Tipping the scales: overcoming obstacles to support school readiness for all in low- and middle-income countries     

Elizabeth Spier  Frederik Leenknecht  Kaitlin Carson  Krystal Bichay  Ann-Marie Faria 《Early Years: An International Journal of Research and Development》2019,39(3):229-242

Despite evidence for the substantial benefits of school readiness among children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), most lack access to any pre-primary education at all, let alone high-quality preprimary education. In this article, we discuss obstacles and example of solutions to providing universal access to high-quality preprimary education in LMICs. We address (1) the need for a vision among policymakers, educators and families of what high-quality preprimary education should look like and how it could be provided in their context, and the motivation to make the vision a reality; (2) human resources, including motivated, skilled and qualified teachers as the center of a broad support system at national, regional and local levels; (3) material resources and infrastructure, including culturally appropriate play materials and child-friendly spaces; and (4) stable financing that allows for flexible adaptations of the model to different local contexts. For each element, we provide examples of these challenges and how they can be addressed, with a geographical focus on West Africa, the Middle East, Southern and Eastern Asia.  相似文献   

An Ecological Momentary Assessment of Burnout,Rejuvenation Strategies,Job Satisfaction,and Quitting Intentions in Childcare Teachers     

Russell L. Carson  Jennifer J. Baumgartner  Carrie L. Ota  Ann Pulling Kuhn  Anthony Durr 《Early Childhood Education Journal》2017,45(6):801-808

Guided by affective events theory, the purpose of this study was to examine the temporal aspects of childcare teacher burnout, particularly as to how feelings of exhaustion throughout the day relate to perceptions of end-of-day job satisfaction and quitting intentions. A secondary purpose of the study was to explore the frequency and type of rejuvenation strategies childcare teachers use to relieve perceived stress throughout the day. Ecological momentary assessment procedures were employed for 1 week to assess exhaustion levels (3 times/day), frequencies and types of rejuvenation strategies (3 times/day), and end-of-day job satisfaction perceptions and quitting intentions (1 time/day) among 50 childcare teachers. Results indicated that childcare teachers’ quitting intentions were positively predicted by emotional exhaustion (β?=?0.52) and negatively predicted by overall job satisfaction (β?=??0.28). Short (≤15 min), infrequently used (one to two times/day) physical or cognitive health reprieve strategies were reported by 86?% of teachers as the most effective for reducing daily stress. Findings suggest that daily accounts of burnout and quitting intentions have both exhaustive and restorative properties.  相似文献   

The Epic Narrative of Intellectual Culture as a Framework for Curricular Coherence     

Robert N. Carson 《Science & Education》2002,11(3):231-246

This paper describes a proposed middle school curriculum designedto coordinate the major subject areas around a single coherent story line, and to tell theepic tale of the development of formal intellectual culture from its distant origins to the present day.Ourstory explores the history of scientific culture from the perspective of foundational disciplines (history,philosophy, sociology, psychology, anthropology). It examines the growth of scientific culture againstthe backdrop of the world's traditional cultures, and balances the role of the sciences against the role ofthe arts in their respective contributions to the life of the mind.  相似文献   

Campus Strategic Action in the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fisher</Emphasis> Case: Organizational Stakeholder Advocacy Across the Field of Higher Education     

Cassie L. Barnhardt  Ryan L. Young  Jessica K. E. Sheets  Carson W. Phillips  Eugene T. Parker III  Kimberly Reyes 《Research in higher education》2017,58(3):313-339

Using a census sampling, this analysis evaluates the campus structures and practices that are predictive of a campus being affiliated with stakeholder legal advocacy regarding the Fisher Supreme Court affirmative action case of 2013. Findings reveal that a campus utilizing selective admissions operated as a sufficient, but not a necessary, requirement to prompt stakeholders to take a legal position in the case. Also, campuses that enrolled and graduated the largest percentages of nonwhite students were inclined to have stakeholders submit amicus briefs advocating support for UT-Austin and the use of race in selective college admissions.  相似文献   

Seasonal Variation in Physical Activity Among Preschool Children in a Northern Canadian City     

Valerie Carson  John C. Spence  Nicoleta Cutumisu  Normand Boule  Joy Edwards 《Research quarterly for exercise and sport》2013,84(4):392-399

