‘It’s the best thing I’ve done in a long while’: teenage mothers’ experiences of educational alternatives

Pregnant and mothering schoolgirls have been identified as an educationally vulnerable group. Many are not welcomed in their mainstream schools and as a consequence, access a range of educational alternatives. This article presents the views and experiences of 14 young women in the English Midlands, who became pregnant while still of statutory school age, 12 of whom spent time in alternative educational settings. It is based on data gathered from repeat interviews over an 18-month period and shows that all who attended the educational alternatives rated them highly and benefitted from what they had to offer. Using the concept of ‘difference’ as a central analytic theme, the article examines how and why this was the case. The analysis shows that it was through recognising some differences but not others that the educational alternatives were successful in supporting young women’s learning and well-being. Importantly, those that were recognised were done so in non-stigmatising ways. The research also highlights some limitations of the alternatives, alongside the ways in which gender and class continue to impact the educational outcomes and career trajectories of this particular group of students.     

Antecedents to psychosocial environments in middle school classrooms in Taiwan

This study investigated gender differences in students' perceptions of their psychosocial environment and related variables. Analyses of data collected from 644 middle school students reveal that there were significant differences in boys' and girls' perceptions, in favor of girls. Ten academic background variables were examined. Multiple regression results identified, in addition to gender, school membership, attendance, time spent doing homework, students' academic expectations, course grade, and course content as significant variables for all students, accounting for 31% of the variance in environment. There were gender-related disparities for the variables involved. While time spent doing homework, students' academic expectations, course grade, and course content had significant effects on both boys and girls' environments, school membership and time spent in watching TV had effects only on girls' perceptions. Educational implications of the findings are also discussed in the article. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Who pays for standardised testing? A cost-benefit study of mandated testing in three Queensland secondary schools

This paper reports on an Australian study that explored the costs and benefits of the National Assessment Programme, Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) testing, both tangible and intangible, of Year 9 students in three Queensland schools. The study commenced with a review of pertinent studies and other related material about standardised testing in Australia, the USA and UK. Information about NAPLAN testing and reporting, and the pedagogical impacts of standardised testing were identified, however little about administrative costs to schools was found. A social constructivist perspective and a multiple case study approach were used to explore the actions of school managers and teachers in three Brisbane secondary schools. The study found that the costs of NAPLAN testing to schools fell into two categories: preparation of students for the testing; and administration of the tests. Whilst many of the costs could not be quantified, they were substantial and varied according to the education sector in which the school operated. The benefits to schools of NAPLAN testing were found to be limited. The findings have implications for governments, curriculum authorities and schools, leading to the conclusion that, from a school perspective, the benefits of NAPLAN testing do not justify the costs.     

Towards collective work and responsibility: Sources of support within a Freedom School teacher community

Alternative and parallel schooling contexts such as the Children's Defense Fund Freedom Schools^® provide educational experiences for U.S. K–12 students grounded in notions of social justice and culturally responsive teaching. College-aged young adults known as “servant-leader interns” are the teachers in this context. In this article, the author examines the nature of the various ways in which servant-leader interns were supported in their development as teachers both at the national training institute and at their local site. This discussion gives explicit attention to the kinds of deliberate support intended by the Freedom Schools program and the kinds of support that the servant-leader interns created or initiated on their own. Implications for teacher support that occur in alternative and parallel schooling contexts are discussed.     

人力资本、人力资本结构与区域协调发展——来自中国省级区域的证据

本文重点分析了1990-2004年我国各省、自治区和直辖市人力资本和人力资本结构的变化及其对地区经济增长的影响。首先,采用受教育年限法计算各省、自治区和直辖市的人力资本,然后运用基尼系数法测算各地区的人力资本结构系数;在此基础上,将1990-2004年各地区的有关数据组成面板数据模型,检验人力资本和人力资本结构对经济增长的影响。结果表明,我国绝大多数地区的经济增长还处于物质资本推动阶段,人力资本和人力资本结构的作用只在少数地区是显著的;在保持其他变量不变的条件下,人力资本每增加1%,地区生产总值将增加0.25%-0.52%,人力资本结构系数每减少1%,地区生产总值将增加0.18%-0.51%。     

李德“左”倾军事路线的危害及其形成根源

李德采用左倾军事路线,直接指挥了第五次反围剿,造成中央根据地丢失,红军损失过半的严重后果,危害严重,其错误军事路线的形成有其主观因素,也有客观原因。对第五次反围剿的失败,李德负有理大责任。     

高校推行校务公开工作的思考

校务公开是高校民主管理和党风廉政建设的一大举措。高校推行校务公开工作必须树立民主、法制、监督、管理四个意识,建立领导组织、制度保障、监督制约、责任追究四个机制,做到与党风廉政建设、教代会制度建设、调动广大教职工的积极性、兑现奖惩四个方面相结合。     

中国民办学校发展历程的历史性思考

中国民间办学历史悠久,发展曲折。私学在古代,或是处于办学的非主流地位,或是逐渐被官办学校体系所兼并．始终没有形成独立的体系。晚清时期开始的革新活动,促使新式教育体系形成,民办学校也开始走上发展之路。但旧中国的人祸天灾,阻碍了民办学校前进的脚步。建国以后,很长一段时间没有民办教育的立足之地。改革开放以来,民办教育呈现蓬勃发展的势头．成为教育大军中不可或缺的新兴力量。     

凝练专业特色建设《大学化学》精品课程体系

从学校办学定位和学科发展出发,阐述了《大学化学》精品课程体系建设的基本思路与实践,并简要介绍了《大学化学》精品课程体系建设的现状、目标、途径及特色。