Foundational aspects of classroom relations: associations between teachers’ immediacy behaviours,classroom democracy,class identification and learning

This study focused on foundational aspects of classroom relations. Specifically, relationships between teachers’ immediacy (interpersonal) behaviours, classroom democracy, identification and learning were considered. Previous work suggests that these variables can be used as a foundation to shape classroom climate, culture and learning outcomes and, by extension, assist educational institutions to achieve their civic mission. This study examined classroom democracy and class identification as variables that mediate the relationship between immediacy behaviours and learning using data collected from 529 students in six institutions of higher learning in Rwanda. Structural equation modeling revealed that classroom democracy mediates the relationship between immediacy behaviours and that classroom democracy and class identification covary substantially. The significant relationships in the final structural model suggest that immediate teachers are likely to have a positive influence on perceptions of classroom democracy, class identification and learning. Based on the growing scholarship of instructional dissent, this study highlights the foundational and strategic aspects underlying these relationships within the context of relating in the classroom and beyond.     

‘It is like putting fire in the children’s hands’: a comparative case study of pre-service teachers’ knowledge of and beliefs about education for democracy in an established and emerging post-conflict democracy

This report documents and compares two cases of pre-service elementary teachers’ beliefs about democracy and education for democracy in the USA and Bosnia and Herzegovina along with contextual factors influencing the similarities and differences among these beliefs. Findings suggest that US pre-service elementary teachers have a self-proclaimed lack of knowledge about democracy and primarily view citizenship education as a means to teach children how to get along. Conversely, Bosnian pre-service teachers hold more nuanced views of democracy and education for democracy, formed while their country transitioned from socialism towards democracy following a devastating civil war. Consequently, they focus on teaching children the skills and dispositions necessary for successful democratic citizenship to preserve their country. These divergent understandings of democracy within the two cases may hold potential benefits to teachers in both emergent and established democracies. Implications of these and other findings are discussed, as well as potential future research.     

An Investigation into the Status of the Teaching and Learning of the Concept of Democracy at the Junior Secondary School Level in Botswana

This paper identifies the aims and contents directly linked to the teaching and learning of the concept of democracy at the junior secondary school level in Botswana. It examines the perceived extent to which the objectives of teaching the concept of democracy has been achieved by 72 social studies teachers, in addition to finding out the perceived challenges they face and their suggested solutions while teaching topics related to democracy. It was found that the majority of the social studies teachers believe that the level of the achievement of the teaching of the aims is either average or above average. The problems of defining the concept of democracy and the handling of mixed ability students were identified as major challenges to the teaching of the concept of democracy in social studies. The study found a moderate but positive correlation between the self-assessment of 36 purposively selected subjects from the 72 social studies teachers and the observed attributes on some traits on democracy while teaching a topic on democracy. A correlated t -test further indicates a significant difference between the ratings of the teachers and those of the investigator. It was concluded that a gap exists between theory (what teachers perceive as practicing) and practice (what they actually do in the classrooms).     

Caring and Daring Discourses at Work: Doing Gender Through Occupational Choices in Elderly Care and Police Work

This paper aims to problematise how gender is being done—1. through occupational choices in two occupations that are traditionally gender divided, elderly care and police work, and 2. through the division of work assignments in police work. Interviews with care workers and police officers are analysed using a “doing gender” perspective, a post-structural notion of subjectivity inspired by Michel Foucault and positioning theory. We argue that a caring discourse operates in elderly care workers’ and police officers’ statements concerning occupational choices, while a daring discourse operates in statements concerning occupational choices within police work. Through these discourses, gender is being done in different ways; caring dispositions are constructed as totally female within the context of elderly care but as more gender-neutral in police work. At the same time, a macho or daring attitude is constructed as a male attribute in police work. Such constructions may have social consequences in terms of dividing work tasks for police, where male officers work in more prestigious and “dangerous” areas, while female officers are left with less prestigious, more caring-associated working areas.     

Learning the (hidden) silence policy within the police

Many organisations declare that the ability for employees to speak out about organisational matters is important for organisational development. However, recent literature reports a widespread fear of retaliation among employees if they express themselves – especially within the police. The point of departure of the present article is the tension and discrepancy between official policy and officers’ accounts of the conversational climate within the police. Through empirical examples from data consisting of field studies and 33 interviews with police officers in subordinate ranks, this article describes how employees learn and reproduce informal norms that condition the conversational and working climate within the organisation. In contrast to official guidelines within the police, employees learn the informal cultural norms of keeping a low profile and remaining silent through everyday talk. Theories that stress how discourses, storytelling, and noisy silences accomplish social action are used to explain why these informal norms are given such power within an institutional setting.     

Teachers,social class and underachievement

Addressing the ‘the social class attainment gap’ in education has become a government priority in England. Despite multiple initiatives, however, little has effectively addressed the underachievement of working‐class pupils within the classroom. In order to develop clearer understandings of working‐class underachievement at this level, this small research study focused on local social processes by exploring how secondary school teachers identified and addressed underachievement in their classrooms. Our analysis shows how teachers’ identifications of underachieving pupils overlapped with, and were informed by, their tacit understanding of pupils’ social class position. While many teachers resisted the influence of social class, they used stereotypes to justify their practice and expectations, positioning pupils within educational and occupational hierarchies. This, we conclude, suggests the need for more systematic attention to the micro‐social processes that provide the conditions through which working‐class underachievement is produced.     

