Parents' Conceptions of Kindergarten Readiness: Relationships With Race,Ethnicity, and Development

Abstract

Data from the National Household Education Survey (1993) were used to examine parents' conceptions of kindergarten readiness and home-learning activities. Parents reported reading to their children an average of several days each week; a majority of children watched educational television programs such as Sesame Street. African American and Hispanic parents, and other parents of color, were significantly more likely than Caucasian parents to express concerns about their childís readiness for kindergarten. However, Caucasian parents were significantly more likely than other parents to comment that they would delay sending their child to kindergarten until he or she was older. Parent concerns about their child's kindergarten readiness were unrelated to learning activities and educational television viewing at home.     

Conversations with Four Highly Productive German Educational Psychologists: Frank Fischer,Hans Gruber,Heinz Mandl,and Alexander Renkl

Previous research (Kiewra & Creswell, Educational Psychology Review 12(1):135–161, 2000; Patterson-Hazley & Kiewra, Educational Psychology Review 25(1):19–45, 2013) has investigated the characteristics and work habits of highly productive educational psychologists. These investigations have focused exclusively on American scholars who were trained and employed at various universities and have ignored international scholars and scholars with a shared academic lineage. The present study sought to fill these gaps by investigating, through qualitative methods, how a cohort of four German educational psychologists (Heinz Mandl, Alexander Renkl, Hans Gruber, and Frank Fischer) with a shared academic background became productive scholars. Interview responses suggested that the German scholars’ shared experiences during the early years of their careers shaped their career paths and productivity. Additionally, interviews with each scholar revealed several commonalities (i.e., long and focused research career, trademark characteristic, scholarly influencers, effective time-management practices, and research-management strategies) between this contingent of productive German scholars and their productive American counterparts. Finally, the present study also identified several differences (e.g., educational training, funding opportunities, sabbaticals, administrative responsibilities, and research traditions) between the American and German research environments that influence productivity. Practical implications from this investigation include advice for emerging scholars.     

Populism,democracy and a pedagogy of renewal

ABSTRACT

Laclau and Mouffe have long argued the democratic possibilities of ‘left populism’ underpinned by their agonistic critique of liberal democracy. We are currently witnessing the attempted application of their theories by European political parties. However, there remains very little international scholarship taking up the challenge of situating these arguments in the broader literature on the relationship between democracy and education. We argue that this is an urgent task, particularly in the context of populist trends which appear inimical to educational practice. Thus, we explore the implications of populism for adult education aimed at defending and extending democratic life. We question the conflation of agonistic democracy with left populism on several grounds, and we consider how a focus on education might help to ground their theory and clarify its ambiguities. We argue that adult educators can surface aspects of the context which representations of populism on the one hand, and populist representations on the other, often hide. Our argument is illustrated through two vignettes of populist events and the educational problems and opportunities they posed.     

The dark side of the exceptional: On moral exemplars,character education,and negative emotions

ABSTRACT

This article focuses on negative exemplarity-related emotions (NEREs) and on their educational implications. In this article, we first argue for the nonexpendability of negative emotions broadly conceived by defending their instrumental and intrinsic role in a good and flourishing life. We make the claim more specific by focusing on the narrower domain of NEREs and argue for their moral and educational significance by evaluating whether they fit the arguments provided in the previous section. We go on to propose three educational strategies to foster NEREs’ positive moral role. In conclusion, we point out that an exemplarist approach to character education would greatly benefit from a more fine-grained account of the emotions involved in the educational process and from a broader perspective on which of these emotions should be taken as valuable for educational purposes.     

Globalization, Educational Targeting, and Stable Inequalities: A Comparative Analysis of Argentina, Brazil, and Chile

The present study analyzes educational targeting in Argentina, Brazil and Chile from a sociological point of view. It shows that a ‘logic of induction’ has become the vehicle for anti-poverty education strategies meant to help targeted groups improve on their own. The analysis explores the influence of the global educational agenda, the empirical connection between the logic of induction and the mechanism of emulation, and the territorial aspects of educational inequalities. Emulation plays a main role inasmuch as the logic of induction leads targeted groups to compare their adverse situation with more privileged groups, which actually legitimizes inequalities. A brief statistical summary completes the study, showing that educational inequality has remained unchanged as far as urban–rural ratios (in Brazil and Chile) and regional disparities (in all three countries) are concerned.     

