Goodbye Yellow Brick Road: Challenging the Mythology of Home in Children’s Literature

The myth of home is what distinguishes children??s literature from adult novels (Wolf 1990). Nodelman and Reimer (The Pleasures of Children??s Literature, 2003) write that while ??the home/away/home pattern is the most common story line in children??s literature, adult fiction that deals with young people who leave home usually ends with the child choosing to stay away?? (pp. 197?C198). In a critical content analysis of recent award-winning middle reader novels from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, a new pattern was observed. This pattern, called a postmodern metaplot, begins with the child being abandoned, rather than the child leaving the home. The child??s journey is to construct a home within a postmodern milieu complete with competing truths and failed adults. Ultimately, the child??s postmodern journey ends with very modern ideal of the child leading the adults to a hopeful ending, a home. The article explores the changing roles of childhood and adulthood in children??s literature and questions if the mythology of home can be undone.     

Participant perceptions of exercise programs for overweight women

Eighteen women participated in a research project involving two phases: (a) an interview regarding weight history and exercise patterns, and (b) a series of exercise sessions followed by discussions of participants' reactions to them. The data were analyzed using inductive analysis techniques, and results of the analysis were discussed with participants for collaborative validation of the interpretation. Profiles of selected participants and themes that emerged are described. The participants varied in age and body size and had diverse backgrounds, interests, and abilities, but their shared experience of social disapproval based on body size was shown to affect their perceptions of exercise programs and their decisions about participation.     

Yer Doin’ it Wrong: How NOT to Interact with Vendors,Publishers, or Librarians

Three librarians who have extensive experience working in libraries or for publishers, vendors, or consortia presented an informal discussion on librarian–vendor relationships. The audience was encouraged to participate. Problems were articulated; speakers and audience members contributed suggestions for better approaches or behaviors when handling difficult situations.     

What Does a Modern Anatomist Look like? Current Trends in the Training of Anatomy Educators

Anatomical sciences are foundational to the health professions, yet little is known about the qualifications of anatomy educators at the graduate and professional level in the United States. Moreover, there is concern that the number of qualified anatomy educators being trained may be insufficient to meet the growing demand posed by new and expanded programs in medicine and allied health specialties. The authors surveyed anatomists from across the country to (i) characterize the educational credentials of current anatomy educators and (ii) assess the perceived need for education-focused postdoctoral positions or formal mentorships to prepare anatomists for teaching-intensive faculty positions. To probe the survey responses more deeply, one-on-one interviews were conducted with eight individuals selected to represent a diverse sample of respondents in terms of institution, gender, and academic rank. Results indicate that 30–40% of educators at the graduate level and approximately 60% of those at the undergraduate level lack graduate coursework in histology, embryology, and neuroanatomy. Forty-five percent of respondents had completed a postdoctoral fellowship. Eighty-six percent replied “yes/maybe” to the question of whether an anatomy education postdoctoral fellowship would benefit doctoral graduates. The top 3 reasons for this recommendation were to (i) establish independent educational research, (ii) improve a publication record, and (iii) gain additional teaching experience. Notable weaknesses of education-focused postdoctoral training were related to finances, fear of exploitation, and undervaluing of teaching. Moving forward, postdoctoral fellowships and other forms of postgraduate training may represent a key strategy for training anatomists in the current educational climate. Anat Sci Educ 00: 000–000. © 2018 American Association of Anatomists.     

Assessing students' ability to trace matter in dynamic systems in cell biology

College-level biology courses contain many complex processes that are often taught and learned as detailed narratives. These processes can be better understood by perceiving them as dynamic systems that are governed by common fundamental principles. Conservation of matter is such a principle, and thus tracing matter is an essential step in learning to reason about biological processes. We present here multiple-choice questions that measure students' ability and inclination to trace matter through photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Data associated with each question come from students in a large undergraduate biology course that was undergoing a shift in instructional strategy toward making fundamental principles (such as tracing matter) a central theme. We also present findings from interviews with students in the course. Our data indicate that 1) many students are not using tracing matter as a tool to reason about biological processes, 2) students have particular difficulties tracing matter between systems and have a persistent tendency to interconvert matter and energy, and 3) instructional changes seem to be effective in promoting application of the tracing matter principle. Using these items as diagnostic tools allows instructors to be proactive in addressing students' misconceptions and ineffective reasoning.     

Punishment and Pastoral Care

Can concerns relating to the care and support of pupils and those with punishment and blame be reconciled? Much is written on the former but today even when discipline and control are the focus there is little consideration of punishment and blame. Indeed, we might think that discussion of these issues can be excluded from the educational debate. In this paper John Wilson argues to the contrary. He posits that our backgrounds and experience may make us disinclined to punish and that what we can do is significantly limited by the law. Wilson suggests that this situation means that we lose contact with a whole set of basic concepts that underpin human life and are essential for any form of moral, personal and social education. Punishment is not just an unpleasant necessity but an essential part of education and perhaps even care.