A mentor’s aid in developing the competences of teacher trainees

The induction period is a very important time in the career of a teacher and has a long‐term influence on the teacher’s professional development, efficacy, job satisfaction and the length of his/her career. One of the key roles in this period is played by the trainee’s mentor. This paper presents the results of the extensive project ‘Partnership of Faculties and Schools’, carried out at the Pedagogical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, with the financial support of the European Social Fund and the Slovenian Ministry of Education, Science and Sport. We studied an induction project involving 361 teacher trainees and 331 mentors. The study reveals the trainees’ expectations towards their mentors and the mentors’ and trainees’ evaluations of how the mentor aids a teacher trainee in developing their competences.     

黑葵花籽皮黑色素提取及影响其稳定性因素分析

采用碱性溶液提取、酸水解沉淀等工艺分离纯化了黑葵花籽皮色素，呈天然黑色，其得率为12．5％（以粗品于原料为准），并对该色素的理化性质等进行了较系统的研究．结果表明：黑葵花籽皮黑色素耐光、耐热；对还原剂较稳定，对强氧化剂不够稳定；碱性条件下较稳定；Cu^2＋，Ca^2＋，Na^＋,Zn^2＋等金属离子对该色素有护色、增色作用，Fe^3＋，Al^3＋虽有减色作用，但不明显；是一种性能优良的天然黑色素。     

Validity of Holland’s theory in adolescence: evidence from a Slovak sample

The underlying calculus assumption of Holland’s theory was tested in two samples of primary school students (N₁ = 400 and N₂ = 250) with an average age of 13.86 and 14.14 years, respectively. Both exploratory and confirmatory multidimensional scaling and Hubert and Arabie’s randomization test of hypothesized order relations were calculated. The circular spatial arrangement of RIASEC types was not confirmed in either of the two samples. The study discusses possible causes of the inappropriateness of using Holland’s model in an adolescent sample.

     

Social inequity and educational expansion in Slovenia

The study examines the relationship between social inequalities (stratificational, gender and other disparities) and schooling, including academic attainment, longitudinally, in Slovenia. The issue is indicated most clearly at the tertiary education level. The basic finding is the parallel between educational expansion and the diminution of social inequalities as measured by standard parameters. This was particularly evident in the 1990s. Inequalities are measured in terms of gender, parental education and occupation. The impact of parental education proves to be an indicative, observable and longitudinally comparative measure. Parental occupational status is also clearly linked to their children’s scholastic attainment, although there are difficulties in the formation of occupational strata. Further considered is the impact of school reforms over a lengthier period of time; there was not, however, any detectable impact. School and welfare policies, even financing, have little significance. There are clear indications that social disparities at school are continually regenerated, despite the decline established by standard measures. New forms of social disparities appear, through which the privileged ensure the continuation of privilege.     

Trying to Include but Supporting Exclusion Instead? Constructing the Roma in Slovak Educational Policies

Based on a social constructivist theoretical framework, this research study examines how the design of proinclusive educational policies and the general public construct the Roma students and parents in Slovakia. For this purpose, data from two selected educational policies and five focus groups conducted in five regions in Slovakia were analyzed. The findings demonstrate that the Roma are constructed negatively as irresponsible dependents and deviants not valuing education and incapable of making wise decisions about their lives. These findings can be considered relevant for policy formulation processes because proinclusive policies may sabotage their own goals if negative social constructions of a certain societal group are embedded in them.     

Das Volksbildungswesen der Sowjetunion (UDSSR)

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

应用自体浓缩生长因子凝胶(CGF)联合自体发泡表皮移植修复难愈性创面

目的:了解应用自体浓缩生长因子凝胶联合发泡表皮移植用于修复难愈性创面的可行性及其治疗效果。方法:选择16例难愈性创面的住院患者,共16处且持续6周以上未愈合的,进行浓缩生长因子凝胶膜联合自体发泡表皮移植修复,治疗方法为I期创面扩创,填塞凝浓缩生长因子凝胶,根据创面凝胶溶解情况,7~10天更换一次浓缩生长因子凝胶,3周后创面肉芽组织生长、新鲜。Ⅱ期手术,利用皮肤分离仪于腹壁发泡,取数个直径1cm2表皮并间隔覆盖于创面,浓缩生长因子凝胶膜覆盖。结果:16处难愈性创面患者中14处创面愈合良好,2处创面部分皮片成活欠佳、溶解,残余创面经换药后愈合。创面愈合后随访18个月,仅3例出现张力性水泡,部分色素沉着,均未见溃疡复发,无明显增生性瘢痕。腹壁发泡取皮区皮肤颜色正常,质软,未见瘢痕生长。结论:浓缩生长因子凝胶联合自体发泡表皮移植修复难愈性创面,因其取材方便,方法简单、供皮区损伤小、创面愈合质量高,宜在临床上推广,为难愈性创面的修复提供新的治疗方法。     

From Green to Red Tomatoes or Is there a Shortcut by which to Change the Conceptions of Teaching and Learning of College Teachers?

No general shift from a teaching to a learning paradigm in higher education is possible without a parallel change in the conceptions that college and university teachers have of teaching and learning‐‐from teaching, conceived as transmission and reception of knowledge, to teaching as facilitation of student learning. Staff development and action research can play a useful role in “defreezing” the existing conceptions and attitudes. But for a substantial change in teaching practices in the direction of learning of high quality to occur, more substantial changes in organization, curricula, funding, staff recruitment, and professional development policies are needed. The international academic community can play an important role in this paradigm shift by presenting models of good practice as well as exchanges of experiences and incentives. Such assistance is especially important for small countries in transition, like Slovenia.     

Students as political actors? Similarities and differences across six European nations

Drawing on data from students, higher education staff and policymakers from six European countries, this article argues that it remains a relatively common assumption that students should be politically engaged. However, while students articulated a strong interest in a wide range of political issues, those working in higher education and influencing higher education policy tended to believe that students were considerably less politically active than their predecessors. Moreover, while staff and policy influencers typically conceived of political engagement in terms of collective action, articulated through common reference to the absence of a ‘student movement’ or unified student voice, students’ narratives tended not to valorise ‘student movements’ in the same way and many categorised as ‘political’ action they had taken alone and/or with a small number of other students. Alongside these broad commonalities across Europe, the article also evidences some key differences between nation-states, institutions and disciplines. In this way, it contributes to the comparative literature on young people’s political engagement specifically, as well as wider debates about the ways in which higher education students are understood.