Social anxiety,sex, surveillance,and the ‘safe’ teacher

Foucault's view of the body as a detailed text from which can be read a system of power is used to consider some aspects of contemporary teacher work. In particular, this paper considers the impact on primary school teachers of social anxiety about touching children. One effect has been an intensification of self‐surveillance by teachers, and increased experience of child‐touch and child‐proximity as ‘uncomfortable’. Paradoxically, teachers' need for visibility so they can be seen as innocent has the effect of constituting teachers as always and already guilty—as potential sexual abusers. This guilt is now enacted in the everyday common sense actions of ‘safe’ teachers. The argument is developed with reference to teacher union policy texts and interview data from teachers in a range of New Zealand primary schools.     

Nonshared environmental influences on individual differences in early behavioral development: a monozygotic twin differences study

The monozygotic (MZ) twin differences method was used to investigate nonshared environmental (NSE) influences independent of genetics. Four-year-old MZ twin pairs (N = 2,353) were assessed by their parents on 2 parenting measures (harsh parental discipline and negative parental feelings) and 4 behavioral measures (anxiety, prosocial behavior, hyperactivity, and conduct problems). Within-pair differences in parenting correlated significantly with MZ differences in behavior, with an average effect size of 3%. For the extreme 10% of the parenting-discordant and behavior-discordant distributions, the average NSE effect size was substantially greater (11%), suggesting a stronger NSE relationship for more discordant twins. NSE relationships were also stronger in higher risk environments, that is, families with lower socioeconomic status, greater family chaos, or greater maternal depression.     

Rats’ responses to molar and local schedule constraints

Three experiments explored responses to molar and local schedule constraints. Thirsty rats pressed a lever for access to a water spout. In Experiment 1, response totals were unaffected by two local schedule characteristics—the variability of the instrumental requirement and the variability of the magnitude of contingent reward. Experiment 2 manipulated the correlation between the instrumental requirement and the magnitude of reward. This correlation did not affect the behavioral price ratio (presses per lick) at a molar level. At a local level, the positive correlation created a lower mean lick price than did the negative correlation. The rats licked more, and licked less efficiently, under the positive correlation than under the negative correlation. Experiment 3 compared two ways of manipulating the molar presses/lick ratio: The instrumental (contingent) series varied the instrumental (contingent) requirement, but held the other requirement constant. As the ratio increased, total leverpresses increased, and total licks decreased linearly; the two series did not differ significantly. At higher lick prices, the rats licked more efficiently and made more extra licks at the spout as it closed. The results help delimit the applicability of molar models of the organism’s response to schedule constraints.     

Trends in Philanthropic Support: Foundation Giving in Environmental Education

Despite public support, environmental education (EE) is rarely a priority for funders, even those interested in the environment or education. We examined reasons behind the paucity of EE funding, focusing on U.S. foundations, which are one of the largest sources of support for environmental efforts. We analyzed historical giving data and interviewed a dozen funders. Over the 2003 to 2007 period, we found EE funding represented approximately 5% of overall environment funding in the United States. Reasons for the low level of EE support included definitional complexity, uncertainty about efficacy, and inclusion of EE funding within issue-specific grants, such as those focused on climate change.     

Attachment insecurity mediates the relationship between childhood trauma and eating disorder psychopathology in a clinical sample: A structural equation model

Objectives

Childhood maltreatment occurs often among those with an eating disorder and is considered a nonspecific risk factor. However, the mechanisms by which childhood maltreatment may lead to an eating disorder are not well understood. The current study tests a model in which attachment insecurity is hypothesized to mediate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and eating disorder psychopathology.

Method

Treatment seeking adults with eating disorders (N = 308) completed questionnaires about childhood maltreatment, eating disorder psychopathology, and adult attachment.

Results

Structural equation models indicated that childhood trauma had a direct effect on eating disorder symptoms. Also, attachment anxiety and avoidance each equally mediated the childhood maltreatment to eating disorder psychopathology relationship.

Conclusions

Attachment insecurity, characterized by affect dysregulation and interpersonal sensitivities may help to explain why eating disorder symptoms may be one consequence of childhood maltreatment in a clinical sample. Clinicians treating primarily those with trauma might assess for disordered eating as a potential manifestation of the sequelae of trauma and attachment insecurity.     

Refugees and evacuees: enhancing historical understanding through Irish historical fiction with Key Stage 2 and early Key Stage 3 pupils

This article explores the use of historical fiction as a means of undertaking a historical enquiry into the experiences of refugees and evacuees with Key Stage 2 and 3 pupils. The authors reflect on the reasons why people have come to Britain before focussing on specific circumstances associated with World War 2. This is undertaken through the use of two historical fiction novels set in Ireland. The choice of an Irish context is intended to challenge Anglo centric notions of the past. The authors also examine differing opinions over the validity of the place of historical fiction in history lessons and make a strong case for its inclusion. Specific teaching and learning approaches, together with teacher and pupil responses are considered. The novels chosen focus on an Irish dimension which also reflects the authors' work with the Ireland in Schools Project.     

Using dentistry as a case study to examine continuing education and its impact on practice

Continuing education is a defining characteristic of work in the professions. Yet the approach various professional groups take to continuing professional development (CPD) differs widely in terms of regulatory frameworks and requirements, modes of delivery and funding. Importantly, little is understood about how CPD impacts on practice.This paper compares the regulatory context of different professional groups and devises a two‐dimensional model to explore differences in CPD practice by mapping control over CPD content and mode. The emergent quadrants we label as liberal, regulated, managed and controlled. The paper continues by using empirical data from two studies of continuing education in dentistry and the wider literature to explore factors affecting CPD impact. The paper ends by considering how the regulatory context may affect impact and concludes that changes in the control of CPD have potential to influence the power of education to make a difference to professional practice.     

Did She Jump Because She Was the Big Sister or Because the Trampoline Was Safe? Causal Inference and the Development of Social Attribution

Children rely on both evidence and prior knowledge to make physical causal inferences; this study explores whether they make attributions about others' behavior in the same manner. A total of one hundred and fifty‐nine 4‐ and 6‐year‐olds saw 2 dolls interacting with 2 activities, and explained the dolls' actions. In the person condition, each doll acted consistently across activities, but differently from each other. In the situation condition, the two dolls acted differently for each activity, but both performed the same actions. Both age groups provided more “person” explanations (citing features of the doll) in the person condition than in the situation condition. In addition, 6‐year‐olds showed an overall bias toward “person” explanations. As in physical causal inference, social causal inference combines covariational evidence and prior knowledge.     

New Labour's education policy: first,second or third way?

The education policies of governments have become increasingly directed towards economic ends, including the development of workforce skills. UK governments have been particularly committed to such policies and have adopted some quite distinctive tools, relying heavily on targets and emphasizing certificated rather than uncertificated learning. The underlying assumptions of such policies have been subject to sustained critique, but there has been relatively little empirical evidence available regarding their impact on individual adult learners. This paper uses a large national longitudinal data set to examine whether governments in the UK have met their objectives and how far these are consistent with the learners’ own. It provides, in particular, detailed information on the factors affecting acquisition of additional formal qualifications in adult life and whether there has been any shift in favour of the less skilled in recent years. It also examines the extent to which qualifications, and especially those prioritized by government, lead to increased earnings for their holders. The results strongly suggest that current policies are failing even on their own terms. In conclusion the paper provides some possible explanations for the findings and sets them in an international context.