This book examines tensions and challenges in the professional lives and identities of contemporary academics. Drawing on extensive interviews conducted over seven years with academics in the United States and the United Kingdom, the authors analyze the experiences of four types of academics as they respond and adjust to the demands of…

When "Sesame Street" launched in 1969, it was the first show to attempt to teach young children school-readiness skills with catchy songs and playful Muppets. Not only did it revolutionize the children's media landscape, the program sparked a love of learning among generations of children all over the world. For "Revisiting the…

Using the USAID-funded South Sudan Teacher Education Project (SSTEP) as a case study, this paper examines the emerging guidance on the conflict-sensitive design and implementation of teacher education policy and programming in conflict-affected environments. We refer in particular to the guidelines and conceptual frameworks provided by the…

Researchers undertake a number of different research evaluation tasks, taking up a substantial part of their research time--estimated to about one work month per year for a professor. This paper addresses the various evaluator roles and tasks researchers take on, and the tensions they involve. How the research evaluator role may conflict with the…

The concept of "funds of knowledge" is critically reviewed, tracing a history of the term's changing use since its original conception by Velez-Ibanez and Greenberg in the late 1980s, and discussing its relevance in adult literacy and numeracy classrooms. An attempt is made to locate the concept within wider theoretical frameworks, and in…

Concerned about the lack of focus on students' needs for support in order to meet rigorous academic standards at the secondary and postsecondary levels, the Pathways to College Network--a partnership of national organizations and funders working to improve postsecondary opportunities for underserved populations--is undertaking a national…

This article examines the relationship between the mathematical knowledge of 438 K-8 California teachers and the demographics of the schools in which they work. To measure mathematical knowledge, we used a series of multiple-choice problems meant to represent both the content teachers teach and the specialized knowledge of mathematics that…

Criticizes the simplicity of curriculum theories. Promotes the idea of developing theory based upon practical activities that improve people's ability to make decisions for better classroom practices. (MD)

This paper illuminates the tensions between the rhetoric and presumed rewards of an expanded conception of teachers' work and the work demands and strains introduced by such a conception. Based on data collected in the United States, this paper draws on multi-day, 24-hour time and task diaries recorded by case-study teachers, together with…

The paper summarizes results from two Illinois studies on the roles of educational personnel (n=420) employed in special programs for infants/toddlers and three- to five-year-olds, and evaluates preservice training needs of these personnel. Time spent in various roles and perceptions of ideal emphasis on role areas during preservice are discussed.…

This report details an exploratory study that employs qualitative methods to characterize the academic language used by teachers and students in 4th and 5th grade mainstream science classrooms. Teacher oral language, and to some degree student talk, was observed during content instruction. This type of data allows for a broad descriptive…

This paper provides a critical review essay of Ajay Sharma's "Portrait of a science teacher as a bricoleur: A case study from India." The main focus is two fold. First, arguments are presented to draw attention to how little advances in science teaching and science learning research have impacted teachers' practice and student…

The faculty athletics representative plays an important role in the athletic-academic relationship. This responsibility includes certifying student-athlete eligibility, reporting academic data as required, evaluating athlete-applicant qualifications and abilities, regular evaluation of athlete performance, and participation in evaluation of…

Guidelines are provided for evaluating research on the process approach to the teaching of writing to exceptional children. Focus is on the roles of the teacher and the learner. Suggestions are presented for further research, specifically in the areas of fluency, the functions of writing, and the effects of instruction. (Author/JDD)

Analysis of Pegnato and Birch's data invalidates the observation that teacher nominations should not be relied upon in gifted identification, as analysis shows that effectiveness and efficiency are related to number of subjects singled out as a result of the chosen cutoff value. An alternative is presented: compare correlation coefficients of the…