Interviews were conducted with four male victims of sexual abuse between the ages of six and 10, as well as four psychologists employed in the health care system and involved in the treatment of sexually abused boys. Results were examined using thematic content analysis, based on six deductively identified themes corresponding to the following stages of sexual violence against children and adolescents: preparation, episodes, silencing, narratives, repression and overcoming. The results suggested that proximity between victims and offenders, who were mostly adolescent boys, was a facilitator of abuse. The interviews also revealed that victims faced significant levels of disbelief and discrimination. Lastly, the findings pointed to the importance of protective actions and of the system itself, though all practitioners perceived the latter as flawed and unprepared to handle cases involving sexually abused boys. These findings underscore the social invisibility of sexual violence against boys, due to the low number of referrals as well as the disbelief and discrimination, which permeates the management of these cases.