1,720,972 research outputs found
From the Editor
No full textThis issue is devoted to exploring ideas and in formation about stress experienced in school communities and specifically how education professionals cope. While there are plenty of resources available to individuals suffering stress there is always a new avenue to explore and a different perspective to consider. Simply put, what one individual finds stressful and may inhibit performance, for another, it may in fact be the motivating factor that drives one t o achieve great things. Stress is defined by Hans Selye as "essentially the wear and tear caused b y life." Based on that assumption, it would seem that stress is almost unavoidable; yet it seems we do much in our lives to bring about that which we try desperately to avoid.</jats:p
A Simple Plan for Action Research (Part A)
No full textDuring my tenure as a professor I often encouraged students to actively pursue thesis and project work that made sense to them as classroom teachers and school counselors. I challenged them to look at research with an eye to actually making a difference. In doing so I always reflected on what a very special colleague of mine used to refer to as the 5 “W’s” and an “H”. Jake Rogers, a veteran teacher and an instructor for several years in the Pre Service Intermediate Senior Program at Brock began every new class with an introduction to the words Why, What Where, When, Who and How as a means to explain almost every lesson plan he taught. In his words “if there ain’t no plan or purpose or action, their ain’t no use. Outcomes and student success meant everything to Jake and he taught his students that every lesson a teacher planned and taught should be directed with change and success in mind. I applied this model to the action research methodologies I taught in my statistics courses and research and change and innovation courses. It would be simple here to quote the likes of Michael Fullan and others who have championed the process of change in schooling in Ontario, or Friere’s approach to Particpatory Action Research which influenced social change throughout the world, but this article is intended to provide a brief and simple outline of what a teacher should do if s/he decides to pursue a research activity either in a school setting or as an assignment for a graduate or preservice professor with the intent of transformational change within a school setting. In my model I include the word “Will”.</jats:p
From the Editor
No full textThis issue called for papers and articles related to leadership innovations in schools. As I look back on my career, I recall many opportunities to provide leadership not only in schools but also in communities. In each case, there was always an expressed need either presented by existing conditions or through analysis of practices that were not working. Always it was about change and how to improve on what was already happening or not happening in my school environment. I recall that the key driving force behind every venture was what I could do to improve the learning experiences of the students I taught. With each project I learned that vision and creativity were necessary but if the project was to succeed collaboration and cooperation was essential. Over the years I have taken and taught various courses on leadership and the implementation of innovative change strategies. That said, in its simplest terms providing innovative leadership in schools comes down to controlling a variety of factors, far too many to write about in this column. However, I created a little equation for myself (6P's) that has guided every project. Be prepared. With careful Planning (vision and action strategies) a project unfolds as it emerges from infancy to implementation. Cultivate a Principal. Invest energy in an administrator who believes and supports the project (power and funding are important aspects of any project and they can help in this regard.). It is important to understand and accept that effective administrators have the authority and the power to influence decisions. Always collaborate and involve Parents. They are often your key to success and usually your best allies. Involve them in as many ways as possible. Ensure that other Partners (colleagues, students, consultants, media, etc.) are informed, involved and kept in the loop. Keep a high Profile (you need to get your project noticed and accepted). And finally, maintain a Principled approach (ethics, values and adherence to professional practice).</jats:p
An Assessment and Evaluation: Interview with Veronica Lacey
No full textRecently I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Veronica Lacey about several issues related to testing and evaluation concerns. Although time was limited Dr. Lacey obliged with candid and forthright responses.</jats:p
Editor‘s Note Reading is What Counts!
