Preservice Teachers' Stories Of Mathematics Classrooms: Explorations Of Practice Through Fictional Accounts

This report describes four preservice secondary teachers' fictional accounts about mathematics classrooms. The narrative structures and meanings of the preservice teachers' stories, written while the preservice teachers were enrolled in a secondary methods course, were examined with the goal of gaining insight into the preservice teachers' emerging identities as mathematics teachers. Although past research has examined experienced teachers' stories, little research, if any, has focused on stories written by preservice mathematics teachers or on intentionally fictional stories about mathematics classrooms. This report uses methods of narrative analysis to develop understandings about preservice teachers' storied identities and specifies areas for further investigation into the role of narrative in mathematics teacher education.     

An Integrated Analysis of School Students’ Aspirations for STEM Careers: Which Student and School Factors Are Most Predictive?

Declining enrolments in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines and a lack of interest in STEM careers are concerning at a time when society is becoming more reliant on complex technologies. We examine student aspirations for STEM careers by drawing on surveys conducted annually from 2012 to 2015. School students in years 3 to 12 (n?=?6492) were asked to indicate their occupational choices. A logistic regression analysis showed that being in the older cohorts, possessing high cultural capital, being male, having a parent in a STEM occupation and high prior achievement in reading and numeracy, were significant. This analysis provides a strong empirical basis for school-based initiatives to improve STEM participation. In particular, strategies should target the following: the persistent lack of interest by females in some careers, improving student academic achievement in both literacy and numeracy and expanding knowledge of STEM careers, especially for students without familial STEM connections.     

The rising cost of private higher education

The report illustrates the informational and analytical basis on which one high-cost institution—Yale University—sets its annual tuition levels and long-term pricing policies. The rising cost of private higher education in general, and of a Yale education in particular, is examined in a context that takes into account historical trends, economic data (price and income inflation), the financial condition of the institution, comparative cost data from other schools, and studies of the impact of cost on enrollment. The results suggest that current educational costs, despite their recent rapid increases, are not significantly above historical levels (after adjusting for inflation), are not unfair to students, are affordable to most families, and are in line with the costs of other private institutions. No serious impact on the quality or diversity of the student body was discovered.     

Bilingualism and mathematical reasoning in English as a second language

This paper examines the ability of bilingual children to reason deductively in mathematics. In particular, the findings of a recent study of bilingual Punjabi, Mirpuri, Italian and Jamaican 11–13 year old children growing up in England are reported. It is found that first language competence is an important factor in the child's ability to reason in mathematics in English as a second language. This gives considerable support to theories which assert that a cognitively and academically beneficial form of bilingualism can only be achieved on the basis of adequately developed first language skills. However for both English monolingual and bilingual children knowledge of logical connectives in English is a crucial factor. It is suggested that published weaknesses in mathematics found among certain Asian and West Indian pupils may well be due to language factors. Furthermore there are strong cultural forces which predispose differential performance among boys and girls. The implications of the findings for a relevant mathematical education for bilingual children are discussed.     

Effects of Response Cost Contingencies on Thumbsucking and Related Behaviours in the Classroom

Thumbsucking and two related behaviours (head rubbing and object mouthing) were observed in two 7‐year‐old girls in classroom settings. Using a mixed multiple baseline across subjects and ABAB design, a response cost procedure was applied by the classroom teachers to the thumbsucking behaviour. The procedure reduced thumbsucking, and as long as it continued to be applied with one of the children her thumbsucking behaviour remained at low levels. Data obtained on the other two behaviours were consistent with but did not provide definitive support for spill‐over effects for head rubbing and behavioural contrast effects for object mouthing. In addition to demonstrating the effects of the treatment procedure, these results emphasise the importance of using multiple measures in applied studies of punishment and self‐stimulatory behaviours.

     

Disparate Impact and Teacher Certification

To date, African–American teacher candidates certification rate has been significantly below that of non-Hispanic white candidates, and this differential has been consistent across all field tests and operational assessments. At issue is the source of the disparate impact observed. The article first discusses the distinction between disparate impact and bias in assessment. This is followed by a discussion of the five broad categories of sources of disparate impact (substantially differential rates of certification by subgroup): (1) demographic differences (such as candidates years of teaching experience or the number of advanced degrees earned), (2) recruitment differences (the system of incentives to volunteer for certification and other factors related to recruitment) that may have resulted in samples of African–American and non-Hispanic white candidates who differ systematically in teaching performance, (3) contextual differences in the conditions under which candidates teach (for example, the level of administrative, technical, or collegial support or other contextual factors that distinguish urban schools (where the majority of African–American teachers teach) from rural and suburban schools, (4) biases or deficiencies in the assessment process itself (for example, a standard of practice that privileges certain forms of teaching over others, exercises that contain biases that either disadvantage African–American candidates or, advantage white candidates, and deficiencies in training materials and the training of scorers), differential and (5) actual differences in teaching performance that have resulted from unequal educational opportunity, discrimination, and other social and historical forces. The evidence collected and analyzed to date by the National Boards Technical Analysis Group is reported, and other studies and analyses planned for the future are mentioned.     

The scientific foundations and associated injury risks of early soccer specialisation

ABSTRACT

Early specialisation is characterised by formal participation in a single sport at the exclusion of others. Limited data are available to support this approach in the development of soccer players who attain elite status later in life. Of growing concern is the associated increased risk of injury and suggestions that single sport specialisation is a risk factor independent of age, growth, biological maturation and training volumes. In the United Kingdom, elite soccer organisations have recently adopted an early sport specialisation approach following the introduction of the Elite Player Performance Plan. A key tenet of this programme is increased opportunities for training through a marked rise in the specified on-pitch hours per week. The accumulation of high training hours may be less of a relevant marker for success, and the impact of such a significant increase in training volume for young athletes who are experiencing a range of growth and maturational processes is currently unknown. This critical commentary includes an evidence-based discussion of the effectiveness of early sport specialisation and the potential injury risks associated with such programmes placing a specific focus on elite male youth soccer players. Available data indicate that modifications to the existing Elite Player Performance Plan framework could enhance players’ development and reduce injury risk. Proposed alterations include reduced volume of soccer-specific training at key stages of growth and maturation and guidelines for the provision of a greater variety of physical activities that are integrated within other programme components.