From “Producing” to “Consuming” Research: Incorporating Evidence-Based Practice Into Advanced Research Courses in a Master of Social Work Program

Schools of social work have begun to explore teaching evidence-based practice (EBP) across their curriculum. Although the current literature offers ideas on how to incorporate EBP in foundation research and practice courses, the literature seems nonexistent on how to teach EBP in an advanced research sequence, which could clearly address the widespread criticism that research courses are unsuccessful in making the practice–research link more apparent. This article describes the transition of one school from a “producing research” curriculum focus to an EBP focus, which embraces consuming research. In the present article, the authors discuss the benefits and struggles associated with these two different approaches.     

Rethinking Reflection: Teachers' Critiques

This article presents findings from a study conducted with a teacher focus group asked to read and discuss their responses to selected published teacher narratives of reflective practice. The teachers challenged features of practitioner reflection presented in several of the reading selections as not representative of how they experienced reflection in practice. In this study, the teachers' critiques were not viewed as anti-intellectual, lazy, or provincial. Rather, the researcher used reader response theory to frame the teachers' critiques as informed feedback that needs the inquiry and input of teacher educators. The findings invite consideration of the unintended consequences of these representations for practitioners and scholars, especially in an age of emphasis on standards and accountability.     

Relations Among Chronic Peer Group Rejection,Maladaptive Behavioral Dispositions,and Early Adolescents' Peer Perceptions

Adolescents' perceptions of peers' relational characteristics (e.g., support, trustworthiness) were examined for subtypes of youth who evidenced chronic maladaptive behavior, chronic peer group rejection, or combinations of these risk factors. Growth mixture modeling was used to identify subgroups of participants within a normative sample of youth (N = 477; 50% female) for whom data had been gathered from fifth grade (M_age = 10.61) through eighth grade (M_age = 13.93). Results revealed that both enduring individual vulnerability (i.e., chronic withdrawn or chronic aggressive behavioral dispositions) and interpersonal adversity (i.e., chronic peer group rejection) were linked with either differences or changes in adolescents' perceptions of their peers' supportiveness and trustworthiness across the early adolescent age period.     

The Gendered Subject: Students' subject preferences and discussions of gender and subject ability

Girls have recently caught up with boys in the sciences in terms of achievements at GCSE, and continue to out-perform boys at languages at this level. However, there remains a sharp divergence in subject choice according to gender at A level and beyond. This paper seeks to discover whether or not there has been a shift in secondary school students' constructions of gender, school subjects, and subject ability. It examines the responses of secondary school students concerning their favourite, and least favourite, subjects according to gender. It also explores their statements concerning gender and ability at school subjects, analysing the various gender narratives reflected in these. It is argued that there has sometimes been a blurring of the gender dichotomy in terms of students' favourite subjects, although their least favourite subjects were more traditionally gendered. Moreover, the majority of students claimed that the sexes have the same ability at all subjects; and of those who argued there are gender differences in ability, the majority argued that girls have greater ability at various subjects.     

British‐Chinese pupils’ constructions of gender and learning

British‐Chinese pupils are the highest achieving ethnic group in the British education system, and British‐Chinese boys’ performance equals that of girls. This paper investigates aspects of British‐Chinese pupils’ constructions of learning, focusing particularly on subject preferences and their constructions of themselves as pupils. The results are analysed according to gender as well as social class, and demonstrate that British‐Chinese pupils’ constructions of gender, subject preference and self‐image as pupils differ in some respects from those of pupils from other ethnic groups. Reasons for such differences are considered, and the paper also reflects on the implications of these findings in relation to broader findings concerning the stereotyping and ‘othering’ of the British‐Chinese within the British education system.     

Nice and kind,smart and funny: what children like and want to emulate in their teachers

In many western countries, government statements about the need to recruit more men to primary teaching are frequently supported by references to the importance of male teachers as role models for boys. The suggestion is that boys will both achieve better and behave better when taught by male teachers, because they will identify with them and want to emulate their behaviour. However, this has not been supported by research evidence. This paper draws on data from an ESRC‐funded project involving interviews with 307 7–8 year old children in England (half taught by male and half by female teachers). Focusing on gender, it analyses children’s responses about their relationships with their teachers and about figures that they would like to emulate (both in school and outside).     

Blended inquiry with hands-on and virtual laboratories: the role of perceptual features during knowledge construction

This study examined the characteristics of virtual and hands-on inquiry environments for the development of blended learning in a popular domain of bio-nanotechnology: the separation of different-sized DNA fragments using gel-electrophoresis, also known as DNA-fingerprinting. Since the latest scientific developments in nano- and micro-scale tools are based on molecular movement in electric fields, gel electrophoresis is an excellent model for learning-related concepts and processes. This study employed two environments (a 2D virtual laboratory (VRL) and a hands-on laboratory (HOL)) and documented the benefit of using VRLs to ground students' knowledge construction, before more complex, hands-on investigation. A comparative analysis explored how the perceptual features of the two learning environments supported students in designing experiments, evaluating data from experimental trials and reasoning for the mechanisms by which these data came about. The findings provide evidence for the design of blended inquiry-learning environments that integrate virtual and hands-on laboratories.     

A global perspective on disparity of gender and disability for deaf female athletes

Abstract

Although the significance of gender and disability issues has gradually increased in the global society during the past three decades, there are only few studies with regard to the deaf community and sport. This article examines the level of Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing women’s participation in sports and the factors for their continued underrepresentation. The WomenSport International’s Task Force on Deaf and Hard of Hearing Girls and Women in Sport conducted a world-wide survey to determine and assess the needs of deaf and hard of hearing girls and women in sport. A snapshot of the results and issues and future aspirations are provided.     

Clarity,consistency and communication: using enhanced dialogue to create a course-based feedback strategy

This article examines the outcomes of a study across four discipline areas in order to develop course-based assessment strategies in closer cooperation with students. Second-year students (n = 48) from different disciplines were engaged in two phases of activity-orientated workshops. Phase 1 sought their perceptions of feedback. Phase 2 saw students design a proposed strategy to present to the respective staff teams. We discuss the emerging themes which appeared to be very similar amongst this diverse cross section of students: a lack of faith in marking consistency; the need for clear guidelines and criteria; the greater use of positive feedback language; and a close association with tutors. The emergence of strategies specific to each course is discussed, along with the alignment of the outcomes of this approach with pedagogic knowledge. It is suggested that enhanced dialogue enabled staff and students to develop a common understanding, and gave impetus to improving assessment feedback practices. Outcomes recommended here include changes to practice such as a team approach to feedback development, the content and style of feedback, developing the usefulness of feedback for future work and the need for teams to periodically revisit staff development in this area.