Early Childhood Intervention in China from the Families’ Perspective

Research highlights the importance of early childhood intervention (ECI) for children with disabilities, and there is an increasing interest in China with respect to research on ECI. However, little research exists exploring the experience of families of young children with disabilities receiving ECI services and supports in China. The purpose of this study was to understand the ECI experiences of families of such children. A qualitative research design was used, and data were collected through interviews with six families in southwest China. This study indicated that, although China has made some progress in ECI for young children with disabilities, progress in this area is still at an early stage of development. Many issues still need to be addressed, including knowledge about typical and atypical development, early identification, professional development, increased government investment, and better implementation of existing laws.     

(Re)braiding to tell: using trenzas as a metaphorical–analytical tool in qualitative research

Metaphors can be used in qualitative research to illuminate the meanings of participant experiences and examine phenomena from insightful and creative perspectives. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how I utilized trenzas (braids) as a metaphorical and analytical tool for understanding the experiences and perspectives of Latina teachers around being a well-educated person. Accordingly, this paper is organized into three strands. First, I discuss trenzas as a metaphorical concept in raced–gendered epistemology, highlighting the work of Chicana/Latina feminist scholars in law and education. Second, I describe how metaphorical thinking informed the methodological design. Third, I explain how I used trenzas to make sense of data and build theory. The discussion weaves the three strands together to emphasize the functional and generative nature of trenzas as a metaphorical–analytical tool for gaining critical and nuanced understandings of how personal, professional, and community identities shape participant’ experiences and perspectives.     

分析化学实验课教学改革初探

从教学内容、教学手段、学生成绩评定等方面，对分析化学实验课的教学进行了改革与探索，取得了较为理想的教学效果。     

高等教育财政的课题——向保证教育质量的财政转变

日本高等教育财政正面临着新的课题,一方面,是高等教育公共支出紧缩导致的财政紧张及大学入学人口的减少;另一方面,全球化中知识社会的出现赋予高等教育艰巨的任务。本文阐述了高等教育的焦点应从量的扩大转向质的提高的论点。美国的高等教育在20世纪80年代后期进行了这样的转变,但包括日本在内的多数OECD国家,没有能够实现这样的跨越。从金融市场开拓资源或许是实现跨越的关键因素。     

A Qualitative Investigation of Fifth- and Sixth-grade Students’ Attitudes towards Intellectual Disability

Research suggests that attitudes of typically developing children towards intellectual disability (ID) play an important role in the social integration and acceptance of children with IDs. To date, however, few studies have investigated children’s attitudes towards ID. The primary objective of this study was to examine the cognitive, affective, and behavioural components of children’s attitudes towards ID. Thirty-nine (14 boys, 25 girls) fifth- and sixth-grade elementary school students participated in the study. Seven focus groups were created in five different schools. Results suggested that inaccurate beliefs and negative emotions regarding ID may contribute to social and school integration problems experienced by children with IDs. The findings of the present study could be useful for the development of education and awareness programs that promote the development of more positive attitudes towards ID.     

The Schooling Experience of Adolescent Boys with AD/HD: An Australian Case Study

This study explored the experience of schooling of six adolescent boys diagnosed with AD/HD from the perspectives of the boys, their mothers and their teachers. The study utilised social constructionism as the theoretical orientation and the Dynamic Developmental Theory (DDT) of AD/HD as the explanatory framework. Utilising a multiple, instrumental case-study, data were collected by means of semi-structured individual and focus group interviews as well as a review of school reports across a two year period. Findings of the study suggest that taking medication as prescribed together with supporting the students to make and manage friendships, utilising classroom strategies that support learning, and providing an engaging classroom environment are important considerations to promote a positive schooling experience for adolescents with AD/HD.     

Latinx students’ experiences with college access and preparation at college preparatory charter schools

Charter schools that target underserved communities, including Latinxs, have proliferated in the U.S., claiming a unique, more autonomous and successful alternative to traditional public schools, often with a promise of increased postsecondary access and preparation. However, there is conflicting evidence regarding their effectiveness on academic outcomes, prompting additional research on charter schools. This study examined the college access and preparation experiences of 14 Latinxs attending college preparatory charter schools within one school system in Texas. Findings highlight how schools assisted students in preparing for college, but challenges in accessing college knowledge and assistance still existed, particularly for undocumented students.     

Stakeholder perspectives on barriers and facilitators of inclusive education in the Solomon Islands

This paper reports perceived barriers and facilitators of disability‐inclusive education, and outcomes of an effective system of inclusive education in the Solomon Islands. Data were gathered from a variety of stakeholder group participants (n = 10) and individual key informants (n = 2), ranging from parents of children with disabilities to government representatives. The results revealed a unique perspective on disability‐inclusive education in this context, and provided insight into possible directions towards a more inclusive system.     

Orders of magnitude reasoning applied in selecting shield

ＯｒｄｅｒｓｏｆＭａｇｎｉｔｕｄｅＲｅａｓｏｎｉｎｇＡｐｐｌｉｅｄｉｎＳｅｌｅｃｔｉｎｇＳｈｉｅｌｄＹｕＺｈｏｎｇｙｕａｎＨｕＭｉｎ＊ＬｉｕＺｈｅｎｙｕ＊＊（ＳｈａｎｇｈａｉＴｉｅｄａｏＵｎｉｖｅｒｓｉｔｙ,＊ＳｈａｎｇｈａｉＵｎｉｖｅｒｓｉｔｙ,＊...     

Developing Student Metacognition through Reflective Writing in an Upper Level Undergraduate Anatomy Course

Incorporating metacognitive strategies in the classroom helps students monitor and adjust their learning strategies throughout the semester, and helps students progress from novice to expert learners in a subject. Journaling (i.e., reflective writing) is one metacognitive task that allows students to contemplate and articulate their skill development as they learn a new subject. The research reported here examines the use of ‘blogs’ (i.e., online journals) in an upper level undergraduate human anatomy course. The blogs both facilitated development of students' metacognitive skills and provided researchers insight into student metacognitive process. Data were examined from 92 students from three successive semesters (spring 2010, 2012 and 2014). Each student reviewed 10 radiology online cases throughout the semester and then reflected on their understanding of anatomy and radiology in an online blog for each case. A total of 927 blogs were examined for this research. The researchers used a grounded theory approach to analyze the blog narratives and develop a codebook based on common themes. The 927 blogs yielded 11,082 statements that were coded with the codebook. As the semester progressed, the blog entries showed that students demonstrated greater self-confidence in their abilities to understand the subject matter, expressed greater enthusiasm for anatomy in general, and they improved their metacognitive skills. This research illustrates that reflective writing in an undergraduate anatomy course not only facilitates improvement in student metacognitive skills, but also provides the instructor with evidence how a student progresses from novice to more experienced learner in anatomy.