Same constructs,different results: Examining the consistency of two behavior‐rating scales with referred preschoolers

Broad‐band or multidimensional behavior‐rating scales are common tools for evaluating children. Two popular behavior‐rating scales, the Behavior Assessment System for Children, Second Edition (BASC‐2; Reynolds & Kamphaus, 2004) and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL; Achenbach & Rescorla, 2000), have undergone downward extensions so that the preschool versions are available for children as young as 18 months. Limited research, however, has been conducted on the preschool versions of the BASC‐2 and CBCL. This study examined the consistency of results from the two preschool versions when completed by parents of clinically referred preschoolers. Comparisons of similarly named scales found significant correlations. Mean scores for several of the constructs were significantly different, however, and often resulted in inconsistent classification decisions. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The influence of school leadership on teachers’ perception of teacher evaluation policy

The understanding of teachers’ perception of new educational policy is crucial since this perception shapes the policy’s implementation. However, quantitative research in this area is scarce. This article draws on empirical data to investigate whether the school leader might influence his teachers’ perception of the new teacher evaluation policy. The conceptualisation of teachers’ perception consists of three policy characteristics: practicality, need and clarifying function. Our results indicate that school leadership influences teachers’ policy perception. More specifically, the structure a school leader provides in a school and the amount of trust teachers have in the school leader have a significant impact on teachers’ perception of the practicality of the new teacher evaluation policy.     

Media and international sporting rivalry: the Anglo-German sporting rivalry and the shaping of international sporting competition between nations

Abstract

This article examines the emergence the sporting angle to Anglo-German rivalry from 1908 to 1920, with the focus upon the Olympic Games. Since the cold war international sport has been awash with rivalries between nations that attempt to demonstrate their superiority upon the sports field. Although certainly not the first international sporting rivalry, but perhaps the first which was emblematic of military tensions. Here, the focus will be upon the British perspective to rivalry. The majority of the primary material comes from the British press chosen because of the wide variety of opinions upon German participation and athletes that reveal aspects of British identity revealed via comment and comparison between the two nations. The rivalry and tensions between Britain and Germany illustrated here spilled over into war in July 1914. In the period before the outbreak of war, British interest in German Olympic participation grew, as did fears of their abilities. While in the period after the conclusion of hostilities in November 1918 illustrated the regard by which Germany was held in after the war.     

Democratic communities of inquiry: Creating opportunities to develop citizenship

One of the most significant obstacles to inquiry and deliberation is citizenship education. There are few mechanisms for the development of citizens’ democratic character within most societies, and greater opportunities need to be made to ensure our democracies are epistemically justifiable. The character and quality of citizens’ interactions are a crucial aspect for any democracy; their engagement (or lack thereof) make a significant difference between a deliberative society and an electoral oligarchy. I contend that through demarchic procedures, citizens are subject to collective learning process in virtue of being part of communal decision-making and in so doing can develop their capacities for deliberation with practice over time. Demarchic bodies (functionally decentralised authorities that have members chosen by random selection) can be utilised as communities of inquiry (learning processes where participants collectively construct a problem). By viewing democracy as both a learning process and a decision-making mechanism, the quality of deliberation and participation can improve over time as well.     

Next generation crosscutting themes: Factors that contribute to students' understandings of size and scale

This study examined the degree to which individual differences in students' (N = 232) concepts of size and scale are explained by factors such as students' innate sense of number, out‐of‐school science experiences, exposure to size and scale instruction, gender identities, and racial/ethnic identities. There is increasing emphasis being placed on the use of crosscutting concepts to promote deep learning in science. A multiple linear regression indicated students' racial/ethnic identities, experiences with scale outside of school, and exposure to size and scale instruction significantly added to the prediction model. Results from this study can both inform the movement toward incorporating crosscutting concepts into pedagogy as well as inform educators, administrators, and other stakeholders of the factors that may shape students' understanding of the cross‐cutting concept of scale, proportion, and quantity.     

‘Control must be maintained’: exploring teachers’ pedagogical practice outside the classroom

Drawing on qualitative data, this article presents an analysis of six secondary science teachers’ expectations and practices related to teaching outdoors during a professional development programme. Using Foucault’s and Bernstein’s theories of ‘space’, routines and set practices, I argue that participant teachers’ fear of losing control of their students when in contexts outside the classroom was constructed as place specific in terms of boundaries (or lack of), familiarity and disturbance. Teachers’ ‘fearful’ expectations when outside triggered the initial use of regulatory technologies that were frequently more assertive and controlling than their usual classroom practice, resulting in increased authoritative teaching approaches. However, once technologies of power were developed for use outside, teachers were able to translate and apply their normal dialogic teaching approaches from the classroom. The article concludes with a discussion of student self-regulation through collaborative group work as a step towards resolving the tensions between dialogic pedagogy and teaching in new contexts.     

Integrated Spiritual Development: A New Approach to Nurturing Adolescent Spirituality and Faith

Healthy adolescent spiritual development is being hindered both by U.S. culture, which demands conformity to unattainable standards, and by the failure of the Church to become relevant in the lives of young people. This article explores how the alternative religious community found at a Christian summer camp can lead to positive growth in the spiritual lives of young people. Based on the insights that emerged from the stories of campers’ experiences, I suggest a new approach to adolescent spiritual development.     

The effect of switching to mandatory online course assessments on response rates and course ratings

Increasingly, student assessments of courses are being conducted online as opposed to administered in class. A growing body of research compares response rates and course ratings of courses evaluated online versus on paper. The present study extends this research by comparing student course assessments before and after the University of South Florida made online evaluations mandatory for all courses. This change only directly affected courses taught on-campus, as online courses were already being assessed online. However, we examine the effect of this change on courses taught on-campus and online, because we expect this change in policy to have differential effects. We hypothesise that by making online assessments mandatory for all courses, online assessments went from a novel method of evaluation to the norm; and, therefore, increased response rates for online courses, but had the opposite effect for on-campus courses. We find mixed support for our hypothesis.