An Investigation into the Attitudes of Teachers at Key Stage 2 to Speaking and Listening in the National Curriculum in Wales

The attitudes of teachers in Wales to speaking and listening in the National Curriculum, both as a profile component in English and as a requirement across the curriculum, were tested using a Likert-type attitude scale. A 10%, sample of the whole of Wales was involved, specifically teachers of key stage 2. The results show the differences in attitudes between the teachers according to age, years in teaching and training. A factor analysis revealed almost universal agreement that speaking and listening help children to learn. This is discussed in relation to a group of statements concerning classroom practices in speaking and listening.     

The best for our youngest: A separate,vital, stand‐alone early childhood certification,birth ‐ age 8

Abstract

The call for educational reform is loud. Concern about the quality of students being graduated from public high schools, large numbers of students dropping out before graduation, and poor results on achievement tests in the lower grades continues to grow. As the public seeks an end to such problems, policy makers react by raising standards and making exams tougher. Such solutions may have positive impact; however, early childhood professionals are anxious about such a response. Research tells us experiences in the earliest years create a pathway for all later learning. Further, we know that adults who help provide those early experiences must be prepared to focus on the specific developmental and academic needs of young learners. Research confirms the cost effectiveness of quality early programs, and students affirm the need for teacher preparation to be focused specifically on their needs. Offering stand‐alone teacher certification for birth ‐ age 8 will insure that teachers exist who can effectively build a solid foundation for young students. © 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.     

What Plants and Animals Do Early Childhood and Primary Students’ Name? Where Do They See Them?

Children from England and the United States of America have a basic similar knowledge of plants and animals, which they observe during their everyday life. Nine children of ages 4, 6, 8, and 10 years, in each country, were asked to free-list plants and animals. Afterwards, they were interviewed individually about the plants and animals they listed to determine where they were seen. Additionally, children were asked to name animals they knew that were found in specific habitats or had specific characteristics. The results showed that children from the earliest years notice the animals in their everyday lives and 8 year olds were able to name the most animals. Plants were not named as often as animals and children in the USA found it difficult to name plants when questioned. This study shows that children are in touch with their everyday environment to varying extents, and that rich experiences can greatly contribute to their knowledge about plants and animals.     

Children’s epistemic reasoning about social inclusion of aggressive peers in a culturally diverse school

Moral reasoning in values education can promote a democratic way of life. It involves addressing behaviour expectations in responses to violence or bullying. There is increasing interest in how children make moral judgments about social inclusion within diverse cultural settings. Critical research highlights the relationship between epistemic cognition (views about the nature of knowledge and knowing) and reasoning. In this paper, we argue that this relationship is likely to be important in reasoning about moral values for inclusion in culturally diverse schools. However, we know little about how children in diverse educational settings reason about and enact school values for inclusion. Our study addresses this gap by examining primary school children’s epistemic reasoning about the social inclusion of peers with a focus on justifications for inclusion/exclusion of aggressive peers. Twenty-six children (10–11 years old) from one culturally diverse school community in Australia were asked to illustrate (drawings) and reflect on (15–20 minute interviews) a conflict situation involving exclusion from play. The findings showed that most children reasoned about including/excluding others based on a ‘one right answer’ pattern which reflected an explicit focus on following the school rules. Fewer children moved ‘beyond right answers’ to show transition towards perceiving multiple perspectives in their reasoning about inclusion/exclusion. Implications for values education are discussed.     

Students reflecting on test performance and feedback: an on-line approach

Undergraduate students accessing on-line tests in Human Biology in three Western Australian universities were asked to complete an on-line post-test reflective survey about their perceptions of their test performance in light of automated feedback. The survey allowed pre-determined choices and comment text boxes relating to students’ perceptions of their performance, self-identified areas of difficulty and suggested strategies for improving test performance. One-third of students undertaking on-line tests responded to the optional survey, and 60% of respondents thought reflecting on feedback was useful. Students reflecting on formative rather than summative assessment reported a more strategic approach to testing, often using it to assess their knowledge and prepare for future assessment. Their reflections were more internally focused on motivation and preparation compared with those assessed summatively. Respondents were more likely to be female, older, more experienced learners who had scored well in the test. Younger respondents expected higher scores than they achieved and were less likely to reflect, but, when they did, were more likely to select pre-determined reasons for their performance and less likely to suggest strategies for improvement. These results support formal training and scaffolded integration of reflection into on-line assessment feedback, especially for less experienced learners.     

萎叶提取物增强5-氟尿嘧啶对结肠癌细胞HT29和HCT116的生长抑制作用

研究目的：探讨萎叶（PB）提取物对5-氟尿嘧啶（5-FU）抑制结肠癌细胞HT29和HCT116生长的影响。研究方法：HT29和HCT116细胞分别给予PB、5-FU以及两种药物联合治疗24小时,应用等效线图法分析PB和5-FU的药效学相互作用,AnnexinV／PI染色法检测HT29和HCT116细胞的凋丁L=情况,高效液相色谱法排除PB和5-FU间任何可能的相互化学作用。重要结论：联合PB,低剂量5-FU可以在短时间内起到细胞毒作用,而单独应用PB或5-FU治疗较联合治疗可以诱导更多细胞发生凋亡。进一步采用等效线图法分析显示PB和5-Fu的联合作用在抑制结肠癌细胞HT29和HCT116的生长中分别体现出协同和拮抗作用。因此可以认为在HT29细胞中,PB使得较低剂量5-FU发挥最大抑制结肠癌细胞生长效果,然而在HCT116细胞中,PB没有显著降低5-FU的药物浓度,说明PB和5-FU的相互作用不仅仅体现在诱导细胞凋亡方面。     

Changing perceptions is one thing…: barriers to transforming leadership and learning in Ghanaian basic schools

School leadership, head teacher professional development and school management practices in sub-Saharan Africa have varied little from the model of schooling established during colonial rule. Leadership for Learning (LfL) is a programme of school leadership developed at the University of Cambridge over a period of 10 years in conjunction with an international group of researchers and practitioners. This paper reports the results from questionnaire data gathered from a cohort of 125 head teachers who participated in the LfL programme in Ghana between 2009 and 2011, and speculates on the successes and barriers to leadership and learning. Implications arising from the scaling up of the LfL programme to include all Ghanaian schools are discussed.     

Implementation and Assessment of Food Safety Educational Materials for Secondary and Postsecondary Education

Previous studies have reported on the inadequacy of youth knowledge and practice of food safety principles. The formal high school science classroom environment presents an opportunity to stimulate interest and increase knowledge in food safety with potential benefits to students in improved science literacy, development of life skills, and greater awareness of career opportunities. Previously developed educational materials, Foodborne Illness Outbreak Investigations for Food Safety Education, were evaluated for instruction by high school and community college science educators of various subject matters including foods, microbiology, disease, and chemistry courses. Educator feedback was favorable on measures of quality, implementation ease, and student engagement, with ratings greater than 3 on a 5‐point scale corresponding to “good” to “excellent.” A positive change in familiarity with food safety concepts for 4 groups of students, representing approximately 77% of the participants, was demonstrated by an overall increase, ranging from 4% to 14%, in correct responses to a test administered before and after exposure to the materials. There was variation in degree of change and the topics positively impacted for student groups by subject matter.