“Busting with blood and gore and full of passion”: the impact of an oral retelling of the Iliad in the primary classroom

This paper describes the impact of an oral retelling of Homer's Iliad on pupils' learning in Key Stage 2 classrooms (children aged 9–11) in schools in East London. We argue that the oral nature of the retelling and responses promoted high levels of engagement and inclusion, leading to enhanced understanding by the pupils. The use of a complex and emotionally powerful text also encouraged a changing of the nature of the discourse between teachers and pupils. Finally we argue for the use of texts like the Iliad as an integral part of the literacy curriculum.     

Graphic Organizers Applied to Secondary Algebra Instruction for Students with Learning Disorders

Students who have particular difficulty in mathematics are a growing concern for educators. Graphic organizers have been shown to improve reading comprehension and may be applied to upper level secondary mathematics content. In two systematic replications, one randomly assigned group was taught to solve systems of linear equations through direct instruction and strategy instruction. The other group was taught with the same methods with the addition of a graphic organizer. Students who received instruction with the graphic organizers outperformed those who received instruction without the organizers. They also better understood the related concepts as measured by immediate posttests in both replications. The difference in understanding concepts was maintained on a 2–3 week posttest.     

Relevance Revisited: Some Reflections on an Australian Senate Standing Committee Report on Higher Education

This essay was' prompted by a report prepared by the Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Training of the Australian Senate. After briefly examining questions posed by the Report's reception, I will take one type of response to the Committee's curriculum concerns, a response alluded to in the Report but not canvassed in any detail, and make some comments on an attempt to use that approach. I will then briefly examine the comments on teaching in the Report with a particular interest in the relation between their comments on teaching and their comments on curriculum.     

'A Quiet Place' Project: an of Early Therapeutic Intervention within Mainstream Schools

This paper discusses the nature of the therapeutic intervention provided by A Quiet Place project, outlining its aims, objectives, philosophy and intervention protocol. In line with the requirements of the action research paradigm according to which the project was established, this article evaluates the changes and developments that have occurred since its inception. Noting the strengths and weaknesses of the pilot study, the present study reports on the internal and external monitoring procedures, extending the latter via the development of observation scales specific to the nature of the intervention. Participants (N=54) were matched with a non–participant control group on variables of gender, age and background. Data were collected before and after the six week intervention period, producing an index of change on a bipolar scale of positive and negative behaviours. An independent samples t–test revealed that the overall change observed was statistically significant (p<0.001), while analysis by behaviour category, gender, age and reason for referral provided greater detail for the meaningful interpretation of results. Fran Renwick, a lecturer at the University of Liverpool Department of Education, and Bob Spalding, senior lecturer at the University of Liverpool Department of Education, conclude that these overwhelmingly positive results need to be treated with cautious optimism, pending longer–term follow–up data to determine the degree to which gains are maintained over time.     

ANALYSIS OF COSTS AND BENEFITS IN EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

It is quite clear that the university‐sector of higher education will be facing severe financial restraint over the next four or five years. Publicly‐financed service industries (of which the university is but one example) find decision‐making in times of retrenchment difficult. Self‐governing bodies with dispersed centres of power can operate without too many problems in periods of growth. Conflicts of interest can be controlled and Departments can accept short‐term limitations as long as it seems that “their turn will come” in future years. But now decision‐making in universities will probably become more rigorous, more questioning, and much more liable to adopt an adversary approach towards Departments which resist decisions.

In these circumstances it is important to examine the role of educational technology within universities, and the decisions to be made in assessing their cost‐effectiveness.     

Developing the Coach Analysis and Intervention System (CAIS): establishing validity and reliability of a computerised systematic observation instrument

We outline the evolution of a computerised systematic observation tool and describe the process for establishing the validity and reliability of this new instrument. The Coach Analysis and Interventions System (CAIS) has 23 primary behaviours related to physical behaviour, feedback/reinforcement, instruction, verbal/non-verbal, questioning and management. The instrument also analyses secondary coach behaviour related to performance states, recipient, timing, content and questioning/silence. The CAIS is a multi-dimensional and multi-level mechanism able to provide detailed and contextualised data about specific coaching behaviours occurring in complex and nuanced coaching interventions and environments that can be applied to both practice sessions and competition.