Sexuality education: findings and recommendations from an analysis of 10 United States programmes

In this study, we identified 10 sexuality education programmes from different locations in the USA that aim to give young people knowledge and skills to develop healthy relationships, as well as avoid pregnancy and disease. We conducted in-depth interviews with programme administrators to develop a series of case studies and provide concrete recommendations for education and public health professionals to implement similar approaches in their communities. Many programme administrators succeeded in developing partnerships, adapting existing curricula to suit their environments, engaging external evaluators and garnering support from teachers and parents. However, few programme developers conducted formal needs assessments before developing programmes and many struggled to implement curricula with fidelity and to employ rigorous evaluation designs. Nearly all participants identified concerns over funding as a threat to sustainability. We conclude that schools and organisations need technical assistance to build capacity for rigorous programme planning, implementation and evaluation, as well as additional funding streams to support emerging programmes.     

Determination of clinically relevant content for a musculoskeletal anatomy curriculum for physical medicine and rehabilitation residents

To address the need for more clinical anatomy training in residency education, many postgraduate programs have implemented structured anatomy courses into their curriculum. Consensus often does not exist on specific content and level of detail of the content that should be included in such curricula. This article describes the use of the Delphi method to identify clinically relevant content to incorporate in a musculoskeletal anatomy curriculum for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) residents. A two round modified Delphi involving PM&R experts was used to establish the curricular content. The anatomical structures and clinical conditions presented to the expert group were compiled using multiple sources: clinical musculoskeletal anatomy cases from the PM&R residency program at the University of Toronto; consultation with PM&R experts; and textbooks. In each round, experts rated the importance of each curricular item to PM&R residency education using a five‐point Likert scale. Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) was used to determine consensus at the end of each round and agreement scores were used as an outcome measure to determine the content to include in the curriculum. The overall internal consistency in both rounds was 0.99. A total of 37 physiatrists from across Canada participated and the overall response rate over two rounds was 97%. The initial curricular list consisted of 361 items. After the second iteration, the list was reduced by 44%. By using a national consensus method we were able to objectively determine the relevant anatomical structures and clinical musculoskeletal conditions important in daily PM&R practice. Anat Sci Educ 7: 135–143. © 2013 American Association of Anatomists.     

Personal constructs and the enhancement of adolescent engagement in reading

In this article, Nicole Irwin analyses the literature concerning enhancement of reading engagement for adolescents. She argues that cognition is irrevocably linked to the affective domain, and that voluntary engaged reading can be enhanced more effectively by attention to the perceptions of learners in addition to their cognitive skills. With Personal Construct Psychology as the framework, Nicole examines the constructs that readers develop about themselves, shaped by their understanding of (1) the purpose and nature of reading, (2) gender and (3) parents’ attitudes and behaviour concerning reading. The possible implications Personal Construct Psychology might have for education policy, culture and classroom practice are considered.     

Developing Future Women Leaders: The Importance of Mentoring and Role Modeling in the Girls’ School Context

In this article, I explore the concepts of mentoring and role modeling with regard to developing student leaders within the girls’ school context. The foundation for this discussion lies in two qualitative studies involving staff and students from girls’ schools located in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Both survey and focus groups were used as methods of data collection. Mentoring and role modeling in school settings is reported in this study as taking place in two different forms: student/student and staff/student. This research identified the multidimensional nature of these relationships with regard to female school staff who then became role models for female students. Ultimately, mentoring and role modeling may help female students in developing the knowledge and skills required for leadership as well as assisting in an understanding of gender barriers in relation to leadership roles.     

The role of materialism on social,emotional and behavioural difficulties for British adolescents

The relationship between materialism and social-emotional behavioural difficulties (SEBDs) was assessed by comparing a sample of adolescents receiving in-school behavioural support with adolescents not receiving any support. All participants completed the Youth Materialism Scale and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Binary logistic regression indicated that adolescents who reported higher levels of materialism were more likely to be classified into a group considered ‘at-risk’ for developing conduct and peer problems. Hierarchical logistic regression assessed the moderation of behavioural support and indicated that adolescents in receipt of behavioural support who reported higher levels of materialism were at a greater risk of hyperactivity in comparison to those who receive support but reported lower levels of materialism. For adolescents not receiving behavioural support, less materialistic attitudes placed them at a greater risk of hyperactivity. These findings highlight the importance of distinguishing between different SEBD typologies and the potential effects of materialism during adolescence.     

Sexuality and relationships education: toward a social studies approach

Globally, gender norms and power differentials profoundly affect both girls' and boys' sexual attitudes, practices and health. One avenue for enabling young people to reflect on traditional gender arrangements that endanger their health—and to lay the groundwork for satisfying sexual lives—is sexuality and relationships education (SRE). Unfortunately, many SRE programmes address gender norms and critical thinking skills either superficially or not at all. Moreover, in some developing countries, SRE programmes do not reach the majority of girls aged 15–19, a high proportion of whom are simply not in school. This paper argues for grounding SRE within a social studies framework, emphasizing gender and social context. Such an approach can foster critical thinking skills, can provide a foundation for subsequent lessons on explicitly sexual topics, can illuminate the links between gender inequality and other social issues, can allow for a human‐rights emphasis that may prove politically less controversial than technical sexuality topics, and may ultimately prove vital to achieving better sexual health outcomes. The experience of community‐based programmes provides lessons for designing and evaluating such approaches in schools.     

Challenging the premises of international policy reviews: an introduction to the review symposium

In 2009, a think tank called the International Alliance of Leading Education Institutes (IALEI) announced the results of a study entitled Climate Change and Sustainable Development: The Response from Education. Intended for a policy audience, the study offered a glimpse into the status of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and an early look at the emergence of Climate Change Education (CCE), in 10 different nations. As with most international reports, the IALEI report provoked many questions, some of which are more broadly relevant to scholarship and practice. This paper introduces a review symposium that addresses three such questions: (1) How coherent is the concept of ESD across national contexts and what conceptual tensions continue to surround ESD and CCE? (2) Can nation-level analyses tell us anything useful about countries where education is not centrally governed? and (3) In light of the evolving relationship between educational research and policy, how should researchers engage with ongoing policy debates?     

Why we Need Certification Standards in Criminal Justice Education and what the Impacts will be: a Response to the Concerns of JDs

In 2005 the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences approved ACJS Certification Standards for Academic Programs. This was the culmination of two decades of efforts on the part of criminal justice educators to establish minimum standards for the discipline. These standards were developed to improve the quality of criminal justice education at the associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degree levels. Section C, which establishes faculty qualifications for teaching at the various program levels, has been criticized by educators holding JDs as an effort by PhDs to push them out of the profession. The President of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences responds to specific concerns of JDs and then discusses the general impacts of the ACJS certification standards on criminal justice education.