Engaging young students in scientific investigations: prompting for meaningful reflection

This study examined the verbal prompts a tutor used to promote reflection and young students’ responses to these prompts. Seven children (ages 8–12) participated in 260 min of one-on-one tutoring to learn scientific concepts related to gear movement; the tutor spontaneously provided these students with 763 prompts for reflection. Prompts reliably induced reflection: Students responded verbally 87% of the time. Turn-by-turn discourse analysis revealed seven distinct types of prompts and 11 distinct types of verbal responses. High-level prompts were strongly associated with high-level responses. A log-multiplicative association model with two dimensions (temporality and certainty) represented the relationships between prompt and response types; from this model, odds ratios estimated the strength of association between specific pairs of prompt and response types. Findings are discussed in terms of the effects that reflection may have on students’ developing understanding of scientific concepts.     

Self-efficacy, job satisfaction, motivation and commitment: exploring the relationships between indicators of teachers’ professional identity

This study investigates how relevant indicators of teachers’ sense of their professional identity (job satisfaction, occupational commitment, self-efficacy and change in level of motivation) are related. A model is proposed, tested with structural equation modelling (SEM) and refined using data from 1,214 Dutch teachers working in secondary education. Classroom self-efficacy and relationship satisfaction play a key influencing role in the relationships between the indicators. Using multiple-group SEM, the parameters of the overall model are similar for the novice, experienced and senior teachers in a constrained model. This aspect of similarity across experience groups is in line with findings of previous research on teachers’ professional identity. The present study contributes to the further development of a solid theory on teachers’ professional identity, which has been lacking.     

Good intentions: providing students with skills to avoid accidental plagiarism

This article explores one librarian's experience with creating and implementing a plagiarism seminar as part of the library liaison program to the School of Public Health and Health Professions at the University at Buffalo. The changes and evolution of the seminar over several iterations are described. This article also examines student perceptions, misperceptions, and reactions to the plagiarism workshop.     

Ironies and Limitations of Educational Leadership for Social Justice: A Call to Social Justice Educators

In this article that reviews this special issue, we identify 5 ironies and limitations of educational leadership for social justice: (a) the meaning of inclusive practice, (b) the intersection of identity and difference, (c) the emphasis given to student achievement, (d) the lack of policy and practice coherence, and (e) the separation of superheroes from critical collaborative leadership. Although we discuss each issue separately, these conceptions are interrelated and intersecting. We conclude with a call to educators for social justice to change their work in several fundamental ways.     

The relationship between adult health and childhood maltreatment,as moderated by anger and ethnic background

Childhood maltreatment, anger, and racial/ethnic background were examined in relation to physical health, psychological well-being, and blood pressure outcomes. This study used data from a diverse sample of African American, Latino, and Caucasian participants (N = 198). Results from a series of multiple regressions indicated anger and total childhood maltreatment were robust predictors of poorer health. Although correlational analyses found maltreatment from the mother and father were associated with poorer health outcomes, when considered as part of the regression models, only a relationship between maltreatment from the mother and physical health was found. Greater anger scores were linked with lower blood pressure, particularly systolic blood pressure. Generally, more psychological and physical symptom reporting was found with greater anger scores, and higher levels of total maltreatment also predicted physical symptoms. The pattern of interactions indicated anger was more detrimental for African American participant's (and marginally so for Latino participant's) physical health. Interestingly, interactions also indicated total childhood maltreatment was related to fewer symptoms for Latino participants. Although child maltreatment may be viewed as a moral and/or human rights issue, this study provides evidence that it can also be viewed as a public health issue. Our study demonstrated that known health risk factors such as anger and maltreatment may operate in a different pattern dependent on ethnic/cultural background. The findings suggest health and health disparities research would benefit from greater exploration of the differential impact of certain moderating variables based on racial/ethnic background.     

Does a paradox exist in child well-being risks among foreign-born Latinos,U.S.-born Latinos,and Whites? Findings from 50 California cities

Past research has identified “paradoxes” in infant health and child welfare services involvement, whereby children of Latinos and immigrants often demonstrate better health and decreased risk for child protective services involvement when compared to whites of similar socioeconomic position. This population-based study examined whether a paradox exists among immigrant and U.S.-born Latino caregivers in the prevalence and magnitude of risks to child well-being when compared to whites of similar socioeconomic position. Data were drawn from a random, general population telephone survey of parenting practices in 50 California cities (n = 2,259), which was administered in English and Spanish. The sample included 1,625 U.S.-born whites (72.0%), 351 U.S.-born Latinos (15.5%) and 283 foreign-born Latino respondents (12.5%). After adjusting for covariates in logistic regression models stratified by household income, immigrant caregivers in lower income households reported odds of insufficient food for the child that were 12 times as large as those for whites (OR 11.97, 95% CI 2.87, 49.86); odds of reported inability to take the child to the doctor and leaving a child in a place of questionable safety were nearly eight times as large (OR 7.92, 95% CI 2.38, 26.36 and OR 7.93, 95% CI 1.73, 36.46 respectively). These relationships were attenuated or insignificant for immigrant caregivers in households with greater resources. Therefore, a paradoxical relationship between socioeconomic position and risks to child well-being was not identified. Further research is needed to better understand the complex relationships between such risks, child health, and child protective services involvement.     

Faculty perceptions of common challenges encountered by novice doctoral writers

Although learning to write for publication is an important outcome of doctoral education, it has received surprisingly little scholarly attention. Within a socialization and supervisor pedagogy framework, this study uses narratives of faculty who regularly write with their doctoral students for publication to expose challenges students commonly encounter in the writing process. Common challenges include international students' ‘writing problem’, misconstruing the nature of disciplinary writing and not realizing that ‘public’ is part of publication.     

A Community of Practice Model for Introducing Mobile Tablets to University Faculty

We examined the effectiveness of a community of practice (CoP) model for introducing tablets to 139 faculty members at a higher education institution. Using a CoP within a systems model, we used large- and small-group mentorship to foster collaboration among faculty members. Most faculty members agreed that the project was well organized and activities were useful. In terms of measurable outcomes, many participants had developed plans for or completed scholarly activities related to tablets. Our findings support the use of CoP models to integrate technology within higher education. Additionally, they support such integrations as proof of concept for large, whole-campus technology integrations.     

Forming Oppositional Social Concord to California's Proposition 187 and Squelching Social Discord in the Vernacular Space of CHICLE

I examine the vernacular discourse of the CHICLE listserv, an academic site of inquiry that shifted its focus to operate as a site of opposition following California voters’ passage of Proposition 187, which aimed to restrict state services to undocumented immigrants. I identify the micro-level processes involved in forming a stance of opposition and reveal that a vernacular community's discourse tends to mirror the hegemonic characteristics of the dominant discourses it opposes, a tendency reinforced by homogeneous identity and a need to respond in opposition to dominant discourses. I also examine the role of dissent, or discord, among listserv members.