Pre-service educators’ dispositions toward inclusive practices for students with emotional and behavioural difficulties

ABSTRACT

In response to challenging behaviour from students with emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD), teachers around the world often label students as challenging, defining them by their disability. Negative views of students with EBD are a barrier to their inclusion and a major challenge for policy in the United States and elsewhere associated with access to the education system for students with disabilities. Pre-service teacher education has been highlighted as an optimum time to instil in pre-service educators a more equitable disposition toward behaviour management and inclusive practices. Therefore, the purpose of the current mixed-methods study was to assess whether or not an undergraduate course focused on relationship-based approaches to positive behaviour support could impact pre-service educators’ dispositions toward inclusive classroom practices for students with EBD. Survey results from 41 pre-service educators indicated that participants made significant improvements in their knowledge and understanding of compassionate behaviour management, intentional relationship building, and establishment of a welcoming classroom environment. Analysis of participants’ written responses to open-ended questions revealed several themes regarding changes in dispositions toward students with EBD. Implications for pre-service educator preparation and inclusion of students with EBD are discussed.     

Using a structural equation modelling approach (SEM) to examine leadership of heads of subject departments (HODs) as perceived by principals and vice-principals,heads of subject departments and teachers within ‘school based management’ (SBM) secondary schools: some evidence from Hong Kong

This article reports the use of a Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) technique as a means of exploring our understanding of the leadership of Heads of Subject Departments within School Based Management (SBM) secondary schools in Hong Kong. Arguments made by Gronn (1999, 2000), Spillane et al. (2001) suggest that studies of leadership need to focus more on a distributed model rather than seeing leadership as residing solely in the titular head of the organisation. Other recent studies (Busher & Harris 1999; Harris 2001) have examined the role of middle managers. This article explores SEM as a means of offering important measurement and insight in this complex area. The structural models generated and presented support a new integrative model of the leadership activities and behaviours of the HODs within SBM secondary schools in Hong Kong. Some initial findings (Au 2003) are reported based on a return rate of 83% from a dataset of 2739 teachers, HODs, school principals and vice- principals taken from a sample of 110 government and non-government SBM secondary schools in Hong Kong.     

Planning a Productive Higher Education System

In the face of continuous changes taking place in the education system, universities have to traverse mode 1 （teaching and knowledge production）, mode 2 （co-production of knowledge with heterogeneous groups）, and mode 3 （encompassing social responsibility）. In this embracing an entrepreneurial and innovation ensuring a quality education combined with context, two aspects begin to gain prominence for universities： （1） ethos integrated with productive societal relationships; and （2） a superior experience for its learners. This paper undertakes a comprehensive meta-analysis of the literature matched with emerging systemic trends to argue the challenges associated with creating a productive higher education system.     

The Challenge to be the Best: Reckless curiosity and mischievous motivation

In recent years, 'being the best' as a teacher has become less of a moral imperative based on a sense of integrity and trust, and more of a dictat from governments intent on imposing their performativity agendas on teachers in the name of raising standards. One consequence of the rise of the so-called school reform agenda is that there has been a demise of teacher renewal. Each of the papers in the present issue has addressed this paradox in one way or another. The present paper suggests that the models of teacher development adopted by policy-makers do not adequately address teachers' learning needs over a career or contribute to enhancing motivation and commitment essential to raising standards in the classroom. It concludes by suggesting that universities themselves have a moral commitment to develop further new kinds of sustained knowledge, creating roles with schools and teachers through which teachers' active professionalism will be enriched.     

Gender,Internal Controls,and Academic Dishonesty: Investigating Mediating and Differential Effects

While research has found that males tend to commit more academically dishonest acts than females, we know little about what accounts for the gender differential or whether the same factors can explain academic dishonesty for males and females. This study assesses how internal controls, i.e., self‐control, shame, embarrassment, and moral beliefs, account for the relationship between gender and cheating behavior. Using a sample of students from a southern university in the United States, this study explores three questions. First, do internal controls vary across males and females? Second, can internal controls account for gender differences in test cheating? Third, do internal controls differentially or similarly predict test cheating for males and females? Results show that (a) gender differences among several internal controls as well as cheating behavior, (b) internal controls reduce the gender gap but cannot completely explain why gender differences exist in cheating, and (c) two internal controls, self‐control and moral beliefs, differentially predict male and female test cheating. We discuss limitations of our findings and how research can expand the investigation of gender differences and explanations for engaging in academically dishonest acts.     

Mentoring in academe: Models for facilitating academic development

Mentoring academics is an integral step in aiding their professional development. This commitment to mentoring is discussed by three criminal justice professors, each in a distinct phase of his career. Three distinct mentoring models are discussed: (1) continuing a mentoring relationship with a dissertation advisor or other mentor from graduate school, (2) developing a new mentoring relationship at an academic institution where one receives a position, and (3) developing a new mentoring relationship with an academic in the same field, but at a totally separate institution. The authors describe their advancement in the field of criminal justice as it relates to the existence of a mentoring model, focusing on identifying the strengths of each model.     

Developing and Enacting Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Teaching History: An Exploration of Two Novice Teachers' Growth Over Three Years

Using artifacts of teachers' practices, classroom observations, and teacher interviews, we explore the development and enactment of 2 novices' pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) for teaching history. We identify and track 4 components of PCK that are relevant to teaching history: representing history, transforming history, attending to students' ideas about history, and framing history. We find that these 2 novices demonstrated different aspects of PCK in different settings at different points in the first 3 years of their careers. Their PCK continued to grow after preservice education, although the pace and substance of this development varied. In particular, attending to students' ideas about history and framing history were more challenging aspects of PCK for these novices. Specific features of the teacher education program, the school context, and the individual teacher's capacity facilitate growth in PCK, including opportunities to practice, alignment within the teacher education program and across learning sites, reflection on practice, and subject matter knowledge.     

Effectiveness of the Student Success Course on Persistence,Retention, Academic Achievement,and Student Engagement

ABSTRACT

Despite a great increase in the numbers of students enrolling in higher education, specifically at community colleges, the successful completion rates for these students has remained static since the 1970s. When reviewing strategies to increase student retention and successful completion, the Student Success Course (SSC) has emerged as a promising and prominent strategy for community colleges. Given that, the purpose of this sequential mixed methods study was to determine if participation in a SSC influences persistence, retention, academic achievement, and student engagement on a community college campus. Data were collected from a purposeful sample of 197 SSC participants at a middle sized community college in southeast Texas and compared to a matched sample of 235 non-SSC participants. Twelve former SSC participants were also interviewed in an attempt to build a more empirical understanding of the impact of the SSC on student engagement and, thus, the students’ decisions to remain in college. Results of this study indicate that a relationship exists between participation in the SSC and persistence, retention, academic achievement in English and mathematics, and student engagement. Additionally, participants claim that taking the SSC not only altered their perceptions of the importance of the course, but their social and study skills as well.     

Assessment in the Kindergarten Classroom: An Empirical Study of Teachers’ Assessment Approaches

Within the current accountability framework of public education, kindergarten teachers face the challenge of balancing traditional developmental programing and current academically oriented curriculum. Central to this challenge is teachers’ uses of assessment to measure and communicate student learning in relation to their curricular stance. The purpose of this study was to provide an in-depth examination of three teachers’ approaches to assessment within the current context of kindergarten education in order to elucidate potential approaches to bridging developmental and academic demands. Based on data collected from teacher interviews and classroom observations, three profiles are constructed that link focal teachers’ curricular stances with their approach to assessment. The paper concludes with a discussion on assessment within kindergarten education and areas for future research in the field.