Race,ethnicity, and child maltreatment: An empirical analysis

Using central registry data for Texas for 1975–1977 of validated cases of abuse and of neglect, a study was conducted to investigate empirically the relationship of child maltreatment to ethnicity, addressing methodological issues that merit consideration in such studies.The ethnic composition of the at-risk population was 61% Anglos, 15% Blacks, and 24% Mexican-Americans. The annual rates for all abuse and neglect were 2.87, 3.17, and 3.94 per 1,000 under 18 population for Anglos, Mexican-Americans, and Blacks, respectively. Abuse was more predominant among Anglos, accounting for 33.5% of the validated cases of maltreatment, than among Mexican-Americans and Blacks, accounting for 25.2% and 29.4% of the maltreatment, respectively. Neglect was the major dynamic of maltreatment for Mexican-Americans and Blacks, accounting for 65.6% and 61.2% of the maltreatment, respectively, with Anglos having 55.4% of the maltreatment due to neglect. These relationships were not altered when rural-urban differences were taken into consideration.     

Museums,Keyworkers and Lifelong Learning: A European Survey

This article reports on an investigation undertaken in six European countries on the theme of adults' involvement in the cultural life of their communities. A particular focus was placed on the role of keyworker and how such individuals provide a link between museums and communities. The survey team gathered information from museums on the nature and extent of provision for adult learning and the degree to which keyworkers had a part to play. It was subsequently found that most museums made no special provision for adult education although this pattern varied across countries. In those cases where some form of provision was made its quality had not been assessed. One outcome of the survey is that a small majority of museums do make use of keyworkers acting in a wide variety of roles. It also revealed that keyworkers lack sufficient training and support.     

‘It’s not fair’: policy discourses and students’ understandings of plagiarism in a New Zealand university

Plagiarism is a concept that is difficult to define. Although most higher education institutions have policies aimed at minimising and addressing student plagiarism, little research has examined the ways in which plagiarism is discursively constructed in university policy documents, or the connections and disconnections between institutional and student understandings of plagiarism in higher education. This article reports on a study that explored students’ understandings of plagiarism in relation to institutional plagiarism discourses at a New Zealand university. The qualitative study involved interviews with 21 undergraduate students, and analysis of University plagiarism policy documents. The University policy documents revealed moral and regulatory discourses. In the interviews, students predominantly drew on ethico-legal discourses, which reflected the discourses in the policy documents. However, the students also drew on (un)fairness discourses, confusion discourses, and, to a lesser extent, learning discourses. Notably, learning discourses were absent in the University policy. Our findings revealed tensions between the ways plagiarism was framed in institutional policy documents, and students’ understandings of plagiarism and academic writing. We suggest that, in order to support students’ acquisition of academic writing skills, plagiarism should be framed in relation to ‘learning to write’, rather than as a moral issue.     

The decline of teacher autonomy: Tears or cheers?

In the United States teacher autonomy has been declining for at least a decade. This decline can be attributed in large part to three factors. First, uniform staff development programmes based on research on effective teaching have become widespread. Second, classroom observations have become an integral part of imposed teacher evaluations. Third, school principals have been called on to assume the role of instructional leader. While some may perceive the decline of teacher autonomy negatively, at least two benefits of this decline have been identified. First, a common language by which teachers can discuss the problems and potential of instruction and teaching among themselves and with school administrators is developing. Second, the likelihood that teachers will achieve a truly professional status is enhanced. Many educators write as if the natural result of a decline in teacher autonomy is standardization; that is, the cloning of teachers. This article negates such pessimism. Teacher autonomy, like many educational variables, exists along a continuum. As a consequence, a midpoint on the autonomy continuum — a balance between uniqueness and standardization, between license and responsibility — is the desirable state of affairs. Finally, autonomy should be earned by teachers, not simply given to them. In this regard, greater concern should be given to teachers' preparation for, and induction into, their roles as school teachers. Similarly, increases in autonomy should mirror increases in teacher status; status defined in terms of teacher experience, expertise, and excellence.

