Factors influencing the career interest of SENCOs in English schools

A named professional with responsibility for overseeing and coordinating the educational inclusion of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities has become an important school role in many countries. In England, the SENCO (special educational needs coordinator) became a mandatory role in 1994, and associated mandatory training was introduced in 2009. A questionnaire survey of 618 in-training and actual SENCOs revealed that their motivating interest in becoming a SENCO varied. An exploratory factor analysis of 32 items covering different interests in the role yielded four interest factors in becoming a SENCO: outward-facing factors (‘inclusion’ and ‘high-quality provision’) and inward-facing factors (‘educational and professional development’ and ‘leadership voice and status’). The outward-facing factors were viewed as more important to respondents than the inward-facing factors. Interest factors did not interact with organisational variables, including age group taught and school quality. Nevertheless, younger SENCOs and those engaged in training were more motivated by educational and professional development. SENCOs holding school leadership contracts were more motivated in developing leadership voice and status compared with their classroom teacher peers. Moreover, there was a significant overall difference with women reporting a higher interest than men across all factors.     

Policy considerations based on a cost analysis of alternative test formats in large scale science assessments

This article compares the costs of four assessment formats: multiple choice, open ended, laboratory station, and full investigation. The amount of time spent preparing the devices, developing scoring consistency for the devices, and scoring the devices was tracked as the devices were developed. These times are presented by individual item and by complete device. Times are also compared as if 1,000 students completed each assessment. Finally, the times are converted into cost estimates by assuming a potential hourly wage. The data show that a multiple choice item costs the least, and that it is approximately 80 times as much for an open ended item, 300 times as much for a content station, and 500 times as much for a full investigation item. The very large discrepancies in costs are used as a basis to raise several policy issues related to the inclusion of alternative assessment formats in large scale science achievement testing. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 37: 615–626, 2000     

The Works of Gilbert Seldes

W.J. Baker's A History of the Marconi Company (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1972–$12.95)

Vishwa Mohan Mishra's Communication and Modernization in Urban Slums (New York: Asia Publishing House, Inc., 1972—$6.95, with paper edition available)

James R. Bradon (ed.) The Performing Arts in Asia (Paris: Unesco [available in this country from New York: Unipub, Inc.], 1971—$3.00, paper)

John A. Lent (ed.) The Asian Newspapers' Reluctant Revolution (Ames: Iowa State University Press, 1971—$12.50)

Richard L. Merritt (ed.) Communication in International Politics (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 19Y2—$15.00)

Gayle Durham Hollander's Soviet Political Indoctrination: Developments in Mass Media and Propaganda Since Stalin (New York: Praeger Special Studies in International Politics and Public Affairs, 1972—$15.00)     

Motion Pictures

Richard Bunce's Television in the Corporate Interest (New York: Praeger Special Studies, 1976—price not given, but about $15.00).

Ralph M. Jennings and Veronica M. Jefferson's Television Station Employment Practices, 1975: The Status of Minorities and Women (New York: Office of Communication, United Church of Christ, 1976—price not given, but about $10.00, paper)

Horace Newcomb's Television: The Critical View (New York: Oxford University Press, 1976—$4.00, paper)

Asa Berger's The TV-Guided American (New York: Walker, 1976—$8.95)

Vincent Mosco's The Regulation of Innovations in the Broadcasting Market (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Program on Information Technologies and Public Policy, 1975—$3.00, paper)

James D. Scott's Cable Television: Strategy for Penetrating Key Urban Markets (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Graduate School of Business Administration, 1976—$5.50, paper)

R.W. Chandler's Sparks at Sea: The Experiences of a Ship's Radio Officer (North Pomfret, Vt.: David and Charles, 1973, but only recently released in the U.S.—$9.50)     

‘Muscles for Motherhood’: A Genealogical Analysis of Medicalized Ways of Knowing Female Footballers in New Zealand, 1921 and 1973–1975

ABSTRACT

Michel Foucault argued that females gradually became integrated into the sphere of medical practices through a process which he termed as a ‘hysterization of women’s bodies’ (Foucault, The History of Sexuality, Volume One: An Introduction, New York: Pantheon Books, 1978, 104). In this article, we draw on Foucault to examine how women’s bodies, exercise and motherhood impacted on the historical development of female football in New Zealand within two time periods (1921 and 1973–1975). Employing his genealogical framework, we analyze newspaper reports, historical documents and conducted in-depth interviews to demonstrate how medical/scientific discourses both constrained and enabled the participation of women in football. We conclude that while medical knowledge was used to publicly disqualify the legitimacy of the female footballer in 1921, and hence her abrupt disappearance from the sporting realm, the absence of such medical knowledge in the early 1970s, combined with societal changes associated with second wave feminism, paved the way for the eventual ‘normalization’ of female football in New Zealand.     

Single-sex computer classes: An effective alternative

Conclusion Considering the technology gender gap that exists today, there can be no doubt that our current educational system is not engaging female students in technology or awakening them to possibilities of the technology industry as a career. Females are not afraid of computers or lack the ability to master computer skills, but they find the computer environment objectionable (http : / / www.aauw.org/2000/ techsavvybd.html). Several factors within the educational system heighten these objections and impede female progression through technology classes. It is these factors that our educational system must address. Single-sex computer classes offer female students the educational advantages of learning in a comfortable, non-threatening classroom environment where they are encouraged to enthusiastically participate in classroom discussions and activities (Kumagi, 1995). In these classes, curriculum may be adjusted to reflect the need females to see computers as productivity tools (Caplice, 1994). As a result of positive experiences gained while attending single-sex computer classes, females are more likely to pursue higher level computer classes. Although it is possible to argue that single-sex computer classes do not mirror the real world females must contend with once outside the classroom, they are, however, effective interim interventions to enable females to lessen the current technology gap (Kumagi, 1995).     

COMPARISON OF THE BECK DEPRESSION INVENTORY-II AND THE INVENTORY TO DIAGNOSE DEPRESSION: IMPLICATIONS FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE COUNSELORS

Community college counselors need to assess depressive symptoms in students and to differentiate depressive symptoms from anxiety symptoms to help them implement crisis intervention strategies. Two instruments available to the community college counselor are the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and the Inventory to Diagnose Depression (IDD). This article, which is based on the published literature, reports on and discusses the construct and discriminant validities of the BDI-II and IDD so that community college counselors may use them with knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of each instrument. Although results should be interpreted with caution, both instruments are useful in measuring the presence or absence of depressive symptoms.     

A Qualitative Study of the Experiences of Counseling Students Who Participate in Mindfulness-Based Activities in a Counseling Theory and Practice Course

This study explored the lived experiences of two cohorts of counselors in training (CITs) who experienced mindfulness-based activities in a counseling theory and practice course. Utilizing Merriam’s Interpretive Qualitative Approach (Merriam 1988, 2002), the data suggested that students perceived the activities to have enhanced their experiences as students and development as counselors. Implications for improving counselor preparation are considered.