Laboratory and research

PAPERS IN RHETORIC AND POETIC. Edited by Donald C. Bryant. Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 1965; pp. vii+96. $2.95; paper $1.95.     

Selecting Undergraduate Students: What can the UK Learn from the American SAT?

This short paper explores the contribution or otherwise that could be made by using a test akin to the American Scholastic Assessment Test or SAT to select students for undergraduate degrees in the UK. It examines the political context to the debate about the potential value of such a test, before outlining how SAT results in America vary along dimensions related to social background and how American universities have adapted their admissions procedures in response to these differences. From the research examined it cannot be assumed that the introduction of a test such as the SAT would be any more equitable then the current use of public examinations in England. It is suggested that profiling students along the lines used by some American universities may assist with making access ‘fairer’.     

The Flipped Classroom in Counselor Education

The flipped classroom is proposed as an effective instructional approach in counselor education. An overview of the flipped‐classroom approach, including advantages and disadvantages, is provided. A case example illustrates how the flipped classroom can be applied in counselor education. Recommendations for implementing or researching flipped classrooms are shared.     

Education Assistant Support in Inclusive Western Australian Classrooms: Trialling a Screening Tool in an Australian Context

Education assistants (EAs) who support students with disability in general education classrooms often find themselves in difficult situations. Caught in the firing line between their personal sense of duty, expectations of the classroom teachers, and the challenges that inclusion presents, their roles as primary support agents are anything but clear. In the following article the authors describe the findings from a modification of screening tool on the over-utilisation of paraprofessionals. The 16-item electronic survey focused on factors associated with EA support, conducted in a variety of Western Australian schools. The findings revealed that school community members such as EAs, classroom teachers, administrators and parents observed aspects of EA support that appear counter-productive towards more inclusive pedagogy.     

Understanding participant and practitioner outcomes of environmental education

Environmental education can deliver benefits to individuals, society and the environment, but few studies have asked practitioners or participants what they feel these benefits are. This research compares the perspectives of practitioners and participants in environmental education projects, using questionnaires, focus groups and participant observation. Practitioners and participants listed a large number of outcomes, with increasing knowledge about the environment mentioned most frequently. For participants, this was often in relation to gaining new skills. Social outcomes, such as making new friends, were more prominent in participant than practitioner responses. Practitioners did not spontaneously mention any negative outcomes of environmental education, and few were suggested with prompting. Participants suggested more negative outcomes than practitioners, notably damage to the environment. The differing views suggest a need for greater discussion between practitioners and their participants.