Family, community, and educational outcomes in South Asia

In this article, we review research on the economics and sociology of education to assess the relationships between family and community variables and children’s educational outcomes in South Asia. At the family level, we examine the variables of family socioeconomic status (SES), parental education, family structure, and religion and caste. At the community level, we assess the limited research on the relationships between economic, cultural, and social characteristics and children’s educational outcomes. The literature presents several consistent relationships between the roles of family and community characteristics in determining educational outcomes and reveals several possibilities for further research.     

Role theory, emotions, and identity in the department headship of secondary schooling

This paper traces the emotions of 29 Canadian secondary school department heads as they engage with their own and others’ educational purposes, with the power relationships of secondary schooling and with their relationships with other individuals around them who are affected by and have expectations for their role. Such interactions have embedded within them a range of emotions which point to internal ambiguities about power and position, in middle management in particular and within educational administration more widely, which seemed perpetuated by normative educational administrative practices. The findings revealed tensions between teaching and leading, experiences of loneliness, emotional misunderstanding and the resentment that comes from feelings of powerlessness.     

Picturing global educational inclusion? Looking and thinking across students’ photographs from the UK,Zambia and Indonesia

Over the last few years we have engaged children and young people in participatory photography projects in a diverse range of international contexts. The projects, diverse as they are, have been school-based and primarily focused on students' experiences of educational inclusion/exclusion. Photographs taken by students can stimulate conversations in which different perspectives are shared and considered. Whilst this process is meaningful within a local context, it is also compelling to reflect more widely on what children and young people's photographs and commentary (and through these their interpretations of their educational experiences) have to tell and, indeed, show us about educational inclusion globally. In this paper, we begin by explaining what we mean by the term 'educational inclusion', and consider what methodological relevance the participatory photography has for engaging in research with children and young people about their educational experiences. We then briefly describe the contexts of the projects this paper draws on, which took place in the UK, Zambia and Indonesia. In the main body of the paper, we will look across these international projects and consider a selection of students' photographs and interpretations in relation to several broad themes about educational inclusion which they suggest.     

Keiyo Cattle Raiding, Kechui Mathematics and Science Education: What do They Have in Common?

In the context of globalization, indigenous educational systems of endangered cultures are faced with extinction. Biologists recognize that biodiversity is dependent upon sustaining and promoting knowledge and values of indigenous cultures. Education researchers have a similar responsibility — to promulgate educational diversity before several thousand years of valuable educational knowledge is extirpated. This paper presents the Keiyo of Kenya who have a rich educational system. Its focus is on an indigenous game, Kechui (using calculations to sharpen your mind), based on cattle raiding, and the Keiyos' use of the game for learning mixed strategy-based probabilistic problem solving. Kechui may also have international potential for teaching probabilistic problem solving in contemporary mathematics and science, especially genetics.     

Neglect,educational success,and young people in out-of-home care: Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses

Maltreated young persons in out-of-home care often have poor educational outcomes, heightening their risk of long-term psychosocial disadvantage (Forsman, Brännström, Vinnerljung, & Hjern, 2016). In their systematic reviews, Romano, Babchishin, Marquis, and Fréchette (2014) and O’Higgins, Sebba, and Gardner (in press) found evidence that neglect was more often linked with low academic achievement, whereas abuse was more likely to be associated with behavioral difficulties. In large samples of young persons in out-of-home care in Ontario, Canada, who had experienced mainly neglect, we investigated risk and protective factors as predictors of educational success. In a cross-sectional hierarchical regression analysis (N = 3659, aged 11–17 years), female gender, youth educational aspirations, caregiver educational aspirations for youth, time with current caregiver, internal developmental assets, and positive mental health were associated with better educational success. Neglect, grade retention, special educational needs, ethnic minority status, behavioral problems, and soft-drug use were associated with poorer educational outcomes. Gender significantly moderated caregiver educational aspirations and youth placement type. In a longitudinal analysis of a subsample (N = 962, aged 11–15 years at Time 1), covering three years, a large decline in educational success (d = −0.80) was observed. Female gender, internal developmental assets, and positive mental health positively predicted, and soft drug use negatively predicted, greater educational success at Time 2. These results point to factors that help or hinder educational success among young people in care and should inform new interventions or improved versions of existing ones that address educational success in the context of neglect.     

