The closing plenary session at the InnoConf17 conference was an informal interview that Tita Beaven conducted with Richard Simcott, which is reproduced here in an edited version. Topics discussed include the meaning of a "polyglot," the differences between informal and formal language learning, and the development of language exchanges.…

Academic culture is a distinct and unique field, and perhaps may best be conceptualised as a space. Although access to university has traditionally been restricted, recent efforts on a number of fronts have attempted to "open" the space of the academy. In particular, enabling programmes such as Preparatory Programs and Foundation Courses…

Current reforms in the Maltese and Scottish educational contexts can only be fully implemented if teachers radically transform the way they teach. Teacher professional learning is an important mechanism that policy-makers, school leaders and administrators have to achieve this. Teacher professional learning is, above all, situated within the…

This paper describes a qualitative research study of the experiences of Texas female superintendents with longevity. Specifically, five superintendents with tenure of at least six years in one school district were interviewed to hear their voices. Findings show that a strong working relationship with their boards, a solid connection with their…

The pervasiveness of mobile devices in families' homes has dramatically changed the physical and temporal arrangement of co-viewing media content; the representative image of American families seated around a TV set is an anachronism. But understanding and describing contemporary co-participation arrangements around digital media is challenging…

Behaviors such as gaze aversion and repetitive movements are commonly believed to be signs of deception and low credibility; however, they may also be characteristic of individuals with developmental or mental health conditions. We examined the effect of five behaviors that are common among autistic individuals--gaze aversion, repetitive…

This study examined the consequences of negative change in mothers' implicit appraisals of their adolescents after engaging in a family disagreement. Participants included 194 mothers and their early adolescents (M[subscript age] = 12.4 at Wave 1; 50% female) followed over 1 year. Mothers' implicit appraisals of her child as "unlovable"…

The purpose of this study was to investigate and identify the factors that either support or inhibit learning transfer among educators within K-12 professional learning communities (PLCs) as well as to obtain a better understanding of how adult education principles relate to teacher learning and job satisfaction within this environment. Although…

As the importance attached to preschool education has increased in recent years, researchers have begun to discuss the quality of educational and care services. This study aims to show the views of assistant teachers working at preschool educational institutions concerning quality, investigate their influence on quality, and reveal the effect of…

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth and their caregivers often describe coming out as a process that impacts the family unit. Oftentimes, caregivers may experience a range of emotions in response to the youth coming out. Caregivers of LGBT youth who seek counseling may benefit from collaborative treatment that addresses their…

In recent years, deanship in universities has become more complex and challenging. Deans in South African universities take up their positions without appropriate training and prior executive experience, and with no clear understanding of the ambiguity and complexity of their roles. This paper calls for appropriate leadership development…

Drawing upon interview narratives and analysis based on Critical Race Theory, this manuscript uses a qualitative phenomenological approach to oppose one-dimensional perspectives concerning the social, educational and occupational careers of Black men who are stereotyped as lazy, criminal, dangerous and uncivil. This manuscript examines the…

This paper explores active learning reform in the small state of the Maldives. Acknowledging the implementation challenges of active learning approaches globally, the study explored the policy-practice intersection by examining the experiences of one island school and its approach to promoting active learning pedagogy. The school was selected for…

The context and experiences of student-parents is an important topic for higher education. Educators need to know who these adult students are and where they come from. Due to the additional responsibilities that student-parents carry, educators are challenged by the fact that most of these adult students are enrolled in higher education on a…

Background: Little is known about the experiences of parents whose sons or daughters are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during adulthood. Method: In this exploratory study, 6 mothers of adults recently diagnosed with ASD were interviewed about the ASD assessment process. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the interviews. Results:…