Reviews: 8

O'Neill, Harold F & Perez, Ray ed (2003) Technology applications in education Erlbaum (Mahwah NJ (& Eurospan, London)) ISBN 0-8058-3649-7 372 pp $79.95 boards
http://www.erlbaum.com orders@erlbaum.com http://www.eurospan.co.uk orders@eurospan.co.uk     

EDUCATION, MARKETS AND THE PEDAGOGY OF PERSONALISATION

ABSTRACT:  The marketisation of education in England began in the 1980s. It was facilitated by national testing (which gave objective and comparable information to parents), and by the New Public Management (which introduced a posteriori funding and competition among providers). Now a new complementary phase of marketisation is being introduced: personalisation, whose intellectual provenance is in marketing theory. Conceptually, personalisation is imprecise; practically, at this stage, its intended effects within schools may amount to no more than a new legitimatory rhetoric which leaves pedagogy and the curriculum little changed.     

Writing, thinking and computers

The author reviews the potential of word-processors for changing the ways in which writers process written text and, indeed, think about writing. He draws distinctions between different kinds of writing software and discusses whether changing the processes of writing necessarily leads to improvements in writing quality. The review also raises questions about the use of word-processors in examinations.     

Designing instructional text for older readers: a literature review

This paper addresses the question of whether or not we need to design text differently for older readers. Research with relatively simple text indicates that there is little firm evidence to suggest that making design changes for older readers (except for increasing type-sizes) facilitates their performance. However, some research with more complex text settings suggest that changes made to facilitate the understanding of complex text actually appear to hinder older readers. These findings suggest that older readers should play a part in the user-testing stage of the development of instructional text.     

Reading disabilities and the effects of colored filters

The efficacy of a controversial treatment, using colored filters to remediate reading disabilities, was measured empirically, with colored overlays placed over reading material on white paper. Irlen's (1983) method is to prescribe specific tinted filters as lenses that she claims filter specific light frequencies and remove a range of perceptual disorders that adversely affect reading and related learning performance. Irlen calls this condition "scotopic sensitivity" and claims it is a significant factor in a high percentage of people with learning disabilities. Ninety-two children with significant reading disabilities were classified as either scotopic or nonscotopic using the Irlen Differential Perceptual Schedule, and were randomly assigned to one of six treatment groups using colored or clear overlays. Reading performance (rate, accuracy, and comprehension) as measured by the Neale Analysis of Reading Ability (Neale, 1987) and the Formal Reading Inventory (Wiederholt, 1986) improved significantly when the scotopic children read with the preferred colored overlay filter compared to clear or different-colored overlay filters. Nonscotopic children showed no change.     

The Instrumentalisation of the Expressive in Education

There is a resurgence of matters emotional in education. The concept of 'emotional intelligence' is an example. The effective school seems set to become the affective school. Alongside the discourse of instrumental rationality, which is associated with the effective schools movement, is emerging one which speaks of the emotions and creativity. Some possible explanations of this emerging affective tendency are considered. The argument is that a greater emphasis on both the emotions and on creativity can be regarded as functional for the economy. That is, it facilitates production, in both the high–tech and in the high–touch modes of economic activity. And it 'produces' consumers (in that pupils are would–be consumers) who are emotionally aware and creative in their quests to construct an identity. In sum, the expressive seems set to be managed for instrumental purposes.     

Designing electronic text: The role of print-based research

This is the 14th ERIC/ECTJ Annual Review Paper, preparation of which was supported by the ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) Clearinghouse on Information Resources, Syracuse University. The material in this article was prepared pursuant to a contract with the National Institute of Education, U.S. Department of Education. Contractors undertaking such projects under govemment sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their judgement in professional and technical matters. Points of view or opinions do not necessarily represent the official view or opinion of the NIE.—Ed.