Does teaching complex sentences have to be complicated? Lessons from children's online writing

This paper draws upon data from a research project, undertaken in 2 Year 6 classrooms during the 2006 World Cup, to analyse how children used complex sentence structures in their writing on a football web‐log. We explore how the confluence of a temporary, popular, global event and an online forum for communication created a moment of linguistic empowerment where pupils began to use high‐level forms of language, and we consider the implications of transience and interactivity for the teaching and learning of sentence grammar.     

Connecting religion and teacher identity: The unexplored relationship between teachers and religion in public schools

It is increasingly acknowledged that for individuals to participate in a pluralistic and democratic society, they must understand religious conviction and difference. In educational literature, the discussion surrounding education and religion focuses on the implications for students. It is important to consider what this may mean to the teachers, as teachers directly influence student learning. This article uses literature on religion, multiculturalism, teacher identity, and popular culture to connect teachers' private religious identifications to their professional identities in public school classrooms. It supports future research in this area and provides a theoretical framework for subsequent studies.     

The need for a General Comment for Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child: Toward enlightenment and progress for child protection

ObjectiveTo present the need and plan for development of a General Comment for the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child Article 19 which has the potential to transform and advance child protection through the infusion of a child rights approach.MethodsThe Committee on the Rights of the Child (Committee) authorized ISPCAN and IICRD to draft a General Comment for CRC Article 19 (GC19) and to introduce implementation supports. An international working group (GC19WG), Expert Advisory Panel (EAP), and GC19 Focal Group of Committee members (GC19 CRC FG) have been organized to help guide and carry out the program of development. Analyses of relevant histories and knowledge, including effective and promising child protection strategies, are being applied to guide formulation of the GC and high priority implementation components. Consultations on the draft and supportive products will be conducted in cooperation with UNICEF, WHO, the NGO Group for the CRC, and other NGOs.Advice is to be solicited from interested parties and organizations in person and through distance communication throughout the world.ResultsIn addition to the GC19, numerous implementation supports will be planned and some will be produced and piloted during the program of development. Under consideration are an implementation guide and resources; commentary; accountability models, indicators, measures and evaluation systems; a clearing house and resource website; a child-appropriate version of GC19; and education/training curricula and programs.Practice implicationsGC19 has the potential to transform child protection by fostering a paradigm shift in its conceptualization, theory, research, and practice. Article 19 encourages an interpretation and application beyond narrow child protection conceptualizations and practices which have been found seriously inadequate. The General Comment can advance effective prevention of maltreatment and protection of personal security by promoting the child's rights, well-being, health, and development in all aspects of child protection. GC19 will provide support to the Committee on the Rights of the Child in its monitoring and guiding functions, and to States Parties, professionals, and civil society agents concerned with the protection and well-being of children.     

Associations between blocking,monitoring, and filtering software on the home computer and youth-reported unwanted exposure to sexual material online

ObjectiveTo examine the relationship between the use of preventive software on the home computer and unwanted exposure to sexual material online.MethodsThe Youth Internet Safety Survey-2 was a national, RDD telephone survey conducted in March–June 2005. Eight hundred households (one caregiver and one child between the ages of 10 and 17 years) with home Internet access answered questions pertaining to Internet prevention activities in the household and adolescent behaviors and exposures online.ResultsUnwanted exposure to sexual material occurred in 32% of youth in homes with pop-up/spam blockers and 25% of youth in homes with filtering, blocking, or monitoring software on the home computer, compared to 43% of households without preventive software installed on the home computer. Among otherwise similar youth, pop-up/spam blockers installed on the home computer were significantly associated with 59% lower odds of reporting unwanted exposure to sexual material on the home computer; and filtering, blocking, or monitoring software was significantly associated with 65% lower odds. When data were stratified by youth sex, associations between preventive software and unwanted exposure were similar for boys and girls. When stratified by age, preventive software was associated with significantly reduced risk of unwanted exposure for 10–12-year olds and 13–15-year olds, but not for 16–17-year olds.ConclusionAlthough these correlational analyses are far from providing conclusive evidence that preventive software protects children from unwanted exposure to sexual material online, findings suggest that caregivers of boys and girls 15 years of age and younger who want to reduce the likelihood of unwanted exposure to sexual material on the home computer should consider including preventive software—especially filtering, blocking, or monitoring software—in their Internet safety plan.Practice implicationsPractitioners should partner with caregivers in developing an Internet safety plan, including proactive caregiver-youth discussions about expected Internet behavior appropriate for their household.     

