South African contributions to LGBTI education issues

ABSTRACT

South Africa stands out in the African region for its protection of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) rights. This article examines South Africa’s contributions to local policy for LGBTIs and to work on LGBTI issues in education policy and education rights progress internationally. It also considers broader South African contributions to the theorisation of gender and sexuality. Data derive from an analysis of 102 interviews with key informants participating in high-level global networking for LGBTI students’ rights, and documentary analysis showing how stakeholders characterise South African contributions to transnational LGBTI education work. Informants identified how such contributions have a strong human rights emphasis, furthering post-colonial resistance to simplistic gender and sexuality classification schema imposed via imperial colonising dynamics. While South African work in this area has also promoted and facilitated research, it has at times been limited by ambivalence from its leadership. The nation’s early adoption of constitutional rights, relationship rights and educational equity provisions as acts of decolonisation contribute valuable African LGBTI work examples to the region. Their success encourages further funding for South-South transnational LGBTI education work.     

Hearing Words,Learning Words: How Different Presentations of Novel Vocabulary Words Affect Children’s Incidental Learning

Research Findings: Children learn most of their vocabulary incidentally, by hearing words used in their environment. This study explored which kinds of presentations of words, without any direct instruction, yielded greater depth of target word knowledge. Changes in 56 kindergartners’ depth of knowledge for each of 23 novel target words (N = 1,288) based on presentation in 1 of 3 conditions (read-aloud, teacher conversation, or both read-aloud and conversation) were explored and compared to control words that were never presented. A 2-level, cross-classification analysis modeled the postintervention score for each word for each child. Children’s word meaning knowledge improved most when words were presented via combined conversations and read-alouds. Vocabulary gains for words presented via conversations differed across classrooms. Practice or Policy: Both teacher conversations and read-aloud presentations of target vocabulary should be used together. Professional development for teachers’ effective vocabulary conversations may be needed.     

Statistical Power of the Multiple Domain Latent Growth Model for Detecting Group Differences

The latent growth model (LGM) in structural equation modeling (SEM) may be extended to allow for the modeling of associations among multiple latent growth trajectories, resulting in a multiple domain latent growth model (MDLGM). While the MDLGM is conceived as a more powerful multivariate analysis technique, the examination of its methodological performance is very limited. Hence, the present study compared the power of the MDLGM with that of a set of univariate LGMs for detecting group differences in growth rates over time using a Monte Carlo study with a two-group and two-domain design. The results indicated that there were different scenarios where the power rates for the MDLGM were greater than that of the set of LGMs (and vice versa) due to a joint function of the two domains’ intercorrelation size and the group difference effect size.     

Is Green Tea Really Good for You?

ABSTRACT:  One of the core competencies in the IFT Education standards is for students to achieve competency in communications skills (that is, oral and written communication, listening, interviewing, and so on). According to the IFT guidelines, by the time students graduate, they should not only be able to search for and condense information but also be able to "communicate technical information to a non-technical audience." The Education Division of IFT sponsors an annual writing competition for undergraduate students to bring attention to and promote the development of communication skills. The short essays can be on any technical subject or latest development in the food science and technology field that may be important to the consumer. The article must be written in nontechnical language such that someone reading a local newspaper could understand it. Due date for submissions is typically the first week in June. More information on eligibility, rules, submission, and judging criteria will be posted on IFT's Education Division website. Monetary prizes are awarded to the authors of the top 3 papers, and the winning entry is published in the Journal of Food Science Education (JFSE) each year. JFSE is pleased to publish this year's winning entry submitted by Stephanie Chiu from the Univ. of British Columbia.     

Teaching in inclusive classrooms: efficacy and beliefs of Canadian preservice teachers

This study provides a Canada-wide snapshot of the self-efficacy and beliefs of 1490 preservice teachers in relation to inclusive teaching using the Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practice and the Beliefs about Learning and Teaching Questionnaire. At the time of data collection, these preservice teachers were in the final stages of their teacher education programmes. Based on the results of surveys in 11 Faculties of Education, men have higher self-efficacy than women for managing behaviour in the classroom, elementary preservice teachers have higher self-efficacy in collaboration than those teaching in secondary schools, those enrolled in the 1-year post-degree programme show lower self-efficacy than those enrolled in programmes of other durations, and those who have experience with people with special education needs show higher self-efficacy than those who do not. Differences illustrated that women were more inclusive than men, 1-year post-degree preservice teachers were less inclusive than others, and those who have experience with people with special education needs are more inclusive than those who do not. Recommendations for teacher education and limitations surrounding the practical significance of the findings are discussed.     

感情神经科学研究进展

感情神经科学这一学科关注的是情绪和心境的潜在神经基质。近年来,感情神经科学通过使用功能神经成像、行为实验、电生理记录、动物和人类的损害研究及动物和人类的行为实验等方法和技术,以在神经生物学和心理学水平更好地理解情感和情绪。本文首先对感情神经科学的发展历史进行回顾;接着简要概述了几个主要大脑区域对情绪加工的贡献;最后指出了感情神经科学的未来方向。     

Developing Culturally Competent Preservice Teachers

An unfortunate, yet persistent, truth in U.S. public schools is the large achievement gap existing between children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and their White, middle-class counterparts. The potential for cultural dissonance between contemporary teachers and their students necessitates that educators must persistently seek culturally responsive practices. Much has been written regarding strategies for culturally responsive pedagogy; therefore, this article moves beyond a review of culturally responsive pedagogy. Rather than providing teacher candidates with more suggestions for culturally responsive teaching activities, the authors provide teacher educators with specific resources for facilitating the development of cultural competence among preservice teachers.     

The experience of watching baseball games in Korea: an analysis of user-generated content on social media using Leximancer

The current study explores international tourists’ experiences of watching professional baseball games in Korea. Total 152 reviews posted by tourists on TripAdvisor were analyzed through Leximancer, a computer program used in the qualitative content analysis. The software identified three dominant themes of tourist experiences: the distinctive atmosphere of Korean professional baseball games, the diverse services in the stadium, and fanatical cheering behavior for the team. Moreover, it revealed that international tourists were generally positive toward the culturally distinctive style of Korean professional baseball games. This study suggests that the professional sports of a travel destination can be a form of providing international tourists with pleasurable experiences and a way to learn about the distinctive Korean baseball culture.     

(Re) Claiming Native Youth Knowledge: Engaging in Socio-culturally Responsive Teaching and Relationships

This article reveals Native youth perspectives on socio-culturally responsive education. The authors draw on two studies conducted in the Southwest among Navajo and Pueblo students. Youth convey the importance of meaningful, reciprocal, and transformative learning experiences and relationships at school. The article ends with suggestions for creating a socio-culturally responsive school environment.