The role of powerful pedagogical strategies in curriculum development

Despite the frenetic pace of curriculum change in England and Wales it is highly questionable to what extent classrooms have changed since the inception of the National Curriculum, as little attention has been paid to teacher development. This article describes a human-scale approach to professional and curriculum development that relies upon powerful pedagogical strategies. The characteristics and popularity of these strategies are described. The model developed in the study of Effective Teachers of Numeracy (Askew et al., 1997) is used to explain how the use of the strategies can lead to professional and curriculum development. Particular attention is paid, through the reflective accounts of teachers who have used the strategies, to the role of pupil response in accelerating change. Finally the article discusses the way in which the strategies accord with much of what is known about how teachers plan.     

The Role of Theory in the Study of Peer Collaboration

This special issue illustrates how research on peer collaboration is influenced by different theoretical perspectives. In the first part of this commentary, the role of theory in each article is discussed. The authors use connections among theory, research questions, and study methods to identify how theory affected the work of each group of researchers. They then make the case that the real need lies in the integration of those theories and in the integration of all findings relevant to applied questions of collaborative processing. Following a brief review of relevant theories, the authors demonstrate how a cohesive, integrated theory of group processes can be adopted.     

Book Review — Motor Control and Learning: A Behavioral Emphasis

This paper seeks to extend the analytical scope of qualitative inquiry and our understanding on the analysis of stories we elicit and collect in the domains of sport and physical activity. Painting with broad strokes, we consider fi ve ways in which narratives can be analyzed to incorporate the hows and the whats of their telling. These are an analysis of conversation, an analysis of discourse, an analysis of how narratives are performed, an analysis of content, and an analysis of structure. In all sections, various strengths and weaknesses of each approach are identifi ed and exemplars are provided. The paper closes by suggesting that researchers might consider using a variety of analyses in order to assist them to understand the complexities of the social world in different ways.     

Manipulatives Work!

This essay invites reflection on the phenomena of time as it impacts the day-to-day life of teachers. It also explores assumptions about time and teaching in three areas: first, beliefs about the force of time and the teacher's struggle to control it; second, beliefs about the potential of time and the benefits of its passing for teachers and students; and finally, beliefs about significant moments in time and the teacher's courage to be appropriately responsive to them.     

Internet/E-mail Usage and Well-Being Among 65–84 Year Olds in New Zealand: Policy Implications

Research indicates that significant groups of older people are using Internet/e-mail technology. Using data from a 2007 random sample of 1,680 New Zealanders aged 65–84, predictors of Internet/e-mail usage and the impact of usage on well-being were investigated. Gender, age, education, household composition, income, and work were significant predictors of Internet/e-mail usage. Significant positive relationships were also found between Internet/e-mail usage, self-rated health, leisure/recreation participation and leadership, and well-being. These research findings suggest that public policies should encourage older people to adopt Internet/e-mail technology to ensure continued participation, learning, and well-being throughout later years.     

RETHINKING FAITH FORMATION

This article is based on the assumption that we need to rethink processes of faith formation in order to meet the need for deeper meaning and authentic relationship within U.S. culture. The author argues that an intentional, effective, and life-giving ecology of faith formation within the communion of a faith community is necessary. Elements of an effective ecology including relationships, structures, and practices are discussed using examples from faith formation in the early Methodist movement.     

Concurrent and Longitudinal Relations Between Children's Sleep and Cognitive Functioning: The Moderating Role of Parent Education

Relations between children's sleep and cognitive functioning were examined over 2 years, and race and socioeconomic status were assessed as moderators of effects. Third-grade African American and European American children ( N  =   166; M  =   8.72 years) participated at Time 1 and again 2 years later ( N  =   132). At both Time 1 and Time 2, sleep was examined via self-report and actigraphy. Children were administered selected tests from the Woodcock–Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities, and Stanford Achievement Test scores were obtained from schools. Children's sleep was related to intellectual ability and academic achievement. Results build substantially on an emerging literature supportive of the importance of sleep in children.     

Why Roger Federer is a GOAT: an account of sporting genius

Why is Roger Federer a GOAT (‘Greatest of All Time’) of tennis? I argue that the correct response goes beyond statistics and style of play; instead, it is due to the fact that Federer embodies the qualities that typify sporting genius. More than merely being a developed or refined form of expertise, sporting genius relies on the notion of performative fit; that is, the capacity to express viable ways of succeeding within a given sport in virtue of one’s cultivated history of biological and socio-cultural existence. In other words, a genius such as Federer perfectly fits the requirements of his sport and, moreover, is able to safeguard and shape this fit through his unique disposition to perform in certain ways. Performative fit provides the foundations for received traits of genius such as creativity, self-belief and risk-taking.     

More than experiential learning or volunteering: a case study of community service learning within the Australian context

Community service learning is the integration of experiential learning and community service into coursework such that community needs are met and students gain both professional skills and a sense of civic responsibility. A critical component is student reflection. This paper provides an example of the application of community service learning within an undergraduate health unit at the Queensland University of Technology. Based on survey data from 36 program participants, it demonstrates the impact of CSL on student outcomes. Results show that students benefited by developing autonomy through real world experiences, through increased self‐assurance and achievement of personal growth, through gaining new insights into the operations of community service organisations and through moving towards becoming responsible citizens. Students expect their CSL experience to have long‐lasting impact on their lives, with two‐thirds of participants noting that they would like to continue volunteering as part of their future development.     

The Role of Executive Functions in Socioeconomic Attainment Gaps: Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial

The socioeconomic attainment gap in mathematics starts early and increases over time. This study aimed to examine why this gap exists. Four-year-olds from diverse backgrounds were randomly allocated to a brief intervention designed to improve executive functions (N = 87) or to an active control group (N = 88). The study was preregistered and followed CONSORT guidelines. Executive functions and mathematical skills were measured at baseline, 1 week, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year posttraining. Executive functions mediated the relation between socioeconomic status and mathematical skills. Children improved over training, but this did not transfer to untrained executive functions or mathematics. Executive functions may explain socioeconomic attainment gaps, but cognitive training directly targeting executive functions is not an effective way to narrow this gap.