A choice theory teaching and learning model for working with children of prisoners

The prison population has increased substantially in countries around the world and significant numbers of these prisoners are parents. Children of prisoners experience separation from the imprisoned parent. The separation and precursors to the separation often diminish these children's social‐emotional and educational well‐being. In this paper, the social‐emotional and educational functioning of children of prisoners is examined. Additionally, choice theory is described as a relevant theoretical teaching and learning model to facilitate the children's school‐related functioning.     

Can Inquiry and Reflection be Contagious? Science Teachers, Students, and Action Research

This study reports the transformations of 3 science teachers who conducted action research projects following a model, unique to our graduate program, which follows the theoretical tenets of adult and transformative learning theory. Teachers video their teaching, engage in weekly peer group collaborative reflection sessions, collaborate with students, and consult with other sources to identify goals for improving their teaching practices, develop action plans, and analyze the results of their actions. As a result of this process, all 3 teachers changed their pedagogical approach from a teacher centered textbook driven approach to a student centered inquiry based approach. Implications of using this model as a powerful means of professional development for science teachers are explored.     

Developmental co‐ordination disorder (DCD): more than just a movement difficulty

Developmental co‐ordination disorder (DCD) also known as dyspraxia, is characterised by severe impairment of movement that has a detrimental effect on activities of daily living. This impairment of movement can be the result of poor planning or execution during an action. An assessment for DCD usually comprises of a standardised test for movement skills and clinical observations, but an assessment may not always consider both planning and/or execution components. This study used an ecologically valid task to examine how typically developing children compared with children with DCD plan and execute their movements in response to a novel movement challenge. Children were asked to cross a ‘river’ using as few ‘stepping stones’ (carpet tiles) as possible without falling in. The study measured a number of variables in order to construct a profile of the child's ability to plan and execute movements, including pattern and consistency of movement, and distance travelled by each child, as well as the ability to formulate and correct their plan. The results of this pilot study showed both differences and similarities between the two groups, with the DCD group showing more difficulties in planning, executing and in correcting their movements, as well as being more inconsistent in their movement patterns. The results are discussed in terms of the need for multiple measures for a complete assessment of a child, the implications for educational practice and the potential of an additional clinical tool to aid intervention in children with DCD.     

Inter‐professional work and expertise: New roles at the boundaries of schools

The findings discussed here are based on five case studies and a small survey (n = 46) of how secondary schools are responding to demands that they collaborate with other services to intervene to prevent the social exclusion of children and young people. The case studies revealed a new space of action opening up around schools where practices were being shaped by ‘welfare managers’ who were employed by schools and were undertaking responsive work with vulnerable children and young people and the other services who were also supporting them. At the same time heads of year and/or heads of school and form tutors were increasingly focusing on children's achievement in school. The changes in roles and responsibilities were encouraged by workforce remodelling and changes in criteria for teachers’ salaries. However, focusing primarily on the work undertaken by the welfare managers, the article draws on cultural‐historical activity theory analyses of relational agency and distributed expertise to question whether welfare managers can undertake the work required in the new space of action without attention to the development of their core expertise.     

Disability in higher education: a position paper

Leadership in education, particularly special education, implies both knowledge and application of professional behaviors, decisions, and ethics within the field. University students look for best practices in education to be modeled by faculty; this, in turn, underscores a fundamental belief in inclusionary principles. Such modeling is important on every level in teacher education programs, particularly special education programs. The higher a student's level (i.e., undergraduate vs. doctoral), the more notice that student will take of disparities between rhetoric and actions. While reflective practices are explicitly taught in teacher preparation programs to enable professionals to reflect on their own personal and professional practices, teacher education faculty need to employ the same strategy to ensure that they are indeed modeling the practices they teach. This position paper documents the impressions of a doctoral cohort in special education in terms of inclusionary practices demonstrated in a real-life context.     

Supply issues for science academics in Australia: now and in the future

Australia, like the rest of the developed world, is in the midst of dealing with notable issues related to the age structure of its academic workforce. These issues are widespread and have been articulated in the Australian context most comprehensively by Hugo (2008). This paper investigates issues with demographic change and other key factors related to the desirability of a science or mathematics academic career within Australian universities. It draws on the findings of a research project undertaken in 2008 for the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. The findings show that while demographic issues are not as dire for science academics compared to the entire sector, issues relating to tenure, workload and retaining young science academics in Australia are a threat to the long-term sustainability of science faculties in Australian universities.