Issues and challenges raised by development agencies in implementing the new modalities of aid to education

Over the past decade there has been increasing concern with aid effectiveness, and, more generally, development effectiveness. New ways of delivering aid have been developed, including sector-wide approaches and direct budget support. This paper reports on the progress that has been made through some of these new modalities of aid to education, as perceived by some of the senior staff of a handful of the major development agencies. Where have these developments led us in the education sectors of many developing countries? What are the prospects for the ways in which aid is planned and delivered and in the relationships between donors and recipient governments? What are the main issues and challenges currently being raised and addressed? How have these changes affected the impact of the aid provided? These are some of the questions that are raised in this study, with answers provided by the agencies themselves.     

Low Cost but Effective: Staff Development Activities in Community College Student Affairs

This study examines staff development practices in community college student affairs. Nineteen interviews were conducted with supervisors in a variety of departments at community colleges. We found that supervisors frequently used multiple practices such as conducting staff meetings, attending institutional training, or viewing topical webinars were frequently used by supervisors to provide professional development opportunities. We also highlight distinct approaches including the concept of active listening and after-hours activities. Finally, we explore implications for staff development in community colleges and identify potential future practices and improvements.     

Aiding education in conflict: The role of international education providers operating in Afghanistan and Pakistan

Amid rising violence against civilian aid operations in insecure environments, attacks on the education sector pose a unique set of challenges for international aid actors. In recent years incidents of violence targeting the education sector in Afghanistan and the conflict-affected areas of Pakistan have increased. This article synthesizes recent research, quantitative analyses, and observations of practitioners in order to explore the key issues facing aid workers in the education sector. The findings suggest that in extremely violent and polarized environments such as Afghanistan and the conflict-affected areas of Pakistan, the international community can provide education assistance more effectively and securely through a low-profile, community-based approach that de-emphasizes the role of government, and avoids, as far as possible, any association with international political/military actors. The authors conclude that education sector coordinators could play a larger role in providing practical guidance and supporting an inter-agency dialogue to share lessons and good practice in delivering education services in these contexts.     

Examining the implementation of technology-based blended algebra I curriculum at scale

Studies on blended education pay little attention to implementation, thus limiting the understanding of how such programs contribute to student math learning. This article examines the implementation of a widely used blended algebra curriculum and the relationship between implementation and student outcomes. The study was conducted in 74 middle schools and 73 high schools in 51 school districts located in seven states. The study included both treatment and control schools. The blended-curriculum combines inquiry-based teaching and learning with technology (math software). The study found that teachers implemented the blended curriculum with low fidelity. Teachers had most difficulty allocating the recommended amount of time for the math lab and content. The study also found that the blended-curriculum teachers in the second year reverted to more traditional approach to instruction and spent less time on inquiry based instruction than in the first year, although they continued to use this approach at a higher level than teachers in the control schools. The study findings suggest that teacher adjustment of instruction in the second year, specifically balancing the amount of traditional instruction with inquiry instruction, in combination to the use of the math software contributed to the performance of the program.     

Editors'' rejoinder

This chapter critically reviews alternative funding and control strategies and examines some of their policy implications. The early sections of the chapter address the nature and origin of some proposals for alternative strategies and reflect on their theoretical underpinnings. The next section summarizes the empirical findings from both historical and other comparative studies. The final section presents the policy implications of the different patterns of educational funding and control in a variety of contexts.     

The first organized revolt against the theatrical syndicate

In “The Etiology of Hysteria, “ the young Sigmund Freud defended the “seduction theory,” which asserted that the sexual abuse of children was the single cause of hysteria in adults and especially adult women. This essay argues that one can attribute Freud's failure to persuade his original audience not only to their denial of sexual abuse, but also to Freud's failure to make clear how the young science of psychoanalysis could comport with traditional models of medical authority.     

Examining Determinants of Efficacy Judgments as Factors in Health Promotion Message Design

Self-efficacy is a predictor of behavioral performance across a range of health domains, and research suggests that media messages can effectively boost efficacy; however, much is unknown regarding determinants of self-efficacy, and the message features with the greatest potential to alter efficacy perceptions. The authors of this article examined skill and motivation as determinants of efficacy and tested their effectiveness as message variables. Study 1 identified health behaviors that young adults felt unable to perform, as well as behavior barriers and facilitators. Study 2 isolated one behavior, exercise, and tested messages targeting either skill or motivation as a determinant of self-efficacy to exercise. Matched messages engendered greater general self-efficacy than unmatched messages, though no differences emerged on self-efficacy magnitude and strength measures. Follow-up data indicated that participants low in motivation exercised more than those low in skill regardless of message condition. Implications of these findings for health promotion efforts are discussed.