Developing effective beginning teachers through mentor‐based induction

Past research on new teacher induction has focused on changes in retention. Keeping people in the profession is important, but new teachers may need help in learning about curriculum and students in order to be effective instructional leaders. New teachers may also need assistance in learning how to interact with colleagues. We asked new teachers through an on‐line survey what they learned from mentors about curriculum, student diversity and collegiality. In addition, achievement gains of classes taught by new teachers and experienced teachers were compared. The results of the study are discussed in terms of implications for teacher training, organizational change, and data usage by districts.     

Management teams and the promotion of staff well‐being

For several years small primary schools have been threatened with closure and their viability is frequently a subject of much discussion. One of the major issues in this debate, particularly in light of the 1988 Education Reform Act, is whether they can provide an effective education for their pupils due to their size and their mixed age range classes. This article discusses the major arguments related to this issue and draws several important conclusions to guide practice and decision making not only in small schools, but also in all other primary schools where differentiation in teaching and learning methods is now of crucial significance. Supporting evidence is taken mainly from a Teacher Fellowship project funded by West Glamorgan County Council.     

Social capital and geography of learning: Roles in accelerating the spread of integrated pest management

This paper aims to show the relevance of spatial proximity and social capital in accelerating the spread of agricultural technologies such as integrated pest management (IPM). The research was done in response to the problem of slow diffusion of agricultural technologies. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used in investigating the process of sharing and learning of IPM. Results show that social capital in terms of kin networks and spatial proximity such as found among farm neighbours are essential in the learning process and hence, diffusion of IPM among Filipino farmers. Kin networks and farm location are then important considerations in sampling participants strategically for the long-season IPM farmer field schools (FFS).     

School Administrators and Educational Technologies: narrowing the divide

ABSTRACT

Technologies that enhance classroom instruction and school administration are widespread. The majority of schools, however, have yet to implement technologies beyond a basic level. Reasons for this reluctance include a lack of funds, teacher beliefs about the role of technology in education, methods of technology allocation and distribution in schools, a lack of understanding of how technologies can accentuate learning and administration, and most importantly, a lack of vision and support from school administrators. To help solve the problem of administrative support, we propose the creation of university courses designed to nourish school technology leaders. Included in this paper is a basic outline for such a course.     

Coping with Publication Misconduct

COPE, the Committee on Publication Ethics, was founded in 1997 by a small group of concerned biomedical journal editors in the United Kingdom. Over twelve years it has grown to more than 5,000 members worldwide, with several major scientific publishers signing up all their journal editors. It meets quarterly when editors seek advice on handling suspected misconduct. COPE publishes a code of conduct for member editors, guidelines on good publication practice and other matters, and flowcharts on how to deal with common problems, and provides a unique database of over 500 individual cases. It is now expanding beyond biomedicine and grappling with new problems related to the advent of new styles of electronic publication.     

The Anonymity Effect: The Influence of Anonymity on Perceptions of Sources and Information on Health Websites

The study reported here examined the influence of anonymous sources on health websites on the perceptions and attitudes of information seekers. It was hypothesized that, despite the warnings and guidelines established by health organizations, anonymous sources would be perceived to be as credible and influential as sources that were identified. The anonymity effect, drawn from the similarity principle in attribution theory, was forwarded as a theoretical mechanism to explain responses to anonymous sources. The results indicated that anonymous sources were generally perceived by participants to be as credible and influential as identified sources, although the anonymity effect explanation was not supported. The implications of these findings for information seekers and health practitioners are considered.     

Book of the Month

Harvey J. Levin's The Invisible Resource: Use and Regulation of the Radio Spectrum (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press, 1971—$12.00)     

Print Media

READING IN THE 1980s edited by Stephen Graubard (New York: R.R. Bowker, 1983---$14.95)

POWERS OF THE PRESS: TWELVE OF THE WORLD'S INFLUENTIAL NEWSPAPERS by Martin Walker (Pilgrim Press, 132 West 31st St., New York, NY 10001---$20.00)     

Keeping Our Research Up to Date: Is the Election Cycle Too Fast for Scholarship=

This research scrutinizes 5 background assumptions frequently overlooked by scholars working within the third-person framework. These include: the kind of media influence (general vs. specific) referenced by respondents, the use of general versus specific "other" groups, neglect of likely second-person effects, distinguishing the problem as portrayed from the problem itself, and the potential range of behavioral effects. The study probed the influence of racial cues contained in a news story on estimates of the story's influence on self and others. Participants (n = 152) were presented with a news article conveying information that prostitutes were operating in a local neighborhood and local residents were upset. The study varied 2 experimental factors: the race of the prostitutes (White vs. African American) and the racial composition of the neighborhood residents (minority vs. White). Several important findings emerged from the study. First, manipulated elements of story content had a direct effect on estimates of the portrayal's influence on others. Second, the range of effects attributed to the media included specific factors such as thinking, feeling, problem importance, and harmful impact of the content. In addition to considering media censorship as a possible corrective measure, the study explored the influence of first-, second-, and third-person effects on a broader range of suggested actions, including increased criminal penalties and interpersonal discussion. Third-person "perceptual" effects were found throughout the data; however, they had little discernable effect on intended behaviors. Second-person effects significantly predicted proposed remedial actions and opinion expression. Discussion centers on the prospect of reorienting the third-person framework toward an expanded view of media effects and closer integration with other approaches to mass communication.