Impact of legislation on post‐school transition practice for young people with additional support needs in Scotland

A longitudinal study was conducted to understand post‐school transition practice for young people with additional support needs (ASN) before and after the implementation of key legislation, the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004, amended in 2009. Primary data were collected from one local authority in Scotland. Twelve professionals involved in post‐school transition planning were interviewed in 2004 and eight in 2010. Minutes of transition meetings from one school for three young people prior to the implementation of the Act and four after the implementation were analysed. Results show some changes since the implementation of the Act.     

From charity to security: the emergence of the National School Lunch Program

This paper explores the historical formation of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) in the United States and argues that programme emergence depended on the ability of policy entrepreneurs to link the economic concerns of agricultural production with the ideational concern of national security. Using a historical institutionalist framework this paper stresses the critical juncture of the Second World War and the positive feedback loop created between agricultural industries and schools to understand the emergence of the NSLP. In addition, it stresses the role of frames in policy-making and focuses on the use by policy entrepreneurs of a security frame whereby child malnutrition was cast as a national security issue. The policy window of war gave policy entrepreneurs the chance to use the politically and culturally resonant frame of security, in the contexts of agricultural subsidies, to push for the creation of this programme.     

Building cultural empathy and deconstructing Whiteness in counselor education

Counselor training that does not attend to dynamics of cultural differences and oppression can run the risk of promoting false empathy that serves the voyeuristic purpose of the counselor rather than achieving accurate empathy for the client. In this article, we discuss the differences between true and false empathy and how Whiteness, racial identity and culture, and classroom dynamics can impact the ability to engage in cultural empathy development. We present a model for cultural empathy training that attends to each of these dynamics.     

Use and value of information sources by parents of child psychiatric patients

Objective: With Web 2.0, the variety of information sources for parents of paediatric psychiatric patients has increased dramatically. Information use theory suggests newer sources supplement rather than supplant traditional sources of health information. This study sought to determine the use and value of traditional and emerging sources of information and whether the subjects had access to highly valued sources of information. Methods: One hundred parents indicated the use and value of six sources of information on the child’s symptoms, diagnoses and treatment. The data were analyzed to determine if significant relationships existed between type of source and the use and value of the information sources. Results: Ninety‐four percent of the subjects had access to the Internet and almost half of those reported using the Social Web. Eighty‐five percent had at least one high‐value information source. The psychiatrist in the clinic, the Internet and the primary care physician were the most highly used and valued sources. Conclusion: Use of digital information sources was greater than found in other studies of similar populations. This use appears to complement rather than supplant more traditional sources. Further studies are needed to see if the negative impact of lack of Internet access is replicated.     

Engaged food science: Connecting K‐8 learners to food science while engaging graduate students in science communication

Connecting the public to concepts in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is an essential for technological advancement and inspiring future scientists, impacting both the communicator and the audience's understanding of scientific topics. Without proper communication of scientific knowledge, acceptance and implementation of new technologies can be hindered. Additionally, increasing public awareness about current scientific issues through STEM engagement permits more informed policy and consumer choices, especially in the field of food science where many new food technologies are met with initial resistance by the consuming public. Here, we describe an event that introduced topics in food science to the nonexpert public, including K‐8th grade participants and their adult caregivers in an informal learning environment. This program consists of six activities that collectively introduce three areas in food science: food chemistry, food microbiology, and process engineering. Protocols are provided for each activity including a materials list (with the option to scale up or down according to event duration, event space allowances, and number of participants), learning objectives and discussion points that are adaptable to different age groups, event spaces, or budgets. Each activity has a participatory component to ensure both audience member and instructor engagement. A program designed for food science communication empowers young scientific minds to better understand complex scientific topics and could inspire them to envision a possible career in STEM fields, with the additional benefit of providing graduate students an exciting medium through which they may practice their science communication skills, potentially benefiting not only their personal academic and professional skills but also broader societal needs.     

Examining youth perceptions and social contexts of litter to improve marine debris environmental education

Abstract

Youth have astute observations about site-specific personal and environmental factors that contribute to littering and marine debris, and they have a strong potential to act as change agents in communities. Interactions with youth in Pinellas County Florida add insights into a growing body of research on environmental education and marine debris prevention. This study assessed perceptions of marine debris and littering behaviors through group discussions with middle school and high school students (N = ～44), evaluations at summer camp programs (N = ～31) and pre- and post-assessments of environmental field trips (pre-assessment N = ～120; post-assessment N = ～140). Youth showed high initial awareness of the effects of marine debris on the environment but showed less understanding about the role of watersheds and biodegradation in marine litter issues. A majority of youth attributed others’ littering behavior to dispositional factors, like laziness, while attributing their own littering to situational factors, like poorly placed bins. Student observations of educators and parents also influenced littering behaviors and willingness to act. To reduce littering, education and outreach programs need to (1) provide opportunities for ongoing assessment of complex marine debris topics, (2) align visual and written or verbal messages, (3) reduce actor/observer bias related to littering behaviors, and (4) support adult role models.     

The criterion-calibration model of cue interaction in contingency judgments

Siegel, Allan, Hannah, and Crump (2009) demonstrated that cue interaction effects in human contingency judgments reflect processing that occurs after the acquisition of information. This finding is in conflict with a broad class of theories. We present a new postacquisition model, the criterion-calibration model, that describes cue interaction effects as involving shifts in a report criterion. The model accounts for the Siegel et al. data and outperforms the only other postacquisition model of cue interaction, Stout and Miller’s (2007) SOCR model. We present new data from an experiment designed to evaluate a prediction of the two models regarding reciprocal cue interaction effects. The new data provide further support for the criterion-calibration model.