Competency vs. good intentions: Diversity ideologies and teacher potential

Since the 1970s, some form of diversity ideology has been used in teacher education programs. Since these efforts have yielded few or no results, this response points out how various diversity ideologies guide research agendas, influence future scholarship, and propagate assumptions on the schooling issues facing our children. It describes the evolvement of a body of scholarship that appears to emphasize hope and advocacy, and tolerates excuses of poverty and racism, rather than focus on the psychological stress and academic failure our children experience daily. While we may have the ability to inspire, we have not demonstrated capacity to educate a professorate who can prepare teachers to succeed in diverse settings, nor have we developed teacher preparation programs that understand how to select the programmatic content, experiences, and strategies needed to help teachers develop from novice to expert levels and to apply cultural and language dimensions to curriculum and practice.     

The economic crisis and the scientific,technical and cultural information services in Mexico

Certainly economic crises in the world of today are not the exclusive domain of any one country. At some time or other, nations throughout the world have suffered the effects of the economic problems. In this, Mexico is no exception. The Mexican crisis, the longest we have ever known, has brought problems that we are facing today.     

Innovative approaches to continuous professional development (CPD) in early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Europe: Findings from a comparative review

This article explores innovation as an aspect of in-service continuous professional development (CPD) in ECEC. Based on a literature review and a cross-country analysis conducted in ten European countries, we found that innovation in CPD was understood as a way to improving quality in ECEC. CPD no longer solely deals with practitioners’ knowledge and skills. Rather, it encompasses processes such as critical thinking, reflexivity and co-creation within and across ECEC systems. Two overall approaches to innovation in CPD emerged: one can be characterised as developing in systems that lack a national definition for innovation, where there is nevertheless a growing awareness of the need to finding new solutions for ECEC; and one as highly innovative in systems that have a history, culture and societal tradition of innovation. Also, three additional insights were identified as crucial aspects of CPD in terms of innovation: (a) critical reflection; (b) communities of practice; and (c) a growing focus on politics that address social inequality through ECEC. This analysis contributes to filling the gaps in research on innovative CPD in ECEC at three levels: system (macro), inter-organisational (meso) and individual, organisational (micro). Further research is needed to explore more in-depth the identified approaches to innovation related to CPD and their impact on quality development in European ECEC.     

How does innovative continuous professional development (CPD) operate in the ECEC sector? Insights from a cross-analysis of cases in Denmark,Italy and Poland

This article offers insights into what characterises innovative continuous professional development (CPD) in the field of early childhood education and care (ECEC) by analysing similarities and differences from case studies of exemplary approaches to innovative CPD in Denmark, Italy and Poland. The comparative analysis focuses on four features that are particularly relevant for innovation in CPD in the field of ECEC: the social dimension of innovation as a strengthening component; the benefit of dynamic learning processes aimed at integrating theory and practice; the role of key figures in the quality of CPD; and measurements of CPD impact, outcomes and sustainability. This analysis sheds light on the effects of dynamic factors (e.g., regular team-based reflection sessions based on documentation and observation), the importance of work conditions (e.g., contractual obligations to provide time for reflection), the critical role of pedagogical leaders (coordinators, principals and head teachers, supervisors), the importance of inter-organisational networking at a local level and the facilitating role of collaboration with research institutes.     

The pedagogical agent enhances mathematics learning in ADHD students

Gaining the attention is the first key step to enhance learning. In Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) as the most prevalent deficit in school age, the learners face some impairment in attention that requires appropriate intervention. An environment that embedded Pedagogical Agent in computer-assisted instruction (CAI) has been designed to support learning through gaining and guiding attention to relevant information for these students. This study investigated how much the presence of pedagogical agent can improve learning in ADHD students. The learning environment was integrated with a pedagogical agent, named Koosha, as a tutor and motivator. This study employed a pretest and posttest experimental design with a control group. The statistical population was 30 boy students with ADHD in primary school from the North of Iran. The participants were randomly assigned to work with either an agent presenting a multimedia program or without an agent in mathematics. The results (Analysis of covariance -ANCOVA) suggested that experimental and control groups show a significant difference in mathematics achievement. According to this research, using the pedagogical agent can enhance the learning of ADHD students; so it can be considered as a valid school-base intervention for these students.     

Diagnostic studies of children with specific reading disability as applied in Irvington,New Jersey,public schools

Annals of Dyslexia - Our work over the past eleven years with children with specific reading disability seen in a hospital mental hygiene clinic, in private practice, and in the public schools has...