课堂教学民主:从大话到行动

追求课堂教学民主是当代教育民主精神的重要体现,但在不少教师那里却被沦为一种心照不宣的"大话",缺少真正落实。导致这种"大话"流行的原因是多方面的,其中包括呼唤教学民主的立场产生了偏差。民主课堂的核心特征是师生理智自由的运用,具体表现在深度对话与互动、相互倾听、教学研一体化等方面。而推动教学民主的观念落实,关键要注意探寻民主的思路转变,即由强制性的被动民主走向基于教育爱的自然民主。     

Social participation of children and adolescents with cochlear implants: a qualitative analysis of parent, teacher, and child interviews

Psychosocial factors, including socioemotional well-being, peer relationships, and social inclusion with hearing and deaf peers, are increasingly becoming a focus of research investigating children with cochlear implants. The study reported here extends the largely quantitative findings of previous research through a qualitative analysis of interviews with parents, teachers, and pediatric cochlear implant users themselves in three eastern states of Australia. We interviewed 24 parents, 15 teachers, and 11 children and adolescents. The findings displayed commonalities across the three groups of participants, indicating positive experiences around the children's psychosocial development with their cochlear implants, but also ongoing difficulties communicating in groups of people and problems related to social skills. Some children had little contact with other deaf children (with or without cochlear implants) despite parents and teachers perceiving such contact beneficial. Children attending schools where there were other deaf children valued friendships with both deaf and hearing peers. Adolescence was a particularly difficult time for some as they struggled with feelings of self-consciousness about their deafness and external cochlear implant equipment and worries around friendships, dating, and their future place in the world. Recommendations for practice and further research are made.     

Learning how to respond to current events: Partner journals between U. S. preservice teachers and children

The representation of a variety of stakeholders' voices during the deliberation of public issues is vital for the proper functioning of a liberal democracy. This qualitative study examined an activity involving deliberation among children and preservice teachers in the United States. In the activity that we call partner journals, children were partnered with preservice teachers as pen pals to deliberate shared current events texts. Data included partner journals, written reflections from preservice teachers, and interviews with the children's teachers. All students gained perspective consciousness of someone with a different social positioning, a higher-order thinking skill vital to social justice and democratic education. The issues of teacher disclosure and power were particularly important to preservice teachers. Findings suggest implications for future research on partner journals with other partnerings of different social positionings.     

EXPLORING TEACHERS’ KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTIONS ACROSS MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE THROUGH CONTENT-RICH LEARNING EXPERIENCES IN A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SETTING

This paper examines upper elementary and middle school teachers’ learning of mathematics and science content, how their perceptions of their disciplines and learning of that discipline developed through content-rich learning experiences, and the differences and commonalities of the teachers’ learning experiences relative to content domain. This work was situated within a larger professional development (PD) program that had multiple, long-term components. Participants’ growth occurred in 4 primary areas: knowledge of content, perceptions of the discipline, perceptions about the learning of the discipline, and perceptions regarding how students learn content. Findings suggest that when embedded within an effective professional development context, content can be a critical vehicle through which change can be made in teachers’ understandings and perceptions of mathematics and science. When participants in our study were able to move beyond their internal conflicts and misunderstandings, they could expand their knowledge and perceptions of content and finally bridge to re-conceptualize how to teach that content. These findings further indicate that although teachers involved in both mathematics and science can benefit from similar overall PD structures, there are some unique challenges that need to be addressed for each particular discipline group. This study contributes to what we understand about teacher learning and change, as well as commonalities and differences between teachers’ learning of mathematics and science.     

Promoting Social Awareness and Responsibility in the Primary School: The School Watch Initiative

The School Watch initiative is centred in South Wales and involves police liaison officers, primary schools and their pupils. In each interested school, the scheme is explained and the pupils then decide if they want to take part. A pupils' committee is elected which is given support and guidance by the liaison officer. A key element of the scheme is the involvement of the pupils themselves and the way the pupils' committee plays a major part in the choice and running of activities. The scheme benefits pupils both in terms of their personal and social development and in their attitudes to the police. The paper ends with a number of examples of the type of work that schools have undertaken within this scheme.     

A Comprehensive Approach to Handling Sensitive Issues in Schools,with Special Reference to Loss and Grief

The School Watch initiative is centred in South Wales and involves police liaison officers, primary schools and their pupils. In each interested school, the scheme is explained and the pupils then decide if they want to take part. A pupils' committee is elected which is given support and guidance by the liaison officer. A key element of the scheme is the involvement of the pupils themselves and the way the pupils' committee plays a major part in the choice and running of activities. The scheme benefits pupils both in terms of their personal and social development and in their attitudes to the police. The paper ends with a number of examples of the type of work that schools have undertaken within this scheme.     

