The New ‘Functional Mathematics’ for Learners with Down Syndrome: Numeracy for a Digital World

ABSTRACT

This paper explores the challenge of determining the mathematics curriculum for students with Down syndrome in our digital age where the tools of mathematics including electronic calculators and smartphone applications are readily available. Aspects once considered essential for ‘functional mathematics’ such as written calculation, using cash and telling time can be undertaken with easily accessible devices. Deeper concepts such as generalising through algebra, making decisions about money, and engaging in mathematical problem solving and applications are now a possibility. This paper explores the challenge through the theoretical perspectives of Educational Quality of Life and Numeracy Development, presenting five principles for mathematics curriculum planning. The possibility exists of using year level appropriate mathematics curriculum to build lifelong numeracy – ‘functional’ mathematics for a new age.     

Distribution of influence,communication, and relational mentoring in the US superintendency

We report on how fifty superintendents (chief executive officers of public school systems, each invited by a researcher to participate) from seven states in the US talked in eight focus groups of their perspectives on their influence as leaders, their efforts to communicate with stakeholders, and how they learn from these stakeholders. We maintain that our participants’ revelations suggest that three definitions must be expanded to fit their work. First, influence or authority must be seen not merely as vested in the superintendent; rather, these superintendents described their leadership in terms of working with and through others. Second, organizational communication for these superintendents is more than the district’s leader communicating his or her perceptions and wishes to others; it is more relational, in which a variety of actors communicate their perspectives to one another. Third, this type of inter‐professional leadership leads logically to relational mentoring, where learning does not pass merely from expert to novice; rather, superintendents described their roles in terms of various parties learning from and teaching one another. We discuss implications of these insights for practice, research, and preparation.     

Validating racism and cultural respect: testing the psychometric properties and educational impact of perceived discrimination and multiculturation for Indigenous and non-Indigenous students

Within the field of quantitative research, the diverse and negative effects of racial discrimination have become increasingly documented across a number of outcome variables (including physical, mental, and social wellbeing); however, research on the direct effects of racism is less evident within educational settings. The present investigation explored the negative impact of perceived racial discrimination, in addition to perceptions of cultural respect (Multiculturation) on both objective (e.g., student grades) and subjective (e.g., importance of school) schooling outcomes for a sample of Indigenous Australian and non-Indigenous Australian high school students. Perceived racial discrimination was found to be one of the strongest negative predictors of a number of outcomes for Indigenous Australian students, and Multiculturation was also found to have substantial positive relations with the subjective schooling outcomes for the same group of students. That the results were also generalisable to the non-Indigenous students suggests that attempts to combat racism and promote respect may benefit all members of society.     

Technology

TECHNOLOGY (Social Issues Resources Inc P.O. Box 2507, Boca Raton, Fla. 33432---one three-ring notebook of articles from 1980-1981, $52.00)

INFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND ITS IMPACT ON AMERICAN EDUCATION (Washington, D.C., Office of Technology Assessment, Ynited States Congress, September l982---price not given, paper)

VIDEO GAMES TODAY: MANAGEMENT, MARKETING AND TECHNOLOGY (Phillips Publishing, Suite 1200 N, 7315 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814---$147.00 per year, monthly)

TELECONFERENCING AND ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS (Center for Interactive Programs, Old Radio Hall, 975 Observatory Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706---$25.00, paper)

Anthony T. Easton, THE HOME SATELLITE TV BOOK: HOW TO PUT THE WORLD IN YOUR BACK YARD (New York: Wideview Books, 1982---$10.95, paperback)

SATELLITE TV WEEK (Fortuna Publishing Co., P.O. Box 308, Fortuna, CA 95540---$48.00 per year, weekly)

Rhonda Presser, ed., THE 1982 SATELLITE DIRECTORY (Phillips Publishing, Inc., 7315 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814 ---$95.00)

“Cable Television: The Monopoly Myth and Competitive Reality” (Shooshan and Jackson, Inc., 1850 K St., N.W., Suite 510, Washington, D.C. 20006---price not given, paper)

“Cable and Children: An ACT Handbook” (Action for Children's Television, 46 Austin St., Newtonville, MA 02160---free on request)     

Establishing a Framework for Successful Social Network Site Use in the Community College

ABSTRACT

Many colleges and universities have created college-sponsored communities on Facebook and Twitter as a means to interact, connect, and build community online (Center for Community College Student Engagement, 2009; Wankel & Wankel, 2011). However, the literature provides no clear picture of how community college students use social network sites (SNS) or whether the use of SNS is associated with student outcomes as social integration into the campus environment, institutional commitment, and persistence (Davis, Deil-Amen, Rios-Aguilar, & González Canché, 2012; Junco, 2012). The purpose of this quantitative research investigation was to examine the relationship between Social Networking Site use and social integration, institutional commitment, and persistence among students at a suburban community college. Findings revealed a significant relationship between SNS and social integration and institutional commitment; there was no significant relationship between SNS use and persistence. Recommendations for policy, practice, and future research are offered.     

El ajuste de medio y programa en los entornos escolares

RESUMEN

Un escenario es un segmento del contexto externo que tiene una estructura: un medio físico y una pauta de conducta (o programa). A la relación que existe entre el medio y el programa se le denomina sinomorfia. Los autores proponen estudiar los entornos escolares como agrupamientos de sinomorfias. A veces medio y programa no están bien conformados entre sí y en este caso deberían cambiar hasta adoptar cierta similaridad. Cómo se produzca este cambio dependerá de la flexibilidad del medio y de las prioridades del programa. Se citan algunos ejemplos de ajustes del medio al programa y del programa al medio en algunas escuelas americanas.