‘If they're the customer,I'm the meat in the sandwich’: an exploration of tertiary teachers' metaphorical constructions of teaching

Metaphors are a primary influence on the way we perceive and construct our world; they are also a way of revealing beliefs and attitudes that might otherwise be difficult to identify. Furthermore, metaphor has been found to be an effective way of shifting people's beliefs, attitudes and behaviour. This paper details the findings of a pilot study designed to explore New Zealand tertiary teachers' understanding of the consumer metaphor, and metaphor more generally, within tertiary education. Examining the responses of over 200 tertiary teachers to questions concerning their use of metaphor in relation to teaching, using Sfard [1998. On two metaphors of learning and the dangers of choosing just one. Educational Researcher, 27, 4–13] and Martinez and colleagues' [2001. Metaphors as blueprints of thinking about teaching and learning. Teaching and Teacher Education, 17(8), 965–977.] system of categorising metaphor, our findings suggest that teachers are generally resistant to the consumer metaphor as it is applied to tertiary education. However, rather than rejecting the metaphor outright, teachers have tended to transform the metaphor from a purely behaviourist interpretation to a more cognitive interpretation, thus repositioning the student as active within the teacher?learner relationship, and focusing on transformation or enlightenment as the product of learning. The ambiguity of the metaphor may be contributing to a mismatch of expectations between teachers, institutions and policy-makers.     

OLDER ADULTS,COMPUTER TRAINING,AND THE SYSTEMS APPROACH: A FORMULA FOR SUCCESS

Adults over the age of 65 are the fastest growing segment of computer users. Due to this increased demand, effective training programs are essential. Although previous research findings illustrate the importance of older adults’ goals, abilities, and experience levels in learning to use computers, these factors are often neglected in the development of computer training courses. We apply a systems approach to help bridge this gap between research and practice to address the disparity between what older adults would like to learn and the content of computer training courses. We review the literature on training older adults to use computers and report data from a set of structured interviews to illustrate the criticality of each step in the systems approach. Lastly, we provide the means to evaluate existing computer training programs and suggest modifications for improvement. Our purpose is not to evaluate specific programs, but to educate developers about an approach that has proven successful. Specifically, we provide suggestions for effective computer training for older adults.     

Education,philosophy and the comparative perspective

This article argues that a philosophical approach to education needs a comparative dimension and that a comparative approach to education needs a philosophical dimension. An analysis of the proper relationship between a philosophical and a comparative approach to education is developed with reference to needs, difficulties and opportunities.     

Using functional analysis procedures to monitor medication effects in an outpatient and school setting

Functional analysis methods were used to monitor medication used to reduce vocal and physical tics of a child with Tourettes Syndrome. An initial functional analysis suggested that the tics were maintained by automatic reinforcement. Given this result, the participant's physician prescribed Orap 1mg per day to reduce the tics. Post‐medication results demonstrated a reduced level of tics by the participant. Although preliminary, the findings suggest that functional analysis methods can be used to monitor the effects of medication in outpatient and school settings. Thus, more research using functional analyses to assess medication effects is needed. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Caregiving and 5‐HTTLPR Genotype Predict Adolescent Physiological Stress Reactivity: Confirmatory Tests of Gene × Environment Interactions

A theory‐driven confirmatory approach comparing diathesis–stress and differential susceptibility models of Gene × Environment (G × E) interactions was applied to examine whether 5‐HTTLPR genotype moderated the effect of early maternal caregiving on autonomic nervous system (ANS) stress reactivity in 113 adolescents aged 13–17 years. Findings supported a differential susceptibility, rather than diathesis–stress, framework. Carriers of one or more 5‐HTTLPR short alleles (SS/SL carriers) reporting higher quality caregiving exhibited approach ANS responses to a speech task, whereas those reporting lower quality caregiving exhibited withdrawal ANS responses. Carriers of two 5‐HTTLPR long alleles (LL carriers) were unaffected by caregiving. Findings suggest that 5‐HTTLPR genotype and early caregiving in interaction are associated with ANS stress reactivity in adolescents in a “for better and for worse” fashion, and they demonstrate the promise of confirmatory methods for testing G × E interactions.     

Celebrating the Contribution of Douglas Hamblin

This article celebrates the life of Douglas Hamblin, and his significant contribution to pastoral care, personal-social education and the lives of schools, teachers and pupils. From very incomplete information, it offers a brief account of his career, and lists his most relevant publications.