Identity‐trajectory: Reframing early career academic experience

Our longitudinal qualitative research program examining doctoral student, post‐PhD researcher and new lecturer experience is situated in an international literature documenting how early career academics learn through experience. In common with others, our work is framed within an identity perspective. What makes our view of identity distinct is a biographical focus: emphasizing individual agency; situating academic work within the personal arena; and encompassing transitions across roles. This paper demonstrates how the construct of ‘identity‐trajectory' which links a narrative approach with identity construction contributes to understanding how early career academics learn through experience and navigate their journeys.     

The Examination of a Pullout STEM Program for Urban Upper Elementary Students

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a pullout STEM program (STARBASE) makes reading and math scores decrease and examine its impact on urban fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students’ attitudes and perceptions regarding STEM education and careers. We employed a mixed-methods, case study approach that involved two published and one indigenous instrument composed of Likert scales, semantic differential scales, and open-ended items, along with structured interviews. Results indicate that it is possible for reading, math, and social studies scores to be unaffected when implementing a STEM pullout program, as adjusted trends (for ethnicity and socioeconomic status) are not statistically different from those of non-STARBASE school divisions in the area. Additionally, the Black/White achievement gap, as measured by standardized test scores, was substantially closed over the last decade within STARBASE schools. Quantitative measures revealed few differences in student attitudes from pre- to posttest. Student qualitative responses were overwhelmingly positive. Students wanted more STARBASE time in the regular school year. Students, particularly Black students, also wanted an increase in career education opportunities. Implications regarding curricular changes aimed at STEM education and model adoption are addressed.     

Political Ideology and Perceptions of Social Justice Advocacy Among Members of the American Counseling Association

This study explored perceptions of social justice advocacy among liberal, moderate, and conservative members (N?=?214) of the American Counseling Association (ACA). Results showed that conservative participants had somewhat less favorable perceptions of social justice advocacy, but generally did not differ statistically from liberal and moderate participants. Statistically significant differences, however, were found among extremely liberal participants. All participants generally supported the use of ACA resources for social activism. Implications and limitations are discussed.     

The McNair Program as a Socializing Influence on Doctoral Degree Attainment

The quality of doctoral students’ academic and social experiences is a key element of their success in graduate school programs. These experiences support the completion of doctoral programs, especially for first-generation college students from low-income backgrounds. Framed by Weidman's (1989) undergraduate socialization model, the author interviewed 18 former participants in Ronald McNair Programs (McNair Program),who completed their doctoral studies in order to determine how such programs can serve as a socializing agent to facilitate the successful completion of graduate study. Several themes emerge from the interviews conducted that distinguish McNair Programs from other interventions to promote integration or preparation, including the presence of academic and social integration. Such integration had a positive influence on the participants’ doctoral experience and contributed to the development of their competence, self-confidence, social and academic connectedness, and academic identity. Participants derived the greatest benefits from academic program components and academic counseling. Moreover, social components such as mentoring, cultural activities, and personal encounters in summer research internships also contributed to a positive doctoral experience.     

Would you like service with that?

Australia’s higher education policy settings have signalled a shift towards marketisation. As a consequence, Australian universities have become increasingly competitive, and as they seek to compete for students in higher education markets, they begin to resemble commercial organisations. This article examines the challenges confronting the leadership team at one of Australia’s fastest growing universities, Australian Catholic University. Specifically, it seeks to address the development of systems to better service future students in an environment where the University is not aware or accepting of the need for change.     

Student perceptions of personalised learning: development and validation of a questionnaire with regional secondary students

This project sought to evaluate regional students’ perceptions of their readiness to learn, assessment processes, engagement, extent to which their learning is personalised and to relate these to academic efficacy, academic achievement, and student well-being. It also examined teachers’ perceptions of students’ readiness to learn, the assessment process, engagement, and the extent to which students’ learning is personalised. The sample involved students in years 7–10 from six Victorian secondary schools. An instrument Personalised Learning Environment Questionnaire (PLQ) was developed to measure students’ perceptions of the factors effecting the implementation of Personalised Learning Plans (PLPs). It employed the latest scales to assess a range of PLP indicator variables, with all scales modified for use in an Australian context, and the total number of items kept to a minimum. Only scales more sensitive to PLPs were used to minimise the length of the instrument. There were three outcome variables: academic efficacy, academic achievement, and student well-being. The PLPs were assessed through scales that assess several contributing, distinct dimensions: selfdirected learning readiness, personal achievement, goal orientation, learning environment, personalised teaching and learning initiatives, curriculum entitlement and choice, and perceptions of assessment for learning. The trail PLQ was administered to 220 students, resulting in a 19 scale questionnaire with three or four items per scale. This paper reveals good data to model fit for the majority of items and each scale had good reliability. The paper describes the analytic techniques and results, how the instrument was refined and identifies common and uncommon student perceptions based on a post hoc analysis. The main study consisted of 2,407 students from four schools in the Bendigo Education Plan. They responded to this refined 19 scale version of the PLQ that was developed from the trial PLQ. All scales had satisfactory internal consistency reliability.     

Handy Manny and the Emergent Literacy Technology Toolkit

This paper outlines the use of a technology toolkit to support emergent literacy curriculum and instruction in early childhood education settings. Components of the toolkit include hardware and software that can facilitate key emergent literacy skills. Implementation of the comprehensive technology toolkit enhances the development of these critical literacy skills in learners at risk of academic difficulties.     

Latent inhibition of conditioned disgust reactions in rats

The present experiments, using the latent inhibition (LI) paradigm, evaluated the effect of nonreinforced exposure to saccharin on the acquisition of an LiCl-induced saccharin aversion as measured by conditioned disgust reactions in the taste reactivity test and conditioned taste avoidance in a consumption test. When rats were preexposed to saccharin by bottle exposure (Experiments 1 and 3), LI was evidenced only by conditioned taste avoidance (bottle testing), but not by conditioned disgust reactions (intraoral [IO] testing). On the other hand, when rats were preexposed to saccharin by IO infusion (Experiments 2 and 3), LI was evidenced only by conditioned disgust reactions, but not by conditioned taste avoidance. Experiment 4 showed that LI of conditioned disgust reactions does not appear to be affected by a context shift from preexposure to testing phases. These results show that the expression of LI of both conditioned taste avoidance and conditioned disgust reactions depends critically on a common method of flavor exposure during preexposure and testing.