Language,education and ethnicity: Whose rights will prevail in an age of globalisation?

Education and ethnicity cannot be discussed without taking language into account. This paper will argue that any discussion of ethnic minorities cannot ignore the question of language, nor can any discussion of human rights ignore the question of language rights. Unfortunately, in today's globalised world, governments and minorities are faced with conflicting pressures: on the one hand, for the development and use of education in a global/international language; on the other for the use and development of mother tongue, local or indigenous languages in education. Language complexity and ethnic plurality were largely brought about as a result of the creation of nation–states, which were spread around the world as a result of European colonialism. European languages and formal education systems were used as a means of political and economic control. The legacy that was left by the colonial powers has complicated ethnic relations and has frequently led to conflict. While there is now greater recognition of the importance of language both for economic and educational development, as well as for human rights, the forces of globalisation are leading towards uniformity in the languages used, in culture and even in education. They are working against the development of language rights for smaller groups. We are witnessing a sharp decline in the number of languages spoken. Only those languages which are numerically, economically and politically strong are likely to survive. As a result many linguistic and ethnic groups are in danger of being further marginalised. This paper will illustrate this thesis both historically and from several contemporary societies, showing how certain policies have exacerbated ethnic conflict while others are seeking to promote harmony and reconciliation. Why this should be so will be explored.     

My system of career influences: responding to challenges facing career education

The present article explores major challenges facing career psychology, specifically within the field of career education. Several issues are identified including the need for more effective links between theory and practice, the movement towards constructivist theories and the related challenges of applying such theories. These issues are explored within the context of the reformulation of career education and through the lens of the constructivist Systems Theory Framework of career development and its applied activity, the My Systems of Career Influences.

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Zusammenfassung “My System of Career Influences”: Eine Antwort auf Herausforderungen für den Berufswahlunterricht. Dieser Artikel untersucht wesentliche Herausforderungen für die Berufspsychologie, insbesondere auf dem Gebiet des Berufswahlunterrichts. Mehrere Aspekte werden angesprochen, unter anderem der Bedarf für wirkungsvollere Verknüpfungen von Theorie und Praxis, den Trend zu konstruktivistischen Theorien und der Anwendung solcher Theorien. Diese Aspekte werden untersucht vor dem Hintergrund einer Neuformulierung der Berufswahlvorbereitung, sowie aus dem Blickwinkel des konstruktivistischen System-Theorie-Modell (Systems Theory Framework) und dessen Anwendungskonzept, dem ″My Systems of Career Influences” (Meine Systematik für Berufswahl-Einflüsse).

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Resumen Mi Sistema de Influencias sobre la Carrera: Respuesta a los Retos que afronta la Educación para la Carrera. El presente artículo explora los principales retos a los que se enfrenta la psicología de la carrera, en concreto dentro del campo de la educación para la carera. Se identifican varias cuestiones tales como la necesidad de vínculos más efectivos entre la teoría y la práctica, el movimiento hacia teorías constructivistas y los retos derivados de la aplicación de dichas teorías. Estas cuestiones se abordan dentro del contexto de reformulación de la educación para la carrera y a través del lente del marco constructivista de la Teoría de Sistemas del desarrollo de la carrera y su aplicación práctica, Mi Sistema de Influencias sobre la Carrera.

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Résumé Mon Système d’Influences sur la Trajectoire Vocationnelle: une réponse aux défis lancés à l’éducation au choix vocationnel. Le présent article explore les défis majeurs lancés à la psychologie vocationnelle, en particulier dans le champ de l’éducation au choix vocationnel. On identifie plusieurs questions comme la nécessité de liens plus fermes entre théorie et pratique, l’expansion des théories constructivistes et les défis que leur application implique. Ces questions sont explorées dans le contexte de la reformulation de l’éducation au choix professionnel et sous l’angle de la structure constructiviste de la Théorie des Systèmes du développement vocationnel et de son application “Mes Systèmes d’Influences sur la Trajectoire Vocationnelle”.

     

Investigating errors of beginning mathematicians

Diagnostic interviews were conducted with children in their third year at a Melbourne primary school to determine why they had made errors on sixteen arithmetical tasks. The Newman method of analyzing errors was modified in order that the children's errors could be sensibly classified in terms of the sequence of steps they used when attempting to solve the problems. The diagnostic interviews clearly showed where children were making their errors, and this enabled their teacher to devise more appropriate teaching procedures.     

The Inclusion of Intentional Ethos Enablers in Electronic Distance Learning Opportunities of Christian Institutions

Abstract

Communicating the Christian ethos of Christian institutions constitutes a significant portion of the effort and monies of these institutions. Included in the purview of ethos enablers are faculty input and advising, student services, required chapel/worship, ministry formation/field experiences, admissions procedures, and opportunities for students to interact with one another in informal settings. Each of these is included in the core functioning of campus-based Christian institutions. As these institutions move more and more to providing distance learning opportunities, it is questioned if equal importance is being given to these ethos enablers in interactions with distance learners. The purpose of this study is to describe what is being done and how effective selected Christian institutions perceive themselves to be in including intentional ethos enablers in their distance learning opportunities.     

The Learning Consortium: A School‐University Partnership Program. An Introduction

ABSTRACT

Induction experiences of beginning teachers in schools that were classified as more effective or less effective on the basis of student achievement are compared. Classroom observations, interviews, and a “Beginning Teacher Questionnaire” were used to obtain information from teachers in the two groups. Three areas of socialization were examined: assistance, monitoring, and team‐building. Results indicate that historically more effective schools were more supportive of their beginning teachers. In addition, outcome data regarding teacher performance provides evidence of more effective teaching among teachers in more supportive schools, even though initial teacher effectiveness, levels of experience, and educational attainment were not different for the two groups.     

Discrimination Against Women as a Subtext of Excellence

In this paper an argument for the proposition that emphasizing the pursuit of excellence in sport is discriminatory against women is presented. The argument is developed in three stages. First, a definition of “discrimination” is proposed and discussed. Second, the idea of sport as a quest for excellence is traced through various interpretations of the meaning of sport. Third, excellence is discussed as a socially constructed concept and phenomenon. The dominant social meaning of excellence as a supreme achievement is confronted with the gender consequences of emphasizing the pursuit of excellence in sport. The argument concludes that alongside the primary texts of the glories and triumphs of excellence runs a subtext of inequality and gender discrimination.