What Should Criminal Justice Interns Know? Comparing the Opinions of Student Interns and Criminal Justice Practitioners

We surveyed 118 criminal justice interns, asking them to assess the importance of various practical skills, professional skills, academic content knowledge, and knowledge of various current issues. We compared the results with those of 202 criminal justice practitioners. Student interns viewed almost every skill and knowledge area as important. Practitioners placed the greatest value on verbal communication skills, good work ethic, good work habits, and initiative. Regarding content knowledge, practitioners assigned the greatest importance to applied ethics. Racial issues as they apply to criminal justice and gender issues were viewed as most important in the current issues category. We examined the differences according to race, gender, and type of agency. We found significant differences between interns and practitioners in terms of the skills and knowledge deemed important, and significant differences between agency types. Significant differences existed based on racial and ethnic identity; differences based on gender were not significant.     

Fighting Alternative Facts: Teaching Quantitative Reasoning with Social Issues

Abstract

Mathematics has a unique and powerful role to play in the teaching of social justice issues. There is substantial quantitative evidence for social injustice, but many citizens lack the quantitative skills to understand that evidence. A course in quantitative literacy is a unique opportunity to provide this quantitative understanding to a wide range of students in a general education context. Quantitative literacy skills provide citizens with the tools they need to critically analyze misinformation and make good decisions about civic issues.     

'I Travelled Among Unknown Men': basic skills tutors' perceptions of the National Probation Service as a foreign culture and the implications of this for cross-cutting policy

This article uses the case study of basic skills specialists' perceptions of the National Probation Service (NPS) as a foreign culture, to discuss some issues in developing and implementing cross-cutting policy on basic skills in the NPS. The article draws on three sources of qualitative data, collected as part of the evaluation of the NPS basic skills pathfinder. As educators, tutors experienced the following aspects of NPS culture as alien: its language, values and priorities, environment, and working with offenders. A typology of tutors as explorers, tourists and the stay-at-home type is used to present the extent to and ways in which tutors coped with the NPS. Possible implications of tutors' perceptions for policy development and research on basic skills in the NPS are discussed. The article concludes by relating the case study to broader issues in cross-cutting policy.     

Gender issues in the university research environment

Recruiting and retaining females within science, engineering and technology continues to challenge many European higher education institutions. This study looks at female self-perceptions relating to effective research work and career progression. Focus groups are used to examine the attitudes and experiences of females and a questionnaire is used to explore perceptions in four main skills areas: group work; communication; personal awareness; project planning and management. The study indicates consistent female concerns on issues pertaining to effective female role models, negative work-role stereotypes and the work–life balance of an academic career. For all four skills areas, the average confidence scores of the female participants fell below those of males, but these differences were only statistically significant for perceptions on group work and communication skills and prior to an intense skills development course. Based on these findings, a student workshop on gender issues has been developed, an outline of which is presented.     

关于弱智学生社会适应能力评估的理论探讨

本文阐述了社会适应能力研究的意义。对国内外几种主要的社会适应能力的定义和结构理论进行了分析 ,提出了自己对有关问题的看法。在对社会适应能力理论进行系统分析的基础上提出了弱智学生社会适应能力评估的指标体系、评估原则及方法     

Historical Values

Abstract

This article notes the confusion of skills‐oriented curriculum planning when it comes to considering the place of attitudes or values in school History. The possible contribution of values clarification to school History is critically discussed. An approach informing children on values issues and stimulating discussion congruent with History's values is preferred. It is suggested that the content implied by such an approach will consist in the main of topics of cultural centrality. Then school History might become less worried about the practice of skills and show interest in the study of value‐infused (and hence important) issues. Emphasis on History's values would further the move away from concern about skills, the tools of the historian, and revive discussion about the ends of school History as a distinctive study.     

