Discerning Pedagogical Quality in Preschool

A well‐developed and researched conceptual framework exists for identifying undergraduate students' conceptions of learning. In addition, research has been reported on teachers' conceptions of teaching as they relate to their conceptions of learning. The research reported in this paper takes the existing framework into a new area, postgraduate supervisors' conceptions of “research”. It is hypothesized that the development of a conceptual framework that identifies postgraduate students' conceptions of “research”, and how these articulate with the conceptions of research held by their research supervisors, will enable support mechanisms to be developed and used to assist students early in their candidature. In addition, supervisory practice will benefit from being aware of, and sensitive to, the variety and potential effect of these conceptions. While it is recognized that there are strong cultural influences on conceptions of research, this project has focused initially on the conceptions of research generally adopted by Western academic institutions. However, the students involved in the study were not necessarily of a Western educational background. This paper outlines the results of research undertaken to date in identifying supervisors' conceptions. In addition, it discusses supervisors' views on: the purpose of research and what characterizes “good” research and good researchers. Various strategies reported by supervisors to assist their students to develop more comprehensive and sophisticated conceptions of research are also discussed.     

Towards a Taxonomy of Mentoring

Initial Teacher Education in England and Wales is currently undergoing substantial change. In particular, the government has insisted on increased time for school‐based work, on the development of training partnerships between schools and higher education providers, including the transfer of training funds from universities to schools, and on a competence model of assessment. This article focuses on one of the new partnership training courses. Using two of the areas of competence, Subject Knowledge and Subject Application, it explores the reality of partnership from the perspectives of students, school mentors and university tutors as they work through the first year of the new course. Finally, the writers present a series of questions for all those involved as the basis for developing such courses and for ensuring the quality of teacher education.     

A profile graph for interpreting the Detroit Tests of Learning Aptitude

Diagnostic information from any test is of little value unless the results can be interpreted to parents and teachers in ways they can understand and find useful. The Profile Graph for Selected Subtests of the Detroit Tests of Learning Aptitude was designed as a diagnostic aid to focus interpretation of Detroit results on intraindividual ability strengths and weaknesses as related to a child's own expected level of functioning. Using the Profile Graph can expedite communication to parents and teachers and facilitate educational placement and program planning decisions for learning disabled children.     

Developing Summarization Skills through the Use of LSA-Based Feedback

This paper describes a series of classroom trials during which we developed Summary Street, an educational software system that uses Latent Semantic Analysis to support writing and revision activities. Summary Street provides various kinds of feedback, primarily about whether a student summary adequately covers important source content and fulfills other requirements, such as length. The feedback allows students to engage in extensive, independent practice in writing and revising without placing excessive demands on teachers for feedback. We first discuss the underlying educational rationale, then present some results of the trials conducted with the system. We describe the collaborative process among researchers and teachers which enabled the development of a viable and supportive educational tool and its integration into classroom instruction.     

From looking at our schools (LAOS) to whole school evaluation -management, leadership and learning (WSE-MLL): the evolution of inspection in irish schools over the past decade

This paper attempts to provide an overview of the key assumptions underpinning the Whole School Evaluation (WSE) inspection policy developed in Ireland since 2003. Beginning with a documentary analysis the paper argues that the capacity to generate useful self evaluative data in schools was seen as being at the heart of the model of school evaluation proposed by the Department of Education and Science. It further suggests that while the rhetoric of self evaluative capacity building has been key to the emerging system the lack of a meaningful structural response within schools means that this has remained aspirational. The latter part of the paper seeks to test this contention, examining the research base in the area of school evaluation and inspection in Ireland and conducting a number of targeted focus groups with school leaders. For the most part the initial contention is confirmed although there is a sense that there may be significant new pressures emerging in the near future that could cause the whole system to be revisited and perhaps be radically overhauled. An initial indicator of these potential changes can be seen in the emergence of a refined WSE Management, Leadership and Learning inspection policy which has yet to be widely implemented.     