No full textThis issue is devoted to initiatives that encourage literacy. Some months ago, the call for papers identified a variety of literacy perspectives considered beyond the traditional academic language and numeracy contexts. These included justice, culture, media, visual, health, arts, science, technology and multilingual literacy.</jats:p
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Get PDFThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
From the Editor: Boys and Reading
No full textTeaching and Learning discovered various innovative ways to involve them in the so called "required reading and writing tasks" of the day. Many of them (not all mind you) but many, became just as actively involved on task as any girl in the class. Could it simply be that by adapting the school curriculum to meet the "needs and interests" of the learner is a deciding factor in whether or not a boy applies him-self to the tasks at hand? Surely, it couldn't be that simple?</jats:p
From the Editor:Teaching and Learning is Five Years Old. Moving Forward:
No full textThis is my last editorship of Teaching and Learning. In my capacity as the first Associate Dean of the Faculty of Education at Brock University, Ontario, Canada, I envisioned and proposed the development of a professional development newsletter/ journal/magazine that would become one of the voices of the Brock-Golden Horseshoe Educational Consortium. This advisory group is a unique coming together of eleven area school boards and a Faculty of Education with a defined purpose to further understanding and increase communication between education partners in the region known to many as the Greater Niagara Golden Horseshoe. It was my intention then that the interviews, articles, reviews and resources and local school board content published in each issue reflect a thematic, purpose with featured, invited, adjudicated, re-edited or reprinted professional development articles. More important it would be reader friendly, professionally informative and a publication that readers would want to collect, refer to and pass on. I believe that over the years the journal has evolved and delivered on its promise and has established a forum for new writers and previously published experts across a broad range of themes featured in the 11 issues published since Spring 2002. Our first printing, Internship and Mentorship was between 300 and 500 copies. Since then we graduated to a high of almost twelve thousand printed copies of the issue on Bullying (sold out twice) and have regularly printed and distributed between 7000 - 8500, (32-36 pages ) copies of each issue such as Storytelling, Boys and Literacy, Stress in Schools, Leadership, Assessment and other titles. Authors and readers including a small but dedicated group of subscribers comprise not only a local following but a national and international base of contributors, readers and believers. This, my final issue as editor, brings together an interesting blend of articles that deal with action research as a viable and robust research method for dealing with issues that arise in education and social care settings.</jats:p
The Publication Process for Teaching and Learning
No full textOver the past four years I have received many letters from individuals interested in submitting an article and have also received requests for information from several Promotion and Tenure Committees regarding our process. I have responded accordingly. Teaching and Learning is a nonprofit professional publication started in 2002 by myself, then Associate Dean of the Faculty of Education and the Brock-Golden Horseshoe Education Consortium which consists of ten school boards and the faculty of education, Brock University located in the greater Niagara Region of Ontario Canada. The publication is designed primarily to enhance the professional development of teachers and others interested in education in schools and communities. The topics for each issue are determined by an executive board and are decided at an annual meeting. Each board and the faculty contribute financially to the publication. And receive 600-700 copies of each issue three times a year. Subscribers contribute to the funding as do occasional selected advertisers and sales of single and multiple copies. The publication is perhaps more of a professional periodical and newsletter than a "formal" scholarly journal (meaning "blind" reviews, although that said most articles other than interviews and solicited lead articles are vetted by selected readers). The publication combines elements of both a professional publication and a journal and attracts authors and readers from all segments including applied research. Our readership is local, national and international. Articles are received in a variety of ways. They are usually in response to a formal call for papers printed in previous issues. In addition the editor solicits articles from key professionals and from time to time interviews selected individuals who have contributed significantly to the focus of the issue. Articles are received by the editor and read for content, relevance, appropriate writing style and clarity of thought and articulate communication of what is important in terms of the professional development interests highlighted in the issue at hand. Articles are then sent to selected readers (who have volunteered to adjudicate but who wish to remain anonymous) for readability and to determine if the article would be appropriate for inclusion in Teaching and Learning. I f the article is deemed acceptable then authors are advised and the editor works with the authors and the publisher to edit the article to fit the space, style and format of the publication (81/2x11, 3 column format 32-36 pages). This is a collaborative venture that involves communicating with authors and the publisher over several draft revisions and it is one that seems to work well .</jats:p
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