An Engagement-Based Student Typology and Its Relationship to College Outcomes

Using data from the 2006 cohort of the Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education, we developed a student typology based on student responses to survey items on the National Survey of Student Engagement. We then examined the utility of this typology in understanding direct-assessment learning outcomes, self-reported gains, grade-point average, and persistence from the first to second year of college. Results from linear and logistic regression models indicated there were relationships between student types and the various outcomes, and that an engagement-based student typology could help deepen our understanding of the college student experience and college outcomes.     

Data Retention and the Panoptic Society: The Social Benefits of Forgetfulness

Modern information systems not only capture a seemingly endless amount of transactional data, but also tend to retain it for indefinite periods of time. We argue that privacy policies must address not only collection and access to transactional information, but also its timely disposal. One unintended side effect of data retention is the disappearance of social forgetfulness, which allows individuals a second chance, the opportunity for a fresh start in life. We examine three domains in which social policy has explicitly recognized the importance of such a principle: bankruptcy law, juvenile crime records, and credit reports. In each case, we frame the issue in terms of the social benefits of forgetfulness, rather than in terms of individual privacy protection. We examine how different policy approaches to privacy might handle the retention of data and propose a comprehensive policy that includes a variety of strategies. The broad conclusion of the article is that data retention and disposal should be addressed as a part of a broader and comprehensive policy approach, rather than in a piecemeal fashion or as an afterthought.     

Psychosocial Adjustment Over a Two–Year Period in Children Referred for Learning Problems: Risk,Resilience, and Adaptation

Children with learning difficulties have an increased prevalence of psychosocial adjustment problems. We hypothesized that within the context of a risk and resilience model contextual variables influence adjustment, over and above any effects of academic performance. The Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC) was used to evaluate the relationship between psychosocial adjustment, changes in academic skills, and contextual factors longitudinally over a two–year period in 100 children (ages 7 to 11) referred for learning problems. Although there was little improvement in academic skills, contextual factors contributed to observed psychosocial outcome. Different factors were salient for parents, teachers, and children. Context–derived vulnerability and protective factors can be important determinants of adjustment in children with learning problems, even though the academic difficulties can remain chronic.     

A Synthesis of Morphology Interventions and Effects on Reading Outcomes for Students in Grades K–12

This article synthesized the morphology intervention studies conducted in English with students in kindergarten through 12th grade between 1986 and 2006. Seven studies were identified as focusing primarily on morphology instruction, including roots and affixes, and measuring one or more reading‐related outcomes (e.g., word identification, spelling, vocabulary, reading comprehension). Of those studies meeting the criteria, three studies were focused on word identification, three were focused on vocabulary acquisition, and one was focused on spelling. Although there was a wide range in effect sizes computed for the various outcome measures (?.93 to 9.13), findings indicated that stronger effects were associated with root word instruction (as opposed to affixes alone) and with morphology instruction that targeted students' reading developmental level in an age of acquisition pattern. In addition, results suggested that morphology could successfully be combined with training in other skills without adding instructional time.     

A response to David Olson's “reply to Snyder”

In this brief paper, I seek to clarify David Olson's position on literacy and textual meaning, especially with regard to the relation between theory and evidence. I do so by analysing his textual formulations. I find that I am not quite sure what exactly that position is. Nonetheless, I remain equally convinced that Olson is on to something. The first portion of the article is taken up with trying to track down a coherent reading of Olson's understanding of literacy, and thus in the process to point out areas calling for further clarification. I conclude with a brief exploration of two leads which I find in Olson's published works, leads which promise to show us something of a way out of the perplexities which currently dominate at least my own efforts to understand not only Olson's thinking but also the issue of literacy with which he continues to be concerned.Institute for Christian Studies and Free UniversityThomas McCormick writes in interchange with David Olson, whose response to McCormick appears on pages 313 to 315 of this issue.     

My journey to become a teacher educator

Purpose: Social theory of learning speaks to the social nature of our lives and our attempts to understand both what and how we learn from it. My experiences are built upon and reside with the social context in which they evolved. In this lecture, I will focus on my own experiences and how I interpreted them through social theory of learning that resulted from my collaboration between colleagues, mentoring that I received and shared and the pedagogical communities within which I grew.

Main outcomes and results: Within each of these contexts my experiences resulted from the dialogue in which I took part. Johnston-Parsons suggests that dialogue of pedagogies provides a means of coming to know yourself and your teaching. She describes ‘a mirror as one way of describing dialogue-as-learning’ as ‘when dialogue occurred we were sharing ideas at the same time we were, as a group and as individuals, recognizing and changing our minds’ (69). The types of dialogue experienced by this teacher educator have taken place over four decades in several contexts and have resulted in my own interpretations that have shaped my practices and pedagogies.

Conclusion: Through my own developing and changing teaching metaphor I will tell the story of my development as a teacher educator and the lessons I have learned that shape my practices and interactions with prospective and practising teachers.     

Practitioners as professors: Experiential learning in the distance digital liberal arts classroom

ABSTRACT

Archives and digital collections have traditionally supported undergraduate research experiences or existed in the syllabus as neat, packaged projects or assignments. Now these artifacts are taking center stage in the digital liberal arts classroom. Librarians and archivists are also realizing new opportunities to teach undergraduates their professional tools and methodologies, and they are forging new ground in the classroom teaching students how to curate and create digital scholarly projects. This case study reveals the experiences of two information professionals who cotaught a distance digital liberal arts seminar. It seeks to expand the pedagogy of the digital liberal arts and explore its viability via distance education.