Health-education policy interface: the implementation of the Eat Well Be Active policies in schools

While grappling with their traditional core business of imbuing students with official curricular knowledge, schools have simultaneously, increasing demands to take on health promotion responsibilities. This paper examines the mandated implementation of the Eat Well Be Active (EWBA) Action Plan and its subsidiary ‘Smart’ policies in schools in the state of Queensland, Australia. Within the context of health promotion, the interaction between the health and education policy interfaces was explored. In particular, we paid close attention to the responses of the schools and their staff to the convergence of various health policies within their institutions. Drawing on Bernstein's concept of field, this paper reports our analyses of responses within the reproduction field to the imperatives of the Smart policies. The results suggest that there exists a disjunction between the recontextualising and reproduction fields in terms of the EWBA policy intent and implementation.     

Is Full Day Better Than Half Day? A Propensity Score Analysis of the Association Between Head Start Program Intensity and Children’s School Performance in Kindergarten

Research Findings: This study used data from a national sample to examine differences in school outcomes at the end of kindergarten between Head Start children who attended full-day and half-day programs. Propensity scores were used to match children who experienced different intensities of the program on a series of demographic characteristics in order to achieve a more unbiased estimation of the intensity effect. Analyses were performed on 2 different age cohorts: 3-year-olds who enrolled in the program for 2 years and 4-year-olds who enrolled in the program for 1 year. The results showed that in comparison to a demographically comparable group of children who attended the Head Start half-day program, children who experienced the more intensive full-day program showed no significant differences on any of the 5 academic and social outcome measures examined. Practice or Policy: Policy and practice implications, as well as future research ideas, are discussed within this context.     

Are two years better than one year? A propensity score analysis of the impact of Head Start program duration on children's school performance in kindergarten

Using data from a nationally representative sample, this study examined Head Start children's school outcome differences by the end of Kindergarten between children who attended Head Start program for two years and the ones who attended for one year. Propensity scores were used to match children who experienced different durations of the program on a series of demographic characteristics in order to achieve a precise estimation of the effects of program duration. The results showed that in comparison to a demographically comparable group of children who attended the Head Start program for one year, the children who experienced two years of intervention services had statistically significantly higher performance on all six academic and social outcome measures by the end of Kindergarten, which included PPVT, Woodcock–Johnson Reading Skills, Woodcock–Johnson Math Reasoning Skills, teacher-reported composite academic skills, preschool learning behaviors, and social skills. Policy and practice implications are discussed.     

Collaborative learning with Web 2.0 tools: analysing Malaysian students’ perceptions and peer interaction

Today, ICT, web resources and multimedia contents have become prevalent in Malaysian university classrooms; hence, the learning approaches need to be redesigned for enabling students to use these technologies in co-constructing new meaning. This study analyses student’s perception and their peer interaction in the constructivist–collaborative learning environment (CCLE) with multimedia contents and Web 2.0 tools, to address the research question: What is the impact of CCLE on student learning process? By using factor analysis on the questionnaire results, and applying content analysis on students’ comments in Web 2.0 tools and feedback given by 182 students at INTI International University, several components of constructivist–collaborative learning were identified. The discussion in this study focuses on “team” and its sub-components include group dynamics, students’ prior knowledge with team and group processing. The discussion provides more understanding on the impact on student learning process for enhancing the learning experiences in Malaysian university class environment.     

Policy-as-discourse and schools in the role of health promotion: the application of Bernstein's transmission context in policy analysis

As one of the most important sites in and through which state agendas are articulated and disseminated, schools and teachers play critical roles in the implementation of state-driven policies and initiatives targeted at children and young people. This is especially pertinent in the current educational landscape where schools and teachers are vested with the responsibility to address a myriad of public health issues (e.g. smoking, alcohol education, etc.). The work of Basil Bernstein on pedagogic discourse is apposite to understanding how discourses external to the educational field (i.e. health promotion) become re-contextualised to serve educational purposes. Using Queensland's Eat Well Be Active (EWBA) policies as a backdrop, this paper draws on Bernstein's model of transmission context, and examines the discourses embedded within the policies. Through its focus on the classification and framing of the discourses within the EWBA policies, this paper aims to: (1) reveal the potential and expediency of Bernstein's model of transmission context in policy analysis; and (2) unmask the hegemony embedded within the policies.     

Supporting Child Welfare and Parent Involvement in Preschool Programs

This article discusses the findings from a mixed-method study examining the relationship between social resources and levels of parent involvement in state-funded preschool programs in Illinois. Using survey data from the Illinois Birth to Five Evaluation (n = 843) and interviews with ten preschool administrators who completed the survey, the study found the number of social resources provided by a program was positively associated with levels of parent involvement. The correlation analysis (r = −0.22, p = .0001) and analysis of variance (ANOVA) F(2,708) = 23.19, p = .0001 findings both demonstrated positive relationships wherein high numbers of social resources were associated with higher levels of parent involvement in programs. Administrator interviews confirmed survey findings and suggested additional influences on parent involvement levels and use of social resources in programs. Implications for supporting child welfare and policy recommendations for early childhood programs are provided.     

A Survey Study of Early Childhood Teachers’ Beliefs and Confidence about Teaching Early Math

This study reports on results from the Early Mathematics Beliefs and Confidence Survey, administered to 346 preschool teachers in a large public school system in the Midwest. Survey results depict a much more positive view of teachers’ beliefs and confidence in early math teaching than previously reported. Results also suggest that teacher confidence varies with specific types of math knowledge and teaching abilities, and assessing math learning is a specific area where teachers lack confidence. Examining confidence in their math abilities and in teaching early math, results indicate that teachers are more confident teaching math and remain confident in teaching even when confidence in their abilities is low. Implications of results for early math professional development are discussed.