Citizenship in the Primary School: Going Beyond Circle Time

Education for citizenship is now recommended for all primary schools. Whilst primary teachers have long covered social and moral education, they have been less likely to cover teaching about community and political literacy (including the discussion of topical, controversial issues). This paper reports research findings on current practice and identifies key areas for discussion. It argues that there is great scope for enriching and enlivening the primary curriculum through the introduction of education for citizenship, by extending current practice in social and moral education and incorporating the newer themes of community and political literacy into existing teaching.     

Distance and location assimilation effects in rapid bimanual movement

When subjects make simultaneous aiming movements of the upper limbs over different distances, assimilation effects are shown; the shorter distance limb overshoots when paired with a longer distance limb. However, it is not known whether assimilation effects are due to variations in distance per se or to variations in target location. To separate the possible influences of distance and location, 60 subjects made rapid bimanual aiming movements in one of four conditions. The two different-distance groups made a 20 degrees movement in the left hand and a 60 degrees movement in the right hand to either the same or different target locations. The comparison groups moved 20 degrees in each limb. Somewhat surprisingly, spatial assimilations were greater when moving different distances to the same, rather than different, target locations, which suggests interlimb differences in distance mediate assimilation effects rather than target location. Temporal assimilations were greater when distance and location were varied, but the assimilations were not related to interlimb differences in velocity, as predicted by Marteniuk and MacKenzie (1980).     

Observational learning in the pigeon: Effects of model’s rate of response and percentage of reinforcement

Seventeen pigeons observed a model peck an illuminated key at either a high or a low rate and obtain a high or low percentage of possible reinforcement. Observers were subsequently placed on an automaintenance schedule. Although there was no difference among groups in the number of trials to the first peck, when the present data were compared with other researchers’ automaintenance-acquisition data, there was some indication that modeling reduced the number of trials to the first peck over nonmodeled birds. However, by the end of 20 sessions, the birds that had observed a model pecking at a high rate and with consistent reinforcement pecked significantly faster than those that had observed the model peck at a slow rate or obtain infrequent reinforcement. The conclusion is that two types of information are transferred via a model: first, a correlation between the stimulus and the reinforcer, and second, the specific or minute attributes of the schedule that may produce reinforcement.     

Teachers’ Perceptions of the Goals of Education in the USA: responses to the educational reform literature of the 1980s

What do teachers in the USA perceive as the significant goals and purposes of education? To what extent are these perceptions related to those advocated in the reform literature of the 1980s? Responses to a survey administered to 279 teachers in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia are analyzed in this study. Findings indicate some areas of congruence between teachers and reformers. In areas where the reform literature is divided, especially with regard to educational purpose, teacher opinion is similarly divided. Teacher responses, however, also indicate some attempt to synthesize seemingly disparate views. To provide an expanded frame of reference, the article offers some preliminary findings based on John Goodlad's Teachers for Our Nation's Schools. The article concludes with commentary about the nature and likelihood of educational reform in the USA.     

Making global connections: The knowledge,understanding and motivation of trainee teachers

This article begins by noting some of the global concerns that young people have today and highlights the crucial role of global education in responding to such concerns. It then considers the importance of teacher training in such matters and reports on a preliminary study relating to the initial training of teachers in England. In particular this raises questions about the knowledge and understanding that such students bring to their courses. It concludes by identifying some of the consequent dilemmas faced by teacher trainers working in this context.     

Movement Time Modulates Spatial Assimilation Effects in Rapid Bimanual Movements

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between use of the conventional football shoe and the epidemic of knee injuries occurring in organized football. All knee injuries in the Public High School League in 1968 and in the Catholic High School League in 1969, when players in the respective leagues wore the conventional shoe, were documented. During the 1969 and 1970 seasons, all Public League players wore “soccer type” shoes with molded soles containing fourteen ?-inch cleats. All Catholic League players wore similar shoes in 1970. In both leagues, all practices and games were conducted on natural turf. Injuries occurring with the soccer type shoe were documented. Comparison of the two groups demonstrated a marked decrease in both the incidence and severity of knee injuries in both leagues when the players wore the multi-cleated shoe. It is strongly recommended that the conventional football shoe be condemned and that only shoes meeting the following specifications be permitted: (a) synthetic molded sole, (b) minimum of 14 cleats per shoe, (c) minimum cleat tip diameter of ½ inch, (d) maximum cleat length of ? inch.     

A community work approach in adult education

Adult education needs to adopt a community‐work approach if it is to be effective in reaching people traditionally labelled as ‘non‐participants’. This paper examines the use of community‐work methods to involve sections of the population previously unaffected by adult education provision. The background is the publication in 1975 of the Alexander Report ‐ The Challenge of Change ‐ by the Scottish Education Department. This report stressed the need for a wider section of the population to take up adult education. Tom Lovett's work in Liverpool and Ireland is used as an example of how to reach more people. Projects with a Scottish context underline that the approach cannot be standardized. Finally the ‘success’ of the East End Adult Education Project is attributed to its community‐work approach.     

Impacts of lifelong learning upon emotional resilience,psychological and mental health: fieldwork evidence

This paper presents findings from a fieldwork study concerning the impacts of learning upon health. In‐depth biographical interviews were conducted with 145 adults about the effects of learning throughout their lives. In addition, 12 group interviews were conducted with practitioners about their perceptions of the effects of learning upon their students.Participation in lifelong learning had effects upon a range of health outcomes; well‐being, protection and recovery from mental health difficulties, and the capacity to cope with potentially stress‐inducing circumstances including the onset and progression of chronic illness and disability. These effects were mediated by relatively immediate impacts of learning upon psychosocial qualities; self‐esteem, self‐efficacy, a sense of purpose and hope, competences, and social integration. Learning developed these psychosocial qualities through extending boundaries, a process which is quintessential to learning.However, not all educational experiences had positive effects upon health outcomes. Provision that generated positive health outcomes matched the interests, strengths and needs of the learner. Provision differed in terms of levels of support and challenge, the type and mix of students, and level and content. The interests, strengths and needs of each learner were unique and determined by their background and current circumstances, which include the stage in their life course when they participate in learning.