Online Source Evaluation through “Lateral Reading”: A Workshop for Educators

Learning Outcomes: Become familiar with and apply lateral reading strategies to evaluating online sources. Explore ways to teach lateral reading to students in your educational context. Audience: All educators, including K-12 teachers, public librarians, academic librarians, educational administrators and community organizers) Both everyday life experience and a growing body of research show just how hard it is to determine the credibility of online sources. Traditional checklist approaches to evaluating websites (e.g., the CRAAP test) are ineffective, despite their continued prevalence. A more effective approach to quickly assessing the credibility of an online source is lateral reading. “Lateral reading” essentially involves quickly moving off of a webpage and learning more about a source from other online information. In this hands-on virtual workshop, librarians Andrea Baer and Dan Kipnis will introduce “lateral reading” strategies for online source evaluation. Participants will then practice lateral reading and reflect on how they can help students develop these skills

School Violence Threat Assessment: Professional Development Training for K-12 Educators

While threats of violence are relatively common in U.S. K-12 schools, the likelihood of a threat being carried out is very low. School leaders must take all threats of school violence seriously but must also have evidence-informed means to discern less-serious, transient threats from more serious, substantive ones. School violence threat assessment training is a vital professional development tool, to ensure safer schools while avoiding unnecessary labeling of students or overly harsh consequences through disciplinary over-reaction. This manual supplements an abbreviated professional development training presentation on school violence threat assessment based on research and models developed by Dr. Dewey Cornell, University of Virginia. It’s intended audience is K-12 school administrators, school and community based mental health professionals, teachers, case managers, social workers, law enforcement personnel, ancillary school staff, and school board members, among others. This is not intended to be a replacement for Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines training, but rather an abbreviated overview of best practices in K-12 school violence threat assessment. All the necessary components to effectively deliver this training are here, to include instructor preparation, training overview and objectives, pre- and post-assessments, instructional notes, training and instructor evaluation, supplemental forms and worksheets, and literary references. With adequate preparation and content review, any professional instructor will be able to deliver this training effectively and efficiently. A slide presentation template is available from this manual’s author upon request. School violence threat assessment is a dynamic and growing field of practice that will inevitably adapt to new challenges and trends. It is vital that this training module be reviewed and updated at least annually

The Possibility of Philosophy in Schools: Jacques Rancière and Community of Philosophical Inquiry

Responding to growing efforts to bring philosophy into K-12 schools in the U.S., this dissertation takes up pedagogical and political concepts used by Jacques Rancière in order to reflect on the motivating principles and limitations of bringing philosophy to schools. Rancière critiques schooling as a mechanism by which socio-economic inequality is justified and argues that academic philosophy, following the rationalist tradition attributed to Plato, is in fact complicit in this justificatory process. Given his staunch position, it might seem that it is impossible to implement philosophy in schools using Rancièrian principles. I argue that there is a practice of philosophy in schools to which Rancière may be sympathetic on a theoretical level. In order to support my position, the principle aim of this work is to provide evidence that Rancière’s works reflect specific critiques and alternative values of both schooling and philosophy that are also represented in the principled pedagogical practice of community of philosophical inquiry (CPI). I begin to think through the possibility of CPI in new and existing schools, as well the way that the notion of possibility itself figures into this line of inquiry. My thesis is that CPI is the philosophical practice most appropriate for schools given the critiques and alternative values of schooling and philosophy shared by Rancière and CPI, but that Rancière may help to inform the way the practice is implemented

Improving the Public’s Health Through Sustained, Multidisciplinary Academic and Community Partnerships: The MSM Model

