Leading the horse to the water: Teacher training for all teachers in a faculty of Health Sciences

Abstract

This paper describes a project, which aimed to develop a programme for the entire teaching staff of a faculty of health sciences, who had received initial teacher training earlier in their career. The programme was developed according to sound educational principles and was supported by the faculty board. Departments also received financial compensation for participation in the workshops. During the first two years of this programme almost 60% of the tenured teachers participated in at least one workshop. Reasons for participation and non‐participation are discussed.     

Leadership Practice in Service of Homeless Students: An Examination of Community Perceptions

This qualitative study examines the collaboration and leadership practice that influences the education of homeless students in a large Mid-Atlantic city. The perspectives of administrators and staff members from three homeless shelters are analyzed with insights from Spillane’s (Distributed leadership, 2006) distributed leadership theory. Findings from the study indicate that differences in shelter and school structures and cultures present significant obstacles to productive communication that would facilitate homeless children’s schooling. Several structural and programmatic recommendations are made towards developing more effective leadership practice among schools and shelters.

Do the Effects of Head Start Vary by Parental Preacademic Stimulation?

Data from the Head Start Impact Study (N = 3,185, age = 3–4 years) were used to determine whether 1 year of Head Start differentially benefited children from homes with high, middle, and low levels of parental preacademic stimulation on three academic outcome domains—early math, early literacy, and receptive vocabulary. Results from residualized growth models showed positive impacts of random assignment to Head Start on all three outcomes, and positive associations between parental preacademic stimulation and academic performance. Two moderated effects were also found. Head start boosted early math skills the most for children receiving low parental preacademic stimulation. Effects of Head Start on early literacy skills were largest for children receiving moderate levels of parental preacademic stimulation. Implications for Head Start are discussed.     

LOST IN TRANSLATION: USING VIDEO ANNOTATION SOFTWARE TO EXAMINE HOW A CLINICAL SUPERVISOR INTERPRETS AND APPLIES A STATE-MANDATED TEACHER ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT

This case study examines the reasoning of a clinical supervisor as she assesses preservice teacher candidates with a state-mandated performance assessment instrument. The supervisor's evaluations were recorded using video annotation software, which allowed her to record her observations in real-time. The study reveals some of the inherent challenges in clinical supervision and the use of a state's mandated performance rubrics to evaluate teacher competencies. Findings indicate that the clinical supervisor found it difficult to interpret rubric criteria, often made tenuous claims about candidates' performance, and tended to require students to design lessons that were artificial demonstrations of mandated competencies. Findings also suggest that the difficulties faced by the clinical supervisor were likely connected to inadequate professional development regarding the use of the state-mandated performance assessment instrument. The article concludes with a discussion of the need for better professional development for clinical supervisors given their important role in the professional development of tomorrow's teachers and suggests other areas for future research.     

When more is less: Extending training of the blocking association following compound training attenuates the blocking effect

Three conditioned lick suppression experiments with rats were performed to assess the influence, following compound training of two stimuli (A and X) with the same outcome (AX-O trials), of extending training of the blocking association (i.e., A-O) on responding to the target stimulus (X) at test. In Experiment 1, backward blocking was attenuated when the blocking association was extensively trained. Experiment 2 showed that forward blocking was also attenuated by extensive further training of the blocking association following the AX-O trials. Experiment 3 contrasted candidate explanations of the results of Experiments 1 and 2 and demonstrated that these results are consistent with the framework of the extended comparator hypothesis (Denniston, Savastano, & Miller, 2001).     

REVISING A COLLEGE'S TOTAL CURRICULUM‐THE PROCESS AND THE PRODUCT

ABSTRACT

Use of: curriculum definition, outside consultant review, extensive research tied to outcomes assessment, curriculum planning models, time commitment estimation, and human relations/group dynamics in revising a college's entire curriculum is reported. Although all of the above are important, consensus models to include delphi are the critical catalyst.     

Spiritual Modalities: Prayer as Rhetoric and Performance

The Exhibition Speaker: containing Farces, Dialogues, and Tableaux, with Exercises for Declamation in Prose and Verse. Also, a Treatise on Oratory and Elocution, Hints on Dramatic Characters, Costumes, Position on the Stage, Making Up, Etc. Etc. To which is added a Complete System of Calisthenics and Gymnastics. By P. A. Fitzgerald. New York: Sheldon and Company, 1866; pp.268.

A Manual of the Art of Prose Composition. By J. M. Bonnell, D.D. Louisville: John P. Morton and Company, 1867.