Elephant cognition in primate perspective

On many of the staple measures of comparative psychology, elephants show no obvious differences from other mammals, such as primates: discrimination learning, memory, spontaneous tool use, etc. However, a range of more naturalistic measures have recently suggested that elephant cognition may be rather different. Wild elephants sub-categorize humans into groups, independently making this classification on the basis of scent or colour. In number discrimination, elephants show no effects of absolute magnitude or relative size disparity in making number judgements. In the social realm, elephants show empathy into the problems faced by others, and give hints of special abilities in cooperation, vocal imitation and perhaps teaching. Field data suggest that the elephant’s vaunted reputation for memory may have a factual basis, in two ways. Elephants’ ability to remember large-scale space over long periods suggests good cognitive mapping skills. Elephants’ skill in keeping track of the current locations of many family members implies that working memory may be unusually developed, consistent with the laboratory finding that their quantity judgements do not show the usual magnitude effects.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Teacher education in a global context : towards a defensible theory of teacher education

This paper examines some of the effects of globalisation on education and teacher education. In particular it considers the contradictory demands of economic and cultural forms of globalisation, and between globalisation and localisation. Attempts to construct an \u27education space\u27 in Europe and Asia are considered and various responses of teacher education systems are outlined. A defensible theory of teacher education is presented around the transformation of curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and the practicum: one that might allow a creative response to the contradictions of globalisation. <br /

Phelan\u27s bibliometric analysis of the impact of Australian educational research

Phelan (2000) has produced a complex bibliometric analysis of the international contribution of Australian educational research based upon publications and citations reported in the journals indexed by the Institute for Scientific Information - the Standards &amp; Poors of the academic world. This paper examins Phelan\u27s analysis, showing its strengths and weaknesses, as well as examining his proposal for the establishment of an Australian database along the lines of the ISI\u27s index

States, markets and communities : is there room for educational leadership?

This paper attempts a comparative analysis of classification and framing relationships as they are exemplified in the four papers presented in this Special Issue. In particular, it interrogates Bernstein\u27s assertion that education is simply a relay for power relations external to it and examines approaches to educational leadership and administration that follow from such analysis. It is concluded that in different times and places power relationships external to education are often complex and contested, producing a variety of relays and attempts at classification and framing that serve differing interests and are articulated through policies containing significant internal contradictions. In such circumstances contingency and immediate local influence may affect the practice of educational leadership as well as offering scope for subversion, resistance, simulated consent and collective action. The possibility of a public pedagogy through which such complexities could be articulated is raised and its importance to the practice of educational leadership affirmed. <br /