This article develops the notion that virtues can be utilized as a means of understanding the professional expertise that science teachers demonstrate when they deal with socioscientific issues. Socioscientific issues are those contentious issues that connect science to the society in which it operates--environmental issues being a prime example.…

In this article, the authors review the way in which the Victorian government has responded to the inclusion of students with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream schools, and consider what further efforts could be made to improve inclusive educational practices. Key measures introduced by the state education authority in relation to the…

They are adolescents--and those who work with them must understand them, connect with them, and make learning relevant to their lives. This article looks at recent theories and educational practices identified as appropriate for supporting the educational learning experiences of students ages 12 to 15. In this article, the author also discusses,…

Received conceptualizations of scientific literacy are grounded in (1) the notions of "knowledge", "concepts", and "skills" that science students have to "acquire", "appropriate", or "construct" or (2) the notion of "practices" to which they have to be "enculturated" so that they become part of a "community of practice". All such notions…

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of the use of contingent faculty on undergraduate education. This study presents three research questions: (1) To what degree do contingent faculty members engage students in good practices less frequently than their tenured and tenure-track counterparts?; (2) What effect does the proportion of…

This paper presents the research and methodology and analyses used for the "Gaining Ground in the Middle Grades" research. This appendix contains the following sections: (1) Overview; (2) Constructing the Survey Data File; (3) Constructing Composite Independent Variables (Subdomains); (4) Constructing Longitudinal Outcome Variables; (5)…

Today one of the most challenging factors for teachers and schools of education around the world is technology. With the advent of new technological tools; educators, parents, politicians, and administrators are seeking alternative ways of successfully educating the new generations to use these new technologies in their daily lives and to develop…

The historical development of teacher education in New Zealand manifests several major contradictions and tensions. One if these involves two conflicting models of teacher education that have historically struggled for dominance. The first model holds teaching to be an essentially practical craft involving classroom management, whilst the second…

Creativity in human endeavours is being discussed and promoted in many fields and venues throughout the Western world. In this paper I discuss reasons for the current emphasis on creativity, especially in music education. I also describe some philosophical, psychological, cultural, and political/social/economic factors that have worked for and…

A primary goal in experiential education is to facilitate the learning from the activities in a meaningful, empowering and compelling manner. The activities, which are used to guide a reflective session, debrief a particular incident or process a learning activity vary greatly across the profession. In a study of 76 experiential educators in…

KD Toolkit shows a representative synthesis of the best practices learned by world-renowned instructors in a top ranked online MBA program in the United States. This article will share and discuss the pedagogical implications of this learning technology and the leadership and innovative effort of the program that afforded the development of KD…

Dr. R. Richard Ray, Jr. is a Professor and Chair of Kinesiology at Hope College in Holland, Michigan. Since 1982 he has served as the Program Director for the Athletic Training Education Program at Hope College. Dr. Ray is the author of several books and over 40 articles. In this article he begins by laying a foundation for the reasons why change…

In recent times, it has become difficult for even the best conservatorium graduates to achieve the traditional goals of concert performance or secure orchestral positions and this has profound effects on the work practices of musicians. There are important implications for teaching in a conservatorium, in terms of providing a learning experience…

This article offers responses from Lori Moreau, a principal, Roberta Weaver, associate dean, Shauna M. Adams, associate professor, Mary F. Landers of University of Dayton, and Mary Jane Owen, a founding director, to the article "The State of Special Education in Catholic Schools," by L. DeFiore (2006). Jesus, the master teacher, reached out to the…

The phenomenon of marketing in educational institutions has been critically examined by Vining, Topor (2001) and Sevier (1986, 1996). However, no studies have yet been undertaken to examine the marketing of language programs in public education. A timely study is needed to examine the promotion of a recent educational program: the Alberta…