Scientific Literacy,Environmental Issues,and PISA 2006: The 2008 Paul F-Brandwein Lecture

In today’s world, scientific literacy has become essential to full participation of citizens. Certainly, important components of scientific literacy include resource use and environmental quality. The 2006 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) centered on scientific literacy and included resources and environments as two contexts for the test and student questionnaire. The article first introduces PISA 2006, and then provides a general overview of results. Using two released units from PISA 2006, I then turn to results and a discussion of students’ science competencies and attitudes relative to environmental and resources issues. The article concludes with a discussion of educational policies for science education programs and teaching practices.     

Ground reaction forces during steeplechase hurdling and waterjumps

Athletes in the 3,000 m steeplechase track and field event negotiate unmovable hurdles and waterjumps. Ground reaction forces (GRF) in the steeplechase were quantified to elucidate injury risks / mechanisms and to inform coaches. Five male and five female steeplechasers participated. GRF were measured during treadmill running, and using specially mounted force platforms, during hurdle and waterjump takeoffs and landings at 5.54 m/s (males) or 5.00 m/s (females). Results are presented as: male mean ± SD / female mean ± SD. Initial and active peaks of vertical GRF during treadmill running were 2.04 ± 0.72 / 2.25 ± 0.28 BW and 3.11 ± 0.27 / 2.98 ± 0.24 BW. Compared to treadmill running, peak vertical forces were greater (p < 0.001) for: hurdle takeoff (initial: 4.25 ± 0.86 / 3.78 ± 0.60 BW, active: 3.82 ± 0.20 / 3.74 ± 0.32 BW), hurdle landing (active: 4.41 ± 1.13 / 4.21 ± 0.21 BW), waterjump takeoff (initial: 4.32 ± 0.67 / 4.56 ± 0.54 BW, active: 4.00 ± 0.24 / 3.83 ± 0.31 BW), and waterjump landing (initial: 3.45 ± 0.34 / #3.78 ± 0.32 BW, active:5.40 ± 0.78 / #6.23 ± 0.74 BW); (#) indicates not statistically compared (n = 2). Based on horizontal impulse, athletes decelerated during takeoff steps and accelerated during landing steps of both hurdling and waterjumps. Vertical GRF peaks and video indicated rearfoot strikes on the treadmill but midfoot strikes during hurdle and waterjump landings. Potentially injurious GRF occur during the steeplechase, particularly during waterjump landings (up to 7.0 BW).     

The Organizational Implications of School Self‐Evaluation

This paper describes an action research approach to investigating the diverse goals and dilemmas that characterise staff appraisal activity. An intervention takes place to counter ineffective, defensive reasoning and teach the principals of two schools how to think and act in productive ways in order to manage dilemmas. The challenges of the complex theoretical and practical curriculum that underpins problem‐based methodology are discussed, and implications of the research for training that enables leaders to manage quality and diversity are examined.     

Who is caring for our most vulnerable children? The motivation to foster in child welfare

Objective: Responding to the need for more foster families to provide care for increasing numbers of children coming into care, this study was designed to understand the motivations and needs of foster parents in order to improve recruitment and retention. To meet this goal, the study identified characteristics of current foster families, performed a factor analysis on the Foster Parent Satisfaction Survey (FPSS) (Denby, R. W., Rindfleisch, N., & Bean, G. 1999). Predictors of foster parent's satisfaction and intent to continue to foster were identified, and the results were used to differentiate between foster parents who did and did not consider quitting fostering. Method: A sample of 652 foster parents completed a survey of 139 items including the Foster Parent Satisfaction Survey [Denby, R. W., Rindfleisch, N., & Bean, G. (1999). Predictors of foster parent's satisfaction and intent to continue to foster. Child Abuse & Neglect, 23, 287-303]. Results: Foster parents were motivated by wanting to be loving parents to children and saving children from harm. The factor analysis of the FPSS resulted in five factors that were consistent with typical scoring methods of the instrument. A discriminant function analysis using these factors and whether parents had considered quitting fostering revealed that one factor, Challenging Aspects of Fostering, correctly classified 75.5% of parents. Conclusions: Foster parents' satisfaction is related to their perceptions about teamwork, communication, and confidence in relation to both the child welfare agency and its professionals. Further, the most frequently endorsed reasons for fostering reflected foster parents' altruistic and internal motivations to foster. Negative relationships with professional staff from the child welfare agency were linked to considering quitting fostering.     

The Teaching of Science: Content,Coherence, and Congruence

Journal of Science Education and Technology -     

Initial teacher education and trauma and violence informed care in the classroom: Preliminary results from an online teacher education course

A trauma-and-violence-informed-care (TVIC) system within an educational setting provides a framework of practice that enables schools to become safe and inclusive places for some of the most vulnerable students. Initial teacher education may provide the opportunity to prepare teachers to create classrooms and learning experiences that are safe, equitable, and meet students' needs. A mandatory mental health literacy course for second year teacher candidates in a Bachelor of Education program (n = 287) at a large Canadian university introduced TVIC concepts. A case study approach was used to illustrate both the challenges that students exposed to trauma and/or violence can experience, as well as strategies and knowledge that teachers can use to support these students. This program evaluation used a repeated measures design to survey both attitudes toward trauma informed care for teachers and self-efficacy for teaching using inclusive practices before and after the course. A significant effect of time on both measures revealed an increase in both participants' attitudes toward TVIC and their self-efficacy in using inclusive teaching practices. These findings provide support for the inclusion of these important topics for all teacher candidates. Implications for practice and policy are discussed.