A participative research for learning methodology on education doctoral training programmes

Purpose – This paper aims to outline a participative approach to researching education doctoral students’ trajectories that functions both as a form of training in research methodology and as a means of reflection on the doctoral trajectory and what doctoral students have brought to the doctoral process through their experience. Design/methodology/approach – Ten participants formed dyads and acted as both researchers and subjects of research, using narrative accounts and interviews. The collaborative approach aimed to allow “hands-on” experience of the selected methods, as well as full engagement in negotiating each stage of the project. Findings – Project group meetings and the data generated by participants provided a rich source of learning about methodological issues in education research, in addition to the personal understandings emerging from such a project. Originality/value – This project reports an approach to “hands-on” learning of methodological and ethical issues within doctoral development programmes that could be adapted for use on similar programmes. It suggests an alternative to the more common forms of doctoral training (such asexposition, discussion, reading, or simulation) that is of real value to doctoral students in that it enables deep reflection on the journeys that have brought students to doctoral study, whilst at the same time providing a rich resource for methodological learning.</p

Action theory in Habermas and educational practices

In this paper I explore the potential for viewing education as an “unrestricted communication community” (Habermas 1990: 88), using categorisations from Habermas of different kinds of action as analytical tools for examining educational practices. For the paper, I pursue two main themes: 1) how the concept of communicative action in relation to the three forms of knowledge-constitutive interest (Habermas 1987) can be operationalised in educational discourse 2) how the distinguishing of communicative action and discourse ethics from other forms of action may be used to understand the interaction taking place in educational contexts to develop evaluative tools for examining teaching practices. The potential of this framework for encouraging critical reflection on teaching, on critical incidents in teaching, peer observation, or tutor observation of novice practitioners is also discussed in relation to the forms of reflexivity that Habermas identifies as necessary conditions of human freedom (1996). Taken together, these different constructs form a powerful framework for critically examining the truth and validity claims both explicitly made and implied in educational practices from the perspectives of the individual as well as the professional community to which the individual belongs. It is accepted that a rational, communicative action aimed at reaching consensus does not necessarily dominate either the school or the higher education institution’s normal mode of discourse. Thus, the paper also differentiates other forms of action, incorporating these into the overall critical framework

A study of voice and articulation difficulties of high school students in suburban Boston

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston Universit

How teachers incorporate IYT into practice

Children’s challenging behaviour in the classroom can have negative effects on students and teachers. The Ministry of Education is funding the Incredible Years Teacher (IYT) programme to provide teachers with positive classroom management skills to manage young children’s challenging behaviour. This research focused on exploring how teachers incorporated IYT into their practice, and the factors supporting or hindering sustained implementation. The qualitative approach of interpretive description was used to guide in-depth interviews with 12 teachers and other education professionals. The thematic analysis illuminated the variation in how teachers implemented IYT, and conceptualised this according to evangelical, pragmatic, unrelated, and no implementation types. Overall, the study found teachers with more support deeply embedded IYT and sustained its incorporation in their practice. Supports included schools with leadership that prioritised IYT, school-wide behavioural strategies, coaching and modelling to support teacher development, and IYT review processes. The study also recommended supporting IYT group leaders to undertake more coaching visits, IYT courses for principals and teachers aides, and a symposium for teachers. In line with the interpretive description approach, the study also provides a practical resource for teachers and schools. Keywords: Incredible Years Teacher, classroom management, challenging behaviour, professional developmen

Characterization of the Water Soluble Component of Inedible Residue from Candidate CELSS Crops

Recycling of inorganic nutrients required for plant growth will be a necessary component of a fully closed, bioregenerative life support system. This research characterized the recovery of plant nutrients from the inedible fraction of three crop types (wheat, potato, and soybean) by soaking, or leaching, in water. A considerable portion of the dry weight of the inedible biomass was readily soluble (29 percent for soybean, 43 percent for wheat, and 52 percent for potato). Greater weight loss from potato was a result of higher tissue concentrations of potassium, nitrate, and phosphate. Approximately 25 percent of the organic content of the biomass was water soluble, while the majority of most inorganic nutrients, except for calcium and iron, were recovered in the leachate. Direct use of the leachates in hydroponic media could provide between 40-90 percent of plant nutrient demands for wheat, and 20-50 percent of demand for soybean and potato. Further evaluation of leaching as a component of resource recovery scheme in a bioregenerative system requires study of (1) utilization of plant leachates in hydroponic plant culture; and (2) conversion of organic material (both soluble and insoluble) into edible, or other useful, products

Precious?

The costume industry regularly utilizes vintage clothing for performance in theatre and film. Reflecting on garments previously encountered during a career in this industry, the authors contemplate the lives and purpose of such items and their role within a working costume store. Discussion with professionals from various backgrounds evokes a wide range of questions and differing opinions surrounding the idea of value in this context, producing a subjective reaction with no definitive answer. This article contextualizes these questions through the study of a single item of historical clothing currently used as costume, encouraging the reader to consider how the value of such pieces is perceived. The concept of the costume stock room as an accessible, living archive is explored in relation to the recognized traditional archival structure of a museum store where conservation and preservation have priority

On the Siegel-Weil Theorem for Loop Groups (I)

We proved a new Siegel-Weil formula for orthogonal and symplectic groups, which will be used later to prove a generalization of Siegel-Weil formula for loop groups