RESOURCES IN REVIEW

Abstract

Down to Earth: Applying Business Principles to Environmental Management, by Forest L. Reinhardt. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press. 2000. Clothbound. 291 pages. $29.95. ISBN 1–57851–192–5.

Eco-Efficiency: The Business Link to Sustainable Development, by Livio D. DeSimone and Frank Popoff. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. 2000. Paperback. 306 pages. $17.95. ISBN 0–262–54109–2.

Managing the Environment, Managing Ourselves: A History of American Environmental Policy, by Richard N. L. Andrews. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. 1999. Paperback. 463 pages. $30.00. ISBN 0–300–07795–5.

Acting Locally: Concepts and Models for Service-learning in Environmental Studies, edited by Harold Ward. Washington, DC: American Association for Higher Education. 1999. Paperback. 214 pages. $28.50, or $24.50 for ACHE members. ISBN 1–56377–013–X.

Drowning the Dream: California's Water Choices at the Millennium, by David Carle. Westport, CT: Praeger Press. 2000. Hardback. 235 pages. $45.00. ISBN 0–275–96719–0.

Communication Skills for Conservation Professionals, by Susan K. Jacobson. Washington, DC: Island Press. 1999. Paperback. 356 pages. $27.50. ISBN 1–55963–509–6.

Environmental Connections: A Teacher's Guide to Environmental Studies, by Kathleen B. deBettencourt, Matthew Feeney, A. Nicole Barone, and Keith White, for the Environmental Literacy Council. Dubuque, IA: Kendall-Hunt. 2000. Paperback. 196 pages, plus index. $21.95. ISBN 0–7872–7105–5.

Evaluating Environmental Education, by Karel Stokking, Lisette van Aert, Wiem Meijberg, and Anneke Kaskens. 1999. IUCN Commission on Education and Communication. Available from IUCN Publication Services Unit, 219c Huntingdon Road, Cambridge, CB3 0DL United Kingdom. ISBN 2–8317–0499–5.

Facts, Not Fear: Teaching Children About the Environment (Rev. ed.), by Michael Sanera and Jane S. Shaw. Washington, DC: Regnery Publishing, 1999. Paperback. $12.95. ISBN 0–89526–293–2.     

Shyness as a Factor when Assessing Children

Differences between shy and non-shy children were found on measures of speech in an assessment situation even when variation in vocabulary scores was statistically controlled. The findings have implications for understanding shyness and for practice in assessing shy children.     

Tipping the scales: overcoming obstacles to support school readiness for all in low- and middle-income countries

Despite evidence for the substantial benefits of school readiness among children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), most lack access to any pre-primary education at all, let alone high-quality preprimary education. In this article, we discuss obstacles and example of solutions to providing universal access to high-quality preprimary education in LMICs. We address (1) the need for a vision among policymakers, educators and families of what high-quality preprimary education should look like and how it could be provided in their context, and the motivation to make the vision a reality; (2) human resources, including motivated, skilled and qualified teachers as the center of a broad support system at national, regional and local levels; (3) material resources and infrastructure, including culturally appropriate play materials and child-friendly spaces; and (4) stable financing that allows for flexible adaptations of the model to different local contexts. For each element, we provide examples of these challenges and how they can be addressed, with a geographical focus on West Africa, the Middle East, Southern and Eastern Asia.     

A model for portfolio assessment in early childhood education programs

It is necessary for teachers to consider alternative means of evaluating their students. One method proving to be effective for gathering and organizing student productivity, growth, and development is the portfolio approach. This article describes the Early Childhood Portfolio Assessment Preparation (ECPAP) Model that was used to facilitate the use of student portfolios in two different early childhood education programs. The goals of the model, the six steps followed and the participants' responses to this project are discussed. This article may serve early childhood directors and supervisors who are preparing teachers to implement student portfolios as a supplement or an alternative to the existing assessment and evaluation programs. Also early childhood teacher education students can benefit from the design and implementation of ECPAP.     

Centering Blackness: An Examination of Culturally-Affirming Pedagogy and Practices Enacted by HBCU Administrators and Faculty Members

Existing research notes that Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are bastions of Black culture where Black students often feel supported (e.g., Harris in The Urban Review, 44(3), 332–357, 2012). What is less well-known are the specific practices campus stakeholders enact to create culturally-affirming environments. This study addresses this gap in the literature by examining pedagogy and educational practices employed by HBCU administrators and faculty members that build upon the lived experiences of Black communities to help to promote Black students’ success. In doing so, we seek to better understand the strategies these individuals utilize to center Blackness via culturally-informed practices and culturally engaging environments that affirm Black students’ racial identities. Our findings highlight the following ways that HBCU administrators and faculty members embrace Black cultural affirmation: their emphasis on culturally relevant knowledge and culturally-informed pedagogy that centers Black experiences; and their commitment to Black cultural validation via connecting with Black communities and Black students’ backgrounds. This research extends current scholarship on educational practices and environments with a focus on Black students’ racial identity. The authors provide implications for culturally-affirming pedagogy and campus climates that can benefit institutions seeking to create inclusive educational spaces where students from various backgrounds do not have to feel divorced from key aspects of their cultural heritage. Recommendations for practice, research and policy are also discussed.

     

Understanding the impact of guiding inquiry: the relationship between directive support,student attributes,and transfer of knowledge,attitudes, and behaviours in inquiry learning

Guiding inquiry learning has been shown to increase knowledge gains. Yet, little is known about the effect of guidance on attitudes and behaviours, its interaction with student attributes, and transfer of impact once guidance is removed. We address these gaps in the context of an interactive Physics simulation on electric circuits (https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/circuit-construction-kit-dc). 49 students in the Non-Directive condition received a set of goals to focus their inquiry, in addition to implicit support built into the simulation. 48 students in the Directive condition received, in addition to these, also detailed directions and prompts. Log-file analysis found that directive support led to more formal testing and less exploration. Clustering identified two groups of learners: one with higher incoming knowledge (Higher Knowledge), the other with higher incoming perceptions of competence and control (Higher PoCC). Working with the simulation improved knowledge and attitudes across cluster groups, so that prior differences all but disappeared. With regard to guidance, adding directive support improved knowledge gains for the Higher Knowledge group, yet suppressed their attitudinal growth. The same support had no effect on knowledge gains for the Higher PoCC group, yet it boosted their attitudinal growth. A transfer activity, where directive support was no longer available, found that impact on attitudes carried forward, yet impacts on behaviours and knowledge were short-lived. Overall, the study highlights the complex interaction between guidance and student attributes. For some, supporting short-term knowledge gains may inadvertenly lead to longer term negative impact on attitudes towards inquiry.