Parental challenges to educational and legal definitions of their children's special educational needs : an examination of decision-making in the field of special educational needs.

This study explores parents' perspectives on their children's special educational needs and relates those perspectives to legal and other professional discourses. The key concepts used to organise the enquiry are Special Educational Needs (SEN), the Duty of Care and parents' expectations. Ten case studies were undertaken and the findings compared with a number of set-piece, land-mark cases which were followed through the legal process, from the High Court, through the Court of Appeal and finally, on 27 July 2000, the unanimous judgement of seven law lords in the House of Lords. Comparison of the local case studies with the legal cases produced interesting implications for the future of special educational needs. Ten parents were interviewed at the local level, as well as the local authority officer responsible for statements of SEN, the LEA parent partnership officer, and an parent advocate employed by a charity. At the national level, interviews were carried out with the solicitor acting for the plaintiff and the Principal Educational Psychologist of the defendant Local Education Authority. The main conclusions are first, that parents' definitions of their children's special educational needs, despite much exhortation in the academic literature about parental involvement, are still undervalued by professionals. Further, some parents are less able than others to articulate those needs and further their children's interests, and will be reliant on professionals or interest groups to assist them. Second, those professionals owe them a legal duty of care and can be liable for negligence if they give inadequate or wrong advice. This is relevant to the current debates about the role of educational psychologists and the promotion of inclusion. The third conclusion is that the recent decisions in the House of Lords will have resource implications for LEA insurance as well as for the delivery of the education service, and finally the commitment to equality of opportunity and inclusive education means that all children with any kind of need, special or otherwise, statemented or not, must have access to an education which will help them reach their full potential

Reimagining the Flute Masterclass: Case Studies Exploring Artistry, Authority, and Embodiment

This work explores the flute masterclass as an aesthetic, ritualized, and historically reimagined cultural practice. Based on fieldwork that took place between 2017 and 2019 in the United States, in Italy, and on the social media platforms Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, I argue that the masterclass—an extension of the master/apprentice system that dominates learning in the classical music tradition—is characterized by embodied qualities of artistry and authority. These qualities are not inherent, but are perceived through subjective, social, familied, and affective bodies. Chapter One outlines the main themes and the research design. Chapter Two is a case study that analyzes the concept of charismatic authority in relation to an established flutist, his former teacher, and the influence of the French School of flute playing. Chapter Three discusses the role of sociality in professionalization and the search for artistry in a ten-day masterclass. Chapter Four, a case study of masterclasses at the National Flute Association Annual Convention, explores how flutists perform identity within the “imagined flute community” through gestural excess and modes of conduct. Chapter Five investigates flute masterclasses on the social media platforms Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube and the impact of online media on artistry, authority, and embodiment. Keeping in mind Latour’s actor-network theory, the “post-internet,” and the centralized web, I consider the reshaping and disruptive effects of social media on the traditional flute masterclass. I conclude that in order to continue as a relevant site for aesthetic experience and meaning-making, the flute masterclass must fashion a disciplined authority that respects the identity and selfhood of the student performer

Access to a Basic Income: Exploring a Matricentric Feminist Approach to Poverty Alleviation for Mothers in Ontario

While the literature on the nexus of poverty and motherhood is substantial, there is a dearth of scholarship exploring the intersection of basic income, poverty, and mothering. This article explores a matricentric feminist approach to poverty alleviation by means of access to a basic income. Such an approach recognizes that women, and mothers specifically, tend to be disadvantaged under current patriarchal, social and economic relations. Within this article, we consider the implications of basic income for mothers by exploring the merits and limitations of this approach to income security in several different domains. As such, we explore the impacts of basic income on mothers in relation to safe and affordable housing, quality childcare, and the overall health and wellbeing of mothers and their children

The DRIADE Project: Phased Application Profile Development in Support of Open Science

DRIADE (Digital Repository of Information and Data for Evolution) is a project being developed for the acquisition, preservation, sharing and re-use of heterogeneous data in support of published research in the field of evolutionary biology. Metadata is a fundamental part of DRIADE’s information architecture. This paper reports on DRIADE’s overarching goals. We describe our phased approach to developing an application profile, which supports three phases of DRIADE's development. We present a multi-method approach to developing the application profile. Our methods included a requirements assessment, content analysis, and crosswalk analysis. The paper concludes by identifying next steps and discussing the applicability of DRIADE’s work to other initiatives seeking to tightly couple published research and data

The Dryad Repository Application Profile: Process, Development, and Refinement

This paper presents research and development work for the Dryad metadata application profile. Dryad is a digital repository for datasets underlying published works in evolutionary biology and related fields. The paper details the phased implementation of the repository and the corresponding modular application profile. The paper reviews the application profile methodology, reviews each element description, and describes how the schema supports the unique functionalities of each phase of Dryad. The approach presents a method for bringing the Level One application profile, which is currently being tested for Phase One of Dryad, into conformance with the Dublin Core Singapore Framework. The benefits of compliance with the Singapore Framework include maximum interoperability and long-term quality control of the schema. In addition, conformance will allow for the Dryad application profile to be utilized by other initiatives. Finally, this paper proposes a Level Two Dryad application profile and a means of implementation

Toward a Theory of Teacher Education for Justice-Oriented STEM

Among the multiple perspectives as to the focus of education policy, there has been much recent attention paid to both STEM and social justice education. While these approaches are often seen in opposition with each other, in this paper we explore the possibility of combining these two aims as we begin to develop a theory of teacher education for justice-oriented STEM education

The Next Generation of Science Educators: Museum Volunteers

There is a growing need for science educators and communicators who can support public understanding of complex science issues. Furthermore, little is known about how to nurture career aspirations for teaching science. This study examined the influence of youth volunteer experiences on career aspirations through a lens of science identity. Twenty-one participants were interviewed about high school volunteer experiences at a science museum. Data were coded for factors related to science identity (recognition, competence, and performance) and career aspirations. Results showed that the museum program contributed to the development of youth volunteers’ science identities through experiences that bolstered individuals’ science recognition, science competence, and science performance. Further analyses revealed the program’s impact on the development of individuals’ career interests in the areas of science communication and teaching. The results showed that after participating in the volunteer program, individuals indicated increased interests in communicating science to the public, teaching in informal science settings, and teaching in K-12 settings. These findings suggest that museum volunteer programs with an explicit focus on communicating science to the public may be optimal places to cultivate the next generation of science educators and communicators

Considerations in the Use of Podcasts for Teaching and Learning in Occupational Therapy: A Scoping Study

Evidence-based practice integrates and supports the best interventions in clinical practice. However, a gap of about ten years may elapse between the production of evidence and integration of best practices in clinical settings. Some technologies, such as podcasting, have become increasingly popular and are emerging as an innovative teaching modality that can support knowledge acquisition and integration. This scoping study gathered and synthesized the information in the literature regarding the use of podcasts by occupational therapy clinicians and students as a means for teaching and learning evidence-based knowledge. A scoping study approach was used following the five stages defined by Arksey and O\u27Malley. In four databases and using 40 keywords, two team members selected and cross-checked articles. Two team members also extracted data and analyzed them in the form of descriptive statistics and salience (recurrence and importance). Of the 46 articles selected, seven broad categories of 20 important themes related to the use of podcasting were identified: facilitators and obstacles to podcast use, advantages and disadvantages of podcasts, effects of podcasts, potential utility of podcasts, and elements to consider for podcast creation. Podcasting is an innovative and appropriate modality for the retention of knowledge and the optimization of practical skills. It differs from traditional methods in its ease of access and portability. Many positive effects have been associated with its use. However, podcasts should not replace class attendance or other active learning opportunities