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This article seeks to identify the mechanisms that explain the relationship between students' socioeconomic origins and their educational expectations when they leave high school or its equivalent in Mexico. The analytical focus is based on the theory of the primary and secondary effects of educational inequality and the impact of the educational system's structure. The author analyzes 1) students' mathematical learning; 2) average high school grades; 3) income expected if they finish university; 4) the students' labor situation; and 5) the kind of school the student attends. The results indicate that these factors explain about 30 percent of the effect of the social origins of their educational expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades we witnessed ongoing debates about the objectives of history education, with different underlying epistemological perspectives. This qualitative study explored prospective history teachers' beliefs about these objectives of history education. Prospective history teachers of six universities starting a teacher educational programme were invited to answer an open-ended questionnaire about history education. Six objectives were found: (1) memorising; (2) critical/explanatory; (3) constructivist; (4) perspective-taking; (5) moral; and (6) collective-identity objectives. Almost all prospective teachers mentioned several of these objectives. A distinction between two epistemological perspectives on historical knowledge representation (factual or interpretive), was used as a framework for categorising the different objectives. More than half of the respondents mentioned objectives of history education that represent history as factual and objectives that represent history as interpretive. We propose that in actual practice most history teachers are combining epistemologically opposing objectives for pedagogical, political and religious motives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Professional skills of teachers, their level of engagement in fulfilling the responsibilities of educating pupils is a crucial key in the educational process. Need to understand the particularities of management is given by increasing efficiency, effectiveness of achieving the aims of education, and not only by providing resources and effective directing the activities. In this paperwork we performed an analysis of the particularities of human resource management in secondary education and a quantitative research of human resource management aspects in secondary education at the local level in rural areas from Romania. In order to improve pupil outcomes, secondary schools need a strong and ambitious strategy for improving the educational process, in which human resource management acquire strategic dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To focus on the curricular structures means that the importance of a change within this structure in a new high education is justified. The most relevant arguments and debates as regards the quest for an integrated curriculum and/or an interdisciplinary curriculum are exposed; historical precedents about the attempts to transform higher education within the last decades are presented; as well, a survey was previously conducted on the ways in which each jurisdiction modified the curricular structure of high school's basic cycle of education with special attention on the methods of inclusion of the social sciences. Finally, the questions that guided the investigation project's field of work are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past few years, skills related to emotional intelligence (EI) have acquired special relevance in the educational domain. This study assesses EI in a sample of 155 students of 5 different specialities of a Master’s degree in Teacher Training for Secondary Education. Data collection was conducted through the administration of the Trait Meta Mood Scale-24 (TMMS-24) and the Mayer, Salovey & Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT). Results show adequate levels of EI, especially in the strategic area, as well as some speciality-based differences among students. There is a need to develop specific training geared towards the development of emotional skills in the Master’s in Secondary Education capacitation programmes according to the trainee’s background. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of RED - Revista de Educación a Distancia is the property of Universidad de Murcia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article explores how the educational policies of Switzerland which deal with issues related to gender equality. It explores efforts to avoid gender stereotypes in vocational training at the secondary level of schooling. Topics include the project "National Daughters Day" created to promote gender equality, educational reform, and equal opportunities in education.

The article explores how the educational policies of Switzerland's cantons regarding secondary schools help promote gender bias in employment. The extensive use of vocational training at the secondary level of schooling at a time when children are dealing with issues of gender identity promotes employment gender inequalities when school graduates transition from school to work. Topics include gender relations in education, social classes and education, and opportunities for college education.