Challenging traditional classroom practices: Swedish teachers’ interplay with Finnish curriculum materials

In the current paper, we present an analysis of a case study in which we have followed Swedish primary teachers who voluntarily began using translated Finnish curriculum materials, i.e. a textbook and teacher guide, in order to reform their mathematics teaching. The multifaceted data, consisting of questionnaires, interviews, protocols from collegial meetings and classroom observations, were gathered during the period 2010–2014. The analysis of the interplay within this cross-cultural setting reveals the special characteristics and the challenges existing in practice. Both the experienced and inexperienced teachers offloaded a great deal of their agency to the materials in order to become familiar with the ideas they mediated. Yet, the lack of a clear rationale behind the organization of the materials, as well as the suggested activities connected to taken-for-granted features of the Finnish teaching tradition, made fruitful interaction problematic. The changes teachers made in their classroom practice were tightly connected to the support offered in the materials, without which the teachers abandoned their new classroom patterns. Based on the results of this study, we suggest a number of general aspects that we regard as important to consider when implementing curriculum materials developed within another cultural-educational context.     

A Preliminary Analysis of the Factors Affecting Satisfaction with the Police Practicum Credit Program in South Korea

Numerous studies have been conducted about criminal justice internship programs in western countries, but few have addressed similar types of programs conducted in Eastern countries. To fill this gap in the literature, this study preliminarily analyzed the factors affecting satisfaction with the police practicum credit program in South Korea using data collected from 208 participating students and police officers. The results showed that participants were generally satisfied with the program but had different perceptions about each program component. Focusing on the crucial elements affecting overall satisfaction with the program, the study examined the following factors: the curriculum; the period and practice time; the proportion of on-site practice; teaching material; credits; and police officers’ preparedness, attitudes and information offerings. Our results suggest that the curriculum and preparedness of the officers in charge were significant factors affecting the participants’ satisfaction. Based on the findings, implications for policy recommendations are discussed.     

新课程视野下于漪、钱梦龙、蔡澄清教学艺术比较研究

于漪、钱梦龙和蔡澄清是我国语文教师的楷模,他们的教学思想和各具特色的教学方法影响了20世纪八九十年代的语文界。三位特级教师的教学思想不仅有着深厚的理论基础,而且具有继承传统又与时俱进的学术品格;他们有各具特色的教学方法,切合实际的训练观,多样化的课堂师生交流方式和和谐民主的师生关系。对他们的教学思想的理论基础、教学方法以及对人的关怀上加以比较,找出他们在语文教学中的个性、共性及其各自的闪光点,对指导我们的语文教学实践具有积极意义。     

为官与为师——明清地方儒学教师出路研究

明清时期,地方儒学教师作为国家的文职官员,其出路问题不仅反映了政府及社会对地方儒学教师职业性质的认识,也直接影响到这一群体的职业声望和教育教学质量,决定着地方儒学教师这一职业对已仕者和准备入仕者的吸引力,深刻地影响地方儒学教师的选拔。研究明清地方儒学教师的出路问题对于我们认识中国封建社会晚期教师职业的性质、社会地位及其发展历程等都具有重要价值。     

A Survey of the Ideology of College and University Teaching Faculty

The ideology of college and university teaching faculty is generally healthy and forward-looking. The broad mass of teachers has placed their hopes in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and their political enthusiasm is at an all-time high. They have adopted the values and moral concepts of socialism and keenly support the reform and development of higher education. At the same time, teachers have expressed concern about problematic aspects of the nation's social and economic development, with some teachers exhibiting ideological tendencies that merit attention. Political and ideological work with teachers must therefore be strengthened in the areas of morality and the overall development of teachers.     

Criminal Justice Students’ Attitudes Toward LGBTQ Individuals and LGBTQ Police Officers

Despite increasing acceptance of LGBTQ individuals in America, homophobia and homophobic attitudes among police officers are still a concern. Both LGBTQ individuals and LGBTQ officers report harassment and discrimination at the hands of police officers. Empirical evidence suggests that these homophobic attitudes are evident among students preparing for criminal justice careers. A number of studies have found that those who plan on law enforcement careers are significantly more homophobic. The current study sought to explore criminal justice students’ attitudes toward LGBTQ individual and LGBTQ police officers. Pursuant to a survey of criminal justice majors at a large public university, findings suggest that males pursuing a law enforcement track expressed the most homophobia and homophobic attitudes. Further statistical analysis indicated that gender, not the law enforcement track, predicts homophobia and homophobic attitudes.     

从袭警事件看警察权益的保障

警察在维护社会秩序、保持社会稳定中起着至关重要的作用,但是,暴力袭警却在一段时期内呈上升势头,其影响十分恶劣,破坏了法治国家的执法环境,使老百姓失去了安全感。究其原因主要有:立法上的欠缺,打击的不力,民警执法素质的低劣、对"人性化"执法的误读、警察职能的泛化以及当前执法环境的复杂化。只有完善警察执法权益保障机制,依法严惩暴力袭警犯罪,才能树立法律的权威,使老百姓拥有安全感。