UNESCO'S Environmental Education Program

Abstract

A visitor education strategy was developed, implemented, and tested for its effectiveness in raising levels of knowledge and attitudes toward state nature preserve management. Visitor sociodemographic and site-specific data were also collected and analyzed. A stratified random sample of visitors to four Ohio state nature preserves was taken, and visitor sociodemographic, site-specific, knowledge and attitude data were obtained by a 35-item questionnaire. Results from 1,141 completed questionnaires showed preserve visitors to be mostly male, age 20–39, with incomes ranging from $10,000 to $30,000, and with few of them holding memberships in either community or conservation groups. Most visited state nature preserves frequently, were very satisfied with their most recent preserve visits, and came to the preserves with either family or friends, for solitude and to see sights. A pretest of knowledge of and attitudes toward selected nature preserve management concepts showed that visitors poorly comprehended the concepts and held negative or neutral attitudes toward them. A visitor education program was developed utilizing interpretive strategies as methods of transmitting information about the preserve management concepts. Posttest scores showed gains both in levels of knowledge and attitudes. The largest gains were found where brochures and personal services were employed as interpretive strategies. Correlational analyses showed a statistically significant relationship between visitors' knowledge of preserve management and their attitudes toward it. Analyses also showed no relationship between sociodemographic variables and knowledge of or attitudes toward preserve management concepts.     

Educational services for mentally handicapped children in Northern Ireland: A survey of provision

Abstract

Until April 1987 mentally handicapped children were legally excluded from education in Northern Ireland. Provision was made instead in special care schools administered by social services authorities. This contrasts with the position in the rest of the UK where all children have been educated in schools administered by education authorities since the early 1970s. A survey was conducted to investigate aspects of provision in special care schools. Comparative samples of special schools for children with mental handicap in England, and special schools for other categories of children with special needs in Northern Ireland were also surveyed.

Results show that the special care school pupils were disadvantaged often seriously, compared with the other samples. Staffing ratios were inferior in most respects of provision. Other resources were often criticized by head teachers as inadequate. The special care school transport system was also shown to be seriously deficient, causing the length of the school day to be reduced for a very large proportion of pupils. The inadequacies identified impinged particularly on severely and profoundly handicapped pupils, despite earlier Government arguments that the interests of this group could be damaged in a transfer to education.

Nearly one fifth of the special care school population were aged 19 and over, and nearly one third of the profoundly handicapped pupils were 19 or over. In many cases adults and children shared the same facilities.

These results are compared and contrasted with Government documents which claimed parity of provision in special care schools and special schools in England, and which adopted a stated policy of normalization in the development of services for the mentally handicapped.     

Some Aspects of Special Education in Singapore

The Special Educational provision in Singapore for children with disabilities has progressed considerably since the first voluntary group began in 1947.

By mid-1986, there were 12 special schools catering for some 2,000 pupils; intellectually disabled, educationally subnormal, hearing impaired, visually handicapped, cerebral palsied and multiple handicapped. All these schools are run by Voluntary Associations with Government support in terms of funds, buildings and some teachers.

However, an analysis of prevalence figures indicates a possible shortfall in the numbers of disabled children actually attending special schools, and an over-concentration of these schools in one part of Singapore which might deter some parents from sending their children to the appropriate special school.

One major improvement in the quality of Special Education has been the systematic training (since 1984) of the unqualified Association teachers at the Institute of Education on the Certificate in Special Education Programme.

However, there would still seem to be a need for more therapists and para-professionals to support the services offered in the special schools.     

Outdoor education in Scotland

Abstract

Although Scotland is part of the United Kingdom it has a distinct cultural identity and a separate education and legal system. These factors, which have influenced the development of outdoor education, are likely to have an even greater impact in the future following the re-establishment (after a break of almost 300 years since 1707) of a Scottish Parliament in 1999.

Scotland was one of the first countries in the world to formalise outdoor education. This was the result of a combination of factors:

• ? Geophysical and climatic factors together with landholding and land-use practices established in the 18th Century have ensured that much of Highland Scotland is depopulated and devoid of forests; leading to the perception that the area is a “wilderness” and therefore attractive for outdoor recreation.

• ? Exploration for political, economic and scientific reasons in the second half of the millennium, which both led to and developed from Britain's empire, stimulated a national taste for adventure as expressed in seafaring, mountaineering and polar exploration.

• ? Growth in wealth, mobility and leisure-time in the late 19th and 20th Centuries provided the means by which many more people could engage in their own, more modest adventures, leading to the development of stylised forms of outdoor activities in the UK.

