Universities and regional economic development: The entrepreneurial University of Waterloo

This paper argues that the contribution of some universities to local and regional economic dynamism is much richer than overly mechanistic depictions suggest. Beyond generating commercializable knowledge and qualified research scientists, universities produce other mechanisms of knowledge transfer, such as generating and attracting talent to the local economy, and collaborating with local industry by providing formal and informal technical support. A detailed case study of the University of Waterloo, in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, with its progressive Coop and Entrepreneurial education programs, and innovative Intellectual Property policy, illustrates the way in which the university has contributed to growth and innovation in the local and regional economy.     

Greetings from the Factory Floor: Industrial Tourism and the Picture Postcard

Abstract Since the late nineteenth century, it's been popular to visit factories as a leisure time activity, a practice that continues up to the present day. This article provides a general overview of factory tours, as shown through the material culture and history of postcards. It explores the benefits and limitations of this unusual primary source and suggests how ephemera can be used more generally in capturing the intentions of and reactions to museum exhibits.     

Learning to redesign teacher education: a conceptual framework to support program change

University-based teacher education faces intensifying pressure to prove its effectiveness. This has prompted renewed interest in program redesign. In this article, we argue that enacting meaningful redesign requires university-based teacher educators to learn new ways of thinking and acting not only with teacher candidates but also with their university and K-12 colleagues. Drawing on Engeström’s expansive learning theory and our own efforts to redesign our teacher education program along a practice-based teacher education model, we delineate a conceptual framework and illustrate how it supports the organizational learning necessary to enact change in university-based teacher education. The expansive learning redesign framework specifies conceptual tools and social practices to guide, enact, and sustain university-based teacher education redesign. It acknowledges the multi-organizational nature of university-based teacher education and provides tools for engaging K-12 educators in the redesign of teacher education.     

Modern Scientific Literacy: A Case Study of Multiliteracies and Scientific Practices in a Fifth Grade Classroom

Journal of Science Education and Technology - This study investigates the convergence of multiliteracies and scientific practices in a fifth grade classroom. As students’ lives become...     

The Effects of Peer‐Assisted Literacy Strategies for First‐Grade Readers With and Without Additional Mini‐Skills Lessons

In this research, we sought to replicate findings of our previous research examining the efficacy of 1st‐Grade Peer‐Assisted Literacy Strategies (1st‐Grade PALS) with children of different achievement levels in naturally constituted general education classrooms. We also examined the impact of adding skills‐focused mini‐lessons conducted along with 1st‐Grade PALS with the 3 lowest‐achieving readers in some of these classrooms. First‐Grade PALS sessions were conducted for 30‐minutes session 3 times a week for 14 weeks. Mini‐lessons were also conducted 3 times per week for 15 to 20 minute sessions during the final 6 weeks of 1st‐Grade PALS implementation. During 1st‐Grade PALS, all students within a class were paired with other students from within the same class (1) to practice phonological awareness, phonological recoding, and reading of connected text built on previously mastered phonological elements, and (2) to make predictions about a book prior to reading it, share the experience of reading a story with a peer, have repeated exposure to text, and summarize the story through verbal retelling. The skills‐focused mini‐lessons mirrored the content of 1st‐Grade PALS and were designed to provide additional instruction and integrated practice of the orthophonemic elements of English text. Results indicate that 1st‐Grade PALS, on average, enhanced reading performance of students both in terms of statistical significance and in terms of educational relevance, although not equally for all learner types, closely replicating findings from our previous studies. Results also suggest that there was some benefit to students who participated in the small‐group mini‐lessons. However, conclusions about the true impact of the mini‐lessons are limited because teachers resisted implementing these lessons.     

Implementation and Outcomes of Supplemental Educational Services: The Tennessee State-Wide Evaluation Study

Supplemental Educational Services (SES), a component of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, provides free tutoring to economically disadvantaged children who are attending Title I schools in their 2nd or more years of school improvement. This research evaluated SES in Tennessee to determine the: (a) impacts on student achievement, and (b) perceptions of SES implementation and outcomes by teachers, district coordinators, principals/site coordinators, and parents. Using value-added methodology, statistical analyses of achievement data controlled for both student ability and teacher effects in 2 alternative models. Not surprisingly, parent reactions to SES were highly positive, whereas those by the 3 other stakeholder groups were more mixed. Achievement results from both analytical models yielded mostly small and nonsignificant provider effects. The implications of the findings for evaluating SES are discussed with regard to both research and policy issues. Recommendations are offered for broadening the evaluation of SES through smaller mixed-methods studies to examine implementation and educational outcomes in more highly controlled contexts.     

PRACTICING ASSESSMENT IN THE CLASSROOM: THE LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY ASSESSMENT PROJECT

Abstract

Drawing from an array of theoretical and experiential sources ranging from policy studies to ethnographies, this essay frames a number of public policy issues related to children, families, and early childhood education. These issues provide a brief genealogy of multiple contexts in which early childhood teacher education operates in the United States. Issues addressed include: welfare reform, “No Child Left Behind” legislation, the crimi‐nalization of children, language policies, and recently proposed changes in Head Start. The author draws from her teaching, research, and community organizing experiences to recommend ways to strengthen public policy awareness and advocacy engagement in the field of early childhood teacher education.     

Breaking Down Barriers for 1st-Year Teachers: What Teacher Preparation Programs Can Do

A developmentally appropriate learning environment for young children is vital for successful learning. However, implementing developmentally appropriate practices can be a challenge for 1st-year teachers because of the pressures of standardized testing. The purpose of this study was to examine the struggles teachers encounter in implementing developmentally appropriate practices in their 1st year and to identify what helped them overcome those obstacles. We conclude with several ideas for teacher preparation programs as well as suggestions for 1st-year teachers.     

Career Support Group for Latino/a College Students

Culturally derived career counseling groups constitute a potentially promising way of providing supportive experiences for Latino/a college students. These groups can facilitate Latino/a students' help‐seeking behavior, address general college transition needs, add new coping skills, resolve developmental issues, and respond to career concerns. The author finds these groups useful for promoting overall wellness; improving academic performance, retention, and graduation rates; and enhancing successful transitioning into the job market and/or the continuation of postgraduation plans.