Reading Recovery 20 Years Down the Track: Looking forward,looking back

Reading Recovery is an intensive literacy programme designed for young students who have been identified as being at‐risk of reading failure after 1 year of schooling. The intervention was developed and trialled in New Zealand over 20 years ago and is now implemented in a number of education systems. The focus of this article is on recent research into the operationalisation of the programme with an overview of what it has done well and what it has not done so well. Reading Recovery has been very successful in bringing about change on the political and teacher training levels. In terms of efficacy in remediating literacy difficulties, however, the findings are more equivocal. What we have learned from Reading Recovery may assist in the implementation of new interventions based on more contemporary research.     

Looking back to look forward: Ten years of team

Abstract

The article analyses the content of articles published in TEAM in the period from 1995 to 2004. Central themes are highlighted, and it is discussed how these have developed and have been transformed over the decade. In the conclusion, gaps in knowledge about certain aspects of higher education are identified.     

Looking back to look forward: ten years of team

The article analyses the content of articles published in TEAM in the period from 1995 to 2004. Central themes are highlighted, and it is discussed how these have developed and have been transformed over the decade. In the conclusion, gaps in knowledge about certain aspects of higher education are identified.     

The accountability era in US teacher education: looking back,looking forward

Abstract

In keeping with the theme of the 40th anniversary issue of EJTE, this article looks back and forward at US teacher education accountability. It argues that “holding teacher education accountable” has been the major approach to reforming teacher education in the US for the last two decades, assuming that enhanced teacher education quality depends on vigilant public evaluation and monitoring of outcomes related to teacher education institutions, programs, and teacher candidates. This article looks back at the “era of accountability” by examining five policy, political, and professional developments that contributed to its emergence and strong hold on US teacher education. Looking forward to the future of teacher education accountability in the US, the article argues that we need a new approach – democratic accountability in teacher education – which is based on intelligent professional responsibility for students’ learning including democratic knowledge and skills, strong equity, and genuine collaboration with multiple stakeholders.     

Looking forward by looking back: equity in science education as socially just and morally healing action

Cultural Studies of Science Education - In this conceptual paper, we argue that social justice, morality, and healing must be at the core of an equity agenda for science education. When we view...     

The curriculum in the middle years

Three history lessons taught to ten-year-olds in Bucharest, Romania and three in Cumbria, England were video-recorded, in an attempt to identify common characteristics of good practice, irrespective of differences in cultures, schools, resources and curriculum, as a positive foundation for further dialogue between the participating schools. The transcribed texts were analysed using categories of historical questioning. This paper outlines key findings, then focuses on a comparison of one English and one Romanian lesson in which whole class teaching was supported by group discussion. It is suggested that further exploration of the links between whole class questioning and group discussion using the framework devised could support teachers in different countries to work collaboratively to develop pupils historical enquiry.     

Problem-posing research in mathematics education: looking back, looking around, and looking ahead

In this paper, I comment on the set of papers in this special issue on mathematical problem posing. I offer some observations about the papers in relation to several key issues, and I suggest some productive directions for continued research inquiry on mathematical problem posing.     

David B. Zandvliet and Barry J. Fraser (Eds.): Thirty years of learning environments: Looking back and looking forward (Advances in Learning Environments Research series,Volume 11)

Learning Environments Research -     

Relevant, challenging, integrative and exploratory curriculum design: Perspectives from theory and practice for middle level schooling in Australia

Integrative curriculum design promises much for middle level teachers who wish to develop classroom programmes that will encourage early adolescents to actively engage in their learning (Beane 1990, 1997). Beane’s model is highly responsive to the educational and developmental needs of young people. In contrast, multidisciplinary curriculum design (Jacobs 1989) may result in significant but largely unrecognised drawbacks when it is implemented in the middle grades.     

Students' perceptions of the value of the elements of an online learning environment: looking back in moving forward

In 2003, Deakin University implemented a centralised learning management system (LMS) under the banner of Deakin Studies Online (DSO), as well as implementing policies requiring all its units of study to have at least a basic online presence from 2004. Given the scope of the university's commitment to online education, it was considered essential to evaluate the effectiveness of this investment. Based on more than 5400 responses obtained from students in 2004 and 2005 as part of the DSO evaluation survey, the analysis presented here identifies those elements of the online learning environment (OLE) that are most used and valued by students, those elements of the OLE that students most want to see improved, and, those factors that most contribute to students' perceptions that use of the OLE enhanced their learning experience. The most used and valued elements were core LMS functions, including accessing unit information, accessing lecture/tute/lab notes, interacting with unit learning resources, reading online discussions, contacting lecturers/tutors and submitting assignments online. The OLE elements identified as most needing attention were receiving feedback on assignments; viewing my marks; and reviewing unit progress. Students felt that using DSO enhanced their learning experience when they were adequately supported by unit teachers and technical support services; when they were able to find and use unit information; and when they were able to read the online contributions of other unit members. The retrospective analysis of data collected in the period 2004–2005 has been shaped by a forward-looking agenda. The array of elements available within, and in association with, traditional LMSs which has emerged since that time raises the future challenge of how to maximise and evidence educational value through the optimal combination of elements from the portfolio of e-learning technologies increasingly available to educators.