Looking through the lens of a teacher's life: The power of prototypical stories in understanding teachers' instructional decisions in mathematics

The focus of this narrative inquiry was to examine how teachers describe influences on their instructional decisions in mathematics. Using a lens provided by pivotal or prototypical stories teachers told about their past experiences, connections were suggested between these past experiences and their instructional decisions. These connections helped to illustrate how instructional decisions may be shaped by priorities and beliefs established earlier in life, as well as by current contexts. Further research on the use and characteristics of prototypical stories is suggested.     

Book reviews

Declaring Independence: A Guide to Creating Community-controlled Science Journals Policy Approaches to Copyright in HEIs: A Study of the JISC Committee for Awareness, Liaison and Training by Ralph Weedon University of Strathclyde (available from The Centre for Educational Systems, University of Strathclyde, Alexander Turnbull Building, 155 George Street, Glasgow G1 1RD). ISBN 0-9538312-0-5 Internet Publishing and Beyond: The Economics of Digital Information and Intellectual Property edited by Brian Kahin and Hal R. Varian MIT Press, 2000. Pp. 229. Paperback £16.95. ISBN 0-262-61159-7 How to Present at Meetings edited by George Hall. London: BMJ Books, 2001. Pp. ix + 79. £12.95. ISBN 0-7279-1271-2 Dictionary of Printing and Publishing by Michael Barnard and John Peacock Pira International, UK, 2000. Pp. 216. Softcover, £80.00. ISBN 1-85802-3815     

From herbals to Hotbot: the development of journal indexing

The development of journal indexing since the early alphabetical tables to scientific works, culminating in current sophisticated cumulations, is traced. Standards for preparing indexes which have gradually evolved to cope with the increase in volume and complexity of the literature are described.     

Publishing School Examination Results in England: Incentives and consequences

Since 1992, the quality daily national press in England has published the examination results of secondary schools. In this paper, we discuss the policy context, the results that are published, how they are used by parents making preferences for secondary schools and the consequences of their publication. Overall, the publication of examination results has created a range of incentives for those in the education market place. These incentives serve to strengthen the position of certain categories of pupils on the one hand and certain types of schools on the other. The findings are discussed in the context of the Labour Government's focus on those at risk of social exclusion. Modified and additional indicators are proposed to mitigate the effects of the newly created quasi-market in education. 'League tables' are here to stay, for once information is in the public domain it cannot easily be suppressed.     

Scientific publishing, 17th‐century style: precepts of Francis Bacon

Some principles of scientific investigation, writing and publishing developed by Francis Bacon are quoted and discussed. Many are found to be just as applicable in today's world as they were in the 17th century when his major works were written.