This paper aims to present an account of the history and recent cultural revival of the Acadians, one people flourishing in two geographically distinct regions of North America.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present an account of the history and recent cultural revival of the Acadians, one people flourishing in two geographically distinct regions of North America.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology is a comparison and contrast structure utilizing secondary historical research sources.
Findings
Two different environments have given rise to a similar pattern of development, suppression, and rejuvenation of Acadian and Cajun culture in which apparent differences between the groups hide deeper correspondences, while lesser‐known parallels are more striking than more obvious similarities.
Research limitations/implications
While the particular case of Acadian and Cajun collaboration is unique, future research may compare this case to that of other cultural groups separated by geography and political systems.
Originality/value
This paper suggests that the Acadians and Cajuns are a unique case of two cultures with a single history achieving cultural autonomy first in tandem and finally in concert.
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Amy J. Catalano, Bruce Torff and Kevin S. Anderson
The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, which emerged in 2019 and quickly spread to the United States, resulted in widespread closure of PreK-12 schools and universities and a rapid…
Abstract
Purpose
The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, which emerged in 2019 and quickly spread to the United States, resulted in widespread closure of PreK-12 schools and universities and a rapid transition to online learning. There are concerns about how students in high-needs school districts will engage with online learning, given the limited access many disadvantaged students have to Internet and computers. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is to determine teacher perceptions of students' access and participation to online learning, as well as concerns about educational outcomes among different groups of learners.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors surveyed 300 K-12 teachers in NY state about the tools and accommodations they employed in their online teaching, whether their students were participating in the online learning and the reasons for their lack of participation.
Findings
Respondents reported that nearly 30% of all of their students were not regularly completing their assignments. Students in high-needs districts were significantly more likely to not complete their work. Teachers reported being very concerned about their students' educational outcomes, particularly students with disabilities (SWDs) and English language learners (ELLs). Respondents also provided suggestions for improving educational access to online learning in the future.
Originality/value
No published research has yet examined student compliance in online learning during an emergency and, in particular, during this unprecedented time of the COVID-19 pandemic and months-long stay-at-home orders.
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Investigates urban bias in state policy making in Mexico. Refers to literature claiming that rural poverty in developing nations is a major problem because capitalism reflects an…
Abstract
Investigates urban bias in state policy making in Mexico. Refers to literature claiming that rural poverty in developing nations is a major problem because capitalism reflects an urban bias. Examines social security coverage for the rural poor in Mexico and notes that there are great variations depending on area, suggesting that social security coverage is politically negotiable. Outlines briefly the historical development of Mexico’s welfare state and uses a power resource model to demonstrate how groups with competing interests go about securing benefits from the state. Cites literature on dependency theory, indicating that rural groups have failed to mobilize politically and have therefore not secured the same state resources (such as social security benefits and housing) as urban groups, yet argues that this does not always apply in Mexico, partially due to party politics and bureaucratic paternalism. Explains how data was collected to examine regional variations in social security coverage among the rural poor and how the data was analysed. Reveal that workers in important international export markets (such as cotton and sugar) have greater political leverage in obtaining better social security benefits. Notes also that areas supporting the political party in power obtain better benefits. Concludes, therefore, that rural workers are not powerless in the face of urban capitalism and that urban bias and dependency theories do not reflect the situation in Mexico – rather social security benefits are politically negotiable.
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The purpose of this current research study is to provide a comprehensive description of an ongoing effort to provide quality experiential professional development through field…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this current research study is to provide a comprehensive description of an ongoing effort to provide quality experiential professional development through field experiences for educators at the pre-service level, referred to hereafter as teacher candidates (TCs). This practitioner inquiry aimed to determine what the teacher candidates’ reflections revealed about their learning experiences completing the 10-h checklist.
