Learning How to Learn: Parental ethnotheories and young children's preparation for school

This paper discusses one aspect of the findings from an ethnographic study of the ways in which four-year-old children learn, and are taught, at home and in their Reception class. The children were from two distinctive cultural backgrounds within the same urban neighbourhood: one-half belonged to UK ('Anglo') families, and one-half to families from Bangladesh. They were observed and assessed throughout their first school year, and additional data were collected from interviews with parents, practitioners and the children themselves. Analysis of the data suggested that one way of understanding the variation in the children's experiences was through the ethnotheories, or cultural belief systems, of their home communities--such as their parents' concepts of childhood, and their theories of intelligence and instruction. The paper argues that such differences in children's home preparation have consequences for their school experience, and carry implications for their school providers. The study of parental ethnotheories, therefore, may help to explain, and alleviate, the differences in school achievement of children from diverse backgrounds. However, accessing respondents' personal theories presents both ethical and methodological problems, particularly when the researcher is working with socially disadvantaged groups. La recherche dans les ethnothe´ories parentales, ou dans les syste ¤ mes de croyance culturels, peut contribuer a ¤ notre compre´hension de l'expe´rience scolaire diffe´rentielle et de l'accomplissement des enfants de classes diffe´rentes et de milieux culturels diffe´rents. Cependant, l'acce ¤ s a ¤ les the´ories personnelles des personnes interroge´es, que peut-etre ils sont inconscients de posse´der, pre´sente proble ¤ mes e´thiques et methodologiques, particulie ¤ rement quand les chercheurs travaillent avec des groupes qui sont de´savantage´s socialement. Cet essai pre´sente quelques de´couvertes d'une e´tude ethnographique sur les fac¸ons dans lequelles des enfants de quatre ans apprennent, et sont enseigne´s, a ¤ la maison et dans leur classe de re´ception. La expe´rience d'apprendre a ¤ la maison est diffe´rente pour chacun des 16 enfants, et dans chaque cas est forme´e par les croyances parentales -- en particulier leurs concepts sur l'enfance, et sur les ro´les des parents, et leurs the´ories sur l'intelligence et l'instruction. Ceux-ci refle ¤ tent partiellement la position des familles dans la communaute´ "anglo" ou bangladaise dans leur voisinage partage´. Quand les diffe´rences dans la pre´paration e´ducative des enfants a ¤ la maison sont comprises, il y a des implications e´videntes pour leurs pourvoyeurs d'e´ducation. La investigacio´n sobre las etnoteor L ´as paternales, o sea sobre los sistemas culturales de la creencia, pueden contribuir a nuestra comprensio´n de la experiencia diferencial escolar y del logro de los nin ¨ os de clases y or L ´genes culturales diferentes. Sin embargo, el acceso a las teor L ´as personales de los respondientes, que quizas ellos mismos no son conscientes de poseer, presenta problemas e´ticos as L ´ como tambie´n metodolo´gicos, particularmente cuando los investigadores trabajan con grupos socialmente desventajados. Este ensayo presenta algunas conclusiones de un estudio etnogra´fico sobre el modo en que los nin ¨ os de cuatro an ¨ os de edad aprenden, y se les ensen ¨ a, en casa y en su clase de recepcio´n. La experiencia de aprendisaje en el hogar es diferente para cada uno de los 16 nin ¨ os, y en cada caso esta´ formada por creencias paternales -- en particular sobre sus conceptos de nin ¨ ez, y el rol que juegan los padres, y de sus teor L ´as sobre la inteligencia y la instruccio´n. Estos conceptos reflejan en parte la posicio´n de las familias dentro de la comunidad 'Anglo' o banglades L ´ en su vecindario compartido. Cuando las diferencias en la preparacio´n educativa en el hogar de los nin ¨ os son comprendidas, hay implicaciones evidentes para sus proveedores de escuela.     

The cooking teacher: investigating gender stereotypes in a Korean kindergarten

This article discusses some findings from a small‐scale investigation of children's gendered beliefs and behaviours in a Korean kindergarten which was attempting to challenge gender stereotyping through the anti‐bias intervention of a ‘cooking curriculum’. A sample of 14 children, some with ‘working’ mothers and some with ‘housewife’ mothers, was observed for two months, and informally interviewed on several occasions. The children's mothers were also interviewed. The findings are situated in the context of the changing, but still traditional, culture of Korean society, as well as in the contexts of early childhood education and theories of gender acquisition. They confirm that, although children are highly likely to reproduce the beliefs current in their home environment, they are open to reconstructing these views when actively challenged to consider alternatives, either by the school curriculum or by engaging in debate with a researcher or practitioner. The nature of the ‘alternative’ views available may however be problematic.     

Facing up to the risks in commercially focused university–industry R&D partnerships

The number of university–industry R&D partnerships (UIPs) has increased significantly over the past decade, in most OECD countries and in Australia, yet the study of risk in such commercially focused collaborative ventures is still a developing area. This review paper seeks to contribute to debate on this increasingly important phenomenon by addressing three key areas of risks for universities in entering such collaborations. The commercialization of research findings presents particular risks to universities, most notably the possibility of financial loss, which has a greater impact than for companies in cross‐sector collaborations. Another major type of risk faced by universities is relational risk, and this can significantly alter the trust dynamics that underpin research and innovation. There are also institutional risks to universities and their research staff engaged in commercializable R&D and, ultimately, to their reputation as a neutral source of expertise. It is argued there is a need for universities in Australia to develop comprehensive policies to manage the risks of commercialization and R&D collaboration with industry partners.     

