Monthly Archive for September, 2010

Recently published in the Learning Journal

Published on September 30, 2010 in Journal. 0 Comments

learning_front Recently published papers in The International Journal of Learning include:

Ontario Principal Preparation Programs: How are Aspiring School Administrators Trained? by Kien N. Luu.
Home-School Relationships: Valuable or Problematic? by Alexandra Zaoura and Carol Aubrey.
Out in Print in Australia: Male Same-sex Attraction in Australian Young Adult Novels by David Blair Rhodes.
Management Skills of Technical and Technology Interns: Interns and Supervisors Perspectives by Azrai Abdullah, Rohani Salleh and Subarna Sivapalan.
Education Health and Safety in Schools by Antonio Burgos García.
Preschool Teacher Assessment Methods in Children’s Learning by Nor Hashimah Hashim, Hashimah Mohd. Yunus and Mohd. Norawi Ali.
Working with Blog Discourse by Adelina Asmawi.
Postmodern Picture Books: Pathways to Literacies for a New Knowledge Paradigm by Shamini Dias.
Integrating Language Learning Practices in First Year Science Disciplines by Felicia Zhang, Brett Lidbury, Jurgen Schulte, Brian Yates, Adam Bridgeman and John Rodger.
Young Learners’ Second Language Visual Literacy Practices: Does Gender make a Difference? by Marina Mohd. Arif and Fatimah Hashim.
A Situational Analysis of Existing Traditional Modes of Classroom Assessment and Student Evaluation in an Eastern Culture: A Proposed Change Agenda and Expected Resistance by Rumaisa Shaukat.

Latest Learning Journal Papers

Published on September 25, 2010 in Journal. 0 Comments

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Recently published in The International Journal of Learning:

Learning Journal: Recently Published

Published on September 21, 2010 in Journal. 0 Comments

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The latest issue of The International Journal of Learning includes:

Pippa Stein Award for Excellence in Educational Research in Africa

Published on September 20, 2010 in Journal and Newsletter. 0 Comments

Elbie Mwenesongole

Congratulations to Elbie Mwenesongole the winner of the Pippa Stein Award for Excellence in Educational Research in Africa with her paper The Factors Influencing Learner Achievement in Geography Mapwork at Grade 12 Level.

Abstract: Most learners find Geography map work difficult and they perform poorly in Geography as a whole. One wonders whether this is the cause for the learners’ failure or whether there are other factors that contribute to the poor performance in Geography map work at Grade 12 level in the South African schools. In this study( 2003-2005), the factors influencing learner achievement in Grade 12 Geography map work were investigated. The investigation involved 208 research participants from schools in the Mafikeng District. The aim of the study was to find out the factors that contribute to poor and good performance of learners in Geography map work. The survey method was used to collect data. The questionnaires and interview questions for both the educators and learners reflected the learners’ achievement, school problems and how the learners’ performance could be improved. Observation was both participatory and non-participatory. These observations served two purposes: to establish the teaching strategies / methods used in the classroom, and to establish the classroom interaction between educators and learners and their influence on learner achievement. The findings reveal that most learners do not perform well in map work because they lack motivation in doing map work, they lack basic skills to map reading, and finally, they lack basic mathematical skills. The study also revealed the need for re-skilling and retraining for all educators involved in teaching map work in areas of basic skills to map reading and interpretation, basic mathematical skills and the importance of motivation.

Latest Learning Journal Papers

Published on September 5, 2010 in Journal. 0 Comments

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Recently published in The International Journal of Learning:

Greek Ethnic Schools in Australia in the Late 1990s: Selected Case Studies

Published on September 1, 2010 in Book, Headline and Newsletter. 2 Comments

greek-schools-front

Greek Ethnic Schools in Australia in the Late 1990s: Selected Case Studies by Eugenia Arvanitis is now available from The Learner imprint.

This book is a detailed illustration of the broader socio-historical and educational milieu of the Greek ethnic schools in Australia in the late 1990s. It presents ethnic schools’ efforts to maintain and develop the Greek language and cultural heritage as well as to support Greek-Australian identity amongst second and third generation Greek-Australians. The detailed school profiles (case studies) presented in this book constitute part of a Ph.D. thesis (Arvanitis 2000) and provide a pedagogical framework of practice in dealing with diverse learning environments and diverse learner populations.

The need to refocus on the profile of ethnic schools has become apparent due to the profound impact of globalisation on education and, in particular, on ethnic schooling, which has forced educational agencies to reposition themselves. The new complexities of knowledge economy demand new thinking and contemporary skills and attributes as well as the capacity to deal with cultural diversity. Greek part-time ethnic schools, a remarkable marker of ethnicity in themselves, have played a pivotal role in the transmission and promotion of Greek culture and language. They have, at the same time, enhanced learners’ global/diasporic consciousness and sense of identity by urging them to reflect on bicultural learning communities of meaning, memory and belonging. Finally, they have recognised the diversity of voices, narratives and aspirations both within their own cultural group as well as that of their host community and Greece thus engaging in a powerful context of triangular relationships.

Overall Greek ethnic schools have promoted multicultural community building by strengthening different senses of belonging and consciousness in the context of Australian multicultural society. They act as dynamic learning organisations and agents of socio-cultural change, thus helping us reflect upon the complexities of contemporary societies and offering new conceptual frameworks to interpret culture and identity.