Background: To meet the growing needs of communities with increased chronic conditions, decreased access to health services, and a changing sociocultural environment, there is a critical need for community-oriented physicians equipped with the skills to attend to the health of underserved populations. The Morehouse School of Medicine Community Health Course’s (CHC) purpose is to inculcate service-learning and public health techniques to equip community-oriented physicians with empathy and tools to effectively engage diverse communities and provide care that addresses the social determinants of health to achieve health equity. The purpose of this practice note is to discuss CHC multidisciplinary strategies used to sustain community partner relationships and impact public health. Methods: We work to effectively engage community partners in a number of ways including: a core approach that the partnership is designed to assess, listen to, and meet the communities’ needs; that community partners inform the course curriculum through a community advisory board, an introductory course community panel (of advice for effective engagement), and attendance at course meetings and retreats; a continued relationship between the course faculty and the community site over time; community representatives as co-authors on presentations and publications; and, at times, maintained student contact with the community sites for volunteer activities after completion of the course. Results: The Community Health Course collaborates with its community partners to educate medical students, provide requested services to the communities, and impact the health needs of the communities. The course has developed long-term partnerships varying in lengths from 1 year to over 15 years. The partner organizations over the last ten years have included pre-K-12 schools, independent senior living facilities, youth organizations, community-based organizations, and homeless shelters. Conclusions: Through long-standing collaborations with partnering organizations, the CHC has participated in the development of several sustainable projects traversing multiple levels of the social ecological model

THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE?: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE PERSPECTIVES AND EXPERIENCES OF MAKER EDUCATION SUPERVISORS IN INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS (9-12)

Over the past decade, makerspaces have increased in popularity all over the globe (Lou & Peek, 2016) and their addition continues to be a popular trend in the K-12 educational space. In the K-12 environment, the decision to implement a makerspace frequently consists of finding, repurposing, or building a suitable space, and outfitting it with the latest technology trends with the anticipation that ‘if you build it, they will come.’ As a director of a makerspace, my experience is that integrating curriculum across disciplines, or creating pedagogical goals for the makerspace, frequently becomes a priority after the space is designed and the equipment is ordered. This poses a challenge for all stakeholders and accounts for a problem in practice that needs to be addressed. This qualitative study utilized a phenomenological approach inspired by Kurti, Kurti, and Fleming’s (2014) philosophy of educational makerspaces to understand the perspectives and experiences of makerspace leaders at independent schools (9-12). In addition, the study explored what challenges and opportunities directors face when designing, implementing, and managing makerspaces centered around design thinking and learning-by-doing. Data was collected via a demographic survey, interviews, artifacts, and a researcher journal. The data was analyzed using first-cycle codes and coding followed by second-cycle coding with pattern codes (Miles, Huberman, & Saldaña, 2014). The findings from this study will inform the development of a framework for Maker Education in independent schools (9-12) and contribute to the growing body of scholarship about Maker Education in K-12 education. Several themes emerged from the participants: 1) why the makerspace was created; 2) the need for a Community Space; 3) novelty and attraction; 4) student engagement; 5) theory to practice; 6) interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary instruction; and 7) challenges. The data suggested the makerspaces were not created based on any specific pedagogical approach, but rather as a result of student interest in a particular piece of equipment. Additionally, there was a strong interest in providing additional opportunities for students within the makerspace, but several factors prevented its growth. Participants commonly mentioned issues such as scheduling, budget, and competing priorities

Building School Leaders\u27 Capacity to Challenge Anti-Black Racism in Schools

This Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) was developed based on a problem of practice (PoP) in the Green District School Board (GDSB) related to equity leadership, and building the capacity and efficacy of school leaders to address anti-Black racism in K-12 schools. Despite efforts to create more equitable and inclusive classrooms, Ontario schools continue to display achievement gaps and negative outcomes for Black students, including streaming into courses below their abilities, harsher discipline, and higher push out and suspension rates compared to that of their peers. Feeling of isolation, lack of engagement and teacher connection further exacerbate the racial trauma and the negative experiences of Black students. This work is undertaken during a global pandemic that has further exposed the depth of societal inequities, and the growing demand for action and accountability to correct the prevailing racial injustices impacting Black students. Using a critical race theory (CRT) lens, the OIP outlines a change implementation plan that looks at key structures, learning approaches, and accountability measures that center the voices and perspectives of Black students and their families in order to break down and dismantle systemic barriers and address interpersonal racism and discrimination in schools. Social justice, culturally responsive, and distributive leadership are key leadership approaches to disrupt the status quo and create inclusive spaces. A hybrid version of Lopez’s NOFS, Kotter’s XLR8, and Deming’s PDSA models are used to stop and name anti-Black racism, and structure the necessary learning and supports for school leaders to authentically engage with the Black community and co-create intentional actions that transcend into tangibly different experiences and outcomes, within a culturally responsive school environment

