Project stream: A 13‐year follow‐up of a pre‐college program for middle‐ and high‐school underrepresented gifted

This current, longitudinal study addresses two critical issues related to underrepresented gifted: identification and programming. As a follow‐up of minority and low‐income students identified as gifted in middle school, the study provides insight into the potential predictive value of specific gifted attributes on later academic performance: high‐school graduation, matriculation in an institution of higher learning, and completion of a college degree. Findings support the value of multiple forms of identification, specifically in problem‐solving, teacher identification of leadership ability, and grade point average. The study also evaluates the impact on academic outcomes of a long‐term, university/school pre‐college partnership program for middle‐ and senior‐high‐school underrepresented gifted. Results show a significant relationship between the level of student involvement in program activities and successful achievement of academic outcomes.     

Rural women in development: Veil of invisibility, world of work

Over the last decade, evidence has been accumulating that the process of development has resulted more frequently in greater economic marginalization than benefits for poor rural women in much of the Third World. Yet recent efforts aimed at incorporating these poor non-urban women into development have been hampered by the “veil of invisibility” hiding their past and present conditions and contributions. This article formulates some hypotheses concerning female invisibility as well as productivity, and then contrasts the extant view of rural Third World women as relatively unproductive with (1) evidence drawn from evolutionary history, and (2) data from new micro-level and UN studies. The former indicates that women were the primary producers in most pre-agrarian human groups. The latter indicate that women continue to produce approximately half the world's food, although there is dramatic regional variation. The article concludes with an analysis of the statistical biases and stereotypes that obscure these contributions and briefly indicates the cost of this invisibility to the countries involved as well as to the women themselves.     

THE DYNAMICS OF LEARNING SCIENCE IN EVERYDAY CONTEXTS: A CASE STUDY OF EVERYDAY SCIENCE CLASS IN KOREA

With recognition of the importance of scientific literacy for the nation and yet the increasing students’ disinterest in science through school science curriculum, the Korea Science Foundation launched an innovative program called ‘Everyday Science Class (ESC)’ in partnership with universities and local government offices in 2003. In this work, we introduce the structure and dynamics of the ESC program in K-district through examining (1) how everyday contexts helped learners’ perceptions and attitudes toward science and (2) how the dynamics of learning environments effected learners’ learning process. We employed interviews and video recording of classes for data collection. To analyze the data, we used the process of thematic coding to understand the outcomes and effects of ESC program. The research findings showed that everyday context and a unique environment of learning with parents in the ESC program could bring forth learners’ understandings on the connection between science and their everyday lives and positive attitudes toward science learning. We also found that there were certain issues to be taken into account in terms of children’s cognitive development for further development.     

The Impact of Quality Matters Professional Development on Teaching across Delivery Formats

ABSTRACT

This study explored the impact of professional development workshops for online course design on faculty’s pedagogical practices in online, face-to-face (f2f), and blended instructional modes. It specifically focused on trainings offered by the Quality Matters (QM) organization on a rubric for assessing quality in online course development. A mixed-methods analysis of survey data collected from 2,148 participants in QM workshops over a three-year period (2012–2015) demonstrated that, across all three teaching modes, participants revised learning objectives, improved course alignment, and paid greater attention to communication with students. Additional benefits from participating in QM training related to specific modalities. Common online and blended impacts included changes in assessment practices as well as in modifying course materials to be more compliant with accessibility standards. In f2f settings, frequent changes involved redesigning learning activities to increase learner-learner interaction.