On ecological reflections: the tensions of cultivating ecojustice and youth environmentalism

I respond to Zeyer and Roth’s (2009) “A Mirror of Society” by elaborating on how the idea of interpretive repertoires is grounded by education philosophy and sociology. Vernacular languages are carried forward collectively from individuals who lived during a particular period of time, inculcated as root metaphors, which frame our relationships with others. It follows that metaphors (or interpretive repertoires) frame Swiss relationships with others, and what serves as Swiss goals for the environment and environmental protection are deeply embedded in some past conceptualizations of how a society should develop in the world. Indeed these youth’s repertoires are “a mirror of society.” But how do we know whether Swiss ideals are cultivating good, right, or just relationships, and embody a morally defensible environmentalism? Zeyer and Roth emphasize that teaching is a cultural process, which I agree with, but there is a contradiction in the idea that curriculum should be designed in a way that allows students to expand their existing repertoires without culturally mediated changes. Clearly students in Zeyer and Roth’s study feel limited as to what they can do about the environment and environmental protection, in relation to outside influences such as US consumerism. Ecojustice, environmentalism, and sustainability should begin to dissolve this feeling of powerlessness. The purpose of this response is to show why cultural mediation is needed for defensible youth action.     

Educational Reflections on the “Ecological Crisis”: EcoJustice, Environmentalism, and Sustainability

There is a tendency by scholars arguing for a more just and sustainable future to position the “ecological crisis” as a fundamental reason for major educational reforms. Relying on crisis-talk to fuel social and environmental justice and environmentalism reinforces the thinking of the past, which inadvertently perpetuates the acceptance of present cultural attitudes which frame our relationships with others and the natural world. To evaluate previous cultural thinking and associated traditions of Euro-West society, Chet Bowers asserts that we ought to analyze how assumptions are carried forward as metaphors, which are associated with attitudes towards science, technology, and nature. This pedagogy is called ecojustice education and serves to conserve and sustain cultural diversity and the biodiversity of Earth’s ecosystems, which are threatened and vulnerable. But, also carried forward in the language of ecojustice philosophy (and other ecological works) is a presumption that feeds into scientifically proving that a crisis exists, which is associated with organizing schools around an implicit shock doctrine of fear and urgency. This paper explores these assumptions and others associated with a supposition of ecological crisis. The ecological crisis has the potential to marginalize many diverse people who are needed during these times of increasing ecological awareness and uncertainties. Situating education (and the world) in the frenzy associated with crisis, versus the assertion that schools should increase awareness around the belief that a more sustainable lifestyle is beneficial for the individual, the community and the environment is a worthwhile debate and is rich with respect to research opportunities in education.

---

Work skills for disadvantaged and unprepared youth and adults

The paper considers vocational preparation and career guidance for individuals who are disadvantaged and otherwise unprepared for employment. From the vocational counselling literature, suggestions are taken for an expanded role for counsellors, and models are considered which have emphasized the need to focus on both personal and social skills as well as work skills, in training and retraining. From the vocational rehabilitation literature, the importance of work skills training, and identification of necessary skills for training are examined, with particular reference to the research of Mueller (e.g., 1988) and his associates. Thus, both the vocational counselling and vocational rehabilitation fields provide guidance for the vocational training of disadvantaged and unprepared youth and adults.The two reported studies were carried out as part of the second author's doctoral dissertation under a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Doctoral Fellowship and were funded in part by Western Industrial Research and Training Centres. More detail on survey inventories and results can be obtained from the second author: Dr. H.H. Mueller, Psychology Department, Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, 10230 — 111 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T5G 0B7.     

The impact of college selectivity on income for men and women

In this study a large national data set was used to assess the causal influence of college selectivity on earnings after controlling for a variety of background variables such as family background, financial considerations, academic ability, and degree aspirations. Using a recursive structural equation model, it was found that for both genders selectivity had a significant direct and indirect effect on earnings; however, selectivity could explain only a minute percentage of variance in income above and beyond the controls. Males and females differed slightly on the total effect of selectivity on earnings, but the indirect effect was twice as large for women as for men.     

Maximal Reliability and Composite Reliability: Examining Their Difference for Multicomponent Measuring Instruments Using Latent Variable Modeling

A latent variable modeling method for examining the difference between maximal reliability and composite reliability for homogenous multicomponent measuring instruments is outlined. The procedure allows point and interval estimation of the discrepancy between the reliability coefficients associated with the optimal linear combination and with the popular unit-weighted sum of the scale components. The approach permits a researcher to make an informed choice if needed between the maximal reliability and composite reliability coefficients and concepts in an empirical setting as indexes of quality of measurement with an instrument under consideration. The discussed method is illustrated using numerical data.     

Mothers roles in traditional and modern korean families: The consequences for parental practices and adolescent socialization

This paper examines Korean mothers’ roles in the socialization of their adolescent children. First, the issue is analyzed through a historical approach that takes into account the Confucian background of Korean family life. Secondly, we consider concepts and results from recent studies on mothers’ attitudes, parenting styles, and adolescent socialization. Some of the arguments and data are particularly relevant to middle class mothers. We point out that the Confucian influence remains strong in modern South Korea while at the same time mothers responsibilities in parenting and socialization have increased. As a consequence, the relationship between mothers and their adolescent children has become more complex, intense, and unstable. We conclude that the balancing of autonomy and relatedness is the most important developmental task facing mothers and their children. Research underlying this article was supported through a grant from Mokpo National University (2000).