(2005). A Comparative Study of Early Childhood Fear and Caregivers' Responses to Fear in Australia and Canada. Australian Journal of Early Childhood, v30 n4 p34-42 Dec. This paper describes a cross-cultural study of the emotion of fear. Caregivers from an independent preschool, a preschool attached to a public school, an extended hours care facility for children from birth to school age, and an indigenous community preschool were invited to participate. In total, 20 caregivers in Canada and 21 in Australia participated. They were asked to name fears that preschool-aged children experience, to describe how children show fear, and to further describe how they respond to children's fears. Findings suggest that caregivers can miss or misinterpret fear and fear displays and that they could, in many cases, respond to fear more effectively. By expanding their understanding of what young children fear, the variety of ways that children express fear, and how to help children to understand fear, early childhood educators in both countries can more effectively respond to fear and other emotions in young children. It is hoped that insights provided through this… [Direct]
(2003). Open Arms, Open Hearts, Open Minds–Welcomed Once Again. American Indian Quarterly, v27 n1-2 p249-251 Win-Spr. The author's experiences as a non-Native student in a graduate program in Native studies are reflective of his experiences within Native communities. In this article, the author shares a story that speaks almost entirely about welcoming, acceptance, inclusion, and support. The author is a PhD candidate in the Department of Native Studies at Trent University. His return to student life began in 2001, after more than a decade had passed since the completion of his master's degree. His decision to become part of this particular program was based on three factors. First of all, it is at this time the only doctoral program in Canada in the discipline of Native studies. Second, his learning experiences as an undergraduate within this same department more than two decades earlier had continued to be valuable in his personal and professional life. Finally, this particular program respects Native ways of knowing as reflected in traditional and contemporary perspectives…. [Direct]
(2006). Schooling the Dust Belt. Education in Rural Australia, v16 n1 p39-45. This article is a first person's account of working in a rural district affected by drought, economic recession and poor levels of services. It is a facto-fictional narrative describing a typical working day in the life of Peggy, the acting CEO of quality teaching, in what is locally referred to as an NIDA district (where everyone is acting). Peggy is in her fifties, single, a parent of grown up children and a teacher of thirty years experience. She lives alone in a small flat in the regional centre and drinks too much. She travels to schools in the area most days, rising early, arriving home late into the night, overseeing usage of the Quality Teaching Model. During her travels, Peggy also addresses such problems as the emotional strain placed on school principals working away from their families and school water pipes freezing overnight. This facto-fictional narrative is taken from more than 100 interviews conducted in the New England Region of NSW as part of the Rural (Teacher)… [Direct]
(2006). Challenging the Boundaries between School-Sponsored and Vernacular Literacies: Urban Indigenous Teenage Girls Writing in an "At Risk" Programme. Language and Education, v20 n6 p478-492. Contemporary views of literacy as a wide range of sociocultural practices acknowledge a comprehensive account of adolescents' literate lives, which includes previously unrecognised vernacular literacies. Contrasting descriptors such as official/unofficial and sanctioned/unsanctioned have been used to describe adolescent writing from different domains. While these distinctions are useful, the boundaries between them are subject to transgression. This paper draws on ethnographic data collected in a vocational education training programme for Year 10 students identified as being at educational risk. Adopting a communities of practice perspective, the study focuses on the school-sponsored writing practices of a group of Aboriginal English speaking girls. It describes how the girls recruited resources from communities of practice in which they participated outside the classroom. The findings indicate three ways in which the boundaries between school-sanctioned and vernacular literacy… [Direct]
(1999). Some Issues in Providing Culturally Appropriate Science Curriculum Support for Indigenous Students. Australian Science Teachers' Journal, v45 n1 p41-48 Mar. Teaching science to indigenous students in Australia can be difficult, as some Western science concepts are in direct conflict with their cultural beliefs. Outlines some ways to make science instruction more culturally relevant to primary-aged indigenous students living in remote areas of the Northern Territory. Contains 23 references. (Author/WRM)…
(2007). Cultivating Aboriginal Cultures and Educating Aboriginal Children in Taiwan. Childhood Education, v83 n5 p282. Many Americans believe that diversity issues are limited to the United States. The truth is, however, that many cultures struggle to recognize and foster cultural diversity. In this article, the authors have two aims: (1) to recognize various ethnic groups in Taiwan, in particular aboriginal groups; and (2) to inform educators about what they can do to ensure that aboriginal children in Taiwan will have a brighter future. The authors strongly believe that quality education is the key to assisting aborigines in gaining the knowledge and skills they need to compete in a diverse world. Education settings must offer multicultural curriculum to students at all levels and in all schools. Teachers should offer learning opportunities to Han (non-aboriginal) students on how to help them build inclusive and caring communities. Multicultural topics that address such areas as affirming diversity, nurturing justice, fostering equity, identifying people's needs, and enhancing communication and… [Direct]
