Impact of a multiyear professional development intervention on science achievement of culturally and linguistically diverse elementary students

This study examined the impact of the 3‐year implementation of a professional development intervention on science achievement of culturally and linguistically diverse elementary students. Teachers were provided with instructional units and workshops that were designed to improve teaching practices and foster positive beliefs about science and literacy with diverse student groups. The study involved third, fourth, and fifth grade students at six elementary schools in a large urban school district during the 2001 through 2004 school years. Significance tests of mean scores between pre‐ and posttests indicated statistically significant increases each year on all measures of science at all three grade levels. Achievement gaps among demographic subgroups sometimes narrowed among fourth grade students and remained consistent among third and fifth grade students. Item‐by‐item comparisons with NAEP and TIMSS samples indicated overall positive performance by students at the end of each school year. The consistent patterns of positive outcomes indicate the effectiveness of our intervention in producing achievement gains at all three grade levels while also reducing achievement gaps among demographic subgroups at the fourth grade. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 45: 726–747, 2008     

The Reliability and Validity of Quick Tests With High School Seniors

The Quick Word Test (QWT), Quick Number Test (QNT), and a number of criterion verbal and numerical tests were related with the English and Math grade point average (GPA) scores in this study. The QWT, in general, had lower correlations with English GPA scores than the criterion tests. The correlations between the QNT and the Math GPA was approximately at the same level as the criterion measures.     

Criticality and connoisseurship in arts education: pedagogy,practice and ‘Pinterest©’

ABSTRACT

In time-poor and pressured teaching environments, some classroom teachers look for immediate and simple solutions to resourcing their arts teaching. Online platforms, such as Pinterest, seem to offer ready-made answers for these teachers, however, a lack of criticality can underscore the unexamined ‘advantages’ of such accessible resources. Accessibility and lack of confidence for time poor teachers are two key issues in understanding why teachers prefer online platforms for the sourcing of arts teaching resources rather than curriculum documents written for them by ‘curriculum experts’. Critically competent curriculum decisions require informed knowing about value and how the decision impacts on practice and student learning and in this way criticality and connoisseurship are important capabilities that constantly need to be strengthened in a digitally mediated world. Combined in an arts context and drawing on interviews with 16 classroom teachers, criticality and connoisseurship are two key concepts used to highlight the systemic issues of context, value and pedagogy that impact on teacher’s practice. Suggestions for increasing teachers’ criticality and connoisseurship are explored as important pathways for improving arts learning for young people.     

3. RACE RELATIONS ON THE CAMPUS

Emerging work in the fields of critical cultural theory and feminist epis‐temology suggests ways in which contemporary versions of foundational knowledges have shaped and sustained cultural constructions of “whiteness” that promote the intemalization of dominance among white people in the U.S. Religious educators who seek to nurture transformative educational experiences for white people must work on “unlearning” the racism such constructions support. As a doctoral student in religious education, I propose to begin “at home” to determine how graduate programs in religious education may be contributing to such constructions, and what we can do about it.     

Ethical implications of assessment: Thoughts on pigs and process in an early childhood course

A graduate student in early childhood education discusses observations of his children during and after Hurricanes Rita and Katrina struck the Gulf Coast. He relates his use of responsive parenting and provides examples of his children's learning and play that emerged after the storms. He reflects upon how aspects of developmentally appropriate practice are applicable to parenting and how teachers may support reciprocal relationships with families.     

Early Training in Oral Comprehension and Phonological Skills: Results of a Three-Year Longitudinal Study

A sample of 1,273 4-year-old children were followed for 3 years. The children participated in 1 of 2 comprehension training programs, or in a phonological awareness training program. The comprehension programs explored the possibility of improving young children's oral comprehension in an educational setting. The first focused on the component skills of comprehension; the second involved storybook reading. Phonological awareness and oral language comprehension skills were measured repeatedly in the course of the study. The data were analyzed using multilevel growth-curve models. The results showed that it is possible to improve oral comprehension if the training focuses on its component skills and extends over 2 semesters. When these conditions were met, training effects still existed 9 months after the program had ended. Finally, phonological training improved phonological awareness but not comprehension, and comprehension-skill training improved oral comprehension but not phonological awareness.     

Action Learning Circles: action learning in theory and practice

ABSTRACT

This paper is a commentary on how action learning circles can be effectively used (to offer experiential and emancipatory learning for students. The focus is on the preparation of students for health care education, and its value in the context of professional client‐based teaching and learning. The concept of action learning is described, and its role in promoting learning from practice explored using student and teacher evaluation evidence. An outline of the use of action learning circles in practice and the subsequent learning is analysed using evaluation data to inform our discussion, which gives the perspective of both learner and teacher.     

Librarianship in six Southwest Asian countries

Abstract

Library education in Jordan falls into three categories: professional, at the post-graduate level, subprofessional, at the community colleges level, and in-service training. The primary institution concerned with in-service training is JLA. Detailed accounts of programmes, syllabus, curriculum and course contents offered at all levels are given. The historical account of the library movement in Jordan indicates that Jordan’s libraries are in transition from traditional to advanced library and information functions and practice. Continuous course evaluations and assessments resulted in the development of curricula endeavouring to advance trends in library and information science. Thus, more libraries are implementing computer systems. The post-graduate curriculum introduces courses on advanced topics in information science and technology besides library automation. JLA is shifting its emphasis towards specialized courses on computerization and library software packages such as CDS/ISIS. Community colleges’ library education has also changed to include advanced topics.

Statistical analysis of students and trainees at all levels is given. The impact of information technology on several library aspects and information services is highlighted to disclose what should be incorporated into the new library education curricula to equip the future generation of library and information professionals to practise the profession in Jordan.     

A "dry and wet hybrid" lithography technique for multilevel replication templates: Applications to microfluidic neuron culture and two-phase global mixing

A broad range of microfluidic applications, ranging from cell culture to protein crystallization, requires multilevel devices with different heights and feature sizes (from micrometers to millimeters). While state-of-the-art direct-writing techniques have been developed for creating complex three-dimensional shapes, replication molding from a multilevel template is still the preferred method for fast prototyping of microfluidic devices in the laboratory. Here, we report on a "dry and wet hybrid" technique to fabricate multilevel replication molds by combining SU-8 lithography with a dry film resist (Ordyl). We show that the two lithography protocols are chemically compatible with each other. Finally, we demonstrate the hybrid technique in two different microfluidic applications: (1) a neuron culture device with compartmentalization of different elements of a neuron and (2) a two-phase (gas-liquid) global micromixer for fast mixing of a small amount of a viscous liquid into a larger volume of a less viscous liquid.