The <Emphasis Type="Italic">Synergies</Emphasis> research–practice partnership project: a <Emphasis Type="Italic">2020 Vision</Emphasis> case study

This paper, describes Synergies, an on-going longitudinal study and design effort, being conducted in a diverse, under-resourced community in Portland, Oregon, with the goal of measurably improving STEM learning, interest and participation by early adolescents, both in school and out of school. Authors examine how the work of this particular research–practice partnership is attempting to accommodate the six principles outlined in this issue: (1) to more accurately reflect learning as a lifelong process occurring across settings, situations and time frames; (2) to consider what STEM content is worth learning; (3) to examine learning as a cultural process, involving varied repertoires of practice across learners’ everyday lives; (4) to directly involve practitioners (and learners) in the research process; (5) to document how existing and emerging technologies and new media are, and will continue, to shape and redefine the content and practice of STEM learning research; and, (6) to take into account the broader socio-cultural–political contexts of the needs and concerns of the larger global society.     

Look to the East to Gain a New Perspective, Understand Cultural Differences, and Appreciate Cultural Diversity

Childrearing and educational practices accurately reflect cultural values. Cross-cultural experiences highlight some ways attitudes about early childhood, parenting, and teaching are influenced by cultural experiences and expectations. The author's experiences in China illustrate interesting ways these programs are very different from their American counterparts. Some of the differences revolve around practices such as residential programs for young children, the nature of classroom interactions, and contrasting approaches to teaching the arts. Identifying and understanding the reasons for some of those differences can sensitize readers to broader issues of cultural pluralism and help teachers celebrate cultural diversity as they work with families from varied backgrounds.     

School-Based Management: Reconceptualizing to Improve Learning Outcomes

This article examines educational decentralization efforts in both developed and developing countries, guided by two questions: (1) under what conditions does school-based management (SBM) produce best results and (2) what are the roles and relationships of the school/community and of the region/center. The authors summarize, from recent literature, reasons for the usual failure of SBM and identify the conditions under which SBM works, noting school/community relations and external infrastructure as important factors. In looking at research from developing countries, the authors highlight similarities and differences compared to Western research, focusing on projects with promising results. Finally, the article draws strategic implications for establishing the kind of school-based developments that will positively affect learning outcomes.     

Common Core Science Standards: Implications for Students with Learning Disabilities

The Common Core Science Standards represent a new effort to increase science learning for all students. These standards include a focus on English and language arts aspects of science learning, and three dimensions of science standards, including practices of science, crosscutting concepts of science, and disciplinary core ideas in the various subject areas. Many of these issues bring important implications for students with learning disabilities, which we discuss in turn. With appropriate supports and applications, students with learning disabilities can potentially benefit greatly from these new standards. However, the demands of these standards may require a higher level of support than those commonly available for many students with learning disabilities.     

Software Engineering as a Professional Discipline

In this paper we discuss some of the aspects of software engineering as a professional discipline. After a brief discussion of software engineering as a profession, we focus on accreditation, licensing, and certification. We examine historic trends, current status, and the future outlook in each of these areas. We anticipate that this will continue to be an area that sparks professional interest and debate, as the field of software engineering matures.     

Self-Determination and Student Transition Planning Knowledge and Skills: Predicting Involvement

Abstract

Promoting active student involvement in transition planning has become best practice in promoting self-determination. This study examined the contribution of self-determination to transition planning knowledge and skills for 180 students with disabilities. Utilizing multiple regression analyses, the study found that global self-determination was a significant predictor of overall transition planning knowledge and skills, as well as of transition planning factors related to knowledge and skills about the individualized education program team process, goals, and decision making. Furthermore, when self-determination was broken into its component elements and included in the analyses, those elements, particularly self-regulation and self-awareness/self-knowledge, became the sole predictors of transition planning knowledge and skills.     

Making authentic science accessible to students

Authentic activities are important in promoting inquiry because they provide natural problem-solving contexts with high degrees of complexity. This study designed and studied effective inquiry tasks through transforming content, scientific thinking, and resources featured in scientists' authentic practices. This study investigated how 59 inner-city 6th grade students performed in real-time forecasting situations involving fronts and pressure systems. Forecasts were evaluated in terms of prediction agreement, meteorological entity consideration, explanation type, and scientific knowledge use because these four categories reflected inquiry features emphasized in the forecasting task. Results show that real-world situations that mapped closely onto students' content understandings, rather than those with naturally occurring complex patterns, helped students perform inquiry. Key ideas discussed in this paper include the importance of using authentic situations to develop rich understandings about scientific knowledge and the design of tasks that prepare students to participate in social practices valued by the science community.     

Surviving the Broadcast Media in Small Language Communities

Abstract

The broadcast media challenge the survival of small languages as never before. To date the result largely has been negative, since broadcast media can penetrate to the remote areas that often shelter small languages and can invade even the strongest small‐language sanctuary ‐‐ the home. Where modern media have been enlisted to serve small languages, the uses to which the small languages have been put have been mostly serious and usually educational. This emphasis on the serious overlooks the strongest attributes of most small languages: their rich individuality as repositories of local flavour and folk tradition. These could be mustered for use in broadcasting to great effect and benefit in the support of beleaguered small languages.