Trinity Mysteries: University,Elite Schooling and Sport in Ireland

The development of sport in Ireland was, contrary to some arguments, highly influenced by English examples and Anglo-Irish institutions. Trinity College and prestigious Irish schools did have an impact, as did the number of Irish students sent to England for public school or university education. Athleticism was evident in Ireland as it was in England. Although the development of soccer did follow a slightly different trajectory from other sports, as was also the case in both England and Scotland, this does not mean that it departed from this broad evolutionary model of Irish sport. Yet this was Ireland: and Ireland was different. As opposition to British rule intensified, forms of sporting participation took on more and more of a national symbolism. The outcome was the emergence of a very potent form of athleticism: an Irish athleticism for an Irish people.

Les mystères de la Trinité : Université, Ecoles d'élites et Sport en Irlande

Contrairement à certaines affirmations, le développement du sport en Irlande a été fortement influencé par des exemples anglais et des institutions anglo-irlandaises. Le Collège de la Trinité et de prestigieuses écoles irlandaises a eu un impact, tout comme les nombreux étudiants irlandais envoyés en Angleterre dans les établissements privés ou les universités. L'idéologie d'Athleticism étaient naturels en Irlande tout comme ils l'étaient en Angleterre. Bien que le développement du football y ait suivi une trajectoire légèrement différente d'autres sports, ainsi que ce fut aussi le cas en Angleterre et en Ecosse, cela ne veut pas dire qu'il ait échappé au modèle évolutif plus large du sport Irlandais. Pourtant c'était l'Irlande, et l'Irlande était différente. Alors que l'opposition aux règles britanniques s'intensifiait, des formes de pratique sportive relevèrent de plus en plus d'un symbolisme national. Le résultat fut l'émergence d'une forme très puissante de sport: un sport irlandais pour les Irlandais.

Misterios trinitarios: universidad, escuela de élite y deporte en Irlanda

El desarrollo del deporte en Irlanda estuvo muy influenciado por experiencias inglesas e instituciones angloirlandesas, contrariamente a lo que algunos han argumentado. El Trinity College y las escuelas irlandesas más prestigiosas dejaron su huella, así como los numerosos estudiantes irlandeses enviados a escuelas públicas y universidades de Inglaterra. El apego a la cultura física estaba tan presente en Irlanda como en Inglaterra. Si bien el desarrollo del fútbol siguió una trayectoria un poco diferente al de otros deportes, como también ocurrió en Inglaterra y en Escocia, esto no significa que se apartara de este amplio modelo evolutivo del deporte irlandés. Pero esto es Irlanda, e Irlanda es diferente. A medida que se acentuaba la oposición a la dominación británica, las formas de participación deportiva fueron adoptando un simbolismo nacional cada vez mayor. El resultado fue el surgimiento de una forma de cultura física muy potente: una cultura física irlandesa para los irlandeses.

Dreifaltige Mysterien: Universität, Eliteschulen und Sport in Irland

Entgegen einiger Argumentationen wurde die Entwicklung des Sports in Irland stark von englischen Vorbildern und anglo-irischen Institutionen gelenkt. Das Trinity College und prestigeträchtige irische Schulen übten ihren Einfluss aus, ebenso wie diejenigen irischen Studierenden, die nach England geschickt wurden, um dort an einer Public School oder Universität ausgebildet zu werden. Leichtathletik war in Irland ebenso bekannt wie in England. Ebenso wie in England und Schottland nahm die Entwicklung des Fußballs einen von den anderen Sportarten abweichenden Verlauf. Dennoch bedeutete dies keinen Widerspruch zum allgemeinen evolutionären Modell des irischen Sports. Aber dies war Irland; und Irland war anders. Als sich der Widerstand gegenüber der britischen Herrschaft verstärkte, erhielten Formen sportlicher Betätigung zunehmend einen Charakter nationaler Symbolik. Das Ergebnis war die Entstehung einer sehr mächtigen Art der Athletik: einer irischen Athletik für ein irisches Volk.