In search of the Pikebone Kantele: Finnish lessons in teacher education

Over the course of the 2016-17 academic year, faculty from several colleges of education gathered to read and discuss the ground breaking work of educational reform in Finland as described in Finnish lessons 2.0: What can the world learn from educational change in Finland? (Sahlberg, 2015). Our group was somewhat aware of the story of the “Finnish Dream” but hoped to learn the details concerning this small, Nordic nation’s surprising academic success. The prominent educator, international consultant, and author, Pasi Sahlberg, narrates how Finland’s modest yet united, steady effort toward educational improvement was ultimately regarded as successful, not only in her having met or exceeded national education goals, but in her PISA scores which topped the list of “developed” nations. Subsequently, Finland’s stature amongst the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) nations dramatically rose. It is a compelling story. Sahlberg’s careful rendering of how Finland’s great experiment unfolded makes for interesting reading, especially given the challenges that American teacher educators face today. It led, understandably, to our book study group’s tendency to reflect upon our own goals for teacher education. The book sheds light on how we (with our own range of disciplines, programs, and scholarly interests) might reconsider teacher education in the USA. Our group was well prepared to make reflections and comparisons with expertise in an assorted number of fields represented: language and literacy, early childhood education, educational leadership, instructional technology, educational policy, teacher action research,and teacher preparation. Working together in collaborative study we set about to formulate critical questions, take copious notes, and inquire further about the “Finnish Dream”. To complete our book study, the group’s organizers facilitated a spirited teleconference meeting with the author, wherein we shared observations concerning the similarities and differences between our respective cultures. Coming from critical policy analysis, I wondered about the cultural differences that appear to make Finland a society particularly supportive of teachers. Do teachers indeed collaborate more? Given the problems of standardized testing associated with the United States, and Finland’s choice to abscond from this method of assessment I asked: how then does Finland approach testing? Others were keenly interested in the rights, play, and general happiness of children. Still others were interested in language and literacy teaching; how is it done in Finland and to what effect? Everyone was fascinated by the supposition that the working conditions for teachers were better in Finland than elsewhere. We could only imagine what it was about the politics of Finland that allowed for such a wide ranging and seemingly successful experiment. Pasi provided much insight. Our group left the meeting with Pasi determined to explore Finland’s educational system and eager to learn more. We anticipated a stimulating, educational journey, and we weren’t disappointed! This tour provided the backdrop for the following inquiry question: Given the apparent success of Finnish educational reform, how might we as American teacher educators make meaning of our own practice? Using review and narrative, the following essay is an attempt to provide an answer, not definitively, but meaningfully. Inspired by Sahlberg’s passionate rendering of the “dream” “miracle” and “paradox” of Finnish educational reform, my intent is to go slightly beyond a traditional book review, placing into conversation some tour experiences encountered along the way. Other readings and reports compliment Finnish Lessons 2.0. For example, Learning Context, is, according to leading teacher education professionals, a critical domain and concern for USA teacher education(see AACTE, 2018). It appears to be so in Finland too. The discussions in our book study, observations made during our group’s Finnish educational tour, and supplementary readings, all provide formative information to better understand the learning context of Finland

Democracy Education: The Radical Teaching, Learning, and Doing of Tao Xingzhi

The apex of China’s 1911 Republican Revolution, the election in Nanjing of native son Dr. Sun Yat-sen, heralded an historic break with autocracy. Tragically, Sun Yat-Sen’s democracy did not last long. A bitter period of feudal strife followed as warlords sought to carve fiefdoms out of the young republic. Humiliating concessions to Japan under the Versailles Treaty added to the new republic’s problems. Continuing violation of China’s sovereignty spawned the May 4th, 1919 student movement in Peking. Reverberations from May 4th helped launch a small communist party cell in Shanghai and a larger democracy movement across the country. Trenchant feudalism, aspiring nationalism, and revolutionary communism together serve as the spectacular backdrop to progressive education reform and the journey of a public education missionary named Tao Xingzhi. Born to Christian parents, Tao Xingzhi would move from humble beginnings into the world of the Western-educated elite and would be both revered as a national hero and reviled as a dissident. At one of the pivotal turning points in his adult life, Tao Xingzhi donned the robes of a traditional peasant and, in the highly contested space between budding democracy and revolutionary communism, set out to preach to the common people the values of progressivism. Unwaveringly, with humility and pragmatism, his goal was simply to remake Chinese society through education, to develop “the union of teaching, learning and doing.

Curricular reflections in the USA: Teaching teachers the edTPA

The Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) is an evaluation tool currently used across several states. The supposition is that teacher candidate performance can be measured. The express purpose of this instrument is to determine whether teacher candidates are ready to enter the classroom. Creators of the edTPA believe that this evaluation tool and the standards-based movement of which the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC), the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), and the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) play a part is more “rigorous” then other measures and will raise the bar for teachers entering the profession. Proponents and opponents alike expect the edTPA to radically reform the teacher preparation profession. The following essay explains why and how teacher education is changing due to edTPA. I reflect upon what are the curricular implications for teacher candidates, education faculty and teacher preparation organizations as a result of increased regulations, standardization, and an audit culture that reduces teaching and learning to the acquisition of mechanistic knowledge (performativity)

Confirmation that mrub_1751 is homologous to \u3cem\u3eE. coli\u3c/em\u3e xylF, mrub_1752 is homologous to \u3cem\u3eE. coli\u3c/em\u3e xylH, and mrub_1753 is homologous to \u3cem\u3eE. coli\u3c/em\u3e xylG

