Boys’ Underachievement: issues,challenges and possible ways forward

This article considers the issue of boys’ perceived lack of achievement at 16 and the context within which this issue has developed. In addition to conducting a review of relevant literature concerned with boys’ achievement, case study research was carried out in three comprehensive schools in the Midlands, taking the form of interviews with one senior member of staff from each school with a specific responsibility for boys’ achievement. The purpose of the interviews was to consider how different schools perceived the issue of boys’ underachievement and to examine the strategies employed by each to combat it. The discussion of the research indicates some significant factors affecting the ways in which boys identify themselves as being ‘male’ and which may influence their behaviour and attitudes towards school and towards their peers. The authors attempt to place the issue of boys’ underachievement into a wider social context and consider other factors which may have a bearing on the issue. The authors then attempt to relate the experiences of these three schools, and their other research, to the national picture and suggest ways in which teachers nationally may take steps to address the issue of boys’ underachievement within their own schools.     

Trends in methodological rigor in intervention research published in school psychology journals

Methodological rigor in intervention research is important for documenting evidence‐based practices and has been a recent focus in legislation, including the No Child Left Behind Act. The current study examined the methodological rigor of intervention research in four school psychology journals since the 1960s. Intervention research has increased in prevalence, but it does not seem to have become more rigorous since the establishment of the What Works Clearinghouse. Small methodological factors often determined whether a study met or did not meet standards in the current investigation. Implications include the necessity of reviewing research quality guidelines prior to conducting intervention research and ensuring they are met whenever possible.     

Using an inoculation message approach to promote public confidence in protective agencies

This investigation tested the effectiveness of inoculation as a pre-crisis strategy in combating the effects of politically motivated violent acts. A four-phase experiment was conducted involving 355 national consumer panel participants. The findings indicate that inoculation can be an effective pre-crisis message strategy as it was successful in enhancing public beliefs in the ability of government agencies to prevent, and minimize the effects of, violent acts. This strategy also created a ‘blanket of protection’ that extended beyond the focal politically motivated attack event as it enhanced the confidence in government agencies to manage national crises in general. Inoculation was also effective in lowering the intensity of experienced fear evoked by the threat of violent attacks and it enhanced the ability of individuals to cope with the aftermath of a crisis.     

Reasons for discontinuing study: The case of mature age female students with children

The research investigated reasons for leaving study amongst a sample of 118 mature age female students with children who had been enrolled at one of three eastern Australian universities. Analysis of questionnaire data revealed three major types of motive for attrition. Firstly, a strong socio-economic class influence was found. Women whose own and/or whose husbands' social class indicators were low tended to leave study because of a combination of lack of support from family for the mother's study, lack of money, weight of domestic responsibility and lack of knowledge or skills expected at university. Secondly, women who had been enrolled in non-traditional subjects (economics/business/law) were relatively over-represented amongst the discontinuing students and were particularly likely to cite lack of academic support or staff hostility as a reason for leaving. Thirdly, reasons for leaving study were found to be connected to student's age, suggesting a life style interpretation. Younger women with younger children were likely to leave because of family, financial or child care related reasons. Older women were more likely to leave because of practical difficulties or course dissatisfaction.     

Concepts of peace education: A view of western experience

Approaches to the theory and practice of peace education are as varied as the situations across the world in which it is undertaken. Against a framework established by the Peace Education Commission of IPRA, current trends in the conceptualization and experience of peace education (from a Western view-point) are considered and reveal (1) acceptance of ‘development’ with ‘justice’ and ‘human rights’ as integral to the concept of peace; (2) emphasis on the psychological as well as socio-political, economic and structural conditions that maintain present injustices and oppressions; (3) renewed efforts to try out innovative educational approaches to a variety of learning situations, from the pre-school to adult formal and non-formal settings; (4) new concern about the materials, content and techniques of learning; and (5) fresh examination of the inter-relationships between theory and practice, research and action. Analyzing a number of conceptual approaches to peace and disarmament education, the authors support a political, participatory strategy and set it in a historical context. Hence, its connection with development education and the significance and implications of a global perspective are demonstrated. The global perspective is seen as a growing-point for peace education today, providing the potential for political consciousness and action.     

Kohonen Self-organizing Feature Maps as a Means to Benchmark College and University Websites

Websites for colleges and universities have become the primary means for students to obtain information in the college search process. Consequently, institutions of higher education should target their websites toward prospective and current students’ needs, interests, and tastes. Numerous parameters must be determined in creating a school website (e.g. number of links, page size, use of graphics, utilization of dynamic elements, and menuing options). This research details a decision support framework based upon Kohonen self-organizing feature maps to determine students’ specific preferences for school websites. This research attempts to remove some of the subjectivity in designing a school website by finding the commonalities among websites that students find appealing and effective. Self-organizing feature maps are employed as a clustering method to compare the school’s current website to other sites that students find both appealing and effective.     

Sexuality and relationship education training to primary and secondary school teachers: an evaluation of provision in Western Australia

This paper describes the formative, process and short term impact evaluation of sexuality and relationships education (SRE) training for teachers in Western Australia (WA) over a three year period. The training represents one component of a broader project, the aims of which are to improve teacher’s confidence and skills in delivering SRE, and to support schools to implement effective comprehensive SRE. Formative evaluation conducted prior to the development of the training, found although most respondents were relatively confident and skilled in facilitating SRE, the need for ongoing professional development was highlighted, especially in areas such as gender diversity, pornography, sexting, violence and working with specific groups. Training focusing on the new Australian Health and Physical Education curriculum and mandatory assessment was identified as a need. Workshop evaluation found statistically significant improvements in attitudes towards SRE and increased comfort in teaching SRE, facilitating discussion and facilitating skills and activities, after the workshop. The evaluation identified the need for an integrated and coordinated whole school approach and efforts to engage teachers with lower levels of confidence in teaching SRE. Changes to the Australian Curriculum provide opportunities to enhance the development of SRE in schools. Longer-term impact evaluation is required to identify whole school changes.     

Becoming Better Primary Science Teachers: A Description of Our Journey

Journal of Science Teacher Education -     

Cognitive distortions and blame attribution in sex offenders against adults and children

OBJECTIVE: Sexual offenders tend to hold attitudes and beliefs which minimize and justify their offending behavior. It was hypothesized that distorted thinking supporting sexual offending and blame attribution would differ depending on the offence characteristics of different groups of sexual offenders. METHOD: Two groups of sexual offenders separated on the basis of the age of their victims (sex offenders against children, 36; sex offenders against adults, 30) were compared on measures of cognitive distortions relating to sex with children and rape and a measure of blame attribution which assesses external, mental element, and guilt feeling attributions. RESULTS: Child sexual offenders endorsed more cognitive distortions relating to sex with children, but there were no group differences in cognitive distortions relating to rape. Those who offended against adults reported more external attributions and child offenders reported more guilt feeling attributions. Mental element attribution related to alcohol intoxication and use of violence in the offence, but was not related to group differences. CONCLUSIONS: Results are interpreted as suggesting that child sex offenders support their offending by more enduring distorted cognitions, while those who offend against adults use blame attributions associated with the particular offence.