After generations of codifying curriculum, the Reconceptualization turned away from codified curriculum to better understand curriculum. Just as before the Reconceptualization, problematic curricula continue to proliferate creating a troubling inheritance. This paper turns to one such troubling inheritance, the problematic curriculum of Hirsch…

The last few years have produced a groundswell of interest in improving our school accountability systems. Some suggest it's necessary to fine-tune current practices, while others advocate sweeping reforms that pave the way for entirely different approaches. A range of perspectives fall between these ends of the continuum, but support for the…

The purpose of this monograph is to advance thinking about transforming how schools play their role in addressing barriers to learning and teaching. In the process, the authors discuss embedding and framing the evolving literatures related to improvement and implementation sciences into a general intervention perspective. Part I of this monograph…

"Decolonising our approaches to educational research-- Learning from our shared experiences at Rangahau Matauranga o Aotearoa (NZCER)" shares insights from a recent workshop at NZCER focused on the questions, tensions and challenges our kairangahau are grappling with in research and evaluation. It includes a description of the workshop…

In this article, Hans Schildermans suggests practices of study as a way for universities to respond to socio-ecological questions, issues, and problems related to the Anthropocene. He elaborates the concept of study practices by drawing on traditional pragmatic notions, such as problematic situation and problematization, as these are articulated…

Problem definition in program planning and evaluation is rarely problematized. In this article, I discuss why the lack of problem problematization is itself problematic--in other words, why treating problems as self-evident can pose a risk for evaluation practice. Then, to help avoid such risks, I suggest Carol Bacchi's "What's the Problem…

Educators and caregivers can foster emotional wellbeing, growth, and resilience, contributing to a fulfilling and balanced adulthood by providing positive childhood experiences (PCEs). PCEs protect the brain and promote healing for people who have experienced adverse childhood environments (ACEs). In the presence of PCEs, adverse experiences in…

Parents and politicians feel it is their duty to assert control over the information within school libraries. According to Joshua Spilka, a high school junior, book banning has affected no one more than students and school librarians. Students find that the people who are supposed to advocate for them, parents and guardians, are often working…

Smart phones have permeated every part of people's lives in the mobile internet era and are virtually taken for granted on a daily basis. Chinese primary school students are facing a serious problem with mobile gaming addiction as a result of their easy access to cell phones. The excessive usage of mobile games has negative impacts on children's…

In a response to critics, R.S. Peters acknowledged that a more general concept of education exists than the 'school-related' one he analysed and defended his decision to ignore it by saying that it 'indiscriminately' marks out the 'mundane, instrumentally oriented operations' involved in rearing children. In this paper I sketch in the portion of…

A key tenet of the nature of science is that "knowledge, although reliable and durable, is never absolute or certain" and is subject to change with the accrual of new bodies of evidence (Lederman "et al." 2002). Similarly, pedagogical choices grounded in scientific teaching would also be expected to be modified, refined, and…

A number of terms have been defined and inconsistently used across various texts in enzymology which may attract the attention of undergraduate students and instructors. At some places, inconsistent use results in confusions as well as leads to the misuse of these terms. Although it is difficult to resolve such inconsistencies, attempts have…

This article contains a review of relevant research concerning the implementation and operation of a professional learning community (PLC). The term "PLC Lite" is defined as the ineffective operation of a team acting under the umbrella of a PLC. Although many schools operate under the term PLC, daily operations do not produce evidence of…

In numerous workshops and course design retreats, we have modeled the course design process using a fictional course (entitled "Colorado Mountain Hiking") to help instructors bridge the gap between course design theory and practice. We have found this example to be effective because it: a) is accessible to colleagues of different…

This chapter describes an evolving narrative inquiry into the use of formative sustainability assessments in teacher education for elementary and secondary level education. Framed within a postmodern approach to education, we describe the efficacy of using experiential, performative, discursive, graphic, and reflective assessments to bolster…