In search of educational equity for the migrant children of Shanghai

Around the world there is a growing consensus that migrant children's rights must be protected, regardless of where they have emigrated from. One of these rights is the right to a public education of equal quality to that granted to non-migrant children regardless of where one's family is registered or pays taxes. This article focuses on migrant children schooling in Shanghai. It will show that three main problems are still impeding migrant children from getting a high-quality education. They are: the inferior quality of migrant children schools; the lack of access to a public school and the much higher costs of schooling; and the high mobility of migrant students. Our conclusion: the education rights of migrant children have become contingent on the wills of urban local governments, public attitudes, and available space in local public schools.     

Safe Spaces or Brave Spaces? Re-Envisioning Practical Theology and Transformative Learning Theory

Abstract

The Loyola Institute for Ministry (LIM) developed a method of practical theology for ministry professionals and religious educators rooted in transformative learning theory to enable students to reflect more intentionally and theologically on their experiences in ministry. This study asks, by teaching students to engage in dialogue through transformative learning practices in safe spaces, are religious educators inhibiting the self-actualization needed to confront white normativity and expose white fragility, thus, advancing rather than dismantling racism with our students in graduate programs in ministry and religious education?     

A comparison of white and black student academic success using noncognitive variables: A LISREL analysis

The structural relation of the seven noncognitive dimensions proposed by Sedlacek and Brooks in 1976 and traditional definitions of academic ability, as indicated by Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores, to first semester grade-point average (GPA) and persistence after three and five semesters was examined in this study. Random samples of entrants at one predominantly white state university were administered the Non-cognitive Questionnaire (NCQ) during summer orientation in 1979 and 1980. The NCQ results and the SAT scores were used to derive structural models (using LISREL) or early academic success for both black and white students. The structural models for the black and white students were found to be very different. For black students, traditional academic ability was related to first semester GPA, but neither GPA nor academic ability was related to persistence. Only the noncognitive dimensions were predictive of black student persistence. For white students, academic ability was the best predictor of first semester grades, and these grades were the major predictor of subsequent persistence. The noncognitive dimensions were not important in white student academic success, whereas they were crucial in black student academic success.     

Students achieve more when teachers have time to do what they know works best

Literacy skills acquired during the first years of schooling have been recognised as the key to students’ learning success. However, despite the continuing efforts by the New Zealand government and teachers there is still a large proportion of students who struggle to become literate. To address this issue the Ministry of Education funded selected New Zealand schools to take part in 10-week programmes designed to provide an intensive intervention in literacy (i.e. reading and writing) and numeracy. This article summarises the results from the part of the programme which focused on reading. The findings indicate that Year 1 and Year 2 students significantly increased their reading ability over the 10 weeks. The survey data, interviews and teachers’ journals revealed that the critical aspect of this success was teachers having time to meet individual students’ specific learning needs. At the school level the programme was lauded as successful. Importantly, these findings have implications not only for how principals allocate teacher time but also for policy-makers when considering how to support schools in addressing the needs of those students who have not made the expected progress in their literacy development in their first years of education.     

Cultivating Native American scientists: an application of an Indigenous model to an undergraduate research experience

Cultural Studies of Science Education - With growing evidence demonstrating the impact of undergraduate research experiences on educational persistence, efforts are currently being made to expand...     

Evaluating clinical librarian services: a systematic review

Background: Previous systematic reviews have indicated limited evidence and poor quality evaluations of clinical librarian (CL) services. Rigorous evaluations should demonstrate the value of CL services, but guidance is needed before this can be achieved. Objectives: To undertake a systematic review which examines models of CL services, quality, methods and perspectives of clinical librarian service evaluations. Methods: Systematic review methodology and synthesis of evidence, undertaken collaboratively by a group of 8 librarians to develop research and critical appraisal skills. Results: There are four clear models of clinical library service provision. Clinical librarians are effective in saving health professionals time, providing relevant, useful information and high quality services. Clinical librarians have a positive effect on clinical decision making by contributing to better informed decisions, diagnosis and choice of drug or therapy. The quality of CL studies is improving, but more work is needed on reducing bias and providing evidence of specific impacts on patient care. The Critical Incident Technique as part of a mixed method approach appears to offer a useful approach to demonstrating impact. Conclusions: This systematic review provides practical guidance regarding the evaluation of CL services. It also provides updated evidence regarding the effectiveness and impact of CL services. The approach used was successful in developing research and critical appraisal skills in a group of librarians.     

Notes on authors

Abstract

Although both the number of online learning opportunities and students with disabilities in higher education has increased over the last two decades, students with disabilities may be overlooked. The purpose of this study was to examine attitudes toward requesting accommodations in the online learning environment among college students with disabilities compared with requesting accommodations in the face-to-face learning environment. Accommodations refer to those adjustments and modification made to instructional and/or curricular requirements in order for students with disabilities to fully participate in a course (Rehabilitation Act of 1973). Results indicate that students with disabilities did not have significantly different attitudes toward requesting accommodations as a whole in the face-to-face versus online learning environments. Results, however, do indicate that students who report having visible disabilities appear to have more positive attitudes toward requesting accommodations in the online versus face-to-face learning environment compared with students who report having hidden disabilities.     

Promoting Research Writing in an Undergraduate Measurement Course

The purpose of this article is to introduce a 12-step approach for an abbreviated research project to promote research writing in an undergraduate measurement course. This 12-step approach assumes a 14-week semester schedule that is common among many colleges and universities. The steps for the proposed research project include selecting a topic, identifying and reading published research, writing the Introduction section, designing the methods, developing the Methods section, applying for Institutional Review Board approval, scheduling appointments with participants, collecting data, analyzing the data, writing the Results section, writing the Discussion section, and presenting the final product. Content of this article includes both details of the 12-step approach to research writing and a discussion of possible concerns that measurement instructors may have when considering adoption of the proposed research project.