Since teachers' decisions and behaviour potentially influence learners' future academic and occupational status, it is imperative that these decisions be unbiased. In the study reported here, 21 teachers were invited to place 24 fictional student record cards into regular, advanced, or supplementary learning assistance classes. Study…

This article, drawing upon fieldwork from a larger project investigating the nature of children's self-chosen musical play, explores instances of play that stumble and either morph into something else or are abandoned altogether. Four vignettes of musical play are described, documented during recess observations at several Canadian elementary…

This paper draws on ethnographic vignettes in an Indian rights-based approach to adult education programmes in order to examine the contestations and negotiations of facilitators in interface situations involving programme capacity building, monitoring and evaluation practice. The paper proposes that making visible the hegemonic nature of…

Background: The developmental disorder Williams syndrome (WS) is characterised by a distinctive cognitive profile and an intriguing social phenotype. Individuals with the disorder are often highly social engaging with familiar and unfamiliar people and once in an interaction they often show subtle abnormalities of social behaviour. Atypically…

In evaluation and applied social research, focus groups may be used to gather different kinds of evidence (e.g., opinion, tacit knowledge). In this article, we argue that making focus group design choices explicitly in relation to the type of evidence required would enhance the empirical value and rigor associated with focus group utilization. We…

Accessing and assessing the controlling beliefs of teachers about the role of faith in curriculum decisions is an essential first step in efforts to address the gap between the faith integration mission of Christian schools and actual practices (Boerema, 2011). Without intervention, teachers' beliefs about teaching--shaped by early classroom…

Mobile Collaborative Learning Games combine all the ingredients necessary to attract students' attention and engage them in learning activities. However, designing a coherent scenario that combines mobility, game mechanics and collaborative learning is quite a challenge. In this article, we take the first step by proposing several game patterns…

This study examines the evolution of my understanding of critical pedagogy as I work alongside my students to co-construct the curriculum in our social studies teacher education course. As a critical pedagogue, I seek to challenge traditional structures of power and control in the classroom and problematize the ideas and discourses that define our…

Schools are currently working through the implications of the New Zealand Curriculum and its translations into practice. To date there has been little discussion of the contributions of school guidance counseling. For learning and teaching to become a collective, whole-school endeavour, Cowie at el., (2011) suggested, "cross-fertilisation of…

In this article, we present a data set and case study exercise that can be used by educators to teach a range of statistical concepts including Simpson's paradox. The data set and case study are based on a real-life scenario where there was a claim of discrimination based on ethnicity. The exercise highlights the importance of performing rigorous…

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether vignettes could allow for differentiation of perceived effort, and if so, would perceived student effort have an effect on teacher impressions of students and whether they would refer for special education services. Eighty-six teachers with an average of eight years of teaching experience…

Purpose: The paper's aim is to report a research study on the mediator and outcome variable sets in scenario planning. Design/methodology/approach: This is a cannonical correlation analysis (CCA) Findings Two sets of variables; one as a predictor set that explained a significant amount of variability in the second, or outcome set of variables were…

Students across institutions of higher learning come equipped with pocket-sized devices that allow them to record images, audio, and video from their classrooms, and instantaneously edit and share recorded content with a limitless audience. Prior to commencing instruction, postsecondary instructors are advised to learn the policy of their…

Beginning with the assumption that young children are capable of producing unprecedented knowledges about science phenomena, this paper explores the complexities of children's inquiries within open-ended investigations. I ask two central questions: (1) how can we (teachers, researchers, and children themselves) use and build upon…

The purpose of this study was to investigate "fat talk" conversations about weight and body dissatisfaction within college dancers. Participants were 116 female undergraduates who were dancers/dance majors ("n"?=?20), dancers/nondance majors ("n"?=?32), and nondancers ("n"?=?63). Participants responded to…