Discourses and Subjectivities of the Gendered Teacher

In this study, the authors ask the question, 'What does it mean to wear the labels "teacher" and "female"?' Eighteen Master of Arts in Teaching students volunteered to participate in a Gender Issues Seminar at a large US public state university. Their language, recorded through audio-recordings, response journals, and autobiographical webs become the basis for analysis. Applying post-structural feminist theory, the authors identify powerful discourses determining what it means to be 'female' and 'teacher.' The study illustrates how the discourse of teaching as acceptable women's work and the discourse of patriarchy work upon the subjectivity of women as they struggle with what it means to be teacher/woman. The authors then partially deconstruct these discourses, considering implications for teacher educators.     

Using ROI to demonstrate performance value in the public sector

The demand for accountability through measurement continues to increase. Although much progress has been made, it remains an issue that challenges even the most sophisticated and progressive performance improvement function. This article provides an overview of best practices in the return‐on‐investment process and describes how applying these measurement practices can have a positive impact on organizational performance and the credibility of performance improvement professionals in the public sector.     

The Phenomenology of Space in Writing Online

In this paper we explore the phenomenon of writing online. We ask, 'Is writing by means of online technologies affected in a manner that differs significantly from the older technologies of pen on paper, typewriter, or even the word processor in an off-line environment?' In writing online, the author is engaged in a spatial complexity of physical, temporal, imaginal, and virtual experience: the writing space, the space of the text, cyber space, etc. At times, these may provide a conduit to a writerly understanding of human phenomena. We propose that an examination of the phenomenological features of online writing may contribute to a more pedagogically sensitive understanding of the experiences of online seminars, teaching and learning.     

Supporting Teaching and Learning Using Authentic Scientific Texts: A Rejoinder to Danielle J. Ford

In her commentary Danielle J. Ford mainly focused on three issues that highlight the promises and challenges for the use of Adapted Primary Literature (APL) in science curricula: the possible contribution of APL to authentic experiences in secondary schools, implementation issues of APL including the support required for the teachers, and the possibilities to extend the use of APL to younger and older students. In this rejoinder, we first offer some general comments on Ford’s commentary. Then we offer more specific comments on two areas of her response, authenticity and the support for teachers.     

Gold Medal Volleyball: The Training Program and Physiological Profile of the 1984 Olympic Champions

Abstract

This study focused on the differences between experienced and inexperienced physical education teachers' approaches to planning, low inference indicators of teaching behavior during instruction, and global variables from the Beginning Teacher Evaluation Study. It was found experienced teachers asked many more questions before they began planning than did inexperienced teachers. Experienced teachers' plans reflected a concern about contingencies that might arise during instruction, whereas inexperienced teachers' plans did not. Interaction analysis and codings of student engagement showed marked differences between experienced and inexperienced teachers. Judging the qualities of experienced and inexperienced teachers also showed important differences. These sources of data are interrelated and give a vivid picture of how experienced and inexperienced teachers differ in accomplishment of instruction. The findings are discussed in terms of what they may mean for teacher development programs.     

Using word study instruction with developmental college students

This study investigates the effect of word study instruction on the orthographic knowledge of college students enrolled in a developmental reading course. Results revealed significantly greater improvement in orthographic knowledge in students who received word study instruction when compared with those in a control group, suggesting that the word study approach was effective for these students. Because of the influence of orthographic knowledge on spelling, writing and reading, additional research is merited to examine how word study intervention impacts the reading behaviours and academic achievement of college students enrolled in developmental education courses.     

The changing experiences of bisexual male adolescents

Drawing on in-depth interviews with 15 openly bisexual male youth from sixth forms across the UK, this article documents positive experiences of bisexual male youth in school: participants had positive coming out experiences and did not encounter significant discrimination or harassment because of their sexual identity. Participants attribute this to the inclusive environments of their schools and local cultures. Examining the narratives of two participants who had negative experiences, this article also highlights continued issues for bisexual youth in schools. It thus advances our understanding of contemporary bisexual lives in educational institutions, and contributes to debates about whether sixth forms are more inclusive spaces than secondary schools for bisexuals.