During the 1960s and 1970s, “traditional” secondary educational systems in various Western European countries made way for comprehensive education curricula. In contrast to the reforms within the “intellectual” subjects, the field of physical education (PE) remained largely underexposed in research. This study focuses on PE reform in Belgium, the first country in the world (apart from Sweden itself) to introduce, in 1908, so-called “Swedish gymnastics” in all levels of state public education and, in 1968, the last country apart from Portugal to abandon it. The question arises as to who was responsible for Swedish gymnastics being applied for so long and, ultimately, how and by whom reform was implemented. The results show that the power of the past and the positions of “Swedists” in the Government Inspectorate, universities and professional associations, perpetuated the domination of Swedish gymnastics in Belgian education. The final “dynamisation” of the subject of PE around 1968 did not come about through “revolution” but a “natural” generational transition, whereby a new guard of young government inspectors with a drive for reform took over from their Swedish-minded predecessors. The educational climate prevailing in Belgium at the end of the 1960s facilitated this reform. The state university PE institutes lost their position as pedagogical profile keepers during this process of transformation, while the hidden curriculum of the (Catholic) university institute in Leuven implicitly shaped the educational climate. Further comparative international research into the (changed) profile, position and power of school inspectors in educational reform appears necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article provides a commentary on the text exemplar list for Grade bands 9-12 included in the Common Core documents in the United States. It is argued that a critical literacy perspective supports ELA teachers to assert a professional voice when making complex text selections based on diverse students' needs and interests. Implications for how this perspective reframes goals for equity, working both within and beyond the text exemplar list, are addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to show the effects of Austrian secondary school legislation on efforts to promote the use of Slovene in grammar schools (gimnazije) during the period between 1848 and 1914. Developments in Austrian politics, the economic sphere and culture were reflected in the development of education, particularly with regard to the establishment of Slovene, especially in grammar schools. At that time, grammar schools were the most elite secondary schools, preparing students for university. This article is thus a historical analysis of the conditions relating to language teaching in grammar schools as stipulated by the Austrian secondary school legislation. It places a special emphasis on the status of Slovene as both a subject and a language of instruction in the teaching practices at grammar schools in Trieste/Triest/Trst, Gorizia/Görz/Gorica and Koper/Capo d'Istria which came under the Austrian education system. The patriotic efforts at the time to establish Slovene and the struggle for Slovene in the Gorizia grammar school will be discussed, as well as the circumstances of how this school became the fi rst state grammar school to use Slovene as a language of instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examined the effects of two modes of computer-assisted instructional package on solid geometry achievement amongst senior secondary school students in Minna, Niger State, Nigeria. Also, the influence of gender on the performance of students exposed to CAI(AT) and CAI(AN) packages were examined. This study adopted a pretest-posttest experimental design with 3 x 2 factorial design and a sample of 120 Senior Secondary class Two (SSII) students (60 male and 60 female). Computer-Assisted Instructional package of two modes; Animation with Text (AT), and Animation with Narration (AN) were employed as treatment instruments and a Solid Geometry Achievement Test (SGAT) was used as test instrument. A trial test was carried out and a reliability co-efficient of 0.78 was obtained using the KR-21. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and t-test was used in analysing data collected. The study revealed that, there were significant differences in the post-test mean scores of CAI(AT), CAI(AN) and the control group (F = 11.468, df = 119, p<0.05) and the Scheffe's post-hoc test revealed a significant difference between CAI(AN) and the lecture method groups, favoring CAI(AN), there was no statistically significant difference in the post-test mean scores of male and female students taught using CAI(AT) (t=0,660,df=38, p>0.05) and CAI(AN) (t=1.455, df = 38, p>0.05). Based on these findings, it was therefore recommended that mathematics teachers should be encouraged to use CAI(AN) for meaningful and effective teaching and learning of mathematics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent call for secondary reading instruction to move away from a focus on generic literacy strategies to discipline-specific language and literacy practices presents new challenges for secondary teacher preparation. This column identifies some of the roles literacy teacher educators can play in helping address these challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditionally the analysis of school curriculum draws from the literature of ‘policy implementation analysis’. Instead, this paper focuses on a humanistic and socially responsive philosophy guiding curriculum action, especially where policies are seen to be unable to dent the educational outcomes or emancipate schooling from the stranglehold of performativity. The paper draws on the life histories of teachers teaching in a case study school inspired by the Gülen philosophy of Hizmet (serving humanity), indicating how their philosophical orientation to the subject matter, to learners, to colleagues, to parents and to the community, is yielding a qualitative impact on the school curriculum. The paper draws from interviews with the managers, teachers and student teachers employed within the school. The philosophical constructs of respect, understanding, dialogue and tolerance are the underpinning principles of this secondary school. The school draws on the philosophical dialogue between the inner sense of self (‘I’) and the outward projection towards serving humanity (‘the other’). It works consciously to erase the boundaries between ‘others’ and ‘I’. It fosters dialogue across historical divides of ‘race’, religion and class towards service of each one to the other. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Teacher professional development (PD) is a complex, ongoing challenge as educational systems attempt to deliver excellent programming in pursuit of increased student achievement (Opfer and Pedder 2011). This article examines Idaho Total Instructional Alignment (TIA), a model for teacher PD that is currently being utilized in secondary schools throughout the state of Idaho. The implications of this model for effective guidance and support with implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), as well as the factors that indicate readiness of secondary teachers for implementation of the CCSS, are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zeitschrift für Pädagogik is the property of Julius Beltz GmbH & Co. KG Beltz Juventa and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The transition from school or college to university education is an exciting time for most students, but also one that is filled with new challenges. Students are faced with new styles of teaching and learning, and are required to be more independent and acquire new skill sets. For psychology students, there may be an additional challenge in the form of studying a subject that is novel to them, or they may need to revise their understanding of the nature of their subject from their perception pre-university. This article will review some of the current literature on student transitions, and on psychology students ' preparation for degree-level study, and will recommend collaborative working and increased dialogue between the pre-tertiary and university sectors as one way to smooth the transition [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trends among adolescents continue to be discouraging in terms of career and college readiness based on National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) achievement reports and high school graduation rate data. In response, this article presents five goals and eight strategies we have engaged in during a seven-year research study focused on building college and career readiness among adolescents. During our final year of helping students build college and career readiness, we found associated improvements in their academic-related perceptions, beliefs, and strategies; positive personal achievement and goal orientation; rising perceptions of college; improving trends in academic performance; and stronger perseverance in high school when compared to a control group. Because the students in this study have not completed their high school senior year, we do not have data that predict their college acceptance or career readiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article looks at the secondary education curriculum at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama during the early 20th century. According to the author, the curriculum was similar to those offered in high schools for white students in Alabama. It is suggested that although the vocational school model adopted by founder Booker T. Washington was seen as accommodationist by some critics, preparing students for life as second-class citizens, Tuskegee's curriculum served to help students achieve a sense of personal and collective efficacy. Topics discussed include Washington's successor, Robert Moton, Tuskegee's social studies curriculum, and the study of Black history and literature at Tuskegee.

