Students with autism in regular classes: a long-term follow-up study of a satellite class transition model

Students with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are increasingly being educated within mainstream schools. While there is often an assumption that students with ASD who are academically capable will succeed in an inclusive educational placement, previous research has indicated that this is not always the case. Indeed, it seems that students with ASDs are often not equipped to cope with the social and communication demands of a mainstream classroom. Autism Spectrum Australia's (Aspect) satellite class programme aims to address this gap by blending specialised intervention with strategies to prepare students and receiving schools for transition to more inclusive educational placements. A long-term follow-up study comprising a parent survey of satellite class graduates and four detailed case studies was undertaken to determine whether these classes led to successful placement of students with ASD in more inclusive educational settings. Results indicated that a majority of graduates remained placed in more inclusive educational settings. Overall, parents were satisfied with the programme. Attendance at a satellite class was just one of a number of factors associated with positive outcomes in late adolescence. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for teachers and school staff planning for and supporting students with ASDs in their transition to inclusive educational settings.     

A sociocultural investigation of the efficacy of outdoor education to improve learner engagement

A sociocultural investigation with Year 8 secondary-school students experiencing marginalization and displaying signs of social and emotional difficulties in engaging fully with school life who participated in a mediated outdoor education programme was undertaken for this study. The findings indicate that there was a very statistically significant change in self-concept (p < 0.05) during the course of the programme. In addition, all participants reported positive results in relation to building trust, group cohesion, and emotional regulation with positive results on facing the challenges they experience daily within school. Moreover, 75% reported that they experienced positive gains in their family since beginning participation in the programme, and 100% stated that they had developed a deeper level of trust for the other group members.     

Accessing ICLAS Network Log Data to Study Student Computer Usage,Course Performance,and Attitude Change

ABSTRACT

This study demonstrated how network usage logs such as those generated by the IBM Classroom Local Area Network Administration System (ICLAS) can be used to study student use of software available on a local area network. Software instrumentation was developed to convert ICLAS log files to a format (?.DIF) usable by spreadsheet and statistics software. Data on 163 students enrolled in an ‘Introduction to Computers in Education’ course during the Summer, 1992 session at the University of South Florida were compiled for exploratory analysis. Correlations of lab use time to course grade, change in knowledge, and change in attitude were performed. It was found that amount of lab use correlated significantly to general attitude toward computers, but that it did not correlate significantly to change in attitude toward school uses of computers or to change in knowledge of course topics.     

Planning films that teach

Conclusion The viewing of an educational film anf the recall of this viewing should constitute a satisfying learning experience so that the film’s message will be incorporated into a useful store of vicarious experience and remembered facts. Such learning is most likely to occur when those who write, direct, and edit a film have a clear understanding of the nature of the film’s audience and of what the film is expected to do to this audience. Knowing these things and to present his subject matter in the most interesting and satisfying manner possible. Here a long-time writer of educational films and television programs presents some thoughtful ideas on the design of instructional films for specific cudiences. Ralph R. White is a scenario writer with the Army Pictorial Center.     

Development projects and their host institutions: Are they compatible?

This paper suggests that a major cause of the poor performance of institution-building projects in developing countries lies in the potential incompatibility of the development project (whether in the education sector or elsewhere) with the host institution into which it is introduced (for example, a ministry department, college or research institute). This incompatibility originates in the different organisational culture to which each subscribes. This has the unfortunate consequence in many cases, and in particular in countries with weak infrastructure and low levels of expertise, of the project serving to decrease rather than to increase local capacity. In this respect the project acts as a counter-developmental rather than a developmental force. It is suggested that this situation cannot be rectified unless either the project or the host institution changes its organisation culture, which is unlikely to happen.

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Zusammenfassung Dieser Artikel geht von der Annahme aus, daß die unzureichenden Ergebnisse der Projekte für die Errichtung von Institutionen in Entwicklungsländern folgenden Ursprung haben: die potentielle Unverträglichkeit der Entwicklungsprojekte (ob auf dem Bildungssektor oder in anderen Bereichen) mit der Gastinstitution, in die sie integriert werden sollen (z. B. Ministeriumsabteilungen, Fachhochschulen oder Forschungsinstitute). Diese Unvereinbarkeit ergibt sich aus der unterschiedlichen Organisationskultur jeder Institution. Als Konsequenz verringern diese Projekte lokale Kapazitäten oft anstatt sie zu erhöhen. Dies gilt besonders für Länder mit geringer Infrastruktur und niedrigem Fachwissen. In dieser Hinsicht wirkt das Projekt einer Weiterentwicklung des Landes eher entgegen. Es wird angenommen, daß diese Situation nicht verändert werden kann, solange entweder das Projekt oder die Gastinstitution seine Organisationsstruktur verändert. Dies erscheint dem Autor unwahrscheinlich.

