Truth commissions,education, and positive peace: an analysis of truth commission final reports (1980–2015)

ABSTRACT

Transitional justice and education both occupy increasingly prominent space on the international peacebuilding agenda, though less is known about the ways they might reinforce one another to contribute towards peace. This paper presents a cross-national analysis of truth commission (TC) reports spanning 1980–2015, exploring the range of educational work taken on by one of the most prominent forms of transitional justice. We find that TC engagement with education is increasing over time and that TCs are incorporating the task of ‘telling the truth about education’ into their work. However, when TCs engage with education, they tend to recommend forwards looking reforms, for instance decontextualised human rights and peace education. We argue that this limits the contribution that TCs might make towards positive peace by failing to use their backwards looking, truth telling work to insist on transformation in the educational sector.     

设计建构与开放学习环境

创设一个开放、真实、协作与对话的学习环境．选择各种工具、调用相关资源、发挥支架作用；在教学活动中做出示范、精心辅导和提供支架，使得学习者在学习中围绕着循序渐进的挑战来组织教学：前瞻筹划、初始挑战、形成想法、观点分析、研习探究、检查理解、公开交流和反思提高，如此“攀登不止”．达到培养学习者解决非良构问题与完成复杂任务的能力。     

The impact of three years of professional development on knowledge and implementation

A professional development (PD) program for Strategic and Interactive Writing Instruction (SIWI) integrating effective PD features was implemented with teachers over 3 years. Using a 1-way analysis of variance, it was examined whether length of participation in PD impacted knowledge and ability to faithfully implement. Findings indicate significant improvements with each year of PD; those who participated for 3 consecutive years received the highest possible ratings on knowledge as measured by the levels of use and instruction as measured by the SIWI observation and fidelity instrument. Additionally, because of modifications to the PD program, it was examined whether the year of the PD involvement impacted outcomes. Findings reveal that outcomes were strongest during the last year when SIWI mentors were present.     

Teaching cooperation on television

Conclusion The effects of media on the social behavior of young children is a topic to be treated seriously. Much of the literature has focused on negative outcomes. Little attention has been given to the intentional steps by which producers of children’s television can bring about positive social outcomes. The work of Stein and her associates is an exception (see Stein, 1972; Stein, Friedrich, & Vondracek, undated). It is not enough that we concern ourselves with reducing undesirable effects of television (e.g., removing the violence from Saturday morning cartoons). The means must be found to enhance desirable effects (e.g., positive forms of socialization). By defining and teaching social goals and measuring the results,Sesame Street has taken an important step in this direction. The research described in this paper was performed at Teaching Research, a Division of the Oregon State System of Higher Education, under a contract with Children’s Television Workshop, Inc. D. Lynn McDonald and Sherrill L. Whittemore were research assistants. Sandra Dawson, Sheryl Hirshon, Pearl Roossinck Paulson, Terry Toedtemeier, and Timm Tripplet worked on the project. H. Del Schalock of Teaching Research and Barbara F. Reeves, Patricia L. Hayes, and Edward L. Palmer of CTW provided many of the basic ideas. A complete technical report on the study is available (Paulson, McDonald, & Whittemore, 1973).     

Relations of middle school students' perceptions of family and school contexts with academic achievement

The purposes of this study were to examine the relations of both family and school contexts on students' academic achievement and to explore the mediating effects of students' perceptions of their motivations and academic self‐competence between the family and school contexts and achievement. Participants were 230 fifth‐ and sixth‐grade students. Students' perceptions of parenting style (demandingness and responsiveness), parental involvement (parental values and involvement in school functions), teaching style (teacher control and responsiveness), and school atmosphere (school responsiveness and supportive social environment) significantly predicted their school achievement; however, students' motivations and self‐competence mediated the relations between students' contexts and their academic achievement. Furthermore, parental values, teacher responsiveness, school responsiveness, and supportive social environment predicted students' motivations and academic competence above and beyond parenting style, parental involvement, and teacher control. The importance of students' supportive relationships and the internalization of the messages conveyed to them underscore the need for a contextual view by school psychologists when consulting with parents and education staff regarding achievement concerns. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Covert and overt forms of maltreatment in the preschools

This paper examines the preschool environment, finding within it forms and patterns of maltreatment. The preschool is defined as an educational facility for children 2$\text{1}\text{2}$ to 5 years. Described are the major models of preschools, public and private, conservatively estimated at 50.000 in the United States. The study is based on data from observations by the author of 60–70 preschools in the New York City metropolitan area, 1976–1981. This five-year period witnessed a substantial increase in the preschool movement. Explored are factors related to this increase, one significant factor being the idea that early childhood education can never be too early. Demand for early academic competence in young children when combined with longer time periods spent in preschools creates difficulties for children Societal pressure upon preschool teachers to produce cognitively and emotionally competent young children while assuring their health and safety needs leads to outcomes which are cause for concern. Covert forms of maltreatment lie predominantly in staff (directors, teachers, assistants) attitudes toward young children. These include: insistence that children learn to be independent while reinforcing dependent behavior: overemphasis on the acquisition of academic skills, irrespective of age; excessive reliance on packaged “educational” materials; non-use of materials that have intrinsic interest for children; lack of enthusiasm for working with young children; rigid adherence to routine for convenience; dislike of particular children. Overt forms of maltreatment to gain compliance or obedience from young children range from direct verbal attack (insult, sarcasm, ridicule, threats, name calling, humiliation) through emotional abuse (withholding of affection or compassion) to clear physical coercion (pulling, pushing, shoving, yanking, expulsion from class, isolation in class). Such patterns are not limited to a particular model but can occur in each preschool category. Their significance suggests that caring for and educating young children in group settings may not be the panacea society wants it to be. Special preparation for early childhood educators with well supervised internships is certainly a forward step, among many others, which are cooperatively needed at this juncture to improve the preschool environment for all children.     

10,000 Libraries, 4 Years: A Large-Scale Study of E-Book Usage and How You Can Use the Data to Move Forward

Michael Levine-Clark and Kari Paulson examine 2013 worldwide usage data for ebrary and E-book Library (EBL) covering hundreds of thousands of titles. They examine usage patterns across academic libraries globally and establish benchmarks useful to libraries and consortia for local planning. Sessions versus availability, the use of higher-quality e-books, broad disciplinary differences, performance relative to predicted use, and level of immersion are considered. Levine-Clark is in the process of analyzing ebrary and EBL data for a forthcoming white paper, and this presentation and associated discussion will inform the development of that study.     

Educational Travel to Israel in the Era of Globalization

Travel to Israel has been a central feature of Jewish and Zionist education yet it is time for this educational travel to be examined in the context of current cultural trends of travel and transnational experiences. The Jewish educational community has not yet internalized the impact of global trends on the field of travel to Israel from a variety of theoretical and practical perspectives. This article lays out the underlying assumptions of Jewish travel to Israel in the context of globalization and related cultural developments. The article refers primarily to the North American Jewish community, the largest demographic source of travelers.