The search for immediate results does not allow the necessary space for critical thinking which can foster basic skills for the construction of the learner's autonomy in the context of their social, educational and professional relations. In this context, with the return of the teaching of philosophy in Brazil, initially appointed as a crosscutting theme in the National Curriculum Parameters in 1999 and from 2009, with the amendment of the Law of Guidelines and Bases of Education -- LDB, philosophy becomes a compulsory subject in the high school curriculum across the country, challenging educators to apply it in a meaningful way in the process of teaching and learning. Contextualizing it in the world of high school teens, aiming to develop critical autonomy and not a mere activity player. Thus, this paper presents the following central issue of discussion: how to enter the teaching of philosophy in a critical education proposal that articulates the contents of high school with the philosophical knowledge within dialectical and dialogical perspective that contributes to social transformation? The general aim of this study is to present a conception of teaching philosophy associating the contents of high school with critical philosophical reflection. The specific aims are: to perceive the pedagogical concepts that guide the teaching of philosophy; to analyze the study of philosophy in the context of basic education; to understand the application of the teaching of philosophy developed in the scope of high school, as a tool capable of maturing learners in their professional and social life. The methodology used was an exploratory, descriptive and qualitative study, which used bibliographic research as a source of data. This study concludes that teaching philosophy is characterized as a necessary element capable of providing an interrelationship with other areas of knowledge. It also points out that the exercise of philosophy associated with different realities experienced by students through open dialogue must be provoked by ludic activities, thus, one must foster a philosophy teaching that seeks to develop a philosophical critique of the learner as a sine qua non ability for the scope and performance of his or her life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to investigate variations in science achievement for secondary school students across the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) assessments and to examine the relations of several student- and school-level factors with achievement. The data were obtained from 5,577, 5,314, and 4,466 Malaysian eighth graders who participated in TIMSS 1999, 2003, and 2007, respectively. A two-level multilevel modeling technique was employed. The results indicate that 48.64%, 48.96%, and 60.95% of variance in achievement scores accounted for between-school differences in the 1999, 2003, and 2007 studies, correspondingly. After controlling for the school-level factors, gender followed by the science self-concept in both the 1999 and 2003 studies; time spent on working at home and valuing science in the 2007 study, yielded the strongest link to achievement. At the same time, controlling for the student-level factors, school location, instructional limitations, and teacher emphasis on homework had the strongest association with achievement, respectively, in all three studies. It was concluded that the variation in science achievement at both student and school levels was greatly increased in TIMSS 2007 compared to the two previous studies. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed 96: 1013-1046, 2012 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When the Guomindang retreated to Taiwan in 1949, Chiang Kai-shek and party leaders feared an imminent Communist invasion. Lacking soldiers in the reserve army, Chiang turned to high school and college students to recruit and train for the armed forces. In 1953, the Ministry of National Defense Political Department implemented mandatory military training in all senior high schools on the island and soon began educating and dispatching military instructors (jiaoguan), both male and female, to gender-segregated schools. Boys received basic infantry training (such as target shooting) while studying GMD revolutionary and military history. Meanwhile, girls participated in similar exercises but also acquired nursing skills. As a result, compulsory military training became a powerful force in Taiwanese high schools throughout the 1950s, preventing student protests against the government and successfully mobilizing male and female youth under an increasingly militarized GMD state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which explores the reading pedagogy based on the exploration of ideas as intellectual tools from exposure to problems and experiences. It focuses on the innovative approach to reading comprehension at Eagle High School in western Massachusetts, which aims to restore literature as a means to communicate learning for various generations. The learning strategy at Eagle Hill takes reading practice as inseparable from literature and cultural tradition devoted to intellectual challenges through small classes and very flexible grade level placements.

