WHITE COMPLICITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE EDUCATION: CAN ONE BE CULPABLE WITHOUT BEING LIABLE?

A bstract .  In part of an ongoing study of white complicity, moral responsibility, and moral agency in social justice education, Barbara Applebaum asks in this essay what model or models of moral responsibility can help white students recognize their white complicity and which models of moral responsibility obscure such acknowledgment. To address this question, she explores the concept of white complicity and its relation to racism and raises some compelling conceptual and pedagogical questions. Then she reviews a recent analysis of the concept of "complicity" and shows it to be inadequate as a foundation for white complicity. Finally, Applebaum describes Iris Marion Young's conception of a Social Connection Model of Responsibility and shows it to be capable not only of elucidating white complicity but also, when incorporated in social justice pedagogy, of diminishing denials of white complicity by white students.     

1 + 1 = 3…Synbiotics: Combining the Power of Pre‐ and Probiotics

ABSTRACT: One of the core competencies in the IFT Education standards for students is to achieve competency in communications skills (that is, oral and written communication, listening, interviewing, and so on). According to the IFT guidelines, by the time students graduate, they should not only be able to search for and condense information but also be able to “communicate technical information to a nontechnical audience.” The Education Division of IFT sponsors an annual writing competition for undergraduate students to bring attention to and promote the development of communication skills. The short essays can be on any technical subject or latest development in the food science and technology field that may be important to the consumer. The article must be written in a nontechnical language such that someone reading a local newspaper could also understand it. Due date for submissions is typically the 1st week in June every year. More information on eligibility, rules, submission, and judging criteria will be posted on IFT's Education Division website. Monetary prizes are awarded to the authors of the top 3 articles, and the winning entry is published in the Journal of Food Science Education (JFSE) each year. JFSE is pleased to publish this year's winning entry submitted by Mary Scourboutakos from the Univ. of Toronto.     

Parents’ self‐efficacy beliefs,parents’ gender,children’s reader self‐perceptions,reading achievement and gender

This study investigated the relationships among parents’ self‐efficacy beliefs, parents’ gender, children’s reader self‐perceptions, reading achievement and gender. This study consisted of 66 students, aged eight and nine, and 92 parents involved in a family literacy project for approximately one year. The study was conducted in a rural area of Eastern Canada. There were three instruments used in this study: a Questionnaire for Parents, a Reader Self‐Perception Scale (RSPS) (Henk & Melnick, 1995), and a standardised reading test (Test of Early Reading Ability‐2 – TERA‐2) (Reid, Hresko & Hammill, 1989). The Pearson‐Product‐Moment method and t‐tests were used to determine relationships in the data and to identify significant differences in scores on the instruments. Significant positive and negative relationships were found between mothers’ and fathers’ self‐efficacy beliefs and children’s reader self‐perceptions. Children’s self‐perceptions as readers significantly related to their reading achievement. Mothers had stronger beliefs than did fathers in their ability to help improve boys’ reading achievement. Significant differences favouring females were found in children’s reader self‐perceptions and their reading achievement. The findings of this study provide a basis for understanding factors related to young children’s reading achievement.     

TEACHERS’ EXPECTATIONS AND SELF‐EFFICACY FOR WORKING WITH BULLIES AND VICTIMS

Bullying is a significant concern in schools, and both bullies and victims are at risk for negative outcomes. In this study, 239 sixth‐grade teachers completed questionnaires about their perceptions of four components of school climate: high‐risk student behaviors, school‐wide barriers to learning, principal support, and cooperation among teachers. Teachers’ expectations and self‐efficacy for working effectively with both bullies and victims were assessed using case study vignettes. The results indicated that teachers’ perceptions of principal support were significantly related to teachers’ expectations and self‐efficacy for working with bullies. A graduate degree was also related to greater self‐efficacy for working with bullies. Administrators and school psychologists should consider the role of perceived principal support as an important factor in influencing teachers’ expectations and beliefs in working with bullies.     

The ‘yes … but’ dilemma: implementing inclusive education in Emirati primary schools

The Ministry of Education (MOE) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) launched the ‘School for All’ inclusive education initiative in 2010. This article investigates the implementation of this initiative in three primary schools from stakeholders’ perspectives. Using a multiple case study approach, data were collected over a full school year from interviews, observations and documents. Findings revealed uneven progress in five areas: staff training and development, school structures, support services, assistive technology and community awareness. The study identified improved access to mainstream classrooms and growing awareness among stakeholders as emerging good practice. However, serious challenges remain regarding teacher training, exclusionary practices, the lack of specialised support services and misguided policies. This study contributes to the evidence‐based research on inclusion in the UAE with some emphasis on Islamic principles, cultural beliefs and the requirements of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability in promoting every child's right to an education.     

