A folkloristic approach to understanding teachers as storytellers

This article presents a folkloristic analysis of two history teachers' performances of lectures in an eleventh-grade American history course. Folklore is defined as the situated performance of a traditionalized text (in this case, from the course textbook) in which the performer (the teacher) takes responsibility for communicating a version of the text to the audience (the students) that is meaningful to them in their current situation. Using performance analysis grounded in folkloristic theory, it is shown that the history lecture is a complex genre combining such simple genres as anecdote and personal experience story. In so doing, a folkloristic approach to the study of teachers as storytellers is explained.     

Using an Informal Cardiovascular System Activity to Study the Effectiveness of Science Education in Unexpected Places

Venues for informal science education are usually those sought out by people who are specifically looking for an educational experience. Whether planning a trip to a museum or choosing a television program, these individuals are actively seeking an informal educational experience; they are a self-selected group. This paper investigates whether members of the public will respond to an informal science activity that is placed in a location where learning about science would be unexpected. This project developed and used an activity about the cardiovascular system in which participants were able to walk the path of blood flow through the heart, body, and lungs. This activity was tested in two types of settings: where science was either expected or unexpected. A non-traditional assessment method was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the activity in the unexpected versus the expected settings. Ultimately, the activity was found to be equally effective in both settings, providing evidence for success in bringing informal science education to the general population in non-traditional venues.     

Peer group status as a moderator of group influence on children's deviant, aggressive, and prosocial behavior

Group status was examined as a moderator of peer group socialization of deviant, aggressive, and prosocial behavior. In the fall and 3 months later, preadolescents and early adolescents provided self-reported scores for deviant behavior and group membership, and peer nominations for overt and relational aggression, prosocial behavior, and social preference. Using the social cognitive map, 116 groups were identified involving 526 children (282 girls; M age=12.05). Hierarchical linear modeling revealed that high group centrality (visibility) magnified group socialization of relational aggression, deviant behavior, and prosocial behavior, and low group acceptance magnified socialization of deviant behavior. Results suggest group influence on behavior is not uniform but depends on group status, especially group visibility within the larger peer context.     

Formative evaluation of a collaborative community-based child abuse prevention project

OBJECTIVE: Together for Kids is a child abuse prevention project that serves children and families in two neighboring communities in a mid-sized Canadian city. The project, a collaborative endeavor of various agencies in the health, social services, and law enforcement sectors, focuses on preventing child abuse and neglect through family support and programming. This article presents the results of a formative evaluation of the project focusing on client and team member views on project implementation. METHOD: The evaluation strategy was primarily qualitative. In-person interviews following a semi-structured format were conducted with 17 clients and 10 team members by an external evaluator. In addition a review of all client records was conducted. RESULTS: The community-based approach, the multidisciplinary composition of the team, the ability to seek services when needed, the immediacy of the response time and the availability of support during stressful times were all aspects of the project that clients found beneficial. The most beneficial aspect of the project, however, was the informal support received from team members who were accepting, non-threatening, and non-judgmental. Team members found the collaborative approach made access to services easier for clients, particularly for those who were more socially isolated. CONCLUSIONS: Multidisciplinary, community-based models of service delivery contribute to a more effective and compassionate response to vulnerable families. Attention to the variables identified as important aspects of the project from the clients' perspective in this evaluation may assist others in developing similar programs.     

The Variable Importance of General Intelligence (g) in the Cognitive Abilities of Children and Adolescents

Virtually all research affirms the importance of a general factor (i.e., Spearman’s g) in accounting for individual differences in intelligence (Spearman, 1904 Spearman, C. 1904. General intelligence, objectively determined and measured. American Journal of Psychology, 15: 201–293. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] [Google Scholar]). However, some scholars have suggested that cognitive abilities are not organised uniformly across all levels of age and ability. Using standardisation data from the Woodcock Johnson Test of Cognitive Ability Revised, the present study examines the influence of Spearman’s g in samples that vary in terms of ability (i.e., high and low ability) and age (i.e., children and adolescents). Findings suggest that as children mature, their cognitive abilities become increasingly differentiated, irrespective of individual differences in general ability.     

Stressors experienced by injured athletes

The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to examine the stressors experienced by injured athletes during three phases of their recovery from sport injury, and (b) to explore the differences in the stressors experienced by team as compared to individual-sport athletes. Participants comprised previously injured high-level rugby union players (n = 5) and golfers (n = 5). Semi-structured interviews were used to explore the stressors participants experienced during three phases of injury (onset, rehabilitation and return to competitive sport). Within- and cross-case analyses showed that athletes experienced sport, medical/physical, social and financial stressors. There were a number of differences in the stressors experienced across the three phases and between team and individual-sport athletes. Findings have important implications for the design and implementation of interventions aimed at managing the potentially stressful sport injury experience and facilitating injured athletes' return to competitive sport.     

Cultural distance,mindfulness and passive xenophobia: Using Integrated Threat Theory to explore home higher education students’ perspectives on ‘internationalisation at home’

This paper addresses the question of interaction between home and international students using qualitative data from 100 home students at two ‘teaching intensive’ universities in the southwest of England. Stephan and Stephan's Integrated Threat Theory is used to analyse the data, finding evidence for all four types of threat that they predict when outgroups interact. It is found that home students perceive threats to their academic success and group identity from the presence of international students on the campus and in the classroom. These are linked to anxieties around ‘mindful’ forms of interaction and a taboo around the discussion of difference, leading to a ‘passive xenophobia’ for the majority. The paper concludes that Integrated Threat Theory is a useful tool in critiquing the ‘internationalisation at home’ agenda, making suggestions for policies and practices that may alleviate perceived threats, thereby improving the quality and outcomes of intercultural interaction.