Individual Differences in Fifth Graders’ Literacy and Academic Language Predict Comprehension Monitoring Development: An Eye-Movement Study

In this study, we investigated fifth graders’ (n = 52) fall literacy, academic language, and motivation and how these skills predicted fall and spring comprehension monitoring on an eye movement task. Comprehension monitoring was defined as the identification and repair of misunderstandings when reading text. In the eye movement task, children read two sentences; the second included either a plausible or implausible word in the context of the first sentence. Stronger readers had shorter reading times overall suggesting faster processing of text. Generally fifth graders reacted to the implausible word (i.e., longer gaze duration on the implausible vs. the plausible word, which reflects lexical access). Students with stronger academic language, compared to those with weaker academic language, generally spent more time rereading the implausible target compared to the plausible target. This difference increased from fall to spring. Results support the centrality of academic language for meaning integration, setting standards of coherence, and utilizing comprehension repair strategies.     

Hazardous occupations, illness, and schooling

This initial study of the direct and indirect effects of schooling and direct effects of occupational hazards on health uses a recursive model involving choice of occupation that depends on schooling. Although the model represents only one possible conceptualization and the data on health are not the most desirable, evidence is found that occupational hazards have a strong influence on health independent of education and earnings. In addition, it is found that schooling has no direct effects on work hours lost due to illness and no indirect effects through choice of a safe job. The unimportance of schooling in affecting health may be partially explained by the limited sample which includes only blue-collar employees in very risky occupations.     

Addressing the complexities of literacy and urban teaching in the USA: strategic professional development as intervention

This study was undertaken in order to get some sense of the role of life experiences in preservice and inservice teachers' conceptions of the purpose(s) and practices of education. Content analysis of narratives written by graduate students in education at one college was utilized to ascertain how they view the field and their (current or prospective) role as teachers. We found that the majority of students saw teaching as an opportunity to make a difference, and as reflective of who they were rather than as "just a job". This finding provided the opportunity to address the strengths and vulnerabilities of such an idealistic conception of teaching, and the corresponding possibilities vis-à-vis teacher educators' roles. We conclude by noting the study's limitations and making several recommendations for future action and research based on our findings.     

Impact and educational outcomes of a small group self‐directed teaching strategy in a clinical neuroscience curriculum

The complexity of the material being taught in clinical neuroscience within the medical school curriculum requires creative pedagogies to teach medical students effectively. Many clinical teaching strategies have been developed and are well described to address these challenges. However, only a few have been evaluated to determine their impact on the performance of students studying clinical neuroscience. Interactive, 2‐hour, self‐directed small‐group interactive clinical case‐based learning sessions were conducted weekly for 4 weeks to integrate concepts learned in the corresponding didactic lectures. Students in the small groups analyzed cases of patients suffering from neurological disease that were based on eight learning objectives that allowed them to evaluate neuroanatomical data and clinical findings before presenting their case analysis to the larger group. Students’ performances on the formative quizzes and summative tests were compared to those of first‐year medical students in the previous year for whom the self‐directed, small‐group interactive clinical sessions were not available. There was a significant improvement in the summative performance of first‐year medical students with self‐directed clinical case learning in the second year (Y2) of teaching clinical neuroscience (P < 0.05) when compared with first‐year students in the first year (Y1) for whom the self‐directed learning approach was not available. Student performance in the formative assessments between Y1 and Y2 was not significantly different (P = 0.803). A target of ≥70% student scoring above 80% in the final summative examination was met. The current study revealed evidence for the impact and educational outcomes of a self‐directed, clinical teaching strategy in a clinical neuroscience curriculum for first‐year medical students. Anat Sci Educ 11: 478–487. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists.     

Analyzing Practice for Improving Schools: The Study of Vignettes

This article suggests a method for analyzing patterns of school practice for improvement purposes. In particular it describes outcomes of a study that point to some promising possibilities, in terms of encouraging teachers to reflect on their practice, for the purpose of improvement. It argues that by discussing and analyzing vignettes, teachers can improve their practice, not only individually, but also as a team. In addition, this analysis can help schools to develop as organizations. At the end, this suggestion is supported with an example which illustrates the potential of using vignettes for improving schools, whilst, at the same time, demonstrating how the procedure might be used.     

Building student-teacher relationships and improving behaviour-management for classroom teachers

Teachers can at times view behavioural intervention procedures as time-consuming. Thus, socially-valid classroom-based interventions are a critical component to behavioural success. This study examined the effects of traditional behavioural interventions with two kindergarten students presenting with challenging behaviours, including aggression, tantrums and noncompliance. Notably, it was found that traditional behavioural procedures were not sufficient to substantially reduce the behaviours alone. Therefore, a relationship-building component was added to target positive student-teacher relationships. Student outcomes resulted in a significant reduction in challenging behaviour as well as teacher-reported behaviours showing a reduction across all measured periods. Ongoing teacher consultation, increased student-teacher relationships (STRs) and use of effective classroom management strategies are necessary for effective models of behaviour support.     

Innovation in social networks: knowledge spillover is not enough

Knowledge Management Research & Practice - Knowledge has become increasingly specialized and thus trapped in discipline and sector silos. A rich exchange of ideas across disciplines and sectors...     

The FTSE-British Olympic Association Initiative: A resource dependence perspective

The Financial Times Stock Exchange (FTSE)-British Olympic Association (BOA) Initiative, a partnership scheme initiated in 2007 between a number of FTSE 100 companies and Olympic National Governing Bodies (NGBs) in the UK, seeks to improve the effectiveness of the Olympic NGBs delivery and subsequent performance through the provision of support in-kind from the corporate partner. The paper uses resource dependency theory to analyse the partnerships within the Initiative, focusing primarily on the operation and benefits of those partnerships from the perspective of the Olympic NGBs. Despite being the less powerful party in the partnership, the NGBs are able to use the partnerships to acquire critical resources. While the benefits received by the companies are softer and more social in nature, nevertheless they demonstrate mutual dependency between the partners. This knowledge provides an incentive for NGBs to engage in co-optation and constraint activities as a way to strengthen the dependency relationships and protect their position.