The Relationship of Classroom Organisation to Cross‐age and Cross‐sex Friendships

The friendship nominations of 40 standard 2 children (aged 8‐10 years), 20 in multi‐level and 20 in single‐level classes, were examined. Children nominated friends, including age and whether they went to the same school, by writing down friends’ names in class and stating them verbally in an interview situation. Children were asked in the interview about their best friends, their views on cross‐sex and cross‐age friendships, and what friends do together. Results showed that 65% of interview‐nominated and 56% of class‐nominated friends were of the same age, while 91% of interview‐nominated and 81% of class‐nominated friends were of the same sex. Children from multi‐level classes had significantly more different aged friends on class and interview measures, and more different sexed friends on the class measure, than children from single‐level classes. Children's out‐of‐school friendships were more likely to be with cross‐age or cross‐sex children than were their in‐school friendships. Children tended to give positive reasons for playing with different aged friends, such as learning from more skilled older friends and feeling responsible when nurturing younger children, but few positive reasons were given for playing with opposite sex friends. Most children expressed a lack of interest or even a dislike for the activities and characteristics of the opposite sex.     

“We're Playing Sisters,on Paper!”: children composing on graphic playgrounds

In this paper, I draw on two childhood ethnographies to ask basic questions about the foundation of child writing. The first question is, where does writing come from in young children's lives? Answering this question will lead us to childhood play as the foundation of writing. The second question is, how do educators negotiate an inclusive, playful classroom culture in racially divisive and neoliberal times? This question will lead to a critical consideration of forming an inclusive culture in a racially and culturally diverse classroom. In this time of uniform, mandated curricula, rampant in the United States and elsewhere, and of the dismissive attitude towards play and towards childhood diversity (e.g., in race, culture and socioeconomic class), it is worth revisiting basic questions about the beginnings of writing in childhoods. The questions are relevant whether a child is writing on paper, screen, slate, or sand.     

"My Ladies Aren't Interested in Learning": Managers, Supervisors and the Social Context of Learning

This paper is based on a research project which examines the opportunities for and barriers to workplace learning amongst low-grade staff in the UK public sector. It examines the key role of managers and supervisors, who make many of the decisions about individuals' access to learning opportunities. Their perception of staff's willingness and need to learn is influenced by factors such as age, gender or the likelihood of career development. It is these managers who control the immediate work environment and the flow of information about learning opportunities. Innovative examples of workplace learning are described, yet the paper concludes that the reality for many low grade manual and routine clerical staff continues to be one of limited opportunities for workplace learning.     

A Quasi-Experiment Examining Expressive and Receptive Vocabulary Knowledge of Preschool Head Start Children Using Mobile Media Apps

This study examined the efficacy of using different types of mobile media apps to increase the receptive and expressive vocabulary development of 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old preschool children living in economically disadvantaged communities. Children and teachers in four Head Start classrooms participated in the quasi-experimental study, which included an 8-week intervention in which the children interacted with one of two types of apps: one classroom used four scaffolding-like vocabulary apps for an average of 1.8 h per day (n?=?16) and one classroom used four open-ended vocabulary apps for an average of 1.3 h per day (n?=?15). Two classrooms served as comparison groups (n?=?18; n?=?14) which used apps that were chosen by the Head Start program with no specific instructional method for approximately 1 h per day. Children’s vocabulary was assessed pre- and post-intervention using the PPVT-4, the EVT-2, and iPad Receptive and Expressive Vocabulary Assessments. Using a repeated measures analysis of variance with split plot analysis, children who used scaffolding-like vocabulary apps performed statistically significantly higher on the PPVT-4 than children who used open-ended vocabulary apps. There were no significant differences between groups on the EVT-2. The study contributed to the literature on teacher instruction of utilizing scaffolding-like apps to increase preschool vocabulary knowledge.     

The construction of abstract units in geometric and numeric settings

The main thesis of this paper is that the construction and coordination of abstract units is central to mathematical activity in both numerical and geometric settings. Data were gathered from students in grade three through six, with four students being observed over a three year period. A consistent parallel was found in the sophistication of the types of units constructed in a geometric setting (tiling the plane) with their numeric activity. The tiling activity of the students was analyzed for evidence of the construction and coordination of units. Some students constructed rather sophisticated abstract composite units to facilitate their tiling with a particular shape while others had difficulty making a covering. Students who constructed abstract composite units in tiling did so also in adding and subtracting whole numbers. Evidence of unitizing and coordinating the units constructed was associated with advances in mathematical thinking. Unitizing seems to be a fundamental mental operation in coming to act mathematically. As mathematics activities are planned, it is important to provide opportunities for students to construct abstract composite units in both geometric and numeric settings. Emphasis on prescribed procedures such as subtracting with two-digit numerals may inhibit this construction process.     

Perceptions of the Value of Quality Assessment in Scottish Higher Education

The 1992–93 session in Scottish universities saw the introduction of the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council's (SHEFC) statutory requirement to introduce quality assessments of teaching and learning. This paper looks at some of the issues that have arisen from the experience of staff at Napier University in terms of being assessed. It focuses on the issues that have arisen from the first and second round of visits to institutions. The key questions and problems associated with the process are considered in the context of the following headings: (1) defining quality; (2) the role of the lead assessor; (3) the framework for the visit; (4) the role of the student; (5) the quality of the reports; (6) the cost benefit analysis. SHEFC's stated aims for assessment are evaluated in the light of the above.     

Reframing ‘well-being’ in schools: the potential of recognition

In Australia and internationally, the well-being of children and young people is a core focus of social policy, with a growing imperative to locate well-being within the sphere of education. However, the term ‘well-being’ remains ambiguous and the implementation of educational approaches to promote and improve it appears fragmented and ad hoc. In Australia, little is known about how well-being is understood and supported in schools, particularly from the perspective of students themselves. This article reports on key findings from an ambitious mixed-methods study funded by the Australian Research Council that investigated conceptualisations and practices around well-being in schools. Underpinned by theoretical interests linked to Childhood Studies and recognition theory, the research investigated policy, student and staff perspectives on well-being. The findings point to the key role of relationships, providing considerable scope for analysing the salience of Honneth’s modes of recognition for well-being in schools.     

Learning to Learn to Teach: An ``Experiment' Model for Teaching and Teacher Preparation in Mathematics

This paper describes a model for generating andaccumulating knowledge for both teaching andteacher education. The model is applied firstto prepare prospective teachers to learn toteach mathematics when they enter theclassroom. The concept of treating lessons asexperiments is used to explicate theintentional, rigorous, and systematic processof learning to teach through studying one's ownpractice. The concept of planning teachingexperiences so that others can learn fromone's experience is used to put into practicethe notion of contributing to a sharedprofessional knowledge base for teachingmathematics. The same model is then applied tothe work of improving teacher preparationprograms in mathematics. Parallels are drawnbetween the concepts emphasized for prospectiveteachers and those that are employed byinstructors who study and improve teacherpreparation experiences. In this way, parallelsalso are seen in the processes used to generatean accumulating knowledge base for teaching andfor teacher education.