An Historical Analysis of the Presentation of Controversial Issues in Journals Published by the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS): 1973 - 2003

The purpose of this dissertation was to determine the stance the NCSS has articulated regarding the teaching of controversial issues across a thirty – year time frame, 1973 to 2003, and to determine the extent NCSS journals presented controversial issues of importance over that period. A corollary purpose was to identify the major controversial news events for each decade in order to determine the breadth of coverage of controversial issues articles in the NCSS journals. The journals examined for this dissertation were Social Education, Social Studies and the Young Learner, and Middle Level Learning. One thousand eight hundred and forty – four articles collected from the 3 journals were used as data for this study. These articles were selected using a rubric for controversial issues following an analysis TIME magazines, two scholarly – produced public opinion polls, and results from an Expert – Panelist survey. The articles were analyzed according to the results of the Expert – Panelist survey, two literature – based models, and to controversial issues identified in NCSS’ Yearbooks and Bulletins. In all, the 1,844 articles addressed 304 different controversial issues topics across the 30 years of the study, with 31 of them having been Expert – Panelist identified and the remaining identified by NCSS. The researcher concluded, based on her analysis that: 1.) NCSS published controversial issues articles dealing with broad themes rather than specific controversial events; 2.) NCSS was more likely to publish articles on hot – button, immediate controversies in the 1970’s than they were in subsequent decades; 3.) Social Studies and the Young Learner and Middle Level Learning contained far fewer controversial issues articles, as compared to Social Education, despite NCSS’ position that students at every level of k – 12 education learn democratic processes by studying controversial issues; and 4.) NCSS only moderately supported its Position Statements on the teaching of controversial issues in its three journals between the years 1973 and 2003

Online citizen panels as an advance in research and consultation – A Review of pilot results

This paper details a new model for local government consultation and research. The model involves a local government partnering with a university to establish an online panel of citizens that is then used for consultations and research on a range of local government issues over time. The model was evaluated across an 18-month pilot involving three metropolitan councils in South Australia, each running its own panel. This paper details the rationale behind the panels, steps involved in their establishment, and what the most effective recruitment methods were to build panel membership. The model’s ability to recruit a wide audience of citizens as members, including those who would not normally participate in local government matters, is examined, as well as citizen expectations of the panel and satisfaction with being a member. Finally, key learnings from the pilot are identified. The pilot results demonstrate that such an online panel model can be used effectively in the local government context. The panels achieved citizen membership wider than that historically seen in local government consultation and research, and were sustainable in terms of continued participation and high levels of citizen satisfaction. Since the pilot, the project has grown to include seven councils and almost 2500 citizens. This is further evidence that this model offers a way forward for enhanced citizen participation in local government decision-making and policy development

Supporting postgraduate coursework students through their time of transition

Recent episodes of violence among Australian youth of African descent have been a concern for politicians, the police, policymakers and the African communities in the country. In Western Australia, the police and African communities have been searching for ways to reduce and prevent the recent spate of violence among Australian youth of African descent. This exploratory evaluative case study presents preliminary findings on the nature of violence committed by Australian youth of African descent and examines the impact of the ‘Stop the Violence Programme’, a pilot youth mentoring initiative for creating awareness among African youth in Western Australia about crime prevention. In Phase One of the programme, 18 young people were trained and resourced as local champions to mentor their peers on preventing antisocial behaviours. The study found three main forms of violence occurring among these youth: inter-African country violence, same-nationality ethnic conflicts and leave-my- territory fights. Post-training focus groups also revealed that many of the mentors have gained increased awareness of behaviours that constitute a crime in Australia. Initial findings suggest that prevention, rather than punishment, may prove a more successful approach to mitigating future violence, and that African youth can communicate positive conflict resolution to their communities

Responsibility: A Key Category for Understanding the Discourse on the Financial Crisis—Analyzing the KWALON Data Set with MAXQDA 10

Este artículo explica el proceso y hallazgos del análisis cualitativo asistido por computadora (MAXQDA 10) de la crisis financiera con base en los archivos de texto, audio y video proporcionados por el comité del programa KWALON. Los resultados iniciales muestran aquellos escritos sobre la crisis que nombran personas y factores considerados responsables por los problemas financieros, aunque no hubo consenso sobre quién o qué fue más culpado. URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs1101222Der Artikel beschreibt den Prozess der computergestützen Aufbereitung und -auswertung eines umfangreichen qualitativen Datensets mithilfe der Software MAXQDA. Grundlage ist ein vom Programmkomitee der KWALON Konferenz zusammengestellter Datenkorpus (Texte, Audio- und Videodateien) zum Thema "Finanzkrise". Erste Ergebnisse zeigen, dass in den unterschiedlichen Diskursen zum Thema der Frage nach den verantwortlichen Personen Faktoren und eine große Bedeutung zugewiesen wird. URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs1101222This article explains the process and findings of a computer-supported (MAXQDA 10) qualitative analysis of the financial crisis based on text, audio and video files provided by the KWALON program committee. Initial findings show that those writing about the crisis found it important to name those persons and factors they considered responsible for the financial problems, although there was no consensus on who or what was most to blame. URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs110122

