Experiences of (Not) Belonging among Higher Education Students from Nondominant Ethnic Backgrounds

Students from nondominant backgrounds face challenges in educational contexts related to finding support and having a sense of belonging. In this study, we focus primarily on race and ethnicity in shaping experiences of nondominance. Using a theoretical framework based upon critical race theory and sense of belonging, we interviewed ten young adults from nondominant backgrounds about their educational experiences in primary, secondary, and tertiary education in the Netherlands. Findings indicate challenges related to interactions with White peers, low teacher support and expectations, and discontinuities between home and school cultures. Sources of support included peers from nondominant backgrounds, religion and faith communities, and family. Implications suggest that teachers and leaders in educational institutions develop their own, and their dominant students’, understandings of nondominant students’ experiences. Additional arguments for the need to focus on race in the European context and for the affordances of interpretive qualitative inquiry approaches are included.

History Textbooks as Social Contract: Educational Reform, the Unified History Textbooks and Patriotism in Contemporary Russia

This article examines uniform standardized history education in Russia. It focuses primarily on the process of designing unified national history textbooks in 2013-2017, and also examines the educational reform that followed this process, along with the role of Russian society in the formulation of the textbook’s content. The new historical-cultural criteria—and the Unified textbooks based on them—are considered as a product of social contract as it was revised and approved by the different levels of Russian society: academics, parents, teachers, and government. In essence, the new textbooks are the first joint project made by the government, academics and society in the history of the Russian state. The new history textbooks are regarded as an attempt by the state and society to link Russian history with world history; previously, each discipline was studied separately. It is also an attempt to acknowledge and accept all of Russian history as one historical process of the evolution of Russian statehood, including all successes and achievements as well as black spots and wrongdoings. Although the unified textbooks are the most prudent revision of history in contemporary Russia, however there are several improvements required to redirect textbooks from being simply a tool for the construction of patriotism in schools to also being a mechanism of development of the younger generation’s critical thinking.

Parent - Child Resemblance: Genetics, Education and Chance

In this article, it is argued that it makes sense to define and distinguish three levels of human intelligence: intelligence as genotypical potential, intelligence as actualised in environmental interaction, and intelligence as measured by tests (IQ). This raises the questions of what is meant by the term “intelligence as potential”, and how and in what sense does a child’s cognitive potential express the parents’ potential and genetics? The larger the number of genes involved in a certain trait, the more possibilities emerge for the formation of new combinations for that trait. The degree of similarity between a child and their parents depends on the unique combination of innate genes in each newborn child. The more genes are connected with a human trait or ability, the more refined or intricate the structure of the distribution for that trait in a population will be. The question of how a parents’ genes relate to their children’s genes has been studied, among other things, in ‘twin studies’. Another relevant, but complicated question concerns the relation between genetics (nature) and environment (nurture). Nature appears to be at work in nurture, while nurture influences processes of nature. In psychological research, some DNA differences can be used to predict psychological differences, called polygenic scores. In this context, it is argued that individual cognitive growth comes about by all kinds of influences; psychologists call such influences ‘bidirectional’ influences. It is also argued that, ultimately, it is the individual human explorative activity that is responsible and a strong catalyst for the development and mastery of human traits and for the cognitive qualifications of all newborn children.

Classroom Activity Ideas for Child Victims of Mass Trauma Events by Educators from Around the World

Mass trauma events affect everyone including children. Resulting symptomatic problems for children can be addressed by clinical professionals yet at some point following these mass trauma events children must return to school but their teachers are seldom prepared to work with them to facilitate a return to learning, though they undoubtedly spend much more time with children than do clinical professionals. Workshops held in Spain and Ireland brought together educators from around the world to offer their suggestions for activities that could help children return to learning. The suggested activities are provided in this paper.

The Teacher Shortage in the United States

A major teacher shortage exists in the United States. As teachers leave the classroom in droves, administrators are forced to hire unlicensed educators in order to fill vacant positions. Teachers have decided to change professions due to a lack of competitive salaries, fear of personal safety, and a lack of support from education stakeholders. Through the use of research in academic journals and articles as well as personal anecdotes, I attempt to prove that teachers are not being treated fairly, and if the right changes are made then the teacher retention rate can be improved.

Teachers’ Implicit Moral Values in Their Narratives About Teaching Practice

This article focuses on the moral values that teachers consider important for their teaching practice. First, we investigated the tensions experienced and questions raised by teacher’s experience of the moral matters that arise in their profession. These moral tensions and questions arise in three different areas of interactions with pupil(s): (1) pupils’ attitude, (2) class climate and (3) teachers’ professional role.Second, we investigated the moral values that inform the narratives teachers construct to give meaning to their experiences. We conducted a qualitative content analysis that used three moral orientations—discipline, autonomy, and social commitment—as a theoretical framework. The moral values in the area of pupils’ attitude concerned autonomy, discipline and social commitment. In the area of class climate, the moral values of discipline and social commitment were explicit in teachers’ narratives. In investigating teachers’ professional role, disciplinary moral values and a broad spectrum of the moral value of social commitment were found. Our findings also show that moral values are actualized in teaching practice in multiple ways.

Outcomes of the Work and Family Conflict Among Arab Israeli Female Teachers

In line with the literature that describes conflicts between commitment to work and to family in patriarchal societies undergoing cultural changes, including the cultural empowerment of women, this study examines whether such a development is evident among teacher-mothers in Arab society in Israel, and if so, how it affects their functioning in both settings. 537 teacher-mothers from high schools in Arab society in Israel, representing the population in all districts of the country, completed questionnaires that examined conflictual characteristics and their implications for the teachers’ functioning. It was found that the teachers are in a bidirectional conflict between commitment to family and work but that they cope with it successfully. A model was validated that describes the systemic significance of the commitment conflict between family and work. Identifying conflict factors may facilitate the proposal of means to moderate them. The possibility of expanding the model in further research is discussed.

The Nexus of Play-based Learning and Early Childhood Education: A Western Australian Account

Human development theories identify child-initiated play as the primary source of early learning. Accordingly, the role of early childhood educators is to utilise the natural medium of play as a context for learning; an educational approach known as play-based learning. Recently, Western Australia (WA) has experienced an erosion of play-based learning opportunities across the early childhood education (ECE) spectrum, potentially violating children’s rights. This paper presents research evidence related to this concerning issue. A self-completion, electronic questionnaire was distributed to educators through via several WA early childhood advocacy organisations. Participants (n=204) shared their perceptions about the availability of play-based learning opportunities for young children. Results identified perceived barriers and enablers to providing play-based learning in WA early childhood education settings that impact on children’s wellbeing, development and learning. Assessment of play-based learning provision differed significantly between school-based and early education and care-based educators. Participants supported the implementation of a WA Play Strategy.