Using comparison to develop flexibility for teaching algebra

In this paper, we describe a one-day professional development activity for mathematics teachers that promoted the use of comparison as an instructional tool to develop students’ flexibility in algebra. Effective use of comparison in mathematics instruction involves using side-by-side presentation of problems and solution methods and subsequent student discussion of these multiple solution methods to highlight the similarities and differences among problem-solving techniques. The goals of the professional development activity were to make teachers aware of how to use comparison effectively in their instruction, as well as to impact teachers’ own flexibility in algebra by using comparison instructionally during the professional development. Our analysis of teachers’ experiences in the professional development activity suggests that when teachers were presented with techniques for effective use of comparison, their own understanding of multiple solution methods was reinforced. In addition, teachers began to question why they relied exclusively on one familiar method over others that are equally effective and perhaps more efficient and started to draw new connections between problem-solving methods. Finally, as a result of experiencing instructional use of comparison, teachers began to see value in teaching for flexibility and reported changing their own teaching practices.     

Generality of the failure-to-escape (helplessness) phenomenon in rats

A series of four experiments investigated a number of parameters reported to produce “helplessness” in rats. Consistent differences in escape behavior were not found between inescapably shocked and restrained rats when a FR 1 shuttling response was used. Escape latencies also did not differ between groups when a reduced shock intensity was employed during escape training in FR 2 procedure or when an increased FR 3 response was employed during escape training. Findings are discussed in terms of the robustness of the failure-to-escape phenomenon from which “helplessness” in the rat is inferred.     

Impact of Changing Difficulty on Inferences From the National Assessment of Educational Progress

The U.S. Department of Education measures student achievement through the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). NAEP estimates of population proficiency quantiles are based on a Bayesian multiple-imputation procedure. This article shows (a) that the resulting estimates depend directly on the mix of item difficulties on the test, and (b) the difficulty of items on the NAEP mathematics exam has increased over time. Does the increasing difficulty of the exam lead to observable changes in student performance over time? This study compared the simulated performance of 1990 examinees on the easier 1990 exam and the more difficult 1996 exam. No significant differences were found. While our results instill confidence that these changes have not impacted the NAEP trend line, our findings are both data-specific and limited in scope, and NAEP should carefully evaluate future adjustments to the test in this manner.     

Human Affection Exchange: VIII. Further Evidence of the Benefits of Expressed Affection

Affection exchange theory speaks to the benefits that affectionate communication elicits, not only when it is received but also when it is communicated to others. Previous research has provided evidence for the individual and relational benefits of having a high trait affection level, yet these benefits may partially be accounted for by the affectionate behavior one elicits from others by being affectionate in the first place. We addressed the validity of this alternative hypothesis in this project, first by re-analyzing data in which we compared correlations between trait affection level and various benefits with the same correlations after controlling for received affection. Next, in three studies involving a total sample of 1,144 people, we further investigated the benefits of expressed affection, both on its own and when received affection is covaried out. Results indicated that affection expressed to others is associated with numerous individual and relational benefits, including increased happiness and self esteem, decreased fear of intimacy and susceptibility to depression, and higher relationship satisfaction. Many of these effects are attenuated—and some are intensified—when affection received from others is held constant.     

The motivations and outcomes of studying for part-time mature students in higher education

This paper examines the motivations and outcomes for mature students who study part-time in higher education (HE) in the UK. Although many students in HE are mature part-time learners, they have not been the specific focus of much research or policy interest. In-depth narrative interviews were carried out with 18 graduates who had studied part-time at a university college specialising in part-time provision. The sample was drawn from a quantitative survey of 1539 graduates concerning their motivations for studying and the benefits derived. Researchers could therefore choose respondents on the basis of previously reported outcomes of study and on other life course information, which was included in the survey. The paper reports a wide range of motivations and outcomes, which are regarded as forms of capital, and illustrates how studying part-time as a mature student can have a profound effect on people’s lives.     

A Mere Footnote? An American Dilemma and Supreme Court School Desegregation Jurisprudence

This article provides historical and legal context for recent U.S. Supreme Court school desegregation decisions. The Supreme Court's race-based and race-neutral arguments from Brown (1954) to Parents Involved (2007) are examined within their broader context. Policy implications and potential support for diversity goal arguments given the Obama administration's appointments of Sonia Sotomayor and Elana Kagan as the 111th and 112th Supreme Court Justices are considered in light of enduring issues and guiding ideals delineated over half a century ago in Gunnar Myrdal's landmark study of race in the United States, An American Dilemma.     

Parental views on the statutory assessment and educational planning for children with special educational needs

In Norway more than 95 per cent of the students in each annual school-leaving cohort from the lower secondary school continue on to upper secondary education. The result is that there is a wide range of abilities among the students, and so various forms of adapted teaching are necessary. Each year almost 10 per cent of the new entrants in upper secondary are classified as students with special needs. The main focus of this paper is on how different forms of adaptation influence the flow of special needs students through upper secondary education. Two groups are compared: one with students who in their first year are taught exclusively within ordinary classes, and one with students who receive adapted teaching in small groups outside ordinary classes. The analysis controls for the level of functional difficulties among the students. The study illuminates how the organization of the specially adapted teaching influences successes as well as failures among the students. A sample of special needs students from six Norwegian counties has been followed prospectively through upper secondary education. Results of this follow-up study are presented within a theoretical framework based on transitions in the life course.     

On the utility of Asian critical (AsianCrit) theory in the field of education

Abstract

Despite the powerful influence of race and racism on the experiences and outcomes of Asian Americans in US education, coherent conceptual frameworks specifically focused on delineating how White supremacy shapes the lives of this population are difficult to find. The AsianCrit framework, grounded in Critical Race Theory (CRT) and the experiences and voices of Asian Americans, can begin filling this gap. In this article, we review an AsianCrit framework and examine Asian American issues in education through seven AsianCrit tenets to demonstrate their utility in the analysis of and advocacy for Asian Americans in U.S. education. We end by discussing implications of how AsianCrit can provide a framework to guide future research, policy and practice, as well as a foundation for discourse around the racialized experiences of Asians Americans and other racially marginalized groups in education.