Luck,Choice, and Educational Equality

Abstract

Harry Brighouse discusses two conceptions of educational equality. The first is a type of equality of opportunity, heavily influenced by the work of John Rawls, which he calls the meritocratic conception. According to this conception, an individual’s educational prospects should not be influenced by factors such as their social class background. The other, radical conception, suggests a person’s natural talents should not influence their educational prospects either. Brighouse favors the meritocratic conception, but this article argues that it is flawed and that the radical conception ought to be preferred. Although a superior conception of educational equality, the radical conception is still not quite right, so this article develops a luck egalitarian conception of educational equality. It is argued that this conception reflects much current thinking about equality and avoids some of the difficulties with Brighouse’s two conceptions. Finally, two objections to a luck egalitarian conception are considered.     

Aesthetics,Affect, and Educational Politics

This essay explores aesthetics, affect, and educational politics through the thought of Gilles Deleuze and Jacques Rancière. It contextualizes and contrasts the theoretical valences of their ethical and democratic projects through their shared critique of Kant. It then puts Rancière's notion of dissensus to work by exploring it in relation to a social movement and hunger strike organized for educational justice in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood. This serves as a context for understanding how educational provisions are linked to the aesthetic distribution of perception within the neoliberal city. It also serves as a powerful example of how these orders of perception are resisted and subverted at the local level by aesthetic and affective means. Through the Little Village hunger strike the essay argues that while Rancière allows us to recognize the aesthetic dimensions of the political, he falls short in addressing tactical and/or affective considerations. The essay concludes by seeking to extend the critical efficacy of Rancière's dissensus through a rendering of tactical affect within Deleuzian metaphysics.     

Is education a lost cause? Žižek,schooling, and universal emancipation

This paper discusses the work of Slavoj ?i?ek and links several of his ideas to educational contexts. After giving a brief background on his unique intellectual perspective, I pull three themes (control, torture, and politics) from his body of work, and I consider their educational connections and implications. I conclude by speculating on the future use of ?i?ek's work to educational philosophy and educational studies.     

教育评价改革的政策推进、问题与建议--政策文本与实践的“对话”

"五唯"是教育评价改革的根本问题。全面梳理、分析教育评价政策的现状和问题是破"五唯"的前提条件。研究基于2010年-2018年《教育部公报》中有关教育评价政策的文本数据,运用SPSS16.0对其进行编码和统计分析。研究发现:教育评价改革的力度不断增强,形成了比较清晰的改革逻辑链条。通过文本与实践"对话",研究揭示了教育评价改革中一些关键环节"硬约束"不强,政策工具使用不平衡、不充分,教育评价相关主体缺位等问题。研究建议聚焦破"五唯"主题,加强政策有效供给和专项督导;深入推进"管办评"分离改革,解决好学校内外部评价主体"缺位"问题;把学校教育评价制度建设作为现代学校制度建设的基础工程加以推进。     

Market Movements and the Dispossessed: Race,Identity, and Subaltern Agency among Black Women Voucher Advocates

