Improving the transfer to secondary school: how every child's voice can matter

Children in their final year of primary school (Year 6) were asked about their experiences of transition to high school so far. This multi‐method study included questionnaires, discussion, drawing and writing. The children raised a range of issues including mixed feelings; friends; bullying; getting lost; race; being the only child from their primary school; teachers; growing up; and school choice. Learning issues were rarely raised, suggesting that the social aspects of the move are most important for children at the end of Year 6. Most students wanted as much experience of their new school as possible, before they start attending there as a pupil. A key finding from this study is that children can be a very valuable resource in improving transition. Given accessible opportunities, which need not take up large amounts of time or resources, all children can inform the transition process and contribute to ongoing improvement.     

Is That an Action Man in There? Masculinity as an Imaginative Act of Self-creation

The concept of masculinity has been critiqued either as an ideological effect of patriarchy or as a play of discourse. This occurs at a time when there is renewed interest in biologically reductive theories of gender, and in the context (in the UK) of public disquiet about boys' academic performance. This paper argues that while masculinity cannot be regarded as a foundational subject, the reality of the category 'masculinity' in the daily lives of students and teachers means that we have to take account of how it structures both the social and pedagogic life of the classroom. The paper demonstrates how an imagined sense of masculinity--the masculine social imaginary--appears as a reality in the boys' narratives of self. The paper also argues that while this masculine social imaginary provides the semantic logic of gender, it is in the moment-to-moment interactions that boys have to assert and seek recognition of themselves as male. 'Masculinity' continues to be a useful sociological concept.     

CLIENT 1: A Computer Simulation for Use in Counselor Education and Research

CLIENT 1 is an interactive program that was designed to simulate client behavior in an initial interview and to provide a standardized environment for training and research on counselor problem-solving strategies. Through interaction with the computerized client, counselors attempt to facilitate client movement toward the goal of verbalizing a specific problem statement. Client movement is a function of the appropriateness and accuracy of counselor statements, the threat value associated with both client and counselor statements, the strength of the relationship between the counselor and client, and an index of counselor expertise. The uses of the simulation in counselor education and research are discussed.     

Through the Lens of Theory: Perspectives on an International Library Association

This paper discusses a study of the International Association of School Librarianship with the goal of offering a useful alternative model for studying associations: combining theory with a case-study design. While findings of the study are summarized, discussion centers on the case-study methodology and a multi-faceted theoretical framework. The theory applied is traditional and recently emerged theories of organization and the sociological theories of convergence and global integrity ethics. Aims of the paper are threefold: to present the value (to the associations and to scholars) of applying theory to the study of international associations; to provide insight into such associations; and to inspire further research in this field.