Student mentoring in higher education: Hong Kong Baptist University

There is a developing interest in mentoring in the educational system in Hong Kong, especially in higher education. Mentoring is looked at as a retention and enhancement strategy for undergraduate education. With the setting up of a mentoring system during the freshmen year, it is hoped that student retention can be increased and academic achievement can be promoted. The study aims to find out the current mentoring practices carried out at the Hong Kong Baptist University. Results are based upon quantitative data collected from 456 students and 79 faculty members engaging in the mentoring programme of the University Life Programme at the university in 1998. The author also conducted insight interviews into the student–mentor relationship and the problems encountered by mentors. The study focuses upon students' perspectives of an ‘effective’ mentor. The implications for resources are discussed as part of a review of the mentoring programme at the university.     

School leadership and school improvement: an examination of school readiness factors

ABSTRACT

This article reports on an investigation into the influence stemming from school leadership as an important consideration in relation to school improvement. School readiness, based on [Schiemann, W. A. 2014. “From Talent Management to Talent Optimization.” Journal of World Business 49 (2): 281–288. doi:10.1016/j.jwb.2013.11.012]. Accountability, Capability and Engagement (ACE) leadership model, was assessed through self-reported school leader behaviours, attitudes, perceptions, and school improvement attributes. To clarify, school readiness refers to how a school principal optimises staff and other school resources to best achieve school improvement agendas. School readiness survey results and student achievement outcomes for one entire school district were analysed, indicating that school readiness did indeed impact student achievement. Findings reveal a need for school leaders to focus more clearly on overall school alignment and optimisation behaviours, and these are discussed in relation to specific leadership recommendations and how leadership can better support and encourage school improvement in terms of educational accountability.     

Providing Time for School‐Based Curriculum Development

This paper reports the evaluation of teacher appraisal in schools within one local education authority. The study is based on interviews conducted with 40 teachers during the period November 1993 to March 1994. These interviews paint a positive picture of teacher appraisal. The overwhelming majority of the teachers interviewed felt they had been well trained to take part in the appraisal process, and that their experience of appraisal had been positive and valuable. In general, their comments indicated that they were well satisfied with the processes and procedures that took place regarding the conduct of appraisal. At the same time, several teachers did remark on the time‐consuming nature of appraisal, and wondered whether the benefits of appraisal justified the costs involved.     

Succession planning in England: new leaders and new forms of leadership

There are concerns about the supply of head teachers in many countries. In England, this problem arises from demographic changes and the perceived difficulty of the job. The National College responded to this problem by initiating a Succession Planning programme. This article reports the main findings from the external evaluation of the programme and links them to the wider literature.     

Theory of mind,executive function and social competence in boys with ADHD

Abstract

Twenty-two boys with a diagnosis of ADHD were com-KEYWORDS pared with 22 typically developing boys on an advanced theory of mind task and on two tasks measuring aspects of executive function. Parents completed rating forms measuring general social competence, as well as mentalizing and non-mentalizing social behaviours. There were no differences between the groups on the advanced theory of mind measure.The children with ADHD scored more poorly than controls on an inhibition task but not on a planning task once age and IQ had been covaried. Ratings of social competence were correlated with theory of mind and executive function ability for the typically developing controls but not for the children with ADHD. The results are discussed in terms of inhibitory and social information processing accounts of ADHD.     

CHILDREN'S PLAYGROUND BEHAVIOUR ACROSS FIVE YEARS OF BROADCAST TELEVISION: A NATURALISTIC STUDY IN A REMOTE COMMUNITY

3‐ to 8‐year‐olds’ free‐play behaviour was video‐recorded in two playgrounds before broadcast TV's availability in the South Atlantic island of St. Helena. Similar aged children's behaviour in the same playgrounds was recorded five years after television's arrival. Recorded behaviours were then coded for pro‐social and anti‐social acts. Out of sixty‐four pre‐lpost‐TV comparisons only nine significant shifts were found. Five revealed decreases in pro‐social behaviour (boys and girls), two showed increases in pro‐social behaviour (boys only), and the remaining two showed decreases in anti‐social behaviour (for boys only). In the discussion, particular environmental factors are highlighted which may help determine whether learned aggression (from TV and elsewhere) is enacted.     

TV‐VIOLENCE EFFECTS: EXCEPTIONALLY VULNERABLE VIEWERS?

From time to time, studies of links between youngsters’ television viewing habits and their social behaviour suggest pointers which may help identify those prone to ill‐effects from exposure to television programming.

This article refers to some of this research, before linking these pointers to the viewing habits of exceptional children (especially those with significant difficulties in their social and emotional behaviour). The article then makes cursory reference to initiatives designed to help safeguard young viewers from deleterious effects of television‐viewing.     

“It's not as if we've been teaching them…” reflective thinking in the outdoor classroom

Abstract

Research undertaken during a six week mountaineering expedition to Iceland in July 2003 set out to investigate approaches to facilitating the reflective process in 20 participants aged between 14 and 18. A number of models were examined to help determine the educational philosophy underpinning the expedition. The research methods involved documentary searches, observations and semistructured interviews. Findings suggest that the approach of expedition leaders accorded with the ‘mountains speak for themselves’ model as the leadersmade little or no attempt to encourage, facilitate or enable reflection on the part of participants. With few exceptions the participants did, however, engage in reflective thought both about the activities they had been involved in and the holistic benefits of the expedition. The findings suggest that whilst the facilitator/interventionist model and the Kolb cycle do little to explain the pedagogy within this expedition, there was evidence of much reflective learning from the participants.     

Are Integrated Learning Systems Good For Teachers Too?

ABSTRACT

The formal evaluation of Integrated Learning Systems (ILSs) in United Kingdom schools has raised questions about the professional development of teachers as they worked with pupils using the system. In this paper we will present evidence to show that by encouraging the use of information technology for more effective management of learning, and through the use of diagnostic material provided by the system about students, the use of ILSs can encourage the professional development of individual teachers.