Little research has examined seasonal differences in physical activity (PA) levels among children. Proxy reports of PA were completed by 1,715 parents on their children in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Total PA (TPA) minutes were calculated, and each participant was classified as active, somewhat active, or inactive. Logistic regression models were conducted to examine associations between PA status and seasons. Significant seasonal differences were observed for TPA, weekday PA, weekend PA, and active play. Children were significantly more likely to be physically active in the summer and spring and somewhat physically active in the summer and fall, relative to winter. Children living in cold climates are less likely to be physically active in the winter  相似文献   

Understanding the use of Educational Technology Among Faculty, Staff, and Students at a Medical University     

Abby Swanson Kazley  Dustin L. Annan  Nancy E. Carson  Melissa Freeland  Ashley B. Hodge  Gretchen A. Seif  James S. Zoller 《TechTrends》2013,57(2):63-70

A college of health professions at a medical university located in the southeastern United States is striving to increase the use of educational technology among faculty, staff, and students. A strategic planning group was formed and charged with enhancing the use of educational technology within the college. In order to understand the current state of technology use, perceptions of technology, and training needs, surveys and focus groups were conducted. Based on the qualitative and quantitative data obtained, a conceptual model illustrating levels of technology use and factors that influence use was developed.  相似文献   

Objectivism and Education: A Response to David Elkind's ‘The Problem with Constructivism’     

Jamin Carson 《The Educational forum》2013,77(3):232-238

This paper responds to David Elkind's article “The Problem with Constructivism,” published in the Summer 2004 issue of The Educational Forum. It argues that Elkind's thesis—teacher, curricular, and societal readiness lead to the implementation of constructivism—is conceptually problematic. This paper also critiques constructivism and supports objectivism as a viable philosophy of education.  相似文献   

A critical comparison of transformation and deep approach theories of learning     

Peter Howie  Richard Bagnall 《International Journal of Lifelong Education》2013,32(3):348-365

This paper reports a critical comparative analysis of two popular and significant theories of adult learning: the transformation and the deep approach theories of learning. These theories are operative in different educational sectors, are significant, respectively, in each, and they may be seen as both touching on similar concerns with learning that is profound in its nature and impact on the learner—hence the case for a critical comparison. The critical analysis focused on similarities and differences between the two theories on a set of general criteria. It found that, while there are unacknowledged similarities, the differences are complementary, each theory suggesting a different way of considering the same territory, without excluding the other theory. The analysis strongly suggests the imperative for research findings from each theory to be used to inform practice and research through the other, although the literature reveals a lack of such cross-fertilization.  相似文献   

A beautiful metaphor: transformative learning theory     

Peter Howie  Richard Bagnall 《International Journal of Lifelong Education》2013,32(6):816-836

This article presents a critique of both transformative learning theory and critical comments on it to date. It argues that transformative learning theory remains substantively the same as its initial exposition, in spite of a raft of problematic contentions voiced against it. The theory is argued here to be conceptually problematic, except at the level of a conceptual metaphor, which latter renders its many inconsistencies inconsequential and which explains, not just its continued popularity among educational practitioners, but also it’s largely being ignored as a subject worthy of serious critique.  相似文献   

Time to go back to the drawing board: organisation of primary school reading development in South Africa     

Lisa Zimmerman  Sarah J. Howie  Brigitte Smit 《Educational Research and Evaluation》2013,19(4):215-232

The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2006 findings highlighted concerns about reading literacy teaching quality in South African primary schools (Howie et al., 2007 Howie, S.J., Venter, E., Van Staden, S., Zimmerman, L., Long, C., Scherman, V. and Archer, E. 2007. Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2006 summary report. South African children's reading literacy achievement, Pretoria, South Africa: Centre for Evaluation and Assessment, University of Pretoria.  [Google Scholar]). In response, the national Department of Education (DoE, 2008a, 2008b, 2008c, 2008d) has emphasised instructional practice improvement. However, little emphasis has been placed on the role of school organisation in learners’ reading success or failure. This article presents school organisation findings from a mixed methods study that explored South African Grade 4 teachers’ instruction practices and schooling conditions for reading literacy development. The analysis considered is based on the reclassification of the PIRLS 2006 sample according to class achievement levels on the PIRLS benchmarks and instructional language profiles. Findings from the PIRLS 2006 school questionnaire data are reported together with findings from case studies to illustrate differences and similarities in school organisation for reading literacy across a range of low- and high-performing schools.  相似文献