Principals’ Survival with Parental Involvement

This paper explores the dynamics of purposeful leadership and parental involvement, two central components of effective schools. The results of four cases studies are presented that consider the ways in which principals work with parents in schools that have a shared, consistent mission. The case studies reveal that principal‐parent interactions are the result of unique processes in each school and are negotiated and institutionalized over time.     

Metacognitive and multimedia support of experiments in inquiry learning for science teacher preparation

ABSTRACT

Promoting preservice science teachers’ experimentation competency is required to provide a basis for meaningful learning through experiments in schools. However, preservice teachers show difficulties when experimenting. Previous research revealed that cognitive scaffolding promotes experimentation competency by structuring the learning process, while metacognitive and multimedia support enhance reflection. However, these support measures have not yet been tested in combination. Therefore, we decided to use cognitive scaffolding to support students’ experimental achievements and supplement it by metacognitive and multimedia scaffolds in the experimental groups. Our research question is to what extent supplementing cognitive support by metacognitive and multimedia scaffolding further promotes experimentation competency. The intervention has been applied in a two-factorial design to a two-month experimental course for 63 biology teacher students in their first bachelor year. Pre-post-test measured experimentation competency in a performance assessment. Preservice teachers worked in groups of four. Therefore, measurement took place at group level (N?=?16). Independent observers rated preservice teachers’ group performance qualitatively on a theory-based system of categories. Afterwards, experimentation competency levels led to quantitative frequency analysis. The results reveal differing gains in experimentation competency but contrary to our hypotheses. Implications of combining scaffolding measures on promoting experimentation competency are discussed.     

Changers and the Changed: Moral Aspects of Coming Out in Physical Education

In this paper we draw from interviews with four lesbian sportswomen and physical educators whose personal journeys inform us about the difficulties and rewards of challenging homophobia and heterosexism. Our co-participants discussed their life stories in terms of the interrelationships among sport, moral, and lesbian identities and their coming out process. Analyses of these narrations revealed three major themes associated with coming out in sport and physical education settings: integrity, compassion, and community. Each of these themes is discussed in terms of our co-participants' experiences and interpretations of moving from fear and isolation to a sense of community and empowerment.     

New education in Denmark between the wars

WANTED, Smart Lad, to Play Small Burlesque Part: also Two Clever Children, Boy and Girl. ‐James English's Red Riding Hood Tour. Write Alhambra, Sandgate.

WANTED, Small Boys to Sing and Dance, also Boy Pianist to go on Tour. Apply Archie Howells, 13 St. Phillip Road, Dalston, N.E.

(Advertisements in The Stage, 11 and 18 January 1894 respectively)

     

School reform policy in England since 1988: relentless pursuit of the unattainable

There is growing concern that almost 20 years after the 1988 Education Act, top‐down, large‐scale reform has stalled. The policy mix of choice, competition, markets, regulation, accountability and leadership seems not to have closed the gap between advantaged and disadvantaged areas and individuals, while most variations in school performance can be explained in terms of intake differences. This paper reviews policy and progress since 1988 and assesses the extent to which central government has achieved its educational aims. Unacknowledged tensions and contradictions are identified in structures and practices that are supposed to constitute a reliable framework for sustainable improvement. The conclusion is drawn that since 1988 the national government apparatus has itself become an important obstacle to further progress. An independent review of policy‐making and implementation is recommended so that schools and colleges are enabled to contribute more effectively to improvements in the quality of education.     

School choice in England: evidence from national administrative data

We study school choice in England using a new dataset containing the choices of all parents seeking a school place in state secondary schools. We provide new empirical evidence to inform how the school choice market functions, including the number of choices made, whether the nearest school is the first choice and the probability of an offer from the first choice school. These indicators show that school choice is actively used by many households in England. We use the rich data available to describe how choices vary by pupil, school and neighbourhood characteristics and how school choice is used differently by different groups and in different parts of the country. For the first time, we are able to present national data on how the school choices made by parents vary according to pupils’ ethnic group and across urban and rural areas. We show, contrary to some existing literature that has relied on smaller and less representative samples of parents and pupils, that school choices do not vary significantly by social background. We show that parents pro-actively use the choice system and present new evidence on the extent to which the current school admissions criteria that prioritise distance penalise poorer families.     

THREE OLDER LEARNERS: REASONS FOR PARTICIPATING IN MUSEUM ART CLASSES AND THE PERSONAL MEANING OF LEARNING

Interviews of three older people are presented as individual cases to explore the personal meaning older adults attach to learning art. The examples illustrate that learners can begin new educational pursuits in their old age, particularly when supported by outreach programs of institutions and that older people can have a big stake in learning art. The personal meaning attached to the learning activity, as expressed by these learners, is examined further through a discussion of role loss and instrumental and expressive learning. Implications for administrators and teachers are presented.     

Nursing Students' Intentions to Work in Dementia Care: Influence of Age,Ageism, and Perceived Barriers

Given a projected threefold increase in people living with dementia globally by 2050 (World Health Organization, 2012 World Health Organization (WHO) . ( 2012 ). Dementia: A public health priority . Retrieved from http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/75263/1/9789241564458_eng.pdf  [Google Scholar]), attracting nurses to work in this area will be critical to meet demand. This study examined the role of age, positive ageism, negative ageism, and aged-care placement completion in predicting nursing students' intentions to work in dementia care. Perceived barriers to working in dementia care were also explored through a thematic analysis. Participants were 135 undergraduate nursing students from one regional Australian university (ages ranging from 18 to 55years) who completed an online survey. Hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis revealed that age (p = .001) and positive ageism (p < .001) were associated with greater intentions to work in aged-care. A thematic analysis of perceived barriers to working in dementia care showed five themes consisting of 11 subthemes: profession (conditions, culture, diversity, interest); personal demands (emotional, physical); patient contact (communication, safety); experience (previous, lack); and no barriers. Younger students (<25 years of age) were more likely to nominate emotional demands as potential barriers, whereas older students were more likely to cite work conditions. Patient communication and interest in other areas of nursing were identified as barriers across age groups. The findings from this study suggest that educational providers could target students with specific characteristics associated with greater work intentions in dementia care, such as age and positive ageism. Perceived barriers to working in dementia care indicate possible areas of improvement that may attract more students to this field of practice.