A dignified success: Knopf’s translation and promotion ofThe Second Sex

When Alfred A. Knopf published the U.S. edition of Simone de Beauvoir'sLe Deuxième Sexe asThe Second Sex in 1953, their marketing deemphasized the book's existentialism and feminism. Rather they promoted it with comparisons to the Kinsey report and stressed its scientific merit. The translator's preface, his condensations, and prepublication promotion avoided overt sensationalism and invested it with scientific and intellectual cachet. This promotional strategy, though a somewhat inaccurate portrayal of the work, set the tone for its critical and popular reception and contributed to both its initial sales and its longevity.     

What Does RTI (Response to Intervention) Look Like in Preschool?

This paper examines the use of Response to Intervention (RTI) in early childhood programs, more specifically in preschool settings. The paper proposes that RTI in preschool could focus on alleviating risk factors as it relates to social emotional competence, and reduction of challenging behaviors during early childhood years. A case-study in which RTI is used for challenging behaviors of a child is examined. Further, recommendations for practice in application of Positive Behavior Support (PBS) in preschool are made.     

Academics leave your ivory tower: form communities of practice

Institutions of higher education (HE), public and private, are moving through a crisis period of tapped‐out states, funding cuts, tuition increases and layoffs. It makes good sense to rise to meet these new realities with new ways of doing things, and the places that succeed will be the ones that do. A holistic approach is necessary whereby excellence in teaching and learning as well as research should be the ultimate aim. Among the various ways to achieve this, is the promotion of communities of practices (CoPs) among the academics. Therefore, CoPs are to be seen as an “extension” of any programme to achieve excellence, because as it has been shown it is the sharing of the tacit knowledge that makes the difference in any organisation in its pursuit for a competitive advantage. An HE institution should be considered to be at a greater advantage than any other non‐academic organisation since each staff member is a knowledge worker whose mission is to transmit, create and incorporate new knowledge to the existing knowledge. This paper looks at the possible reasons preventing academics from participating in a CoP. It will be shown that CoPs can play a very important role in a university set‐up.     

Relationship Between Adjustment and Support Types: Young and Mature-aged Local and International First Year University Students

First year university is an important transition context for students. The present study examined the relationship between adjustment and support types, sources and levels of support, and satisfaction with levels of support, for first year students in an Australian university. Comparisons were made between young (17–21 year olds) and mature-aged students and local and international students. Findings indicate that well-adjusted students reported higher levels of social companionship support than the less adjusted group. Many students would have liked more support overall. In comparison to the local group, international students would have liked to receive more emotional, practical and informational support. The implications for service provision and university strategies are discussed.     

Supporting the free market: Information technology policy in Hong Kong

Economic policy in Hong Kong is frequently cited as a shining example of the laissez‐faire model for development, with minimal government intervention. However, the government has played a bigger role in the economy than is often recognized, responding to market failures, social problems, and the needs of the business community. Information technology (IT) policy in Hong Kong has mirrored the colony's laissez‐faire economic strategy, with little government effort to promote the production or use of IT products and services. Hong Kong has become an advanced user of IT in several economic sectors and an assembly site for personal computer hardware. However, like much of the manufacturing sector, the computer industry is moving much of its production to China, causing concern about the future of Hong Kong's economy. While some people feel that Hong Kong can flourish as a financial and business services center, others feel that this role will be diminished as the Chinese economy liberalizes and other centers develop in mainland China. They argue that Hong Kong needs to upgrade its technological capabilities and develop technology‐intensive activities such as R&D and software development to complement China's manufacturing activities. The government has begun to respond with limited measures to encourage R&D, train more scientists, engineers, and managers, and support technology start‐ups. Hong Kong has the potential to develop software and information services industries to serve the Chinese market. It also can apply IT to other sectors to maintain its leadership as a financial, business services, transportation, and communications center.     

When the Spirit Shows Up: An Autoethnography of Spiritual Reconciliation with the Academy

This article is an autoethnography of the author's journey toward the reconciliation of her spirituality with the academy. She depicts the origin of her crisis in the academy, and why the climax of the crisis was critical to her reconciliation. Drawing on Cynthia Dillard's notion of an endarkened feminist epistemology, she identifies the Black Church community as the site where her spirituality is nurtured and recognizes its influence on her reconciliation with the academy. Implications of this study suggest the necessity for researchers to become engaged in public discourse about our spirituality as it relates to education, to continue to invite others to the conversation, and to recognize how the discourse might influence our decisions as researchers/educators.     

The Changing Landscape of Alternate Assessments Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards: An Analysis of Early Adopters of AA-MASs

Several states had an assessment that they considered to be an alternate assessment based on modified academic achievement standards (AA-MAS) in place, or in development, when the April 2007 federal regulations on modified achievement standards were finalized. This article uses publicly available information collected by the National Center on Educational Outcomes to analyze changes in states' AA-MAS between 2007 and 2008. The article compares across the 2 years the number of states that had an assessment they considered to be an AA-MAS, states' participation guidelines, and the characteristics of these assessments. We also provide information about the number of students who participated in this assessment option during the 2006–07 school year. In 2007, six states (Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma) either had or were in the process of developing an assessment they considered to be an AA-MAS. In 2008, California, Connecticut, and Texas also offered this assessment option. Six of the nine states that have been early implementers of the AA-MAS were states that had offered an out-of-level testing option until federal policies required that option to be phased out. Most states had fewer items on their AA-MAS than on their regular assessment. States that had participation guidelines for the AA-MAS in 2007 developed them prior to finalization of the federal regulations, and some changes between 2007 and 2008 in states' participation guidelines appear to have been made to better align the guidelines with the regulations. The characteristics of the assessments states consider to be AA-MASs are changing rapidly and will probably continue to change rapidly over the next few years as more is learned about the advantages and limitations of this assessment.     

Are Older Adults Prepared to Ensure Food Safety During Extended Power Outages and Other Emergencies?: Findings from a National Survey

Natural disasters and other emergencies can cause an increased risk of foodborne illness. We conducted a nationally representative survey to understand consumers’ knowledge and use of recommended practices during/after extended power outages and other emergencies. Because older adults are at an increased risk for foodborne illness, this paper presents findings from a sample of older adults (n = 290). Only 17% of respondents reported they are fully prepared to keep food safe during an extended power outage. Respondents identified lack of cogitation (42%), storage space (19%), and concern (27%) as barriers to not being fully prepared. Of those who had experienced a recent power outage, less than 40% followed the recommended practices of discarding frozen foods that had thawed and discarding refrigerated, perishable foods. Additionally, 21% to 36% of respondents reported they tasted food to determine whether it was safe to eat. Awareness and likelihood of following recommended practices were higher among women than men. Many older adults are not following recommended practices to ensure food safety during/after extended power outages and other emergencies. Educational materials need to address barriers and be tailored to specific locations and subpopulations of older adults. Educators and public health officials can use the survey findings to address gaps in older adults’ knowledge and practices and to help reduce the risk of foodborne illness among older adults.