Participatory creativities: developing a research design for children’s pastoral encounters with the natural world

ABSTRACT

In this paper, the author discusses the interrelationship between creativity, children’s experiences of the natural world and pastoral education. Based on a research design developed whilst undertaking a professional doctorate in education (EdD), and grounded in a theoretical framework of children’s rights, the author explores the creative uncertainties of collaboratively researching children’s educational experiences with nature. The paper considers the ways in which the research design supports a pastoral care agenda, whilst encouraging the emergence of ‘creative artefacts’, alongside the extent to which the focus of the research, encounters with the natural world, might be deemed pastorally minded in its own right. The children who have participated in the research then draw the paper to a close, sharing what their involvement in the project has meant to them. Images and excerpts of children’s own creative reflections are offered as illustration of the powerful confluence of the Creative and the Pastoral.     

Gathering the views of children and young people with ASD: a systematic literature review

According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, children have a right to have their views listened to, and studies have shown that doing so can improve their motivation and self‐esteem. Accordingly, this systematic literature review sought to investigate how the views of children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), who have difficulties with social communication, may be gathered. Searches of electronic databases yielded 20 studies which met the criteria for inclusion. Semi‐structured interviews (SSIs) were popular, but there is tentative evidence that these are better suited to older, or more academically able, participants. Some of the evidence suggests adaptations to make SSIs more accessible to young people with ASD. Initial evidence has also emerged regarding the suitability of focus groups and electronic diaries. More focused evaluation by researchers of the suitability of their chosen data‐gathering methods for participants with ASD would allow broader conclusions to be drawn.     

从海德格尔的解读看马克思哲学的当代性

海德格尔对唯物史观推崇不已,认定唯有它达到了在存在中把捉历史事物的本质性的存在论境域,唯有共产主义尚能追赶正在加速展开的世界历史天命。但由于他对"劳动"作了近代语境的解读,因而不无矛盾地批评唯物史观终究是预设"人是理性动物"的人道主义之一种,并认为人的本质不在理性或生物性而在"生存"。其实,"劳动"与"生存"均扬弃了旧形而上学那种作为单个人所固有的抽象物的人的本质,因为对世界历史意义的道说现在是在其本真的存在方式上而不是在所谓"绝缘的主体"上进行的。马克思哲学之当代性当作此理解。     

关于“法轮功”问题的哲学思考

“法轮功”邪教组织在中国的滋生、蔓延和猖獗引起了人们的普遍关注。从理论上澄清其思想流毒,对加强精神文明建设,推动全国人民全身心地投入现代建设事业,具有十分重大的理论和实践意义。     

Bilingual primary schools,decorative art and psychotechnics: Luxembourgian education at international exhibitions and congresses, 1870s–1930s

Building upon an expanding literature on world exhibitions and international conferences as vehicles for the transnational circulation of educational knowledge during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, this article discusses the participation of Luxembourg at these events. It focuses on three thematic strands: the representation of Luxembourgian education at world exhibitions during the late nineteenth century, when organisers showcased the allegedly advanced state of primary instruction; the activities of the director of the École d’artisans de l’État Antoine Hirsch who took the representation of Luxembourgian education into his hands during the first three decades of the twentieth century; and the Grand-Duchy’s participation in the Seventh Biennial Conference of the World Federation of Education Associations in Tokyo in 1937, when Luxembourgian education was first represented overseas. These episodes reflect the ongoing industrialisation of the country and the growing influence of the steel industry on the educational sector.     

Unpacking the paradox of Chinese science learners: insights from research into Asian Chinese school students’ attitudes towards learning science,science learning strategies,and scientific epistemological views

Chinese students’ excellent science performance in large-scale international comparisons contradicts the stereotype of the Chinese non-productive classroom learning environment and learners. Most of the existing explanations of this paradox are provided from the perspective of teaching and learning in a general sense, but little work can be found which systematically summarises the findings from the research on Chinese science learners and their science learning so as to explain the paradox. In this paper, a total of 25 empirical quantitative studies, whose sample sizes range from 132 to 8815, published between 1987 and 2014, are reviewed. Three aspects are explored: students’ science learning strategies, attitudes towards learning science and their scientific epistemological views. In addition to summarising the results reported in these studies, efforts are made to link them with the paradox of the Chinese learners, and to generate some hypotheses to resolve it. Finally, directions for further research are suggested.     

论中学人文课程内容的二元结构

人文科学与社会科学是人文社会科学的两个最大子学科,人文科学着重研究"人",社会科学着重研究"人的世界",因此,人文社会科学的内容具有"人与人的世界"的二元结构。中学人文课程的教学目标是:一,教育学生正确认识自我、完善自我,形成正确的人的观念,学习如何做人;二,教育学生正确认识和善处外部世界,形成正确的世界意识,学会生存和发展,学会融入社会,为社会做贡献。因此,中学人文课程的内容同样具有"人与人的世界"的二元结构。按照"人与人的世界"的二元结构,中学人文课程设置可以这样构想:中学思想政治课名称改为"人生品德"课,以人学系列(含人学、心理学、伦理学、美学、哲学等子学科)知识为其全部教学内容,而将现行《思想政治》课程中的人文世界知识剥离出去;设置"人文世界"课以替换试验区的《历史与社会》课,同时取消单科历史课与地理课,"人文世界"课的内容是全部人文世界学系列(含社会科学——社会学、历史学、经济学、法学、政治学和人文自然学——人文地理学、环境学、生态学)知识。     

浅析洪秀全的宗教神学世界观

太平天国运动是中国旧式农民战争的最高峰。它的领导者洪秀全在宗教神学世界观的指导下带领贫苦民众,进行了反封建、反名教的革命性运动。宗教在组织、发动群众时发挥了重要作用,但其本质为唯心主义最终起了分裂革命的作用。由于农民阶级自身的局限性,洪秀全无法走出封建制生产关系的圈子,建立的政权仍是一个以自然经济为基础的封建政权。在内讧和外压下,太平天国运动最终失败。     

构建和谐世界：中国外交新理念的深层解读

和谐世界理念是一种充满民主精神、具有全球眼光的全新的世界发展观,已经得到了国际社会的广泛认同。和谐世界理念的提出有三个层次的渊源。第一个层次是中国传统文化的层面,第二个层次是中国共产党几代领导集体和平外交思想在新的国际形势下的发展,第三个层次是直接来源于和谐社会理念的深化。要建立和谐世界,需要各国和各种政治力量在政治、经济、文化方面付出共同努力,同时也要对联合国等国际组织进行改革。共建和谐世界理念的提出标志着中国共产党外交理论的更加成熟,标志着中国共产党对如何推动人类社会共同进步的认识更加丰富、更加深刻,具有重大的理论意义和实践意义。     

董仲舒神学化自然观的逻辑进程

儒学到了西汉时期发生了重要的转折,其显著的标志就是董仲舒把当时社会上普遍流行的“自然主义”思想与儒家“人本主义”精神结合起来,形成了独特的“天人合一”“天人感应”的神学化自然观。这种自然观的形成有其深刻的时代性,也有某种逻辑上的必然性。它根源于人们对自然界“同类相动”的普遍认识,经董仲舒“天人同类”的证明,必然形成“天人感应”的认识。