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Resumen Este trabajo indica que una de las principales causas de la deficiente realización de proyectos destinados a la creatión de instituciones en países en desarrollo reside en la potencial incompatibilidad entre los proyectos de desarrollo (ya sea en el sector de la educación o en otros sectores) y la institutión anfitriona en la que el mismo es implantado (por ejemplo, un departamento de un ministerio, un colegio o un instituto de investigación). La incompatibilidad se origina en las respectivas diferencias de cultura organizacional. En muchos casos, y particularmente en aquellos países que cuentan con una infraestructura pobre y con bajos niveles de experiencia, esto trae la infortunada consecuencia de que el proyecto no ayude a aumentar las capacidades locales, sino que, al contrario, más bien las reduzca. En este sentido, el proyecto actúa más como fuerza anti-desarrollo que como fuerza de desarrollo. La autora sugiere que la situación no puede ser remediada, salvo que el proyecto o la institución anfitriona cambien su cultura organizacional, lo cual es improbable que suceda.

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Résumé Cet article suggère qu'une des causes majeures de l'inefficacité des projets constitutifs d'institutions dans les pays en développement réside dans l'incompatibilité potentielle du projet de développement (que ce soit dans le domaine de l'éducation ou ailleurs) avec l'institution d'accueil dans laquelle il est introduit (par exemple, un service ministériel, une université ou un institut de recherche). Cette incompatibilité naît des différentes cultures d'organisation dont participent le projet et l'institution. Cela a pour conséquence malheureuse que, dans de nombreux cas, en particulier dans les pays présentant une infrastructure faible et un savoir faire insuffisant, le projet contribue non pas à augmenter mais à diminuer les capacités locales. A cet égard, le projet va à l'encontre du développement au lieu de le promouvoir. Cette situation ne peut, selon l'auteur, être corrigée qu'à condition que le projet ou l'institution d'accueil modifie sa culture d'organisation, ce qui a peu de chance de se produire.

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This article is an adaptation of a paper which was presented at the Oxford Conference on The Role of the State in Educational Development in September 1993. The original paper is included in a forthcoming publicaiton by Turner J. (ed) The State and the School, London: Falmer.     

Creativity and performativity: Counterpoints in British and Australian education

This article explores the complex interplay of power between performativity and creativity agendas—a mutual tension that resides in British and Australian education. Accountability constraints and conflicting policy debates are problematised against the wider imperatives of similar government agendas. This ‘counterpoint’ of freedom and control has significant implications for pedagogy and, through accommodating performativity, teacher agency and professionalism are under threat. The authors propose a ‘rebalancing’ where pedagogy transforms from a site of struggle for control, to one where a higher trust is placed in teacher professionalism. The idea of ‘rebalancing pedagogy’ offers a way for teachers to navigate and be supported through the opposing demands of performativity and creativity. It acknowledges the importance of teacher agency and where teaching is judged against the characteristics of a systemic approach that facilitates the building of creative learning communities capable of supporting any curricula or content‐focused programmes in and beyond schools.     

White middle‐class parents,identities, educational choice and the urban comprehensive school: dilemmas,ambivalence and moral ambiguity

At a time when the public sector and state education (in the United Kingdom) is under threat from the encroaching marketisation policy and private finance initiatives, our research reveals white middle‐class parents who in spite of having the financial opportunity to turn their backs on the state system are choosing to assert their commitment to the urban state‐run comprehensive school. Our analysis examines the processes of ‘thinking and acting otherwise’, and demonstrates the nature of the commitment the parents make to the local comprehensive school. However, it also shows the parents’ perceptions of the risk involved and their anxieties that these give rise to. The middle‐class parents are thus caught in a web of moral ambiguity, dilemmas and ambivalence, trying to perform ‘the good/ethical self’ while ensuring the ‘best’ for their children.     

Listening to children’s views of spiritual and metaphysical concepts: A new dimension to educational psychology practice?

Educational psychologists (EPs) have for many years been developing techniques for listening to children. The aim of the present research was to investigate ways of listening to the “spiritual” views of children in order to develop questions that educational psychologists might use as part of the assessment repertoire. The study explored children’s spiritual concepts such as their purpose for “being on the planet” and the “meaning of their life”. The findings suggest that primary and secondary school children from mixed religious backgrounds can respond to spiritual questions in a clear way. In addition, most children believed that spiritual views influence how children behave. Further research is required to explore whether children’s views of spiritual concepts are linked to learning and progress in school and in life.     

Multicultural Visions of Globalization: Constructing Educational Perspectives From the East and the West

The thesis of this essay is that globalization is a phenomenon that humankind must be educated for understanding as a process of global evolution. The new world evolving is being defined as requiring a new sense of collective cooperation amongst the peoples of the Earth, if we are to continue to exist on the planet. Educators are in the midst of and have an important role to play in this social and conscious evolution. One of our challenges is to explore the theoretical foundations for framing a new global education agenda. The assertion is that the theories of global, social, and conscious evolution of 20^th century intellectuals and visionaries such as India’s Sri Ghose Aurobindo (1872-1950) and France’s Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955) provide the foundation from which to construct a new global educational perspective.