In this project we investigated the biological function of the genes Mrub_1751, Mrub_1752 and Mrub_1753 (KEGG map number 02010). We predict these genes encode components of a D-xylose ATP Binding Cassette (ABC) transporter: 1) Mrub_1752 (DNA coordinates 1809004-1810224 on the forward strand) encodes the permease component (aka transmembrane domain), predicted to be an ortholog and 2) Mrub_1753 (DNA coordinates 1810227-1811000 on the forward strand) encodes the ATP-binding domain (aka nucleotide binding domain); and 3) Mrub_1751 (DNA coordinates 1807855-1808892 on the forward strand) encodes the solute binding protein. The ABC-transporter for M. ruber to transport D-xylose is homologous with the transporter found in E. coli, allowing for the transport of D-xylose into the cell. Of interest is the finding that Mrub_1753 and E. coli xylG appear to be partly embedded in the cell membrane, unlike most ATP-binding domains. This project is part of the Meiothermus ruber genome analysis project, which predicts gene function using the bioinformatics tools collected under the umbrella of the Guiding Education through Novel Investigation –Annotation Collaboration Toolkit (GENI-ACT)

Predicting success in graduate entry medical students undertaking a graduate entry medical program (GEM)

Background: Success in undergraduate medical courses in the UK can be predicted by school exit examination (A level) grades. There are no documented predictors of success in UK graduate entry medicine (GEM) courses. This study looks at the examination performance of GEM students to identify factors which may predict success; of particular interest was A level score. Methods: Data was collected for students graduating in 2004, 2005 and 2006, including demographic details (age and gender), details of previous academic achievement (A level total score and prior degree) and examination results at several points during the degree course. Results: Study group comprised 285 students. Statistical analyses identified no significant variables when looking at clinical examinations. Analysis of pass/fail data for written examinations showed no relationship with A level score. However, both percentage data for the final written examination and the analysis of the award of honours showed A level scores of AAB or higher were associated with better performance (p < 0.001). Discussion: A prime objective of introducing GEM programs was to diversify admissions to medical school. In trying to achieve this, medical schools have changed selection criteria. The findings in this study justify this by proving that A level score was not associated with success in either clinical examinations or passing written examinations. Despite this, very high achievements at A level do predict high achievement during medical school. Conclusions: This study shows that selecting graduate medical students with the basic requirement of an upper-second class honours degree is justifiable and does not disadvantage students who may not have achieved high scores in school leaver examinations

The Research Development Institute in Digital Ethnic Studies, University of Nebraska, Lincoln

Topic: The Research Development Institute in Digital Ethnic Studies, University of Nebraska, Lincol

Imagining a Better World: Service-Learning as Benefit to Teacher Education

This study intends to broaden the conception of service-learning and to expand on its models, epistemological positions, and exemplars. Our intentions are to develop a substantive analysis of service-learning in its current theoretical development and to diversify service-learning pedagogical repertoire for teacher education candidates in graduate education programs. As university faculty, who embed service-learning components in various education courses, we are concerned with the manner in which higher education institutions manage their practices—primarily according to narrowly conceived technical and prescriptive models, thereby restricting multiple ways of knowing, teaching and learning. We demonstrate how service-learning can develop new forms of knowledge in teacher education, the knowledge that challenges the false dichotomy of theory and practice. We appropriate Bourdieu’s (1972/1977, 1980/1990, 1984, 1987/1990, 1990/1999) social theory to create a new service-learning model, Service-Learning Habitus (SLH) grounded in the ethics of care (Noddings, 2003, 2005a, 2005b, 2007) and responsibility to the Other (Levinas, 1998, 2006). We posit that SLH is an alternative service-learning theoretical framework and practice that can enhance student learning outcomes and elevate the status of the teaching profession from a more traditional to a more progressive approach, which promotes activism and engaged learning

A Longitudinal Analysis of Music Tourism Impacts

Music tourism has boomed in recent decades and has been part of the rise in cultural tourism. In recent years, several communities have implemented a concert series to help promote tourism during the shoulder season, or slower months during the off-season. In this study, a longitudinal examination of several concerts of various sizes and genres spanning about three years looks at the economic impacts for the tourist destination of Panama City Beach, FL. This paper will conduct an analysis comparing the tourism development tax, hotel/motel data provided by the industry leading data resource, Smith Travel Research (STR), in order to determine the best indicator of measurement for this area. After determining the best indicator of measurement, this study will examine the impact music concerts are having on a particular tourism destination and analyze the impacts of variations throughout the different seasons

Linkages between ecosystem services and human wellbeing: A Nexus Webs approach

Ecosystems provide benefits to people, and, in turn, people individually and collectively affect the functioning and wellbeing of ecosystems. Interdependencies between ecosystem services and human wellbeing are critical for the sustainable future of ecosystems and human systems alike, but they are not well understood. We offer an account of these interdependencies from the perspective of social psychology. Using the Nexus Webs framework (Overton et al., 2013), we explore how a fuller knowledge of coupled social-ecological systems will benefit resource management and decision-making in contested spaces. We challenge the tacit notion that ecosystem health and human wellbeing are linearly related, and suggest human wellbeing may affect ecosystem health. We outline the multiple construals of the construct ‘wellbeing’, and identify additional psychological constructs of importance. We examine how the benefits of ecosystems for human wellbeing may accrue differently across regions and across people. Four areas for future research are identified