(2004). A Survey of Current Australian Strategies in Numeracy. Australian Council for Educational Research For this edition of "A Survey of Current Australian Strategies in Numeracy", officers from each of the State and Territory education departments, as well as their Catholic Education Office counterparts provided the information about the strategies in place during 2001 within their jurisdiction. These strategies, all aimed at improving numeracy teaching and learning In Australian schools, are recorded in this updated edition. Each of the State and Territory education systems, and their Catholic Education Office counterparts, were faxed a questionnaire seeking information on current numeracy initiatives and strategies. The survey sought information about strategies under the following seven themes: (1) At Risk students; (2) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students; (3) Equity; (4) Gifted and Talented students; (5) Special Assistance provision; (6) Special Initiatives; and (7) System Monitoring. Information for each of the themes has been sub-divided into the following…
(2002). Are Intuitive Rules Universal?. In their work in science and mathematics education, the authors have observed that students intuitively react in similar ways to a wide variety of scientific tasks. These tasks differ with regard to their content area and/or to the reasoning required for their solution, but share some common, external features. We have identified three types of intuitive responses: "More A-more B" and "Same A-same B" which relate to comparison tasks, and "Everything can be divided endlessly" which relate to repeated division tasks. For example, in respect to the first intuitive rule: "More A-more B", when students are told that Tom saves 15% of his salary, and Mary saves 20% of her salary, they tend to incorrectly claim that Mary saves more money than Tom, because 20 is larger than 15. This response is in line with the intuitive rule "More A (percentage) – more B (money)." Similarly, when presented with the task: Is the size of a muscle cell of a… [PDF]
(2002). Reliability, Validity, and Authenticity in American Indian and Alaska Native Research. ERIC Digest. The constructs used to evaluate research quality–valid, objective, reliable, generalizable, randomized, accurate, authentic–are not value-free. They all require human judgment, which is affected inevitably by cultural norms and values. In the case of research involving American Indians and Alaska Natives, assessments of research quality must be based both on Western notions of scientific quality and on separate criteria prescribed in the interests of sovereignty. This digest addresses these issues as researchers take on the challenges set forth by the American Indian and Alaska Native Education Research Agenda, which was mandated by Executive Order. Various terms concerning accuracy, reliability, and validity are defined. Then, critical questions related to sovereignty and self-determination are posed, including the reasons for doing the research, researchers' motivations, who sets research goals, who has the disciplinary authority to do the research, who is involved in the… [PDF]
(1992). Book Reviews. Child Study Journal, v22 n4 p317-19. Reviews two books on issues of Native American education: (1) \Light of the Feather: Pathways through Contemporary Indian America\ (M. Fedullo); and (2) \Teaching American Indian Students\ (J. Rehner). (ME)…
(2001). Weaving Words with the Dreamweaver: Literacy, Indigeneity, and Technology. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, v44 n4 p336-45 Dec-Jan 2000-2001. Reports on a pilot project that is encouraging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to view themselves as innovators and leaders in new information and communications technologies. Describes the aims, activities, and outcomes of the program, and closes with some comments on the new forms of social identity that emerged through literate practice in this cybersemiotic environment. (RS)…
(2000). The Art and Achievements of the Hohokam. Arts & Activities, v126 n5 p42-43 Jan. Provides historical background on the ancient Hohokam people. Provides an art activity in which fifth grade students create effigy vessels based on their study of the Hohokam. Describes the process. Explains that students develop clay modeling skills and an appreciation for Hohokam culture. (CMK)…
(2006). The Influence of Governmental Control and Early Christian Missionaries on Music Education of Aborigines in Taiwan. British Journal of Music Education, v23 n2 p205-216 Jul. There has been little research conducted on Taiwanese Aboriginal music education in comparison to Aboriginal education. C. Hsu's "Taiwanese Music History" (1996) presents information on Aboriginal music including instruments, dance, ritual music, songs and singing, but information on music education practices is lacking. The examination of historical documentation shows that music education was used by both the Japanese government and Christian missionaries to advance their political and religious agendas. This paper will examine the development of the music education of Aborigines in Taiwan from the mid nineteenth century, when Christian missionaries first came to Taiwan, until the end of the Japanese protectorate (1945). I shall discuss how the missionaries from Britain and Canada successfully introduced Western religious music to Aboriginal communities by promoting various activities such as hymn singing and religious services. The paper will then look at the influence… [Direct]
(1974). Some Problems in Academic and Administrative Development in Universities in the Developing Countries. Bulletin of the Association of African Universities, 1, 1, 29-37, May 74. Describes briefly the historical circumstances and present characteristics of the 45 universities belonging to the Association of African Universities. Discusses the rationale for staff development programs supplemented by outside recruitment (not vice-versa), and the development of curriculum adapted to the needs of the country and also internationally viable. [Resume in French included.] (JT)…
(2001). Revista Interamericana de Educacion de Adultos, 2001 (Interamerican Journal of Adult Education, 2001). Revista Interamericana de Educacion de Adultos, v23 n1-3. Articles in this volume, written in Spanish, focus on the following: high school education in rural areas; adult and popular education in the 90s; systemizing educational processes in rural communities based on a restoration of their cultural heritage (case Tzintzuntzan, Michoacan); fostering sustainable communities; human rights and human development in Latin America and the Caribbean; thoughts on teaching with dignity; computer and communication technologies and challenges of education. (Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse on ESL Literacy Education) (AS)… [PDF]