Consequently the landscape and surrounding seas of Scotland have long presented challenges for outdoor recreation, and post-war development of outdoor education fitted quite naturally into this physical and social landscape.

In the 1960s and 1970s outdoor education (often formalised as physical outdoor activities and based on a residential experience) was extensively developed in Scotland and was of international significance. In recent years, primarily as a result of political effects, provision has been in some decline; a trend markedly at odds with the concurrent rapid growth in outdoor recreation. A shift away from public provision through the education service seems to be countered by growth in “charitable” and “private sector” provision, especially in the case of residential outdoor education centres.

Some concerns are raised about possible future trends, and the argument made that educational theory should be taken into account in the design of programmes which focus on personal and social education; or which capitalise on the learning potential of the landscape to encourage cultural awareness and principles of sustainability, which are seen as having both local and global significance.     

The Gifted/Handicapped: Some Basic Issues

This article reviews current literature on the gifted/handicapped, tracing reasons behind the neglect suffered by this population and identifying difficulties still to be resolved in the provision of appropriate educational services. A multidisciplinary approach which emphasizes the significant roles played by teachers andparents of the G/H is seen as necessary to identify, diagnose and plan appropriately for their special educational needs. Up‐to‐date use of technological advances is advocated in the education of these children.     

Spatial awareness in seven to 11‐year‐old physically handicapped children in mainstream schools

ABSTRACT

Ten mainstream‐educated children with physical handicaps that restrict their independent mobility, aged between 7 and 11 years, were compared with matched classmates on measures of spatial awareness and cognitive mapping skills. Compared with their classmates, the handicapped children were significantly worse at drawing plan maps of their classrooms, placing missing objects on accurate classroom maps, and pointing in the direction of distant landmarks on the school campus. All motorically impaired children were deficient on one or more measures (whether brain damaged or not). Awareness of spatial relations is likely to be important for the development of several intellectual skills, and since physically handicapped children may be disadvantaged in this area, it is worthy of special attention from teachers and support staff.     

Evaluating the impact of schooling on families of severely handicapped children

Evaluating educational programs for severely handicapped children today presents a number of challenges. These programs have characteristics and features that make them quite unlike “regular” school programs for nonhandicapped children or even those for mildly handicapped children. Moreover, evaluators typically look to aspects of child progress or child gains in determining program success, but schooling for severely impaired children also has some profound implications for parents and families. Thus, this paper will focus on evaluating the impact of schooling on families of severely handicapped children. The article begins by considering the special attributes of severely handicapped children and their school programs. I will then address the impact of these programs, categorized by: (1) the impact of child-focused programs on severely handicapped children themselves; (2) the impact of child-focused programs on families; and (3) the impact of family-focused programs.     

Factors Influencing Zoo Visitors' Conservation Attitudes and Behavior

Abstract

The author predicted that Zoo Atlanta visitors who had interactive experience with the zoo's elephant demonstration and bio-fact program would be more likely to actively support elephant conservation than those who simply viewed the animals in their exhibit and read graphics. The survey instruments used in this research consisted of 25 closed-ended questions, petitions, and conservation-action solicitation cards. A random sample of 471 zoo visitors was selected, and 350 individuals completed the survey, signed petitions, and took solicitation cards. The overall return rate of the solicitation cards was 18.3%; the return rate was higher for visitors who had higher levels of interaction with the elephant exhibit. The return rates by experience were highest—29.7%, high—20.3%, undetermined—14.8%, low—14.3%, and lowest—11.6%. For the five categories of experience, the distribution of return rates was not random, χ²(4,N = 64) = 9.88, p < .04.     

Bridging Courses in Chemistry and Physics for Engineering Students

Throughout the 1980s there has been a remarkable rise in the retention rate of Australian students in secondary education. Although the absolute numbers of students undertaking the traditional upper secondary school preparatory subjects for Engineering courses has been increasing, their proportion as a percentage of the whole Year 12 group has simultaneously been decreasing.

In the face of this situation, the Faculty of Engineering at Monash decided in 1989 to ask the Faculty of Education to offer special bridging courses in chemistry and physics to students who had the appropriate high entry scores, but who had not studied either one or the other of these subjects during their Year 12 program.

After an initial period of data collection involving researching the chemistry and physics courses, two intensive special bridging courses to be taken over one semester were designed to meet the needs of these students. The first four years of the program have produced very encouraging results. The paper describes the rationale behind the design of these courses and the range of teaching and learning strategies that have been employed. It includes a discussion of some of the conditions that are believed to be necessary to ensure the success of such a bold educational experiment.     