Critical educational researchers in the United States and elsewhere are missing something essential in their inattention to considerable support among Black urban women for market-based educational reforms, including vouchers. While the educational left has engaged in important empirical and theoretical work demonstrating the particularly negative impact of educational marketization on the disenfranchised, not enough attention has been paid to the crucial role the educationally dispossessed have actually played in building these otherwise conservative reforms. Engaging with Michael Apple’s arguments concerning processes of identity formation within conservative movement-making, we can begin to conceptualize the importance of subaltern groups in market-based educational reforms. Yet ethnographic work conducted with Black voucher mothers, school officials, and community leaders in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, shows that this subaltern process of conservative formation does not always occur in the manner theorized by Apple and his colleague Anita Oliver, in which ideologically relatively unformed parents and families are “pushed” to the Right by an intransigent state. Although the conceptual tools they provide are the foundation of our ability to imagine a more compelling theorization of dynamics and social actors in Milwaukee, significant conceptual—not to mention empirical—work remains to be done. In this essay I renovate Apple and Oliver’s arguments concerning conservative modernization in order to make them more resonant with the processes of race, gender, subaltern identity formation and agency evident in my ethnographic field research with low-income African-American women choosing vouchers for their families in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Aided by critical, feminist, and post-structural theorists both within and outside educational disciplines I assess the utility and limitations of Apple and Oliver’s framework in explaining the mobilization around ‘parental choice’ and vouchers in Milwaukee. Based on my conceptual and empirical findings, I retheorize pro-voucher African-American politicians, community leaders, and poor and working class women (and their families) as representative of a subaltern ‘third force’ in conservative formation. Their tactical investments in fleeting conservative alliances and subject positions, I argue, are likely to play an increasingly significant role in educational and social reform both in the United States and elsewhere. Thomas C. Pedroni is an assistant professor of secondary social studies methods, educational foundations, curriculum theory, and qualitative research methodology at Utah State University. His recent research has centered on issues of identity formation and subaltern agency among urban low-income predominantly African-American and Latino parents within otherwise largely conservative coalitions for publicly financed private school vouchers. His research interests also include the development of composite critical and post-structural approaches in educational theory and research, the identification of persistent exclusionary power/knowledge regimes in state-level educational reforms, and the analysis of the increasing colonization of the global educational sphere by neo-liberal and managerial forms.     

Threshold concepts as ‘jewels of the curriculum’: rare as diamonds or plentiful as cubic zirconia?

ABSTRACT

The framework of threshold concepts has been used across several disciplines in higher education. Although the literature surrounding the identification of threshold concepts and their nature has flourished, their conceptualization has seemingly diverged across disciplinary lines, which should be recognized by educational developers who work with multiple disciplines. Inspired by a failed implementation of one framing of threshold concepts in Engineering, this article compares the conceptualization of threshold concepts in Engineering with their framing in Writing Studies and Information Literacy by drawing on Bernstein’s notion of knowledge structures. Recommendations for educational developers are provided and situated within the framework of ‘ways of thinking and practising’ (WTP).     

Filling the Space: Education,Community, and Identity in British Internment Camps during World War II

The British government interned 24,000 men and4000 women of “enemy” nationality living in Britain in the spring of 1940. Some were Nazis but most anti‐Nazi Jewish refugees. Using oral histories, supplemented by documentary sources, this paper explores the experiences of these refugees, especially their educational experiences. It describes how, with little outside assistance, the refugees developed a rich cultural and educational life in the empty space of the internment camps, creating “universities”, technical schools, children's schools, newspapers, lectures, concerts, and art exhibits. Emphasis is placed on the refugees ‘ educational and cultural agency, or activism; on the educational impact of age, gender, and other forms of diversity; and on the refugees’ use of education to help them cope with wartime changes in their social and political status and in their personal identities.     

Multimedia in Education

Abstract

This article provides examples of several of the most popular and successful elementary and secondary educational technology implementations. It also provides a discussion of their content and gives sources for further information.     

信息化时代高校教师教育技术意识的培养

教育技术能力是信息化时代高校教师专业能力的重要组成部份,直接影响、决定着高等教育信息化建设的进程。教育技术意识是教育技术能力形成的前提和基础,使高校教师具备良好的教育技术意识是提高高校教师教育技术能力的切入点。通过探讨高校教师教育技术意识的内涵,提出了培养和提高高校教师教育技术意识的几条有效途径。