Enhancing employability through industrial training in the Malaysian context

This study discusses the industrial training programme at the University of Malaya in Malaysia, specifically the issues that need to be addressed in order to enhance the employability skills of graduates. Findings from the feedback obtained from trainees and organizations in the 2008/2009 academic session were examined in terms of the extent to which trainees felt they were prepared for their training, and the extent to which the tasks given to them during their training were appropriate. Further, trainees’ self-rating of particular skills and industry’s rating of the trainees were also examined. The feedback is discussed in the context of the need to equip graduates with employability skills, an issue facing Higher Education Providers worldwide. The findings indicate that most of the students were prepared to face the world of work. However, there were several issues which needed attention. These included the need to address the possible mismatch between the tasks assigned to trainees and their areas of study, and the need to enhance English language competency and particular soft skills throughout their degree programme. Continuous input from industry is also necessary to ensure that the training benefits all parties and contributes to the employability skills of trainees.     

LEARNING ARGUMENTATION SKILLS THROUGH INSTRUCTION IN SOCIOSCIENTIFIC ISSUES: THE EFFECT OF ABILITY LEVEL

This article describes an effort to explore and enhance argumentation skills of Taiwanese grade 6 students through instruction in socioscientific issues. An experienced elementary school teacher was given 8 months of personalized instruction on argumentation skills and socioscientific issues, then subsequently implemented a 17-h classroom unit on the establishment of Ma-Guo National Park. His students learned to establish claims and warrants, construct counterarguments, offer supportive arguments, and provide evidence for each one. Data consisted of student responses to questionnaires and individual follow-up interviews. A multiple regression analysis revealed that success in learning argumentation skills was not substantially related to pre-instruction argumentation skills, but significantly related to the student ability levels. High-ability students were significantly better than low-ability students at generating complete arguments. Most students elaborated their arguments, and more high-ability students offered rebuttals after instruction. However, even these high achievers did not completely understand the meaning of evidence and often misused supplementary warrants as evidence.     

Students’ Argumentation Skills across Two Socio-Scientific Issues in a Confucian Classroom: Is transfer possible?

This paper argues the possible simultaneous development and transfer of students' argumentation skills from one socio-scientific issue to another in a Confucian classroom. In Malaysia, the Chinese vernacular schools follow a strict Confucian philosophy in the teaching and learning process. The teacher talks and the students listen. This case study explored the transfer of argumentation skills across two socio-scientific issues in such a Form 2 (8th grade) classroom. An instructional support to complement the syllabus was utilised. The teaching approach in the instructional support was more constructivist in nature and designed to introduce argumentation skills which is uncommon in a Confucian classroom. The two socio-scientific issues were genetically modified foods and deforestation. This paper presents a part of the bigger case study that was conducted. Data collected from written arguments were analysed using an analytical framework built upon Toulmin's ideas. The whole class analysis indicated progression in students' argumentation skills in their ability to give more valid grounds and rebuttals during the transfer. The individual analysis suggests progression in the majority of students' performance, while several students demonstrated non-progression when they faced a different socio-scientific issue.     

The implementation and development of science process skills in the natural sciences: A case study of teachers' perceptions

Abstract

The notion of scientific literacy, with its concomitant emphasis on science process skills gave rise to this study. This case study research sought to explore the perceptions of four primary school Natural Sciences teachers with respect to the implementation and development of science process skills at classroom level in a disadvantaged urban primary school in South Africa. Qualitative data, generated via focus group interviews and classroom observations were analysed. These data revealed that the implementation and development of science process skills were strongly influenced by the teacher's confidence and understandings of these skills, and that these in turn could be coupled to their present and past experience of science process skills. A key recommendation of this study, that might go some way to addressing these issues, is the implementation of high quality and sustained (over a long period of time) appropriate in-service training of primary school Natural Sciences teachers.     

Improving Critical Thinking: a review

Abstract This review paper sets out some of the questions that arise when considering critical thinking and its place in the process of education. Key issues are identified and discussed including the meaning of the term ‘critical thought’, the possibility of devising effective ways of facilitating critical thinking skills and the generalisability of those skills. This review is followed by an analysis of how children use thinking skills in problem‐solving situations and the kind of factors that teachers need to consider when designing problem‐solving activities. In conclusion, observations are made about the direction of research.     

