Zones of interaction: Differential access to elementary science discourse

This study investigated teacher–child interaction within small‐group science activities in a fourth‐grade classroom. This qualitative study revealed three “zones of interaction,” or teacher–child interaction categories: Individual Zones of Interaction, Multiple Zones of Interaction, and a Collective Zone of Interaction. Each zone was further shaped by either a procedural, conceptual, or managerial focus for the interaction. These zones granted children differential levels of access to the teacher's knowledge. Based on these data and findings, we propose a discourse model for elementary science classrooms that encompasses talk, materials, knowledge, engagement, and power. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 43: 443–466, 2006     

捍卫科学——在理性的范围内

对科学的下述两种态度是不正确的，应该受到批判：一种是所谓的“旧尊崇主义”，即对科学采取无批判的尊崇；另一种是所谓的“新犬儒哲学”，即各种后现代思潮对科学的责难、批评和否定。关于科学，我们应该坚持“批判的常识主义”，其要点是：科学既是一件理性的事业，也是一件社会的事业，由此派生出科学的诸多特点以及对科学应该采取的态度。     

Action,an ‘encompassing ethic’ and academics in the midst of the climate crisis

In the midst of a crisis like the climate crisis and calls for ‘all hands on deck’, what do academics, as a microcosm of humanity, see? In Hannah Arendt’s terms, an ‘abyss of freedom’ to act or a paralysing ‘abyss of nothingness’? Some from the academy themselves, including Tamboukou, Apple and Bourdieu, make judgements more akin to the latter and mount arguments to urge action. This paper joins their call and theorises ethical and demonstrably plausible resources as a potentially generative heuristic for political action by academics in the face of ‘dark times’. I develop these resources by initially drawing on Arendt’s ethical, but limited, action process. Then, through interpreting and expanding her unfinished theory of judging and echoing Karl Jaspers' concept The Encompassing, I propose the notion of an ‘encompassing ethic’. This ethic, synthesised with Arendt’s action process, ameliorates action’s limitations and suggests the idea of ‘encompassing action’. The paper concludes by bringing these conceptual resources to life through two inspiring historical examples of such action involving academics.     

Learning to Cook: Production Learning Environment in Kitchens

Learning in workplaces is neither ad hoc nor informal. Such labels are a misnomer and do not do justice to the highly-structured nature and complexity of many workplaces where learning takes place. This article discusses the organisational and structural framework developed from a three-year doctoral study into how apprentice chefs construct their knowledge and skill in moving from a novice to a more experienced chef. The processes of knowledge and skill construction were as much aided by the indirect guidance of the production environments of the kitchens as by the direct guidance of the chefs. It is through the space, tempo, routines, hierarchy and workflow of a kitchen, comprising the organisational and structural framework, that many of the opportunities to construct knowledge and skill reside for the apprentices.     

The Effects of Background Music on Primary School Pupils' Task Performance

Research on the effects of background music has a long history. Early work was not embedded within a theoretical framework, was often poorly conceptualised and produced equivocal findings. This paper reports two studies exploring the effects of music, perceived to be calming and relaxing, on performance in arithmetic and on a memory task in children aged 10-12. The calming music led to better performance on both tasks when compared with a no-music condition. Music perceived as arousing, aggressive and unpleasant disrupted performance on the memory task and led to a lower level of reported altruistic behaviour by the children. This suggests that the effects of music on task performance are mediated by arousal and mood rather than affecting cognition directly. The findings are discussed in relation to possible practical applications in the primary school and the home.     

Cultivating relationships with school placement stakeholders: the perspective of the cooperating teacher

The aim of this paper is to analyse Irish school placement cooperating teachers’ supervisory experiences when involved in various structures of communities and explore factors which enabled or challenged them in cultivating relationships with school placement stakeholders where there is no formal system of supervision established in schools in the Republic of Ireland. Describing learning as a social process, research implies the significance of the development of relationships, membership within communities and identity construction. Using a qualitative approach, it was found that by formally engaging in a supervisory process, cooperating teachers experienced each of these characteristics to varying extents resulting in different supervisory experiences. The different configurations of membership allowed cooperating teachers to contribute towards school placement collaboration.     

Exploring the Factors of Professional Readiness in Athletic Training

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to explore the factors of professional readiness in the healthcare field of athletic training. We used a qualitative research design based in grounded theory. Participants included newly certified athletic trainers and athletic training supervisors from collegiate, secondary school, and emerging work settings. After completing the demographic questionnaire, 14 newly certified athletic trainers and 9 supervisors were selected to complete one-on-one interviews using GoToMeeting audiovisual web conferencing software. Data was analyzed using a constant comparative analysis as well as open and axial coding. We established trustworthiness using bracketing interviews, reflexivity, triangulation, member checks, and peer reviews. Analysis revealed four overarching themes including organization and administration, interpersonal relations, athletic training attributes, and confidence. Readiness for autonomous practice is multifaceted and exceeds clinical skills. Athletic trainers must possess certain personality characteristics and confidence, as well as interpersonal, organizational, and clinical skills that can be incorporated into daily practice.     

Broadening the scope of scholarship: A suggested framework

Recent work by Ernest Boyer and others has prompted some colleges and universities to reexamine the nature of scholarship among faculty members. Using Boyer's categories of scholarly activity, the authors have developed a framework for scholarly contribution that is currently being implemented by faculty at DePaul University's School for New Learning. The proposed framework includes assumptions regarding scholarship, expectations for faculty relative to scholarly activity, and definitions and criteria for the four forms of scholarship. The authors offer the framework in the hope that it will stimulate a reexamination of the nature of scholarship at other institutions as well.The authors are a group of academic professionals comprised of faculty and academic advisors from the School for New Learning, DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. Morris Fiddler is an Associate Professor and received his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. His primary research interests include adult learning and medical genetics. Susan McGury obtained her Ph.D. at the University of Reading and is an Assistant Professor with special research interests in art history and literature. Catherine Marienau is an Associate Professor and received her Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota. Her primary research interests are adult learning and women's development. Russell Rogers received his Ph.D. from Michigan State University and is an Associate Professor as well as serving as the Director of the M.A. Program in Integrated Professional Studies. His research specialties include higher education and organizational behavior. Warren Scheideman has an M.A. from DePaul University, and he serves as a Senior Academic Advisor. His research interests include pedagogy and adult learning.     

美国特殊教育的基础问题研究

本文阐述美国特殊教育的一些基本内容,并为有学习障碍和有行为或情绪困扰障碍的学生提供了简单的教学策略,以期能对我国发展完善适应于本国文化和价值观的特殊教育有所助益。