Interpretive validity theory: mapping a methodology for validating educational assessments

Background:?Validity theory has evolved significantly over the past 30 years in response to the increased use of assessments across scientific, social and educational settings. The overarching trajectory of this evolution reflects a shift from a purely quantitative, positivistic approach to a conception of validity reliant on the interpretation of multiple evidence sources integrated into validity arguments. Moreover, within contemporary validity, interpretation has been emphasised as a central process; however, despite this emphasis, there have been few explicit articulations of specific interpretive methodologies applicable to the practice of validation.

Purpose:?To link contemporary theoretical foundations in validity to practical methods and structures to help guide the collection and analysis of interpretive validity evidence. By building upon existing validity theory, this paper aims to provide greater clarity on the practice of validation and contribute toward the larger developing framework for the validation of educational assessments.

Source of evidence:?An interdisciplinary, integrative review of over 60 research articles and sources related to the theory and practice of educational validation and interpretive inquiry approaches. Sources include literature from the fields of educational assessment and more broadly social scientific research.

Main argument:?As assessments in education increasingly aim to measure complex constructs that are value-laden and socially dependant, validity theory must keep pace and evolve in ways that address the inherent complexities associated with contemporary educational assessment. Through this paper, I assert that a greater understanding of interpretive methodologies represents one of the most promising areas for development of validation theory and practice. Specifically, I argue that dialectic, hermeneutic and transgressive forms of inquiry can be integrated within current argument-based structures for the collection, analysis and representation of validity evidence in several useful ways.

Conclusions:?Interpretive inquiry processes, namely dialectic, hermeneutic and transgressive forms of interpretation, serve to expand validation practice to include diverse evidences for the generation of multiple-perspective validity arguments. The paper concludes with specific implications for future research and practice within the field of interpretive validity theory.     

Keeping your audience in mind: applying audience analysis to the design of interactive score reports

Score reports have one or more intended audiences: the people who use the reports to make decisions about test takers, including teachers, administrators, parents and test takers. Attention to audience when designing a score report supports assessment validity by increasing the likelihood that score users will interpret and use assessment results appropriately. Although most design guidelines focus on making score reports understandable to people who are not testing professionals, audiences should be defined by more than just their lack of statistical knowledge. This paper introduces an approach to identifying important audience characteristics for designing computer-based, interactive score reports. Through three examples, we demonstrate how an audience analysis suggests a design pattern, which guides the overall design of a report, as well as design details, such as data representations and scaffolding. We conclude with a research agenda for furthering the use of audience analysis in the design of interactive score reports.     

The role of outdoor recreation in family enrichment

Abstract

The family is the fundamental unit in society and perhaps the oldest and most important of all human institutions. Several studies have indicated a positive correlation between strong, successful families and family participation in outdoor recreational activities. This paper addresses the role of structured outdoor recreation programming in family enrichment. Findings from two studies based in the United States are presented: one on the effect of a one-day family outdoor adventure program on parental and child perceptions of family functioning and the other from a qualitative inquiry into the meaning of family residential camping experiences. The first study collected both quantitative and qualitative data from 24 families who participated in an 8-hour outdoor adventure program. The second study utilized structured interviews with 11 families participating in a residential camp experience. Findings from both studies demonstrate that structured outdoor family recreation programming has a strong positive relationship with family strength. Furthermore, findings indicate that the type of outdoor adventure activities being used in the treatment of dysfunctional and maladaptive families is also effective in providing family enrichment experiences.     

A STUDY OF OLDER STUDENTS ATTENDING UNIVERSITY CLASSES

Recently, March, Hooper, and Baum (1977) described a sample of 99 nonstudent elders in terms of their demographic characteristics and their attitudes toward lifelong learning. The sample was found to be well‐educated (mean years of education = 13.61, SD = 9.43), active in the community, well‐read, and fairly affluent. The majority demonstrated a quite open attitude toward the appropriateness of formal education in old age, but also felt that learning can be acquired outside the classroom: “living is learning.”

The present study was undertaken to similarly describe a sample of elderly people enrolled in the University of Wisconsin guest student program, and to contrast these respondents with those in the earlier study. The student group was found to be significantly younger than the nonstudent group (mean = 70.78, SD = 7.21 vs. mean = 74.69, SD = 8.45; t = 2.87, p < .001). Although there is no difference in the mean years of education of the two groups, there is significantly greater variability in years of education in the student group (F = 10.98, p < .001), with 50.4% of the nonstudent group versus 21.6% of the student group having 12 years of education or less. Additionally, it was found that only 10 of the 139 student respondents did not have either personal or vicarious personal (through familial significant others) experience with higher education in youth.

