Fun in the Snow

I want togo out.
It will be fun in the snow.     

Making sense in the city: Dolly Parton,early reading and educational policy‐making

In this paper, we present a case study of a philanthropic literacy initiative, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, a book‐gifting scheme for under 5s, and consider the impact of the scheme on literacy policy in the English city where it was introduced. We bring four lenses to bear on the case study. First, we analyse the operation of the scheme in the community it was intended to serve; second, we consider the case study as an early literacy intervention aimed at promoting reading development; then we consider it from the perspective of theories about marketing and branding; and finally, we analyse it from the perspective of new philanthropy theory. We use these lenses to help us make sense of the current pressures on educational policy‐making in English cities, as city officials struggle to manage competing political agendas, to initiate reforms in situations where they have significant responsibilities but reduced power, and to maintain the distinctiveness of the places they represent. We argue for the need to reassess our understandings of the ways that literacy policies are made at the local level within this rapidly changing context.     

Moving the generic goalposts? The ‘poetry’ of Stuart Hall

Whereas other BBC Five Live reporters’ football match reports conform to fairly predictable generic patterns, those of veteran commentator and television personality Stuart Hall blend classical and Shakespearean allusions together with a plethora of other rhetorical tropes, in a highly personal take on the genre. The study explores the degree to which such apparent variations from typical generic patterns could constitute an instance of genre bending, blending or hybridity; or whether they should be accounted for under stylistics, or seen as poetry.     

Ethnography in Action: Active Learning in Academic Library Outreach to Middle School Students

This article describes an outreach activity developed and coordinated by academic librarians as part of a state program for low-income middle school students. Rather than offering a traditional library tour, the library organizers wanted to provide the middle school students with a meaningful experience that would encourage active participation, critical thinking, and alleviate library anxiety. As a spin on the traditional tour, students applied an ethnographic approach to learning about the library. The authors describe the development and implementation of the activity and provide recommendations for other librarians involved in outreach to K–12 students.     

Situating Motivation

This article describes a situative approach to studying motivation to learn in social contexts. We begin by contrasting this perspective to more prevalent psychological approaches to the study of motivation, describing epistemological and methodological differences that have constrained conversation between theoretical groups. We elaborate on issues of the unit of analysis, the conceptualization of contexts, and the role of identity as a central construct. Finally, we argue that the design of learning environments and interventions to change learning environments are informed by attention to the relationships among meanings, identities, and motives in context. We illustrate our argument with examples of design-based research and design-based implementation research focused on motivation to learn in children and adults.