Design/methodology/approach
About30 individual reports from four consecutive terms were collected. I employed qualitative coding, first using open codes, then grouping similar sentiments into axial codes and through an iterative process categorizing them into themes, grouping and re-generating terms as needed and keeping records in a codebook (Creswell, 2014). The research questions guiding the inquiry included, (1) What do teacher candidates’ reflections reveal about their experience completing the field experience for English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) endorsement? And (2) What conclusions do TCs demonstrate about their role as future teachers of multilingual learners (MLLs)?
Findings
Findings are summarized under three main recurring themes: emotionality of field experience, perceived misunderstandings and emerging responsiveness to MLLs. Candidates conveyed strong emotional responses to the instructional context. Some were forward in acknowledging stereotypes and trepidation to participate in the experience. Others reflected on their understanding of the experience, their interpretations of teacher relationships and noted attitude shifts toward MLLs. Findings reported emergent responsiveness to MLLs imply that candidates in this beginning experience progressed at various rates, suggesting that assessing competence of skills at the onset may be beneficial for further understanding best approaches to teacher education.
Originality/value
There is certainly a gap in current knowledge when it comes to understanding the rates at which teacher candidates develop abilities, skills and orientations toward working with MLLs. These preliminary findings support established notions such as the importance of exposing students to authentic environments that foster appreciation for the complexities of the process of second language acquisition and acculturation. Findings reported around emergent responsiveness to MLLs imply that candidates in this beginning experience progressed at various rates, suggesting that assessing competence of skills at the onset may be beneficial for further understanding best approaches to teacher education.
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Paul G. Fitchett and Phillip J. Vanfossen
In this paper, we outline the rationale for developing the Survey of the Status of Social Studies (S4). The instrument contains items for analyzing the organizational structure…
Abstract
In this paper, we outline the rationale for developing the Survey of the Status of Social Studies (S4). The instrument contains items for analyzing the organizational structure, instructional decision-making, professional attitudes, and demographics of social studies teachers. Nationally-inclusive data generated from this survey analysis were used to examine the technical and theoretical validity of the instrument. Incorporating factor analysis, findings suggest constructs embedded within S4 related to social studies pedagogy, content emphases, and technology-use that reflect extant theory. As such, the S4 and accompanying nationwide data set offer social educators a valuable resource for fostering professional development and policy.
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Sian May and Kevin House
This chapter argues we should not regard school-to-school collaboration as simply a mechanism for outcome-driven improvement but rather consider the establishment of teacher…
Abstract
This chapter argues we should not regard school-to-school collaboration as simply a mechanism for outcome-driven improvement but rather consider the establishment of teacher relationships as the necessary priority when building highly effective collaborative networks. By revisiting the research of Sandra Kruse, Amanda Datnow and Andy Hargreaves, we develop an additional tool to Hood’s matrix of regulation and cohesion in an effort to position collaborative networks in the context of international private fee-paying schools. The tool visualizes the collaborative network development as a relationship continuum in which time is the necessary driver of a network’s success. The 12 Asian private international schools in the case study were given collaborative framework guidance drawn from multiple sources. Subsequently, the enablers and hindrances reported by the collaboration leads highlight the need for trust and teacher agency development to be prioritized by leadership. Finally, on sharing some lessons learned from the case study, we close by arguing the value of collaboration lies in opening the door to allow for agenetic cultures that build reflexive practitioners.
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The availability of models for any aspect of a task to be undertaken is always valuable. Unfortunately, although present literature provides us with models for many other aspects…
Abstract
The availability of models for any aspect of a task to be undertaken is always valuable. Unfortunately, although present literature provides us with models for many other aspects of digital records management, and with models for costing many related activities such as the creation of digital surrogates of paper records, it does not provide us with costing models for digital records management. Instead, we find a small number of data points from isolated endeavours with insufficient contextual information to enable us to assess what they truly represent. Whilst this article does not provide this absent model, it does provide factors that it is believed must form part of any model eventually developed through research or experience. In doing so, it becomes apparent that many of the factors are common to the management of traditional records (as one would hope and expect), where the literature provides us with much more solid information. Hence, perhaps the problem is not so severe as it might appear.