Erratum to: Effect of Current Electricity Simulation Supported Learning on the Conceptual Understanding of Elementary and Secondary Teachers

This study examined the impact of computer simulation and supported science learning on a teacher’s understanding and conceptual knowledge of current electricity. Pre/Post tests were used to measure the teachers’ concept attainment. Overall, there was a significant and large knowledge difference effect from Pre to Post test. Two interesting interactions were observed during the data analysis. The first was the difference between Elementary and Secondary teachers. Both groups had significant gains, with large effect sizes, but the Elementary teachers (Pre-Mean = 3.70, Post-Mean = 7.51) started lower and ended higher exhibiting a significantly larger gain than the Secondary teachers (Pre-Mean = 4.96, Post-Mean = 6.71). The second interaction was the impact of gender. Both groups showed significant gains, with large effect sizes, but females (Pre-Mean = 3.90, Post-Mean = 7.21) gained significantly more than males (Pre-Mean = 5.13, Post-Mean = 7.01). These results confirm that computer simulation supported science learning can have a positive effect on concept attainment in teachers.     

The Perceptions of Administrators Concerning the One Florida Initiative

The purpose of this study was to discover the perceptions of Florida law school administrators on the impact of the OFI （one Florida initiative） and the addition of two MSI （minority serving institution） law schools on diversity in Florida＇s legal profession. This research explored the impact of Governor Bush＇s EO （executive order） on diversity within the SUS （state university system） of Florida law schools. Further, this study examined the impact of the creation of two MSI law schools after implementation of the OFI, as perceived by the administrators. The concept of CRT （critical race theory） provides modern legal debates outlining the usefulness of historical civil rights policies in opinionated climates. This study will examine the role of CRT in relation to affirmative action and desegregation case law. CRT forms the framework for examining the impact of the creation of two MSI law schools in the state of Florida. In conclusion, this study found that minority representation in law schools has improved in Florida as a result of the OFI as well as the addition of two MSI law schools. Black representation, however, continues to lag behind other races, particularly the Hispanic population. This study concluded that the OFI has helped improve minority representation in the legal profession.     

The deployment and training of teachers for remote rural schools in less-developed countries

In less-developed countries schools in remote rural areas are likely to be poor in quality. One important aspect of this in certain contexts is the comparatively low quality of teachers and the high rate of teacher turnover in rural schools in these areas.It is likely that contributory factors are the ways in which posting and transfer procedures operate, inadequate preparation and support for teachers, and their own characteristics, values and interests. For purposes of analysis, two models are suggested which illuminate the policy assumptions behind different strategies used to try to remedy the situation. The rural deficit model tends to encourage the use of compulsory posting and incentives while the rural challenge model searches for better ways of preparing teachers for service in remote rural schools.From analysis of the literature, the author suggests that there are four inter-related features of contemporary teacher-education programmes which have potential and should be developed if good teachers are to be attracted to and retained in remote rural schools. These are field-based preparation, teamwork in training, community support of training and the recruitment and preparation of local teachers. A few examples of schemes employing these principles are described briefly.

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Zusammenfassung In weniger entwickelten Ländern sind die Schulen in abgelegenen ländlichen Gebieten oft von minderwertiger Qualität. Einen wichtigen Aspekt davon bildet die Unzulänglichkeit der Lehrer und der häufige Lehrerwechsel.Zu den verantwortlichen Faktoren gehören wahrscheinlich die Einstellungs- und Versetzungsverfahren (unzureichende oder unangemessene Vorbereitung und Unterstützung der Lehrer) und deren eigene Charakteristiken, Werte und Interessen. Zu Analysezwecken werden zwei Modelle vorgeschlagen, welche die den verschiedenen Strategien zur Verbesserung dieser Situation zugrundeliegenden Annahmen beleuchten. Das ländliche Mangel-Modell soll die Anwendung von Zwangsversetzungen und Anreizen fördern, während das ländliche Herausforderungs-Modell nach besseren Vorbereitungsmethoden für Lehrer in entlegenen Landschulen sucht.Aus einer Analyse der einschlägigen Literatur folgert der Verfasser, daß es vier miteinander verknüpfte Eigenschaften von Lehrerbildungsprogrammen gibt, die Potential haben und entwickelt werden sollten, wenn Landschulen gute Lehrer anziehen und behalten sollen. Diese Eigenschaften sind feldbezogene Ausbildung, Teamwork in der Ausbildung, Unterstützung der Ausbildung durch das Gemeinwesen und Anwerbung sowie Ausbildung örtlicher Lehrer. Ein paar Beispiele von Programmen, in denen diese Prinzipien zur Anwendung kommen, werden kurz beschrieben.

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Résumé Dans les pays les moins développés, les écoles des campagnes reculées sont généralement d'une qualité inférieure. L'un des aspects importants de cette situation est, dans certains contextes, la qualité médiocre des enseignants et le taux élevé des mutations dans le personnel enseignant de ces écoles rurales éloignées et isolées.Il est probable que les facteurs contribuant à cet état de choses sont les procédés de nomination et de transfert (préparation inadéquate, soutien insuffisant des enseignants) et leurs propres caractéristiques, valeurs et intérêts. Deux modèles sont proposés à l'analyse et éclairent les assumptions gouvernementales par les diverses stratégies mises en oeuvre pour tenter de remédier à la situation. Dans le cas de la carence rurale on a tendance à encourager les nominations coercives et les mesures d'incitation, tandis que dans le cas du challenge rural on recherche de meilleurs moyens de préparation des enseignants au service dans les écoles des campagnes reculées.En s'appuyant sur l'analyse des écrits inspirés par ce sujet, l'auteur avance qu'il existe quatre caractéristiques corrélatives des programmes de formation actuelle de l'enseignant présentant un potentiel et qui doivent être développées si l'on veut attirer les bons enseignants et les retenir dans ces écoles rurales. Ce sont: la préparation sur le terrain, le travail en équipe pendant la période de formation, le soutien de la communauté apporté à cette formation, le recrutement local et la préparation locale des enseignants. Quelques exemples de systèmes mettant ces principes en pratique sont brièvement décrits.

     

The dynamics of “tokenism”: How college students are affected by the proportion of women in their major

This study provides an empirical test of Kanter's theory of tokenism (1977a,b)—that individuals will be affected adversely by declining representation of their own gender within an environment. Using students' college major as the environmental backdrop, this study examines how the proportion of women in a major affects students' college grades, academic self-concept, mathematical self-concept, social selfconcept, satisfaction with the major, and persistence in the major. Data are drawn from the Cooperative Institutional Research Program's 1985 Freshman Survey and 1989 Follow-Up Survey. The sample includes 7,641 women and 5,074 men in 344 fouryear colleges and universities. Regression results indicate that the proportion of women in the major has essentially no impact on the cognitive and affective development of college students. Instead, this study illustrates how the relationship between the gender composition of the major and student outcomes can be accounted for by characteristics of students, aspects of the college environment, and the effects of major field.An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 1994 Meeting of the American Educational Research Association in New Orleans, Louisiana.     

A systematic follow‐up approach for mainstreaming students with behavior and emotional disorders

The Behavior Intervention Centres are part of the Houston Independent School District's (HISD) Special Education Department. Their purpose is to provide educational services to elementary and secondary students, aged 3 through 21, who exhibit either severely aggressive or severely withdrawn behaviours. This article describes a formalized follow‐up service considered by the authors to be a critical component of the BIC program.