PRESCHOOL TEACHERS’ USE OF PRAISE IN GENERAL,AT‐RISK,AND SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSROOMS

Teacher praise is an effective strategy that decreases preschool students’ disruptive behavior. It is well established that school‐aged students with behavior problems receive fewer teacher praises than their peers; however, it is unclear whether these findings are consistent among preschool students. The purpose of this study was to collect praise frequency data in general, at‐risk, and special education classrooms. Over 10 hours of direct observation data were used to examine six preschool teachers’ natural use of praise. Teachers’ use of praise was not statistically different based on classroom type; however, special education teachers used twice as many praises compared to general education and at‐risk teachers. Teachers used more general praise compared to behavior‐specific praise, which was statistically significant. Finally, teachers delivered more praise to individual and large groups of students compared to small groups of students, which was also statistically significant. Future directions and implications for using praise to prevent behavior problems among preschool students are offered.     

PRESERVICE TEACHERS’ CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TRAINING: A SURVEY OF SELF‐REPORTED TRAINING EXPERIENCES,CONTENT COVERAGE,AND PREPAREDNESS

Many teachers report that their preservice training in classroom management was inadequate or ineffective, but little is known about the types of training they receive. In this exploratory study, 157 preservice teachers from throughout the United States were surveyed about the training sources through which they obtained knowledge and skills in classroom management as well as the content and their attitudes toward the training. A majority of students took stand‐alone courses in classroom management, which were reported to provide the most comprehensive content, but the most frequently reported sources were mentoring and fieldwork. Participants reported that a combination of didactic coursework and hands‐on training were associated with the highest sense of preparedness to use classroom management strategies. Implications for future research and school psychological services are discussed.     

SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS’ ETHICAL STRAIN AND RUMINATION: INDIVIDUAL PROFILES AND THEIR ASSOCIATIONS WITH WEEKLY WELL‐BEING

We investigated school psychologists’ experiences of ethical strain (the frequency of ethical dilemmas at work and the stress caused by these dilemmas) and dilemma‐related rumination outside working hours. Individual latent profiles were estimated at the study baseline based on these three dimensions. The psychologists’ weekly well‐being (vigor, exhaustion, and sleep quality) was compared against their profile during the following three working weeks. The sample included 133 school psychologists, among whom four groups were identified: Low ruminators (39%), an Intermediate group (39%), High ruminators (20%), and Atypical outliers (2%). High ruminators fared least well in terms of weekly well‐being. Of all the groups, they reported the lowest levels of vigor, the highest levels of exhaustion, and the lowest sleep quality. The study contributes to understanding how psychologists differ in their experiences of ethical strain, and highlights the role of ruminating: mental detachment from ethical demands is especially important for school psychologists’ well‐being.     

‘This is the best lesson ever,Miss…’: Disrupting Linear Logics of Visual Arts Teaching Practice

Research in visual arts education is often focused on philosophical issues or broad concerns related to approaches to curriculum. In focusing on the everyday work of teaching, this article addresses a gap in the literature to report on collaborative research exploring the experiences of secondary visual arts teachers in regional New South Wales, Australia. Drawing on qualitative data gathered through a process of educational connoisseurship and educational criticism, discussion focuses on visual arts teaching as a particular professional practice that is complex, intricate, emergent and adaptive. In drawing on themes emerging from the research, examples of unplanned aspects of teachers’ work that disrupt linear logics about teaching practice are examined. The article concludes by raising issues for further consideration and research.     

THE POWER OF SOCIAL AND MOTIVATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS FOR TEST‐ANXIOUS ADOLESCENTS’ ACADEMIC SELF‐REGULATION

Based on cognitive evaluation theory (CET) and organismic integration theory (OIT) – both sub‐theories of self‐determination theory (SDT) – the present study examined whether the academic self‐regulation of youth with test anxiety can be strengthened through social and motivational relationships with peers and teachers. This study employed a large sample (N = 1088; MAge = 13.7) of early adolescents from secondary schools in Brandenburg, Germany. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the proposed associations. The results revealed a negative association between test anxiety and intrinsic motivation as well as test anxiety and identified regulation, which was fully mediated by teachers as positive motivators. Furthermore, both teachers as positive motivators as well as the teacher‐student relationship were found to be strong predictors of the self‐determined aspects of academic self‐regulation. Additionally, both peers as positive motivators and the student‐student relationship are essential for external self‐regulation.     