The PCC and OCLC: Some Reflections on 45 Years of Cooperation

Abstract

Both authors have served as OCLC’s representative to the Program for Cooperative Cataloging’s Policy Committee and Steering Committee and participated in the PCC’s creation. They offer some reminiscences of the early years of the PCC and of OCLC’s involvement in, and support of, the PCC.     

The long-term preservation of identifiable personal data: a comparative archival perspective on privacy regulatory models in the European Union,Australia, Canada and the United States

This article analyses the extent to which archival exemptions for historical, scientific and statistical research in privacy legislation support preservation in selected European Union countries, and comparable aspects of Australian, American and Canadian law within a legal, ethical and digital archival perspective. The authors recommend that the further processing of personal data under data protection law be given a wider scope of interpretation for archival preservation purposes in both the public and private sector, coupled with the use of researcher and archival codes in relation to access to personal data. They also recommend early appraisal and integration of privacy with freedom of information and archival regimes.

Using digital technology to enhance formative assessment in mathematics classrooms

In this paper, which is based on research from the EU-funded project Improving Progress through Formative Assessment in Science and Mathematics Education, we explore how iPads are used within formative assessment processes by six mathematics teachers and their classes in two secondary comprehensive schools in the Midlands of England. A design research approach is first used to develop and trial six lessons in which iPads are used in different ways within formative assessment processes. Through lesson observations, video analysis and teacher interviews we then examine how iPad technology contributes to these processes, the functions it performs and the distribution of activity between the main actors (teacher, technology and student). An analytic approach is developed which captures the interactions in visual representations, showing how the technology is often used as a form of communication but also performs more active functions which affect the role taken by the teacher in formative processes. The study offers insight into ways in which iPad technology contributes to effective student learning through formative assessment and introduces an analytic approach that may be useful for further studies.     

DNA microarray wet lab simulation brings genomics into the high school curriculum

We have developed a wet lab DNA microarray simulation as part of a complete DNA microarray module for high school students. The wet lab simulation has been field tested with high school students in Illinois and Maryland as well as in workshops with high school teachers from across the nation. Instead of using DNA, our simulation is based on pH indicators, which offer many ideal teaching characteristics. The simulation requires no specialized equipment, is very inexpensive, is very reliable, and takes very little preparation time. Student and teacher assessment data indicate the simulation is popular with both groups, and students show significant learning gains. We include many resources with this publication, including all prelab introductory materials (e.g., a paper microarray activity), the student handouts, teachers notes, and pre- and postassessment tools. We did not test the simulation on other student populations, but based on teacher feedback, the simulation also may fit well in community college and in introductory and nonmajors' college biology curricula.     

Embodied learning and school-based physical culture: implications for professionalism and practice in physical education

We write as critical theorists, who consider that in terms of scoping out robust conceptual elaborations which are suitable for contemporary schooling, that physical education has ground to make up connecting theory with practice and practice with theory. We advocate that aspects of existentialism and phenomenology can provide a theoretically sound basis on which to argue that embodied learning should be the foundational cornerstone of physical education programmes. To avoid embodied learning becoming overly learner centric and insular, we advance Merleau-Pontian informed ideas on how learning could flourish when an individual and embodied focus merges with a school-wide physical culture agenda which is underpinned by social and moral theorizing. In developing our focus on merging embodied learning and physical culture, we draw upon MacIntyrean views on the goods which are internal to practice and extend thinking on how these goods could merge with the diverse aims and intentions informing the culture and ethos in schools. In pursuing these ambitions, we outline the constructive activist-based benefits of teachers working within subsidiarity-based school communities where pedagogical decisions are made at a level consistent with realizing whole schools aims. This is in spite of our acknowledgement that the lack of career-long professional learning adds to the difficulty of achieving these aims. In conclusion we argue that if physical education is to become a pivotal component of realizing a diverse range of whole school aims there is a need for greater professional engagement with pedagogical approaches that attempt to derive greater meaning from learners movement experiences and which help learners to understand better both their own identity and the ethos of the school context and environment they share with others.     

A genealogical analysis of Peter Arnold's conceptual account of meaning in movement,sport and physical education

We write as critical theorists who share an interest in how conceptions of physical education are taken forward in policy and practice. In this respect, we are particularly intrigued by Peter Arnold's conceptual account of meaning in movement, sport and physical education, and the subsequent ways in which his ideas have informed national curriculum ambitions. Despite the prominence of Arnold's influence, we are concerned that there has been an insufficiently rigorous and robust review of his theorising to date, particularly in relation to where his ideas originated from. Accordingly, we critically discuss the merits of adopting a genealogical approach in order to support a detailed analysis of Arnold's conceptual account of meaning in movement, sport and physical education; one which especially focuses on learning ‘about’, ‘through’ and ‘in’ movement. We conclude by questioning a number of the complex strands of Arnold's work in the expectation that greater lucidity and purpose can emerge. This it is argued will be beneficial in terms of providing clarity on aim or aims statements in physical education, which in turn can secure greater policy coherence and practice gains.