The Images for Teaching Education Project: developing multimedia resources within an integrative educational framework

The University of Exeter heads a consortium which has developed multimedia resources primarily for initial teacher education. Amongst a range of resources produced are Critical Encounters in Secondary Education , which deals with critical incidents in the classroom and how to deal with them, Multimedia in the Learning Environment , which deals with both the nature of multimedia and how it may be used in support of a range of approaches to teaching and learning and English Chalklands which deals with interpretational and judgemental responses to landscape. The resources are described and discussed in the context of the educational framework which has been developed to guide their use.     

Intervening with school problems: A family systems perspective

Viewing children's behavior from a systems perspective allows the school-based consultant an expanded perception of the contextual function of the behavior. The two key systems in a child's life, home and school, often overlap, and what occurs in one system can affect the child's behavior in the other system. By considering the relationships of the child to both home and school, a more holistic view of the child is obtained, and greater opportunity for family involvement is provided. This article explains the differences between systemic and linear approaches to behavior, and provides examples of how the school-based consultant can intervene from a systems perspective, using interviews, short-term family counseling, and teacher consultation. Issues and cautions about using a systemic approach are presented, and the need for data-based research is explored.     

Mediating stress: Survival of the hardy

The present study explored variation in individual personality characteristics, termed “hardiness,” among female elementary teachers who had differing levels of burnout despite high levels of occupational stress. One hundred thirty-four female elementary teachers completed the Teaching Events Stress Inventory, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, The Allienation Test, and the Internal-External Control Scale. Data also were collected on demographic variables, incidence of stress-related physical and mental illness, and coping activities. Teachers with high stress and low burnout were less alienated than were teachers with high stress and high burnout. The low burnout teachers chose more active types of coping activities than did the high burnout teachers. Incidence of stress-related physical illness was significantly correlated with level of stress, emotional exhaustion (burnout), and alienation. Implications for future research and school district interventions are discussed.     

Male primary school teachers: Helping or hindering a move to gender equity?

Despite research linking dominant masculinities to the disengagement of some boys from schooling, men teachers appear to be either unaware of the related literature, or reluctant to engage in behaviours that have increased their vulnerability to accusations of sexual abuse or homosexuality. A small study of men teachers in England, Sweden and New Zealand investigated the extent to which the men believed their teacher education had prepared them to teach in the gendered environment of the primary school. Teachers were also questioned about their views on gender differences in students and in the teaching practices of male and female teachers. Although the size of the study restricts the validity of data, the differences between the teachers in England and New Zealand, and those interviewed in Sweden, suggest that further research is warranted. A societal emphasis on gender equity in Sweden was reflected in the commentaries of Swedish men teachers on their pedagogical attitudes and actions relative to gender-based issues in schools. This emphasis was not evident to the same extent in England and New Zealand.     

Health promoting schools: a New Zealand perspective

In the last 20 years the health promoting schools movement has gained momentum internationally. Without strong national leadership and direction its development in New Zealand has been ad hoc and sporadic. However, as the evidence supporting the role of health promoting schools in contributing to students' health and academic outcomes becomes more robust, their potential can no longer be ignored. This paper sets out to provide an overview of the state of the health promoting schools movement in New Zealand and examines the national framework and process in the light of the international literature.     

A Model for Expanding Active Learning Regionally: The Greater Upstate New York Inquiry-Based Learning Consortium

What began as a small group of professors gathering to discuss implementation of Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) in our classes has developed into a strong regional community of practice. Through a generous grant and a lot of hard work, we created the Greater Upstate New York IBL consortium with a mission to create, grow, and maintain a community of instructors across the region. We describe how the consortium formed organically and the way that it operates. We provide suggestions for creating your own regional community of practice for supporting the adoption and enhancement of active learning techniques.