Challenging Educational Assumptions: Lessons from an Italian-American collaboration

In this paper, the authors argue that in order to create a curriculum of the future, we need to re-evaluate at least four key assumptions about teaching and learning that have guided educational decisions in the past. These assumptions are: learning is the result of individual, rather than group, activity; teachers are consumers, rather than generators, of theory; assessment is concerned with evaluating learning outcomes, rather than learning processes; teaching and learning are primarily cognitive, rather than aesthetic, ethical or affective, acts. Drawing on recent cross-cultural research, the authors use the example of the municipal pre-schools and infant-toddler centres of Reggio Emilia, Italy, to challenge these assumptions and suggest alternative ways for imagining classrooms of the future.     

A partnership to promote teacher preparation for inclusive, urban schools: four voices

This article describes a unique partnership between a university and an urban school district. University students complete a one-year internship. Major stakeholders provided evaluation data which are shared in this article. The data from this investigation confirmed our belief in the value of an immersion program in a fully inclusive urban setting. The authors describe extended research efforts as well as make recommendations for future partnership investigations.     

Old books

The Orator's Assistant. By Alexander Thomas. “Worcester, Mass.: Alexander Thomas, 1797.

The Pious Instructor. By Daniel Cooledge. “Walpole, N. H.: Charter and Hale, 1806.

Le Maitre des Orateurs Populaires, Etude sur la prédication de Jesus. Par Auguste Bouvier. Paris: Librarie Fischbacher, 1892: pp. 88.     

Learning commons: Bridging the academic and student affairs divide to enhance learning across campus

The University of Guelph Learning Commons brings student affairs professionals and librarians together to offer students a coherent and integrated approach to learning, writing, research, and technology support. It is distinguished by three characteristics: (1) a partnership model between academic and student affairs; (2) a solid foundation of theoretical perspectives to guide program development; and (3) a conceptual model to frame services. These characteristics have placed the Learning Commons in a position to play a leadership role in facilitating and enhancing learning across the university. This article describes the Learning Commons, as well as the theoretical perspectives and conceptual framework upon which the programs and services are based.     

Stressors, anxiety, acculturation and adjustment among international and North American students

The acculturation process generally contributes greatly to stress and anxiety levels among international students. The objectives of the present study were: (1) to see whether international students experience more anxiety, irritability, and stress from being apart from family and friends, pressure from school, difficulties with language, work and finances than students with permanent US residency, and (2) to investigate the same stressors in groups within the international student population. Surveys were distributed to 246 students aged 17–51 at an ethnically diverse community college in Southern California, US. Analysis of variance was conducted to investigate group differences between students: permanent US residents vs. international students, and, permanent US residents vs. European and Asian students, respectively. No significant differences were found between international students and students with permanent US residency. However, when the international student population was sub-grouped by above cultural regions a different pattern emerged. Difficulties of not being able to work and of socially related problems were perceived as more severe for the European and the Asian groups, while finance problems were hard for all three groups. The variable of language difficulties was harder for Asian students, while that of stress of being apart from family was harder for students from Europe. Findings are not only congruent with prior research results on international students but also demonstrate that international students with culturally diverse needs should not be considered as one homogenous group. It is suggested that educational systems need to properly adapt in order to accommodate international students’ unique cultural needs.     

Paying for technology: student fees and libraries

Technology resource fees provide a possible source of funding for library technology. Integrating these student funds into libraries’ budgets requires strategic planning, good communication, and student involvement. Through a review of peer institutions and a broad student survey, this study explored how libraries may tap into these funds.     

Application of the LaGrange polynomial in skeletal muscle fatigue analysis

The percentage of decrement in torque and the number of serial contractions are mutually exclusive methodological controls in the study of muscular fatigue. This paper examines the feasibility of using the LaGrange polynomial in the analysis of voluntary muscular fatigue patterns. Twenty-one men (ages 20-60 years) reported to the orthopedic biomechanics laboratory on 2 days separated by 4 months. During both sessions, participants completed three maximal isokinetic (180 deg x s(-1)) contractions of the knee extensors to serve as baseline, before starting the fatigue protocol. The fatigue protocol consisted of serial contractions until a 50% strength decrement was reached. The LaGrange polynomial was first used to interpolate the individual fatigue pattern for each participant into 15 data points (trials). Data analysis was then conducted on these 15 data points. Intraclass correlation analysis of variance showed that the reliability of baseline torque was very good (.93). Baseline torque, the average of three trials, exhibited a 5.4 Nm (6%) increase from the first to second test session (p < .05). The mean level of torque, average of the 15-point fatigue pattern, also increased 7.5 Nm (15%) on the second test session (p < .05). The classic torque deficit for the first trial of a fatigue series was preserved by the interpolation method. Serial contractions resulted in an average decrease in torque of 29.5 Nm (50%) from the first to last trial (p <.05). The interpolation method also retained the linear and quadratic trend components commonly observed for isometric and isokinetic fatigue patterns. The two trend components accounted for 94.7% of the total trial variance. It was concluded that the LaGrange polynomial used to interpolate fatigue patterns to fewer data points was successful.