物理学专业实习生在教育实习中遇到的困扰——四名实习生个案研究

通过开放式访谈、非正式交谈、课堂观察等方法,对四名物理学专业的实习生在教育实习中教学方面所遇到的困扰进行了探讨.结果表明,一些实习生主要遇到了以下9方面的困扰专业知识、教学效果反馈技能、时间控制、计算机多媒体技术运用、洞察能力、教学组织技能、教学语言技能、板书技能、教态变化技能.根据研究结果,提出应加强对实习生的教学技能的培训.     

The rural gifted on line: Bulletin boards and electronic curriculum

A Quality Circle is a problem solving method with many advantages for gifted students. As advocated by Torrence, Quality Circles differ from Future Problem Groups in focus and structure. With the emphasis on analytic thought, a task structured group process, school and community issues, implementation of an action plan and evaluation of results. Circles develop not only the gifted students’ analytic thinking skills, but also their responsibility and leadership skills.     

Basic Skills Provision for Offenders on Probation Supervision: Beyond a Rhetoric of Evidence–Based Policy?

This article draws upon issues within the debate on evidence–based policy raised in the academic literature and in recent government documentation. The article assesses the extent to and ways in which policy development and implementation on adult basic skills (literacy and numeracy) within the National Probation Service (NPS) are evidence–based. It is argued that the albeit limited amount of empirical evidence on adult basic skills, methodological insights gained through empirical research, and expert opinion have shaped the NPS basic skills strategy. To enhance policy implementation, findings from the NPS pathfinder evaluation have been disseminated to practitioners. It is aimed to build research evidence on basic skills in the NPS in a cumulative way and to use findings to shape policy development on an ongoing basis. The lack of a systematic review on adult basic skills is used to explore reasons for gaps in evidence–based policy on basic skills in the NPS. The article concludes that a range of types of evidence has shaped policy development on basic skills in the NPS.     

Graduate Capabilities: a Framework for Assessing Course Quality 1

Three propositions about quality learning when linked to the concept of graduate capability provide a framework for examining the extent to which learning outcomes are embedded within the provision of authentic learning environments, a focus on global issues, and the development of skills to support life‐long learning. A case study in nursing at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) is used to illustrate a student learning experience that addresses graduate capabilities, develops an authentic learning environment, addresses global issues, and fosters the development of skills to support life‐long learning.

     

Science Curriculum Components Favored by Taiwanese Biology Teachers

The new 1–9 curriculum framework in Taiwan provides a remarkable change from previous frameworks in terms of the coverage of content and the powers of teachers. This study employs a modified repertory grid technique to investigate biology teachers' preferences with regard to six curriculum components. One hundred and eighty-five in-service and pre-service biology teachers were asked to determine which science curriculum components they liked and disliked most of all to include in their biology classes. The data show that the rank order of these science curriculum components, from top to bottom, was as follows: application of science, manipulation skills, scientific concepts, social/ethical issues, problem-solving skills, and the history of science. They also showed that pre-service biology teachers, as compared with in-service biology teachers, favored problem-solving skills significantly more than manipulative skills, while in-service biology teachers, as compared with pre-service biology teachers, favored manipulative skills significantly more than problem-solving skills. Some recommendations for ensuring the successful implementation of the Taiwanese 1–9 curriculum framework are also proposed.     

Stakeholder influences on the writing skills debate: A reflective evaluation in the context of vocational business education

This paper attempts to contextualise the issue of skills and particularly writing for public relations as a business discipline within a broader debate about the key graduate skills. The paper raises themes for discussion on professionalisation and professionalism, which link to course structure and curriculum content. The paper considers writing skills as a key graduate (and public relations vocational) skill, debates surrounding theory and practice within the curriculum and aligning the curriculum to the work setting as proposed by Dearing. The paper analyses literature and reports from three stakeholder perspectives to evaluate their contribution to the skills debate, with particular focus on communication and writing as a core skill within public relations education and practise. The paper focuses on ideological and political issues that influence the skills debate in the post-Dearing era and assesses the impact of stakeholders on the presentation of evidence, argument and recommendations for higher education.