School Community in Different Magnet Program Structures

This study utilizes self-reported survey data from teachers to compare indicators of school community in whole school-dedicated magnets in which all students are enrolled in the magnet program and program within school (PWS) magnets in which only a portion of the students participate in the magnet program. The indicators of community assessed in this study are categorized as internal (i.e., within the school) and external (i.e., involving home-school relations). Whole school magnets were found to be characterized by higher levels of internal and external community. Specifically, whole school magnet teachers report greater goal congruence, teacher commitment, and parent involvement. These findings are purported to result from all teachers and students choosing whole school magnets, differences in SES of the students enrolled in these school types, and dilution of indicators of community in PWS magnets from mixing magnet students and teachers with those in the traditional school program. The results varied byschool size.     

EVALUATION OF A DISTANCE LEARNING COURSE IN GERIATRIC INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAMING

approach are advantageous in a rapidly changing health care system where managed care and integrated services are of increasing importance. A statewide Geriatric Education Center, in cooperation with faculty from multiple disciplines at a state-supported major medical college and other nationally known experts in this area, developed a graduate level distance learning course to enhance awareness of the importance of interdisciplinary teaming. Evaluation results documented an increase in the skills important to effective interdisciplinary team functioning. Greater improvements in attitude toward health care teams occurred among students employed in jobs where they worked primarily with older adults. Pre-training and post-training motivational differences were also found to distinguish students engaged in direct care, geriatric employment. Results are discussed in relation to other evaluation studies in this area and the advances likely to be documented with increased recognition of the benefits in employing geriatric interdisciplinary teams.     

Teacher influence on pupil cognitive performance

Following the U.S. financial crisis of 2008, demands on our social safety nets grew as federal, state, and local revenues declined. Projected shortfalls are forcing deep cuts in state and local services including education. It is too early to know fully the nature of the cuts or impacts on various communities and constituencies. This article looks to recent reform history to understand the shaping of educational priorities in the context of shrinking public coffers, disenchantment with public institutions, and anxiety about individual and collective positions in the global economy. I employ Steven Lukes's (2005) multidimensional view of power to examine the emergence of performance accountability policy as part and parcel of a neo-liberal reconsideration of schooling. From this recounting, I raise questions about the preference and press for particular reform priorities—reconstitution and pay for performance models of remuneration—ensconced in No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top.     

The relationship between political participation intentions of adolescents and a participatory democratic climate at school in 35 countries

In the literature it is expected that a participatory democratic climate is associated with civic and political engagement intentions of adolescents. In this paper we use a three level multilevel analysis to explore these relations: the individual, school and country level. Using data from the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (2009) from 35 countries, we find that the individual student perception of a participatory democratic climate, especially openness in classroom discussions at the individual level, is positively associated with intended political participation. The teachers’ and principals’ perception of the participatory climate, on the other hand, were not related to the intention to participate. In this discussion we offer some ideas on how this individual level effect might be explained.     

Climate Education: Empowering Today's Youth to Meet Tomorrow's Challenges

This paper provides an introduction to the concept of pedagogical link‐making in the context of teaching and learning scientific conceptual knowledge. Pedagogical link‐making is concerned with the ways in which teachers and students make connections between ideas in the ongoing meaning‐making interactions of classroom teaching and learning. First of all we draw upon socio‐cultural perspectives to outline why we think that ‘link‐making’ is fundamental to science learning and consequently to science teaching and then we identify three main forms of pedagogical link‐making. The related research literature is then used to specify pedagogical link‐making approaches associated with each of the three main forms. Finally, the resultant framework of link‐making forms and approaches is applied in analysing a teaching sequence taken from a UK secondary school science classroom. Part of this analysis involves identifying specific pedagogical tools/strategies that might be employed in the classroom to support link‐making.     

Connecting with the Well-Elderly Through Reminiscence: Analysis of Lived Experience

Reminiscing is a therapeutic nursing intervention for older adults. Nursing students and elders who participated in reminiscing interviews were excited by this activity. Researchers across disciplines collaborated in this qualitative research project to clarify the meaning and experience of reminiscing for the student and the diverse elder. Following the student-elder interview, researchers conducted unstructured interviews with a purposive sample of students and elder participants. Four patterns emerged: discovery of the value of intergenerational interaction and relationships; rejection of stereotypes; a willingness to overcome painful aspects of reminiscence; and gerotranscendence wisdom and peace. These findings have implications for nursing education, nursing practice, and further research.     

Beyond the Book: Using Web 2.0 Tools to Develop 21st Century Literacies

New information and communications technologies (ICT) are redefining teacher education. A university faculty member and an instructional technology consultant incorporated information and communications technologies within a graduate university methods course. The following research questions explored student perceptions of using Web 2.0 tools as a language arts teaching tool: (a) Do pre-service teachers feel adequately prepared to implement 21st century skills using Web 2.0 tools? and (b) What are the barriers that exist for teachers in using Web 2.0 tools in promoting literacy? Findings suggest educators must continue research of Web 2.0 tools to design new learning opportunities for the future.