Action research and the assemblage: engaging Deleuzian pedagogy and inquiry beyond the constraints of the individual and the group in education settings

Drawing upon the author’s previous attempts to engage the work of Deleuze and Deleuze and Guattari with contemporary pedagogic practices and research, this paper offers a conceptually tentative reworking of the theory and practice of action research, both as a means of challenging antecedent positions and as a way of proposing a volatile and incisive approach that, it will be argued, can help in generating a more plural, reflexive and methodologically relevant pedagogy/research praxis. In this, it is hoped that the mobilisation of a Deleuzian conceptualisation of assemblage as a form of inquiry will open up the animation of revitalisation as event.     

An analytical framework for policy engagement: the contested case of 14–19 reform in England

This article attempts to construct an analytical framework to reflect upon the deeply contested area of 14–19 education and training policy in England following the publication of the Government’s White Paper 14–19 education and skills. We argue that the evolution of 14–19 policy over the last 15 years, culminating in the publication of the Tomlinson Final Report on 14–19 reform and then its rejection by the Government, might be better understood by looking at this area through the application of four related conceptual tools—political eras, the education state, the policy process and the operation of political space. These concepts or tools are used here both to narrate historical and recent 14–19 developments, to critique current policy‐making in this area, and to identify opportunities and challenges facing researchers seeking to engage with the policy process. We suggest that this analytical framework might not only be applied to reform in the 14–19 phase but also to education policy more widely.     

ePortfolios: The Method of Choice for Validation

Community colleges have long been institutions of higher education in the arenas of technical education and training, as well as preparing students for transfer to universities. While students are engaged in their student learning outcomes, projects, research, and community service, how have these students validated their work? One method of validation is the design and development of the personal and professional ePortfolio. This article chronicles the process of how ePortfolios offer validation of a student’s learning experiences to meet workforce expectations as part of an individual’s holistic social media footprint (e.g., ePortfolios [workforce] and social media [interpersonal]).     

Autism Support in a Community College Setting: Ideas from Intersectionality

ABSTRACT

Autism diagnoses continue to increase, and students who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are attending college in greater numbers. Many choose community colleges to start their postsecondary careers, so these institutions have a unique opportunity to provide necessary social support. When developing social support initiatives, it is important to consider the diversity of the spectrum, not just in terms of ASD features, but also cultural factors. Autism is diagnosed more in males than females, is linked to gender nonconformity, and is variably diagnosed across racial groups. This article uses intersectionality as a theoretical framework to identify needs and make suggestions about how to best support students on the spectrum.     

Classroom Needs of Community College Students with Asperger's Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorders

Community college students with Asperger's Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorders can experience significant challenges from the social aspect of classroom learning and college life in comparison to their peers. This article explains unique challenges of postsecondary learners with Asperger's Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorders. It also presents several classroom practices than can be beneficial to college students with these disorders. Practices discussed include those related to helping students get started and make the transition into a new course, organizing learning space, following class routines, and directly addressing individual social concerns.     

‘I would just like to run away and hide,but I won't!’ Exploring Attitudes and Perceptions on Child Protection Issues with Early Years Teacher Trainees on the Threshold of Their Careers

Abstract

This research sets out to examine the perceptions and attitudes of a cohort of early years specialist teacher trainees with regard to child protection issues as they prepare to enter the teaching profession. The trainees were at the end of a three‐year Primary Initial Teacher Training Course in the north of England. We had set out within the course to present a paradigm to the trainees of the newly qualified early years teacher as not only an effective agent in preventing child abuse but also the ‘advocates for the structural changes in society which would aim to eradicate child abuse’ (David, 1993, p. 84). We were particularly concerned with exploring whether our course had gone beyond the mechanistic and legal framework of the Standards [1] [1] The Standards referred to throughout this article are the Standards for the Award of Qualified Teacher Status—Annex A of Department of Education and Employment Circular 4/98 (DfEE, 1998). to produce reflective and effective early years practitioners able both to discuss their feelings and perceptions of child protection issues and to articulate their concerns (Braun & Schonveld, 1994, p. 92). The research found that the trainees feel anxious both about making decisions on issues concerning child abuse and working with members of families who could be abusers. Furthermore, they were extremely anxious concerning the whole area of inter‐agency working in the early years. Nevertheless they have developed strong and sophisticated levels of thinking in this area and are universal in their willingness to become advocates for the young child with regard to child protection issues. They hold firmly onto their ideological aspirations of the young child as the centre of the classroom and are willing to encompass the role of the teacher/social worker.

     

Modelling the flight of a soccer ball in a direct free kick

This study involved a theoretical and an experimental investigation of the direct free kick in soccer. Our aim was to develop a mathematical model of the ball's flight incorporating aerodynamic lift and drag forces to explore this important 'set-play'. Trajectories derived from the model have been compared with those obtained from detailed video analysis of experimental kicks. Representative values for the drag and lift coefficients have been obtained, together with the implied orientation of the ball's spin axis in flight. The drag coefficient varied from 0.25 to 0.30 and the lift coefficient from 0.23 to 0.29. These values, used with a simple model of a defensive wall, have enabled free kicks to be simulated under realistic conditions, typical of match-play. The results reveal how carefully attackers must engineer the dynamics of a successful kick. For a central free kick some 18.3 m (20 yards) from goal with a conventional wall, and initial speed of 25 m x s(-1), the ball's initial elevation must be constrained between 16.5 degrees and 17.5 degrees and the ball kicked with almost perfect sidespin.