Constructing citizenship in post-conflict contexts: the cases of Liberia and Rwanda

In post-conflict and fragile contexts, one central aim of education is to prepare citizens to rebuild society and manage conflict. In this paper, we discuss the ways that citizenship education, students’ civic attitudes, and student civic practices vary across two post-conflict contexts in Africa: Liberia and Rwanda. First, we consider the historical and current complexities of citizenship education in these countries drawing on a post-colonial framework and Osler and Starkey’s three dimensions of citizenship. Next, we discuss survey and interview data from secondary students based on separate multi-level case studies in the respective countries. We note differences and similarities in student conceptions of good citizenship, civic identity, classroom climate, and civic engagement across the two countries, as well as variation by school type and gender. Some notable findings included less active conceptions of citizenship and openness to discussing controversial issues in Rwanda than in Liberia, and less participation in out of school activities among young women than young men. These and other results highlight differing contextual values of development, security, freedom of speech, and civic action and the overall importance of citizenship education in a post-conflict context.     

The sustainability of a teacher professional development programme for beginning urban teachers

This study investigated the long-term effects of a professional development intervention for beginning urban teachers and explored which characteristics and activities in school organisations contributed to the sustainability of these effects. A quasi-experimental study (n = 72) investigated whether the positive effects of the programme were observed one year after the programme ended. Interviews with teachers and principals (n = 19) were used to explore which characteristics and activities in schools contributed to those positive effects. A significant long-term effect of the programme was found on teachers’ competences and professional orientation. An open culture in the schools was experienced as an important factor for the sustainability of the programme’s effects.     

我为什么而活

三种简单但难以抵抗的激情支配我的一生,那就是对爱情的渴望,对知识的追求,以及对人类苦难痛彻心肺的怜悯。这些激情犹如狂风,在延伸到绝望边缘的深深的苦海上把我随意地到处遗弃。我追求爱情,首先因为它叫我销魂。爱情令人销魂的魅力使我常常乐意牺牲生活中的其他一切,而这只是为了几小时这样的快乐。我追求爱情,因为它能减轻孤独感——那是一个颤抖的心灵越过世界边缘,窥视冰冷莫测并毫无生气的深渊时所处的孤独。我追求爱情,还因为爱的结合使我在一种神秘的缩影中预示到了圣者和诗人曾经想像过的天堂。这就是我所追求的,尽管人的生活似乎还不配享有它,但它毕竟是我最终找到的东西。     

Effects of strengthening and stretching exercise programmes on kinematics and kinetics of running in older adults: a randomised controlled trial

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of strengthening and stretching exercises on running kinematics and kinetics in older runners. One hundred and five runners (55–75 years) were randomly assigned to either a strengthening (n = 36), flexibility (n = 34) or control (n = 35) group. Running kinematics and kinetics were obtained using an eight-camera system and an instrumented treadmill before and after the eight-week exercise protocol. Measures of strength and flexibility were also obtained using a dynamometer and inclinometer/goniometer. A time effect was observed for the excursion angles of the ankle sagittal (P = 0.004, d = 0.17) and thorax/pelvis transverse (P < 0.001, d = 0.20) plane. Similarly, a time effect was observed for knee transverse plane impulse (P = 0.013, d = 0.26) and ground reaction force propulsion (P = 0.042, d = ?0.15). A time effect for hip adduction (P = 0.006, d = 0.69), ankle dorsiflexion (P = 0.002, d = 0.47) and hip internal rotation (P = 0.048, d = 0.30) flexibility, and hip extensor (P = 0.001, d = ?0.48) and ankle plantar flexor (P = 0.01, d = 0.39) strength were also observed. However, these changes were irrespective of exercise group. The results of the present study indicate that an eight-week stretching or strengthening protocol, compared to controls, was not effective in altering age-related running biomechanics despite changes in ankle and trunk kinematics, knee kinetics and ground reaction forces along with alterations in muscle strength and flexibility were observed over time.     

Development and Use of an Eating Disorder Assessment and Treatment Protocol

Counseling centers have been challenged to effectively treat the growing number of college students who struggle with disordered eating. In response to this critical issue, the authors have developed an Eating Disorder Assessment and Treatment Protocol (EDATP) to assist clinical disposition in the counseling center setting and identify treatment guidelines within a coordinated care approach. Practical applications of the EDATP and future research that can assess its clinical utility are addressed.     

Language and content ‘integration’: the affordances of additional languages as a tool within a single curriculum space

‘Language across the curriculum’ has been pivotal in establishing a knowledge base on the role of language for accessing opportunities afforded by the curriculum. Yet, the ubiquity of language within all facets of human activity – not least of all the more abstract domains of thinking and relating with others – can easily obscure its perceptibility as an object for research relative to other priorities; especially when the curriculum focus is directed towards content-oriented areas, such as mathematics or the humanities. This paper uses an ecological framework to consider the place of language when the teacher’s focus is not solely on language, or content, but is equally attentive to both through a relatively new approach to theorizing learners’ non-native language within the curriculum: content and language integrated learning. In particular, it critically examines the notion of ‘integration’ as a pedagogical assumption for working with language in curriculum domains by focusing on teachers’ perceptions of the affordances of language as a meditational tool within the classroom space. Findings raise new implications for understanding the role of language(s) within the curriculum, and are significant for addressing the needs of a changing, globalized student demographic where the presence of multiple languages will increasingly shape learners’ engagement with the curriculum.