CURRENT AND FUTURE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS’ PREPAREDNESS TO WORK WITH LGBT STUDENTS: ROLE OF EDUCATION AND GAY‐STRAIGHT ALLIANCES

This study sought to assess current and future school psychologists’ attitudes toward and preparedness to address the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students in schools. Two‐hundred seventy‐nine school psychologists (n = 162, 58%) and school psychology graduate students (n = 117, 42%) were included in the study. Participants completed measures of attitudes toward LGBT students, preparedness to address the needs of LGBT youth, and social desirability. For both school psychologists and graduate students, increased education was associated with improved attitudes and increased preparedness to treat LGBT youth. For school psychologists, presence of a gay‐straight alliance was associated with increased knowledge about LGBT youth, as well as higher ratings of preparedness to treat LGBT youth; the same associations did not hold true for the graduate students. These findings have implications for the training and practice of school psychologists in addressing the needs of LGBT youth in schools.     

‘Before I realised they were all women… I expected it to be more about materials’: Art,Gender and Tacit Subjectivity

This article discusses a critical discourse analysis research activity undertaken with a group of undergraduate primary trainees with an art specialism. The research activity involved the use of two contrasting texts discussing the work of Karla Black, Becky Beasley and Claire Barclay. The article explores how the positioning of the two texts affected the student teachers’ ability to engage effectively with ‘women's art’ on a personal and critical level, revealing some highly subjective views and raising questions around intertextuality; particularly how an individual's understanding of contexts, meanings and histories can inform collective interpretation and highlight existing subjectivity. The article subsequently identifies that although students were keen to talk about careful selection of texts, the benefits of using multiple sources and the risks of intertextual and ‘subliminal’ contamination, they were unable to reflect critically upon their own gendered reading of the texts. It concludes that this may well be a signifier of the problem – that the student teachers did not really see a problem at all.     

SCALE‐UP OF SAFE & CIVIL SCHOOLS’ MODEL FOR SCHOOL‐WIDE POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS AND SUPPORTS

This study evaluated the scale‐up of a Safe & Civil Schools Foundations: Establishing Positive Discipline Policies positive behavioral interventions and supports initiative through 4 years of “real‐world” implementation in a large urban school district. The study extends results from a previous randomized controlled trial that established the effectiveness of the Safe & Civil Schools program in 32 elementary schools in the same district. This study emphasizes the application and evaluation of the program in regular district schools. Four‐year results indicate that elementary, middle, and high schools experienced moderate but steady improvements in (a) school discipline, (b) student safety policy and training, (c) staff perceptions of student behavior, and (d) student suspension and chronic tardiness rates. With few exceptions, improvements occurred after schools began Safe & Civil Schools Foundations training, and more years of training were associated with larger cumulative improvements in school and student outcomes. Given that similar effects were observed in schools with and without random assignment of training, and only after training began, we concluded that the improvements stem from Safe & Civil School's Foundations training.     

Martin Trow’s elite‐mass‐universal triptych: Conceptualising Higher Education development

Martin Trow was among the most influential scholar in Higher Education studies in the second half of the 20th century. He is best known for his conceptualisation of the development of Higher Education into three stages—elite, mass and universal systems. This article considers, first, his intellectual method and the underpinning theory (or lack of it); secondly, the extent to which his ideas, generated in the exceptional environment of post‐war America were, and are, relevant to different national contexts and in the very different environment of the 21st century; thirdly, the strengths—and weaknesses—of Trow’s conceptualisation of three stages of Higher Education development; and, finally the new lines of research suggested by an overall assessment of his work.     

Racial/Ethnic Discrimination and Adolescents’ Well‐Being: The Role of Cross‐Ethnic Friendships and Friends’ Experiences of Discrimination

There is an extensive body of work documenting the negative socioemotional and academic consequences of perceiving racial/ethnic discrimination during adolescence, but little is known about how the larger peer context conditions such effects. Using peer network data from 252 eighth graders (85% Latino, 11% African American, 5% other race/ethnicity), the present study examined the moderating role of cross‐ethnic friendships and close friends’ experiences of discrimination in the link between adolescents’ perceptions of discrimination and well‐being. Cross‐ethnic friendships and friends’ experiences of discrimination generally served a protective role, buffering the negative effects of discrimination on both socioemotional well‐being and school outcomes. Overall, results highlight the importance of considering racial/ethnic‐related aspects of adolescents’ friendships when studying interpersonal processes closely tied to race/ethnicity.     

‘You have to understand words … but not read them’: young children becoming readers in a digital age

Given that many young children now enter their early years in education as competent and frequent users of digital technology, this paper examines how this experience influences children's perceptions of reading. Drawing from research conducted with 12 young children (aged 3–6) this paper reports on the ways in which these children were interacting with screen texts and using them to develop strategies to make sense of a whole variety of symbolic representations, including print. It is argued that the medium of computer technology in particular was seen to encourage young children to develop both understandings about texts and the skills needed to read them. This included specific aspects of print awareness as well as a general confidence in handling print. However, this confidence appeared to diminish as the children encountered ‘schooled’ approaches to print literacy. It is therefore concluded that schools need to find ways in which to capitalise on the use of multimedia in order to promote confidence and skills in young readers today.