An Explorative Study of Kentucky Teacher Leader Graduate Programs: Response to Policy Change

Teacher leadership is a growing practice for supporting K-12 teachers and students. Recent policy regulations in the Commonwealth of Kentucky mandated a change in the professional standards used by approved graduate programs that prepare teacher leaders. To support this foundational change, program leaders designed programmatic goals, curriculum, structure, and tasks to align with the Teacher Leader Model Standards that emphasize promising research-based practices. The programs support development of teacher leadership through pedagogical approach, requirements, and programmatic structure. Using a qualitative, multi-site case-study approach, this dissertation explored Kentucky teacher leadership graduate programs to understand how teacher leaders were formally prepared. Program leaders, faculty, and review of materials communicated how their programs support teacher leaders within and beyond the classroom, thus serving the greater community. Professional learning for teachers as leaders was a focus of this study. The study sought to uncover how formal development occurs within the context of Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB)-approved graduate leadership programs. Layered Framework for, Models of, and Development within Teacher Leadership served as the dissertation’s conceptual framework. Because the new legislative shift to Teacher Leader Model Standards was effective August 1, 2019, conclusions drawn from this study added to the literature base and field of study. This case study provided a foundational exploration of how high-graduate yielding teacher leader programs (TLPs) in Kentucky institutions formally prepared teacher leaders leading up to, during, and after new legislation adoption. The TLPs of interest are those approved by EPSB. In addition to programmatic individuals’ dialogue, a Teacher Leader Review Committee member shared the process and intention behind the adoption of the Teacher Leader Model Standards for Kentucky’s EPSB-approved teacher leadership programs

Growing in Glasgow: Innovative practices and emerging policy pathways for urban agriculture

Driven by shared concerns about climate change, social justice and health and wellbeing, Urban Agriculture (UA) is an emergent global movement. In this paper, we present an exploratory case study of UA practice on the Southside of Glasgow, UK that traced the emergence and development of four UA projects. Data from the four projects revealed a diversity of practices, including temporary gardening projects organised by local volunteers, a community and market garden operated by a charity, a food shop and vegetable distribution service run by a social enterprise, and a permanent growing space for charities and schools provided by local government. UA practitioners in Glasgow have sought to re-purpose vacant and derelict land, build social cohesion, contribute to environmental and food sustainability and provide participation space for marginalised groups. Reflecting on future avenues for research on UA in Glasgow, we have identified two broad policy pathways that are emerging both at the local level and through national legislation in Scotland to harness local urban food growing and support UA. We conclude by pointing to a need to preserve the self-organising spirit of UA in Scotland as new legislation comes into force

Health Benefits of Urban Agriculture

Health professionals increasingly recognize the value of farm-and garden-scale urban agriculture. Growing food and non-food crops in and near cities contributes to healthy communities by engaging residents in work and recreation that improves individual and public well-being. This article outlines the benefits of urban agriculture with regard to nutrition, food security, exercise, mental health, and social and physical urban environments. Potential risks are reviewed. Practical recommendations for health professionals to increase the positive benefits of urban agriculture are provided

School Social Workers’ Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Truancy Interventions for Primary School Students

Academic performance is a growing concern for students in kindergarten through Grade 3 (K-3) in the United States, especially those students with a high number of unauthorized absences (i.e., a high truancy rate). When students are absent from school, they may have a lower chance of succeeding academically compared to students with better attendance. School social workers can help these students address barriers to attendance, such as student or family member health, poverty, and psychological and social concerns, and could benefit from more insight on how to effectively engage parents, students, school personnel, and community agencies in eliminating truancy. The focus of this research was on exploring school social workers\u27 perceptions of effective truancy interventions provided for primary school students in Grades K-3. The theoretical framework consisted of systems theory and empowerment theory. As part of this action research study, 12 school social workers in the U.S. state of Virginia shared their experience of being a part of an interdisciplinary team and related their perceptions of their role in addressing truancy. Analysis of data from individual interviews, surveys, and focus groups revealed four themes (assessment of truancy in K-3, enforcement of the state’s compulsory attendance law, the impact of truancy, and reduction of truancy) and identified several effective truancy strategies. The implications for positive social change for social work policy and practice include a potential increase in teacher and parental engagement and the identification of effective intervention strategies to decrease the rates of chronic truancy