Content teaching: innovative and traditional practices

Innovative teaching is sometimes perceived as opposite of traditional teaching, since it is regarded as student-centred and takes on the form of guided construction. This distinguishing feature led to an expectation that traditional teaching practices will be replaced with innovative ones for the purpose of fostering learning. The goal of the present research is to examine this issue by taking a closer look at teaching practices within an innovative learning environment, and their implications for teachers and teacher educators. Our qualitative research was conducted in a secondary school which has implemented such a learning environment. The data analysis is based on sociolinguistic discourse analysis. The findings reveal a variety of teaching practices, which allows teachers to choose the most suitable one for a particular learning requirement. We conclude in proposing to adopt a more complex approach to teaching, and to relinquish the dichotomy between traditional and innovative teaching practices. Theoretical and practical implications of this proposal are presented in the discussion.     

REPORT OF BIBLICAL INSTRUCTORS CONFERENCE*

This article examines the psychoanalytic concepts of object-relations theorist Christopher Bollas, applying them to a view of the Bible as “transformational object.” Emphasizing the connection between psychological process and religious experience, this article suggests that each person's innate ability to choose and use objects is a key factor in their ability to appropriate the Bible for constructive use. By offering religious objects with psychological awareness, religious educators may come to appreciate that silence, empathy, and open-ended lesson plans are important incubators of transformation; and that aggression has a potentially positive role in the healthy development of worship communities.     

Ethnic origin and social control: Jewish and Arab delinquents in IsraelLos delincuentes Arabes y Judios en IsraelL'origine ethinque et le contrôle social: délinquants Juifs et Arabes en Israël

A review of the literature reveals that minorities often receive relatively severe dispositions by the various law enforcement agencies (police, probation, and the courts). This discrimination is usually explained by the prejudices of officers of these agencies. A study of the official statistics of juvenile delinquency in Israel reveals a similar pattern: Arab juveniles are overrepresented among recipients of severe recommendations and decisions. This overrepresentation is mostly due to the harsher recommendations Arab juveniles receive from their probation officers. However, since these officers are Arabs, prejudice cannot be the explanation. An attitudes and opinions survey reveals that Arab probation officers are more concerned with the community's welfare than the Jewish ones. This fact seems to be the cause of the difference in the pattern of recommendations.     

“I am not simply learning and regurgitating information,I am also learning about myself”: learning portfolio practice and online distance students

This case study explored the experience of learning portfolio practice and whether learning portfolio practice facilitated the development of critical thinking skills among online distance students. Data were generated using the participant learning portfolio entries and two-time semi-structured interviews. Five themes were constructed in the data-led thematic analysis: being an online distance student, the experience of learning with a learning portfolio, my approach to learning, thinking critically in my learning portfolio, the sociology discipline context. Findings indicate that learning portfolio practice can enhance the nature of the learning experience by providing students with a personal space to evaluate their own learning, to process their thoughts and experience and to document their lives and learning in an authentic and meaningful way. The findings suggest that learning portfolio practice can facilitate the development of critical thinking skills within a disciplinary context.     

Novice mathematics teachers create themselves

This study presents a qualitative research based on three narratives written by novice mathematics teachers. We examine their unique professional world during their first year of work. The methodology of narrative framework, on which this article is based, helps to gain better understanding of the need for novice mathematics teachers to have pedagogical knowledge. Findings reveal three themes of pedagogical knowledge: the attitude of novice teachers toward students with difficulties in mathematics; parents’ expectations of and involvement with novice mathematics teachers; teacher–student relations. The implications of the findings show that novice mathematics teachers are required to have not only content knowledge of mathematics but also, and above all, pedagogical knowledge. The implications of this study enable reassessment of emphases required in training mathematics teachers, as well as the assistance and support they need, especially as they launch their careers.     

The Israeli Planning and Grants Committee at the crossroads: From shock absorber to steering wheel

The Israeli Planning and Grants Committee (PGC) was established in 1974. It was modelled on the British system of the UGC. Since then, it has the most powerful and dominant organization in the governance of higher education.Both Government and universities will have to provide the essential framework of cooperation with the PGC in order to help maintain the present position of the PGC.