The purpose of this article is to answer the question of how teachers could better understand and respond to differences among their pupils. It is based on the authors' belief that inclusively oriented schooling is the most efficient tool in the fight against discrimination and in providing education for all. We can examine how these ideas are put…

The article discusses a multiple literacies and traditional approach to literacy by drawing on the experiences of 2 African American young women in a high school English classroom. The article suggests that teachers who use a more traditional approach to literacy are more apt to view students of color as powerless, failing, struggling, and/or…

Growing concerns about retention and attrition rates in a mass and increasingly marketised higher education system have encouraged the idea that "meeting learner needs" should be a key focus for institutional attention. It is suggested that this approach is unrealistic, however, because of the extent of the diversity which it attempts to…

Although many authors claim benefits of teaching portfolios for use in higher education settings, there are few empirical studies that investigate these benefits. This article deals with the question of whether teaching portfolios are used in higher education, and if so, which effects they bring about. Furthermore, the attitude of teachers towards…

This paper sets the context for those that follow in this special issue of "Pedagogy, Culture & Society." In so doing, it provides a brief overview of postcolonialism as theory, politics and practice. It considers postcolonialism's ambivalent reception amongst differing constituencies, a sign both of desire and danger, as Stuart Hall has put it.…

Four and a half years have passed since four teachers from Cohort VI in American Samoa graduated from the University of Hawai'i with bachelor of education degrees and with teaching licenses from the state of Hawai'i. This article highlights changes and developments in the beliefs and practices of these four teachers who, in the midst of full time…

This article provides a case study demonstrating the active role that 5- to 6-year-old boys in an English inner-city, multi-ethnic primary school play in the appropriation and reproduction of their masculine identities. It is argued that the emphasis on physicality, violence and racism found among the boys cannot be understood without reference to…

"Personalized education" has become a buzzword in the academic community--on both small, private liberal arts campuses and at large, publicly funded research universities. Personalized education is viewed by many faculty, administrators, and researchers as accomplishing a number of important objectives. Despite the many promises of personalized…

In this article, the author discusses Iowa's deference to local autonomy. Unlike most states, Iowa continues its long history of local independence by allowing districts to set their own goals. In the late 1990s, when the nation's governors and business leaders threw their weight behind the push for statewide academic standards, Iowa begged to…

Recent evidence suggests that there have been significant increases in the number of problems reported by students who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual. This paper seeks to describe, by means of autobiographical account, the educational implications of being identified as "queer" within schools. It draws on experiential stories to illustrate…

The results indicate that in Flanders secondary schools of different denomination and of different school type (based on their curriculum offerings) differ with respect to several characteristics. With respect to the educational framework, learning environment and learning climate differences between schools are small and differences are more…

Currently, definitions of "science", "reading", and "literacy" in the US lend a seemingly nonrelativistic permanence to these terms, and render them resistant to critique. This paper offers a theoretical frame for critiquing this permanence, analysing why early-literacy instruction is tightly tied to traditional forms…

There have been few attempts to introduce frameworks that can help support tutors evaluate educational games and simulations that can be most effective in their particular learning context and subject area. The lack of a dedicated framework has produced a significant impediment for the uptake of games and simulations particularly in formal…

This study investigated associations between working memory (measured by complex memory tasks) and both reading and mathematics abilities, as well as the possible mediating factors of fluid intelligence, verbal abilities, short-term memory (STM), and phonological awareness, in a sample of 46 6- to 11-year-olds with reading disabilities. As a…

The authors describe the significant contributions of Robert Ebel to educational measurement theory and its applications. A biographical sketch details Ebel's roots and professional resume. His influence on classroom assessment views and procedures are explored. Classic publications associated with validity, reliability, and score interpretation…