Examining the effect of multiple writing tasks on Year 10 biology students’ understandings of cell and molecular biology concepts

This paper reports on a study that examined the cumulative effects on students’ learning of science, and perceptions of the role of writing in learning, when the students engaged in multiple writing tasks with planning strategy support. The study was conducted with Year 10 biology students who completed two consecutive units on Cells and Molecular Biology. A mixed method study was implemented using a pre-/post-test design with a focus on student performance on higher order conceptual questions, and semi-structured interviews with treatment students after the completion of each unit of study. Results from the quantitative component indicated that multiple, non-conventional writing had a significant benefit in helping students learn Molecular Biology. The results for the Cell unit were not so conclusive suggesting the strategies are most useful for novel content. The interviews with students demonstrated that they understood and engaged successfully with both the conceptual and linguistic demands of the tasks. These findings, taken as a whole, confirm that multiple writing tasks can support effective student learning, provided various pedagogical conditions are met.     

Relation between reading problems and internalizing behavior in school for preadolescent children from economically disadvantaged families

This longitudinal study of 105 economically disadvantaged children examined the relation between reading problems and internalizing behavior in 3rd- and 5th-grade assessments (8- to 12-year olds). The variable-centered results showed that reading problems predicted change in internalizing behavior in the context of child and family predictors. The person-centered results showed that children with reading problems in both grades had higher internalizing scores in 5th grade but not in 3rd grade than children with reading problems in 3rd grade or no problems. Child-reported negative emotion experiences varied similarly across grade. The results tie reading problems to emotional distress in school and support conclusions about the direction of effects and the internalization of academic difficulty for disadvantaged children.     

Māori science education in Aotearoa New Zealand

Abstract    This article reports on the first two phases of a multiphase science education development project in predominantly Māori kura (school communities) in the central region of the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand. The development project in its entirety employs an action research methodology and by so doing endeavors to support the improvement of science education delivery in accordance with school community aspirations. The full project (a) establishes the current situation in Year 1–8 science education in the communities; (b) identifies developmental aspirations for stakeholders within the communities and identifies potential contributors and constraints to these aspirations; (c) implements mechanisms for achieving identified aspirations; and finally; (d) evaluates the effectiveness of such mechanisms. In its focus on the first two phases, this article incorporates the analytical lenses of Kaupapa Māori Theory and Bronfenbrenner’s bio-ecological model. It concludes by outlining some priorities to consider for science education development based on the outcomes of our preliminary discussions.

Patterns of and influences on elementary school attendance in early Victorian industrial Monmouthshire 1839–1865

Issues associated with school absenteeism have attracted considerable attention and have long been one of the focal points of government strategies for school improvement. Pupil non-attendance is not a new phenomenon and featured prominently in Her Majesty’s Inspectors’ reports from 1839. This paper outlines the patterns of and influences on elementary education in early Victorian industrial Monmouthshire during the period 1839–1865. The twin problems of irregular attendance and early withdrawal of pupils are discussed together with the limitations and unreliability of contemporary statistics. An examination of the reasons for absence is then discussed together with the remedies proposed to alleviate the problem with particular reference to the contribution of the Prize Schemes. The paper illustrates the disadvantages of basing an educational system on voluntary endeavour and enlightened self-interest and highlights the paradox that, despite the introduction of mandatory attendance, the problem is still persistent and protracted and finding definitive solutions still remains elusive.     

Leveraging information and communication technologies (ICT) to enhance education equity,quality, and efficiency: case studies of Bangladesh and Nepal

ABSTRACT

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have had significant impacts on many sectors in today’s knowledge economy. In developing and emerging countries, ICT have enhanced equity, quality, and efficiency in the education sector. However, the adoption of ICT in the South Asian countries’ education sector has not been at scale and its impacts have been limited. There are several gaps and issues that are hindering the wider adoption of ICT and limiting its impacts in the education sector. Through the case studies of the adoption of ICT for education in Bangladesh and Nepal, this paper examines the gaps and issues to be addressed in order to better leverage ICT to enhance education equity, quality, and efficiency. This discussion is guided by the ICT in the education framework that has been developed by the authors, and could provide insights into the state of ICT in education and offer strategies to better leverage ICT for the education sector of other countries in South Asia and the region.     

