Habermas, Carr and the Possibility of a Science of Education

A recent attempt to answer questions on the scientific status of education draws on the thoughts of Jürgen Habermas. There is a tension in Habermas's work because he consigns scientific endeavour to the realm of instrumental action, while attempting to base his theory of communication on scientific results. This suggests that either his theory is wrong and science is not merely instrumental, or that his recent proposals mistake manipulation for understanding. This proposition is considered by examining the work of Wilfred Carr, who has taken up the ideas of Habermas. Carr interprets and develops Habermas's theory within an analytical framework, situating it in relation to recent developments in the philosophy of education and philosophy more generally, bringing new light on the relationship between critical theory and education, and overcoming certain limitations of previous scientific characterisations. However, it is argued here that Habermas's idea of science is too abstract to provide a sufficiently complex grounding for substantive, socially liberating, educational practise.     

Internal,External, and Government Political Efficacy: Effects on News Use,Discussion, and Political Participation

News use and political discussion are often studied as important factors in understanding the effects of political efficacy on participation. However, measurements of external efficacy often blur distinctions between personal ability and government responsiveness. This study establishes a measure for perceptions of competence in the institutions of democratic government—government efficacy (GE). Drawing on panel survey data from the United States, confirmatory factor analysis introduces GE as a unique construct. Political efficacy dimensions are tested for their impact on news consumption, discussion, and political participation. Results add to the extant literature revolving the role of political efficacy on news use, discussion, and participation.     

Matching Personal Attributes to those of the Course and the Workplace: Examples from Veterinary Science

It is desirable that students entering a professional course acquire both the personal attributes and the other key attributes needed for success in that particular profession. For veterinary science, these include skills in: communication; working with other people; handling animals; solving problems; self‐confidence; enthusiasm; motivation; the ability to work hard; and to be able to cope with stress. When students starting the veterinary course were surveyed, some were not confident that they had developed the key attributes including self‐confidence; interpersonal skills; and the ability to cope with stress. Given the importance of these attributes, this could help explain the distress felt by some recent veterinary graduates when faced with the realities of professional work. This analysis may be relevant to other careers, especially if the main attractant — in this case positive attitudes towards animals — is not sufficient to ensure contentment in the career.     

Self–Efficacy Pathways Between Relational Aggression and Nonsuicidal Self–Injury

The authors recruited college students (N = 648) and investigated relationships among academic and social self–efficacy, relational aggression from parents and peers, and nonsuicidal self–injury (NSSI). Results indicated that both types of self–efficacy were related inversely to NSSI. Academic self–efficacy mediated the relationship between parental emotional abuse and NSSI, whereas social self–efficacy mediated the relationship between peer victimization and NSSI. Clinical implications of these findings for college counselors are discussed.     

Re‐asserting the place of context in explaining student (under‐)achievement

One popular view of student achievement is that the quality of teaching students receive plays an important part in whether or not they do well at school. In this article we draw attention to ‘context’ as a complementary explanation, particularly regarding achievement differences between students from different socio‐economic backgrounds. In making these observations, we utilise data from one Australian secondary school located in an economically depressed rural community. Drawing on the insights of Bourdieu, our focus is on the broader social and economic influences that can adversely position students and schools, as well as work to inform the institutional stance that schools take in relation to their students.     

Movement expressiveness, solidarity and the (re)shaping of African American students’ scientific identities

Science educators have yet to identify ways to enable inner city African American high school students to experience success in science. In this paper, we argue that understanding the ways in which cultural practices from fields outside of school mediate what happens inside classrooms and contribute to the learning of students is crucial to addressing current disparities in science performance. Specifically, we explore the significance of movement expressiveness dispositions to the lives and the learning of economically disadvantaged African American youth. These particular dispositions have been repeatedly observed in our research, and they can be important resources for the creation of individual emotional energy, collective solidarity, and heightened engagement in learning activities since they provide resources for the (re)shaping of identity. Thus movement expressiveness dispositions hold potential for transforming the teaching and learning of these students.

Curating in the Open: A Case for Iteratively and Openly Publishing Curatorial Research on the Web

Through a case study of using social media tools to open up part of the curatorial research process for an online exhibit on the history of astronomy at the Library of Congress, I offer some initial ideas about how an open approach to sharing curatorial research could significantly expand the impact and reach of such work. Drawing on three distinct emerging conceptions and frameworks for the idea of “open” (open notebook science, linked open data, and open innovation) I suggest how this case study can be used to guide work with existing simple and inexpensive tools and how it could also inform the development of future tools, services and exhibit development methods. This work builds on an ongoing discussion of open data in libraries, archives, and museums. To date, most of that dialog is about object records and not about the stories and narratives cultural heritage institutions tell about them. I suggest ways to make the production of cultural heritage data, as well as the final outputs, part of an open and transparent process.