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Zusammenfassung In den Vereinigten Staaten ist die Autonomie der Lehrer im letzten Jahrzehnt gesunken. Drei Faktoren sind die hauptsächlichen Ursachen dafür: Erstens sind einheitliche, auf Untersuchungen über wirksame Unterrichtsmethoden basierende Personalentwicklungsprogramme derzeit weit verbreitet. Zweitens sind Beobachtungen im Klassenzimmer zu einem integralen Bestandteil vorgeschriebener Lehrerbeurteilungen geworden. Drittens sind die Schulleiter aufgefordert worden, die Rolle der Unterrichtsanleiter (instructional leader) zu übernehmen. Während einerseits die zunehmend eingeschränkte Autonomie der Lehrer negativ beurteilt wird, lassen sich zumindestens zwei Vorteile aus dieser Minderung ableiten. Erstens wird eine gemeinsame Sprache entwickelt, in der Lehrer über die Probleme und das Potential der Lehre und des Unterrichts miteinander und/oder mit den Schulverwaltern kommunizieren können. Zweitens verstärkt sich die Wahrscheinlichkeit, daß Lehrer einen wirklich professionellen Status erreichen. Viele Pädagogen schreiben, als ob die natürliche Folge einer verminderten Autonomie der Leher eine Standardisierung bedeute, d.h. das Klonen von Lehrern. Dieser Artikel verneint einen solchen Pessimismus. Wie viele andere pädagogischen Variablen besteht die Autonomie der Lehrer in einem Kontinuum. Folglich ist der wünschenswerte Zustand in Form eines Mittelwerts des Autonomiekontinuums — d.h. eine Balance zwischen Einzigartigkeit und Standardisierung, zwischen Lehrfreiheit und Verantwortung. Ferner sollten sich Lehrer ihre Autonomie verdienen, anstatt daß sie ihnen automatisch übertragen wird. In diesem Sinne sollte der Lehrervorbereitung und deren Einführung in die Rolle des Schullehrers ein größeres Gewicht beigemessen werden. Ebenso sollte sich der Zuwachs an Autonomie in einem Anwachsen des Lehrerstatus wiederspiegeln. Status ist hier zu verstehen im Sinne von Lehrererfahrung, Sachverständigkeit und Vortrefflichkeit.

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Résumé L'autonomie de l'enseignant aux Etats Unis va en déclinant depuis dix ans au moins. Ce déclin peut être attribué en grande partie à trois facteurs. Tout d'abord, les programmes de développement d'un personnel uniforme basés sur la recherche relative à l'efficacité de l'enseignement se sont répandus. Puis, les observations de classes font à présent partie intégrante des évaluations globales des enseignants. Enfin on a demandé aux directeurs d'assumer le rôle de responsables en matière d'instruction. Alors que certains perçoivent de façon négative la restriction de l'autonomie de l'enseignant, deux avantages au moins ont été identifiés. Premièrement, la langue commune avec laquelle les enseignants peuvent discuter des problèmes et du potentiel de l'instruction et de l'enseignement entre eux ainsi qu'avec le personnel administratif connaît un développement. Deuxièmement, les chances d'obtenir un vrai statut professionel sont renforcées pour les enseignants. De nombreux enseignants écrivent comme si le résultat naturel d'une perte d'autonomie de l'enseignant signifiait une standardisation, c'est-à-dire une reproduction exacte de la même espèce. Cet article réfute un tel pessimisme. L'autonomie de l'enseignant suit un continuum, comme de nombreuses variables éducatives du reste. En conséquence, le point central du continuum d'autonomie — l'équilibre entre le caractère unique et la standardisation, entre l'autorisation et la responsabilité — est une situation souhaitable. Enfin, l'autonomie devrait être acquise par les enseignants, et non leur être simplement offerte. A ce propos, un plus grand intérêt devrait être accordé à la formation des enseignants, à leur entrée dans leur rôle d'instructeur. Parallèlement, une croissance de l'autonomie devrait refléter une amélioration du statut de l'enseignant, statut défini en termes d'expérience en matière d'enseignement, de compétences et de perfection.

     

The Stability of School Effectiveness Indices Across Grade Levels and Subject Areas

School effectiveness indices (SEIs) based on regressing achievement test performance onto earlier test performance and a socioeconomic status (SES) measure were obtained for eight subject–grade level combinations for a large sample of elementary schools. School means based on longitudinally matched student scores comprised the data set used in the analysis. The resulting SEIs were found to be somewhat unstable across subject areas (reading and mathematics) and very unstable across grade levels (1 through 4). Grade-to-grade correlations of the SEIs measuring mathematics performance, although small, tended to be statistically significant, whereas those measuring reading performance were generally nonsignificant. Thus, school effects may be more readily discernible in some subject areas than in others. Implications for research on effective schools and for the design of school recognition programs based on student test performance are discussed.     

Visual messages: Making sense with young children

Whether we know it or not, the environment teaches children how to read. The symbols, pictures, and print in our classrooms are a foundation for later reading. Children need useful and practical information communicated through visual messages.Sandra L. Gordon and Beth C. Anderson are Associate Professors in the Education Department at Moorhead State University in Minnesota.     

What you do is less important than how you do it: the effects of learning environment on student outcomes

Learning Environments Research - Higher education has seen a shift towards promoting student-centred learning. There has also been a push for identifying the ‘best’ teaching models and...