Measures of preschool children's interest and engagement in literacy activities: Examining gender differences and construct dimensions

Multiple approaches to measuring preschool children's literacy interest and engagement (i.e., parent-, teacher-, child-reported child literacy interest and observer-reported child literacy engagement) were examined in a sample of 167 four- and five-year-old children (M = 56.62 months, SD = 6.01) enrolled in Head Start. Associations among measures as well as gender differences and dimensions of preschooler's literacy interest and engagement were examined across measures. Measures were not strongly associated. There were small, but significant correlations between parents’ and teachers’ reports of children's literacy interest, and teachers’ reports of children's literacy interest and observers’ reports of children's literacy engagement. Gender differences were found for parent- and teacher-report measures, with teachers and parents rating girls higher on interest. Patterns of factor loadings differed between adult and child measures. Implications of findings are discussed.     

The Effects of Achieved National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification on the Marginality of Physical Education Teachers

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between achieving The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification and feelings of marginality of physical education teachers. Data sources included a focus group interview with 6 National Board Certified Physical Education Teachers (NBCPETs) and individual phone interviews with 20 NBCPETs using an interview guide (Patton, 2007 Patton, M. Q. 2007. Qualitative research & evaluation methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishers..  [Google Scholar]). Data were analyzed inductively using the Miles and Huberman (1984) Miles, M. B. and Huberman, A. M. 1984. Qualitative data analysis: A source book of new methods. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publishers..  [Google Scholar] four-stage process. Findings indicated that teachers and administrators considered National Board Certification a symbol of highly skilled teaching. Possessing this symbol changed the way the NBCPETs approached their work and how others acted toward them. NBCPETs felt more confident, more vocal, and more active in leadership positions.     

The Role of Stories in the Formation of a University/Public School Collaborative Identity

This paper describes how two women, a university professor and a public school teacher, discovered how they had used the power of stories to develop the trust and understandings which were precursors to their engagement in collaborative teacher research. Stories became an intervention that promoted dialogue and helped to establish a collaborative identity. Collaboration between universities and public schools allows educators to engage jointly in research and rethinking of practice. The paper discusses the difficulties they experienced trying to break down barriers while bringing both voices to their writing and research. It also raises numerous questions about university/public school partnerships and the time, energy, and commitment needed to recognize the potential of this type of inquiry to the ‘world’ of teacher research.     

Understanding aspirations and expectations of international students in Australian higher education

The aspirations and expectations of the growing international student cohort in Australia are implicitly incorporated into recruitment and internationalization strategies but have received little academic analysis. To address this gap in the literature, this paper develops a conceptual model built upon earlier research by Tim Mazzarol and Geoffrey Soutar, which focuses on the push and pull factors relating to home country and country of destination, respectively, in relation to students' decisions to seek international study. Focusing predominantly on Chinese and Indian students, we conceptualise, extend and place the push and pull factors within a social psychological framework in relation to students' aspirations and expectations of international education, indicating factors that can be influenced by higher education (HE) institutions and their programmes, and those which cannot. We then interrogate the model and its applicability in Australian HE through the case study of an Indian international Study Tour conducted in our Australian HE institution in 2009. In the present context of decreased international student enrolments in Australia in 2010, where we seek to better understand our international students, the proposed model provides a basis for identifying international students' expectations and aspirations and developing prospective international relations.     

Oral presentation as a form of summative assessment in a master’s level PGCE module: the student perspective

This paper examines the student perception of oral examination on a pre-service teacher education course at the Institute of Education, University of London. Students are required to carry out a school-based project and to present their findings at master’s level to a group of peers and examiners. Initial student evaluations showed the experience to be overwhelmingly positive, yet the qualitative comments suggested there were negative emotions unrepresented in the quantitative data. This study reports on a more detailed evaluation completed by 254 students in the 2009–2010 cohort, which explored the tension between the positive overall student experience and the complex emotions involved. In examining the student perspective in greater depth, it became clear that the combination of a school-based enquiry and an assessed oral presentation created an authentic learning context. Although there were anxieties associated with presenting findings to an audience, students felt there was a constructive alignment between their learning and the mode of assessment and the process supported the students’ developing professional identity.     

Addressing Barriers to Technology Diffusion

ABSTRACT

In this paper we present a model for overcoming the significant barriers encountered by a small teacher education program in its effort to integrate technology within its curriculum. At the University of New England, teacher education faculty have succeeded in overcoming these impediments by collaborating with faculty in other programs of the institution. The model illustrates lessons learned over a period of four years as we moved from our initial ‘one step at a time’ plan to the current strategy. This successful model details our efforts to garner administrative and financial support, acquire hardware and software, provide opportunities for training and education, and develop technology rich learning experiences for our students.     

Methods for studying the processes of interaction and collaborative activity in computer-based educational activities

Abstract

Drawing on the work of researchers in several disciplines, this article describes and discusses methods which can be used for analysing joint activity during computer-based, side-by-side, collaborative activity in educational settings. It is argued that the choice of methods in any particular study should take into account the range of well-founded methods which are available, rather than being guided only by researchers' established affinities for particular methods and paradigms. The positive and negative features of qualitative and quantitative methods are discussed. The complementary use of different types of methods is also discussed and exemplified.     

The expression of localism: Local TV news coverage in the new video marketplace

The emergence of a new video marketplace raises questions about the commitment of local TV news organizations to the FCC localism doctrine. Local news coverage at ten Pennsylvania stations in 1992 was content analyzed and compared with 1976 data collected by Adams (1980). Results indicate that stations devoted more coverage to outlying market areas in 1992 than in 1976, but emphasized sensationalism/human interest stories at the expense of local public affairs issues.