Speaking of race and ethnic identities: exploring multicultural curricula

New demographic patterns as well as new communication and information technologies and administrative and marketing practices have irrevocably altered schools in Australia's large cities. This study examines the ways that teachers and parents in one urban school speak about race and ethnicity in the midst of these changes. Beneath the ironic relationship between difference and sameness which underpins multicultural debate are different understandings that determine ways some belong and some do not belong within the school community. This paradoxical relationship persists, despite increasingly post‐modern definitions of identity that underpin the field of this debate. I conclude that the examination of multicultural curricula must include the normalized ways of knowing and ‘being’ identity, which underpin conversations about race and identity.     

Health Education Needs of High School Students in a Large Diversified Metropolitan Area

Abstract

In addition to the findings of related studies, four sources of information were selected as a basis for determining the health education needs of high school students. Data were obtained from a representative sample of 959 B10 and A12 grade students in eight Los Angeles high schools by use of the LeMaistre Health Behavior Inventory, the Mooney Problem Check List, information derived from appraisals by school physicians' examinations, and personal data questionnaires on health history which students were asked to complete. The LeMaistre Inventory showed greatest weaknesses to be in the health education areas of sleep, rest, and relaxation; prevention and control of chronic and degenerative diseases; safety education; and consumer health. The Mooney Check List showed most student concerns to be in the areas of sleep, rest, and relaxation; mental health; personal health; and nutrition. From the physicians' examinations, orthopedic, dental, visual, and skin defects were observed most frequently; these findings have implications for the instructional areas of personal health and dental health. From student personal health histories, nutrition; consumer health; sleep, rest, and relaxation; and stimulants and depressants were evident as the instructional areas needing greatest emphasis.

Although little or no statistically significant relationship was found among students' scores on the various techniques which were used to identify needs, it was possible to note an interrelationship among the rank order of certain areas. Moreover, statistically significant grade and sex differences (.05) were apparent in certain aspects of students' health behavior.     

Examining Pre-Service Teachers’ Use of Atomic Models in Explaining Subsequent Ionisation Energy Values

Chemistry students’ explanations of ionisation energy phenomena often involve a number of non-scientific or inappropriate ideas being used to form causality arguments. Research has attributed this to many science teachers using these ideas themselves (Tan and Taber, in J Chem Educ 86(5):623–629, 2009). This research extends this work by considering which atomic models are used in pre-service teachers’ explanations and how that relates to the causality ideas expressed. Thirty-one pre-service teachers were interviewed. Each was asked to describe and explain four different atomic representations (Rutherford, Electron cloud micrograph, Bohr and Schr?dinger types) in as much detail as they could. They also provided an explanation for the subsequent ionisation energy values for an oxygen atom and identified which representations were helpful in explaining the values. Significantly, when pre-service teachers only used Bohr type representations, they did not use repelling electron ideas in their explanations. However, arguments that were based on electron–electron repulsion used features from Schr?dinger type atoms. These findings suggest that many pre-service teachers need to develop their atomic modelling skills so that they select and use models more expertly and that subsequent ionisation explanations offer a context in which to explore different atomic models’ limitations and their deployment as explanatory resources.     

Using VoiceThread to Create Meaningful Receptive and Expressive Learning Activities for Young Children

Development of receptive and expressive language skills is an important foundational skill in early childhood education. Recently, early childhood education professionals have begun using Web-based technology to assist in developing these skills. One Web-based technology that holds potential to support children’s learning is VoiceThread which has unique features that support Universal Design for Learning. This paper provides practical recommendations for use of VoiceThread in meaningful learning activities that can easily be implemented. A step-by-step guide is presented to create and use VoiceThread.     

Managing Perceived Stress Among College Students: The Roles of Social Support and Dysfunctional Coping

The author examined the conditions (i.e., social support and dysfunctional coping) under which perceived stress predicted psychological well‐being in 459 college students. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated a significant 2‐way interaction (Perceived Stress × Social Support) and a significant 3‐way interaction (Perceived Stress × Social Support × Dysfunctional Coping) predicting well‐being. Low social support deteriorated the association between stress and well‐being. Only the frequent use of dysfunctional coping exacerbated the association between stress and well‐being across high and low social support. Implications for counseling college students are discussed.     

Developing the capacity of teacher‐librarians to meet the diverse needs of all schoolchildren: Project ENABLE

US school libraries are required to ensure that schoolchildren and school staff with disabilities have equal opportunity to use and benefit from library facilities and information services under federal law. However, evidence indicates teacher‐librarians (TLs) often lack the training, knowledge and skills to provide programmes and services that meet the needs of students with disabilities. Project ENABLE (Expanding Nondiscriminatory Access by Librarians Everywhere) was created to respond to this shortfall by designing, implementing and evaluating a professional development programme in New York State. The project applies a social model of disability to help 100 TLs, special educators and general educators further develop their skills and resources by teaming together to create an inclusive environment for all students. This is achieved through the use of universal design principles, appropriate assistive and other technologies, an emphasis on person‐first language and sensitivity simulations, a focus on inclusive lesson planning, and by developing collaboration capacity among participant teams. Curriculum development, data collection and analyses are presented. The effect of the Project ENABLE trainings was significant in terms of higher levels of skill and knowledge reported by participants for creating accessible library programmes, advancing inclusive education and building effective collaborations. Drawing from their workshop learning and resources, participant teams developed action plans to implement during the 2011–2012 school year. This project underscores the importance of TLs in the education of all students, including those with disabilities. Higher education and local professional development programmes must place greater emphasis on preparing TLs to perform this role effectively and confidently.     

Expanding the scope of anatomical sciences: the case of "Human evolution: The fossil evidence" course at the Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University

The Anatomy Department at Tel-Aviv University Medical School offers its students an elective course of 26 didactic hours on human evolution. The course is open to students from all faculties, who must fulfill all academic requirements, without a prerequisite of a background in anatomy. Approximately 120 students attend annually, a third of them are nonmedical students who major in philosophy, archeology, and sociology. This article discusses the course's contributions to students' understanding of a scientific concept that a scientific theory can be contradicted by new evidence, because facts govern science. Also, research methods of applying scientific principles establish the understanding of the human body, which evidently contributes to health and medicine. In the classes, the students are divided into mini-groups of 2-3 students, while the lecturer moves among students to examine fossils. In addition, analogies, open-discussions, and explanations accompany the tangible experiences. The lecturer of the course is an experienced anthropologist-anatomist researcher. He is a role-model and a mentor, sharing with the students his belief that a scientist should be persistent in his research to overcome difficult circumstances. Students, regardless of their backgrounds, express high appreciation of the course in their feedback questionnaires. The message conveyed by this course is that not only knowledge counts but also its integration with scientific principles. This course teaches us that science can bring students from different areas to study together and share ideas. In conclusion, this is a unique course in the eyes of the faculty and students alike.