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“Okay girl, it’s up to youâ€: a case study of the use of a seizure alert dog to improve the wellbeing of a student with epilepsy
No full text“The relationship between student well-being and the other vital outcomes of schooling is unequivocal. Improved outcomes in all aspects of student well-being are positively associated with improved outcomes in all other aspects of schooling. This educational imperative only serves to strengthen and support the moral imperative for schools and schooling to be inclusive, supportive, and nurturing in order to maintain and support student well-beingâ€
Fraillon, 2005, p. 12)
This paper reports unique insights into the influence of a Seizure Alert Dog on a middle-years student’s well-being and his family, social and school relationships. It does this by examining his and his mother’s experiences with and perceptions of his circumstances during the period of change instigated by the introduction of the Seizure Alert Dog. Although there is documentation about the behaviours exhibited by Seizure Alert Dogs in warning their owners of an impending seizure, there appears to be no research into the nature or consequences of the broader relationship between the dogs and their owners. The research reported here seeks to redress this situation by examining the narrative of the change in the student’s wellbeing
Sceptical or clerical? Theory as a barrier to the combination of research methods
No full textThere is considerable and growing interest among social scientists and funders in the potential of research that mixes the approaches usually termed ‘qualitative’ and ‘quantitative’. One of the obstacles to further exploration of that potential is the frequently cited notion that these approaches represent more than methods – they are incommensurable ‘paradigms’. This paper discusses some of the reasons why these purported paradigms are not as much of an obstacle to mixed methods work as is sometimes portrayed. In doing so it touches on the nature of social scientific progress, and the role of different kinds of theory in that progress. The paper concludes that, as currently conceived, much theory writing is worse than useless. It is, like the notion of qualitative and quantitative paradigms, an obstacle to the development of theoretically appropriate mixed methods work
In search of a guidance curriculum for Hong Kong schools
No full textImporting a Western curriculum to another culture is contentious. Through a content analysis of guidance materials in selected primary schools, in this paper we explore the appropriateness of adopting a Western guidance curriculum in Hong Kong. Using a multi-dimensional framework derived from Lawton’s (1973) model of curriculum development, we report the sociological contextual features of the materials and present a content analysis to develop an understanding of the different approaches to psychology embodied in the curriculum. Three forms of the same Western guidance curriculum (Radd 1993), as used in three Hong Kong primary schools, are analysed to illustrate how Western notions of ‘self’ do not fit within an ‘East meets West’ context such as Hong Kong.
We argue that because of the ‘East meets West’ context of Hong Kong, there is a need to develop a ‘hybrid’ guidance curriculum that draws on a psychology guided by an understanding of the ‘hybrid self’, and that reflects the social and psychological contexts of Hong Kong. Implications of the findings for countries with Confucian heritages are discussed
Three abuses of ‘theory’: an engagement with Roy Nash
No full textThis paper summarises three abuses of ‘theory’ described in my previous paper in this journal. These are the theory of incommensurate qualitative and quantitative paradigms, the needless deification of past theorists, and the insistence by peer-reviewers on an explicit theoretical framework for all empirical work. These three abuses are widespread in UK education research. They form part of the difficulty in enhancing the capacity of professional researchers to treat a variety of research methods with respect, and to consider the use of mixed methods in their own work. The paper follows the response by Nash to my previous paper. It recognises our areas of agreement, suggests that some areas of disagreement are based on misunderstanding, and considers the impact on Nash’s response of his well-known enthusiasm for using the theoretical concepts of Bourdieu
Book Review: Multiliteracies and diversity in education: new pedagogies for expanding landscapes
No full textCheating in school: What we know and what we can do
No full textCheating in school: What we know and what we can do, is perhaps the most comprehensive and accessible text on the topic of academic integrity that I have read. Readers in the Asia-Pacific region who think the title is indicative of an interest in student cheating in the pre-tertiary sector, will be pleased to know that this book covers student cheating across the range of educational institutions, from primary (grade) school, through to the middle years, high school and post-secondary colleges and universities. I spent three days of valuable professional development reading and noting the book, often going to the numerous websites referred to, and generally refreshing my understandings of the academic integrity research and best practice from the last 15 years. It does not seem adequate to say that Davis, Drinan and Bertram Gallant should be congratulated on this carefully and elegantly constructed presentation of the field.
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Pedagogy, not policing. Positive approaches to academic integrity at the university.
No full textAt last, here is a complete volume that aims to promote a series of positive and educationally sound approaches to academic integrity that are, to my mind, long overdue. The book is, as the editors point out, the product of the Future Professoriate Program (FPP) of the Syracuse University Graduate School. Its aim is to inspire readers to “feel affirmed as educatorsâ€:
It is good to remember that in many ways, promoting academic integrity is not something new we have to conform to; it is something that happens naturally whenever we are active learners and thoughtful educators. (p. 2)
In questioning some of the familiar assumptions about academic integrity which pose barriers to active learning and thoughtful pedagogy, this volume represents a welcome leap forward to wrench the primary focus away from policing and punishment and directing it towards sound teaching practice.
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Links are not enough: Using originality reports to improve academic standards, compliance and learning outcomes among postgraduate students
No full textTraining students on the interpretation of originality reports generated by an electronic evaluation tool can assist with the reduction of unintentional plagiarism. An initial trial by the Sydney Business School, a postgraduate faculty of the University of Wollongong, has demonstrated that a proactive approach, based on pedagogical principles, can have a positive impact on the improvement of student writing skills when compared to a retributive justice approach reliant on a student's ability and initiative in accessing internet support resources.
This paper argues that higher education should not rely on links to internet-based information, policies, and systems, to educate students in highlighting the seriousness and consequences of allegations of plagiarism. The trial at SBS supplemented the use of an electronic plagiarism detection tool with instructions given by the lecturer, related to the subject assessment tasks, and discussions both on the benefits of using originality reports and how to use these reports effectively to improve students' writing, thus providing positive motivation and consistent academic support and guidance. This paper proposes that this more proactive 'informed' approach can ultimately achieve better results for students, academics, and institutions
Making the connections: transition experiences for first-year education students
No full textFor first-year students, making a successful transition into university studies can be an exciting challenge and a daunting proposition. Recent research in Australia (McInnis et al 2000) and internationally (Bridges 2000; Pargetter et al 1998; Tinto 1994, 1998), suggests that many first-year university students, particularly those coming directly from secondary schools, find the transition into academic life difficult, often feeling a lack of connection to the university context. Successfully managing these feelings, assisting students to quickly develop a sense of ‘belonging’ and connection, is vital for a number of reasons