IFU observations of luminous type II AGN - I. Evidence for ubiquitous winds

We present observations of 17 luminous (log(L[O III]/L_Sun) > 8.7) local (z < 0.11) type II AGN. Our aim is to investigate the prevalence and nature of AGN driven outflows in these galaxies by combining kinematic and ionization diagnostic information. We use non-parametric methods (e.g. W80, the width containing 80% of the line flux) to assess the line widths in the central regions of our targets. The maximum values of W80 in each galaxy are in the range 400 - 1600 km/s, with a mean of 790 +- 90 km/s. Such high velocities are strongly suggestive that these AGN are driving ionized outflows. Multi-Gaussian fitting is used to decompose the velocity structure in our galaxies. 14/17 of our targets require 3 separate kinematic components in the ionized gas in their central regions. The broadest components of these fits have FWHM = 530 - 2520 km/s, with a mean value of 920 +- 50 km/s. By simultaneously fitting both the H{\beta}/[O III] and H{\alpha}/[N II] complexes we construct ionization diagnostic diagrams for each component. 13/17 of our galaxies show a significant (> 95 %) correlation between the [N II]/H{\alpha} ratio and the velocity dispersion of the gas. Such a correlation is the natural consequence of a contribution to the ionization from shock excitation and we argue that this demonstrates that the outflows from these AGN are directly impacting the surrounding ISM within the galaxies.Comment: 37 pages, 30 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA

Proficient or Deficient? Pre-service Elementary Teachers\u27 Social Studies Content Knowledge in the Era of NCLB

Millennial generation pre-service teachers enrolled in undergraduate social studies methods courses are largely the products of NCLB and the concomitant marginalization of social studies during their K-12 education experience. This study examined a sample (N=136) of pre-service elementary teachers’ entry-point social studies content knowledge strengths and weaknesses over a three-year time frame and the degree to which NCLB era K-12 content standards had an impact on pre-service teachers’ entry-point content knowledge scores. The unintended consequences of NCLB on pre-service elementary teachers’ social studies content knowledge and recommendations for intervention and continuous improvement are presented in this paper

Transcending we/they: a qualitative formative evaluation of the transformative potential of an in-district leadership development program

This qualitative formative evaluation study revealed how teacher participation in an in-district leadership academy at a New Jersey school district engaged participants in preparing for future leadership roles. A program evaluation using qualitative methods can provide feedback on initiatives so that informed decisions can be made about program improvements (Patton, 2002b; Powell, 2006). Using a series of focus group discussions and interviews to gather such feedback, the study has informed decisions about one program’s evolving structure. Themes that emerged from the data provided by 13 participants were viewed through a constructivist framework, and using Mezirow’s (1981; 1985; 1994; 1997) theory of transformative learning as an interpretive lens, culminating in four findings: aspiring administrators experience a shift in perspective on educational issues that can be disorienting; belonging to a cohort offers needed validation; the use of authentic activities provides aspiring administrators with more confidence about moving into a formal leadership role; the presence of an in-district leadership program is mutually beneficial, allowing a district to prepare for succession events, while empowering teacher leaders to embrace their newly redefined role—as translators—between the administration and the teaching staff. The study’s fifth finding contends that researcher positionality can differ from that of an “insider” or an “outsider” to what is defined herein as an “alongsider” due to the nature of program evaluation combined with using a researcher practitioner’s workplace as the research context

Cook Like a Chef 1- and 4-Week Camp Models

Children participating in cooking classes gain confidence in their abilities to prepare food. If children are to make informed, healthy, food ingredient and cooking method choices, they need to be equipped with these necessary skills, as well as with nutrition competence. Extension programs that incorporate nutrition and hands-on cooking can present a challenge; yet with tools and support this mission can be accomplished with ease and finesse

Cohesion, coherence and connectedness: The 3C model for enabling-course design to support student transition to university

Recent Australian government policy has focused on attracting students from under-represented and diverse groups to tertiary education with university enabling courses one pathway for these students. The trend towards broader participation has altered traditional perceptions of a typical university student and raised delivery challenges. The ability to engage these students as learners and improve their academic outcomes and confidence towards successful course completion, is increasingly important to universities because of attrition costs to governments, students and higher education institutions, and is increasingly reflected in academic literature. While strategic student support options have been examined in detail, less focus has been applied to the enabling programs themselves; with little published about what actually happens at the course implementation level, to encourage conditions that support student progression. This paper reports on the re-development of an enabling course at an Australian university committed to breaking down barriers that restrict entry to education. Cohesion, coherence and connectedness emerged as central principles guiding leadership style, course design and development, staff-student communication and collaborative teaching and learning approaches. Student voices describe the lived experience of course development and delivery influenced by these principles. University retention and progression statistics and student unit teaching evaluation data were used to evaluate the impact on student satisfaction and transition. The outcome of the research highlights that building a collaborative course culture based on a 3C model of cohesion, coherence and connectedness when, used interdependently, improves students’ confidence, skills and knowledge to successfully transition to undergraduate tertiary study