The respondents’ stated preference for class format and student group age is also summarized, and some implications for educational gerontology are discussed.     

Implementing an Outcomes-Based Assessment Process in a Major Metropolitan Community College District

To propose recommendations for implementing an outcomes-based assessment program review in a California community college district, a grounded theory analysis was performed within the district. The findings generated were cross-referenced with findings from a multi-institutional case study analysis. A key finding from the cross-reference was the need for the leadership to clarify, across all levels of the organization, who the audience is for the data generated from the program review process; the indicators that each audience requires; and how that audience intends to use results generated from the process. These clarifications need to be accomplished prior to designing the outcomes-based assessment process.     

Understanding Visitor Engagement and Behaviors

ABSTRACT

The authors examine a model of visitor engagement that has been in development over the past 3 years at the Smithsonian Institution. A total of 390 visitors comprised the sample with a subsample (n = 102) of visitors who were tracked through an exhibit in the National Museum of Natural History. A 5-factor visitor preference model was tested (idea, people, object, physical, and reflective). A 4-factor model was retained, and factor scores were linked to tracking data. Results from the tracking model indicate that the preference scores are associated with and predictive of behavioral patterns within the exhibit.     

REAL: A philosophy of gifted/talented education to live by

Universal considerations should be included in every program for the gifted, using the special needs of the students as the basics for the program. In striving to ascertain the needs of these students, the author isolates responsibility, expectation, acceptance, and love of learning as necessary components.     

Preparing Teachers to Support Inclusion: The benefits of interaction between a group of preservice teachers and a teaching assistant who is disabled

This qualitative study investigates the development of preservice teachers' attitudes toward people with disabilities during a semester-long unit. Ten students enrolled in a special education teaching elective were interviewed before and after they were engaged in a teaching program designed to expose them to direct, structured interactions with a teaching assistant who was physically disabled. The teaching assistant interacted with students in both small and large group tutorial discussions throughout the semester. Also, students kept a reflective journal on their experiences with people with disabilities throughout the teaching program. Data were collected through the use of semi-structured interviews and journals, and analysis indicated that: (i) students developed a more positive attitude and became more comfortable in interacting with the teaching assistant during the semester, and (ii) learning experience improved their knowledge about disability issues.     

Cultural transition and academic achievement of students from ethnic minority backgrounds: a content analysis of empirical research on acculturation

Background: The achievement gap between immigrant and non-immigrant students that has been identified in most OECD countries and the considerable educational dropout rate among students from ethnic minority backgrounds in some countries have become serious challenges for national educational systems. The educational underachievement of young people from ethnic minority backgrounds is embedded in the process of their acculturation. In the tradition of cross-cultural psychology, acculturation describes individual or ethno-cultural group changes in behaviour and attitudes in the situation of intercultural contact. Such cultural changes are central to the experience of ethnic minority students including newly arriving immigrants, children of immigrants and members of marginalised ethnic and racial groups. Acculturation has been described as a stressful process, and acculturation orientations adopted by young people from ethnic minority backgrounds have been shown to have an impact on their adjustment.

Purpose: The school context has been recognised to be the crucial context for acculturation of young people from ethnic minority backgrounds. The academic achievement of these students is thus embedded in the acculturation process, which involves cultural identity development, psychological adjustment and behavioural adjustment. The study is aimed at analysing and systematising the findings of empirical research on acculturation in the school context with a focus on the academic achievement of young people from minority backgrounds.

Design and methods: For this study, 29 peer-reviewed articles from a total of 348 articles that matched the search criteria in the database of the Education Resources Information Centre were selected according to inclusion criteria. The selected articles addressed academic achievement of young people from minority backgrounds in relation to at least one of the issues of acculturation such as cultural identity, psychological adjustment and behavioural adjustment. The articles were analysed by applying the method of qualitative content analysis, using MAXQDA software. The findings presented in the selected articles were analysed and integrated according to a deductively developed and inductively enriched category system.

Conclusions: Overall, the results of our analysis offer insight into issues of acculturation in relation to academic achievement. Moreover, our findings reveal the complexity of the relationship between cultural transition and school adjustment for young people. As shown in our review, although a bi-cultural orientation was predominantly positively related to school adjustment of minority students, some studies also identified assimilative attitudes as advantageous for students’ academic achievement as well as for their psychological and behavioural adjustment. Moreover, our study has also shown that young people’s acculturative attitudes may have a different impact on their school adjustment relative to acculturative behaviours.