Faculty Liaisons: an embedded approach for enriching teaching and learning in higher education

This paper explores the experiences of a group of academic developers who support educational development work as Faculty Liaisons at a large, research-intensive university. These academic developers inhabit complex ‘third spaces’, providing support through an embedded partnership relationship that requires lateral movement across functional and organizational boundaries to create new professional spaces, knowledge, and relationships. The authors utilize narrative inquiry and auto-ethnographic approaches to present an interpretive qualitative analysis of their experiences supporting Faculty and University projects across complex and evolving organizational boundaries. From this analysis, they highlight key roles and responsibilities associated with their blended context and identify challenges that academic developers who occupy third spaces within academic organizations face as they negotiate competing interests, identities, and requirements associated with the diverse range of their projects and the blended experience of working in scholarly and administrative, central- and Faculty-based roles. The lessons they have learned from these experiences will be of particular interest to academic developers who are experiencing the flux of change within higher education settings that are impacting teaching and learning practices both for faculty in the classroom and for those across the institution who support them.     

Community-based rehabilitation programmes

Conclusion Few CBR programmes have developed beyond small-scale projects to large-scale innovations. Few governments have made any significant commitment to and investment in the development of national CBR services. Most CBR programmes are regarded as ‘additional programmes’. Moreover, the attempts that have been made to work within existing infrastructures have often meant the programmes become little more than a minor facet of existing service provision, to which no particular priority is given. However, despite these limitations, CBR has demonstrated, through several successful examples, what can be achieved. For relatively little money, CBR can create better opportunities for disabled children and engenders in parents a sense that they can play a significant role in the development process. Communities have become more aware of disabled persons in their midst and, at times, have played a major role in planning ways of meeting their needs. CBR offers a new approach to rehabilitation, policy makers, professionals, planners, community leaders and to the disabled persons themselves. Progress has been slow and uneven over the first decade of CBR. It is significant, however, that some of the most creative examples of parental-professional collaboration have come from some of the poorest nations. It may be time for the developed world to look towards the developing countries to find innovative approaches to meet the needs of disabled persons. It is quite clear that traditional approaches can do no more than scratch the surface. A radical reappraisal of our respective roles in the rehabilitation and education of disabled persons is required. CBR offers this new approach. If, however, the vision and courage to tread new paths are lacking, then the danger is that more conferences will be held, more declarations will be written, more slogans devised, and still 98% of the disabled population will remain totally unaware of the international concern being voiced on their behalf. Ph.D. An educational psychologist, O'Toole has been working in Guyana for the past sixteen years. He introduced the first training programme in special education at the University of Guyana, and has been the Director of the Guyana community-based rehabilitation programme. He has written widely on the issue of community-based rehabilitation and has co-edited a book with R. McConkey entitledInnovations in developing countries in disability. He has carried out consultancies for the World Health Organization and a number of non-governmental organizations.     

Seeing the Forest and the Trees: Comparison of Two IRTree Models to Investigate the Impact of Full Versus Endpoint-Only Response Option Labeling

In this study, we examined the results and interpretations produced from two different IRTree models—one using paths consisting of only dichotomous decisions, and one using paths consisting of both dichotomous and polytomous decisions. We used data from two versions of an impulsivity measure. In the first version, all the response options had labels; in the second version, only the endpoints were labeled. Based on past research, we hypothesized that the endpoints would be selected more frequently in the endpoint-only labeled condition, and the midpoint response option would be selected more frequently in the fully labeled condition. Results from the two models (dichotomous and polytomous) were similar and indicated that our hypotheses were partially supported—specifically, there was no consistent pattern in terms of which condition saw a higher frequency of midpoint response selection. However, our hypotheses regarding extreme responding in the endpoint-only labeling condition were supported.     

Development of Automated Scoring Algorithms for Complex Performance Assessments: A Comparison of Two Approaches

Performance assessments are typically scored by having experts rate individual performances. The cost associated with using expert raters may represent a serious limitation in many large-scale testing programs. The use of raters may also introduce an additional source of error into the assessment. These limitations have motivated development of automated scoring systems for performance assessments. Preliminary research has shown these systems to have application across a variety of tasks ranging from simple mathematics to architectural problem solving. This study extends research on automated scoring by comparing alternative automated systems for scoring a computer simulation test of physicians'patient management skills; one system uses regression-derived weights for components of the performance, the other uses complex rules to map performances into score levels. The procedures are evaluated by comparing the resulting scores to expert ratings of the same performances.