Copyright of Icelandic Journal of Education / Uppeldi og Menntun is the property of University of Iceland, School of Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The authors comment on the "Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing" document in the U.S. They commend the effort behind the release of the document since they also look forward to see clear direction and guidance for teaching of language use and literacy in the post-industrial, global, and digital age. However, the authors express disappointment of the negative discussions about the document due to its problematic assumptions about postsecondary writing.

The author reflects on the significance of the "Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing" document in the U.S. He commends the document particularly its way of communicating directly to parents and students about college readiness. The author also stresses his impression of document's emphasis on the habits of mind, which is more vital to college success that any Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) scores or recommended high school courses sequences.

The author comments on the purpose of the "Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing" document in the U.S. She recognizes purpose of the document, designed to improve articulation between high school English and college composition. However, the author expresses doubt on the effectiveness of the document in communicating college composition when English in high schools remains more of a literary rather than rhetorical endeavor.

The second edition of the Voluntary National Content Standards in Economics was published by the Council for Economic Education in 2010. The authors examine the process for revising these precollege content standards and highlight several changes that appear in the new document. They also review the impact the standards have had on precollege economic education since the original edition was released in 1997, and conclude with their response to comments offered by participants in a January 2012 American Economic Association conference session titled, “What Economics Should We Teach Before Students Enter College? The Voluntary National Content Standards in Economics and the AP.” [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Intersecoes: Revista de Estudios Interdisciplinares is the property of Editora da Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (EdUERJ) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The academic achievement in high school students of Mexico, according to national and international evaluations has been insufficient. In spite of this situation, is possible to find excellent students, even in the context of sharing negative contextual and physical conditions. There are few investigations that describe the variables associated to resilient students. The alumni that are beyond the risks are called resilient (Rutter, 2007). The aim of this research was to explore and identify the internal variables: goals and resilience, and the external variables: risky neighborhood and risky friends that predicted the scholar achievement of high school students. To measure those variables, was used a compilation of scales validated in the region. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling, and show that resilience predicted indirectly the scholar achievement trough the academic goals. The results could be used in programs to improve the academic achievement of this group of students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A questionnaire was developed and trialled in an inclusive high school with the aim of understanding factors that contribute to parental confidence in school provision for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Parents of all students at School Action, School Action Plus and those with Statements of special educational needs were surveyed. Although the response rate of 38% was relatively low, responses overall were very positive. The survey findings provide evidence to support the whole school approach and areas for further development are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional way of preparing students for the lab work is to encourage them to read manual for the lab wok, but this procedure typically overloads their working memory with the information. On the other hand only a limited number of students try to understand or do read the manuals before entering into the laboratory. The present study was designed to explore "The impact of pre-labs in chemistry laboratory at secondary level". Sample of this study consists of boys (n =119) and girls (n=116) studying chemistry at secondary school level. Boys sample was further divided into control group (n= 65) and experimental group (n=54). Similarly, girls sample was divided into control group (n=55) and experimental group (n =61). Pre-labs and post-labs were developed, keeping in view information processing model for teaching-learning science and Bloom Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. Data collection was continuous through out the academic session till the eighteen experiments were completed. The data were analyzed, by using SPSS. T-test applied at 0.05% level of significance. Study revealed that Pre-lab has improved student's understanding in chemistry lab. It is also indicated that Pre-lab has strong effect in improvement of academic achievement of boys than that of girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Building Schools for the Future programme has been established to ensure that English secondary schools are designed or redesigned to allow for educational transformation. The programme represents the biggest single UK government investment in school buildings for over 50 years. For this reason, it poses a major challenge to those involved in the design of educational buildings. Inspiration is in part sought from exemplar schools around the world. The paper draws on a multiple case study of four such exemplar schools in Scandinavia that have been designed to address changes in the educational curriculum. The analysis depicts the degree to which the building design in each case supports the school approach to teaching and learning. The disjuncture between commercial and educational issues inherent in designing ‘good’ schools is highlighted. The findings show how it is important to find a balance between good design, commercial realities and educational approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Accountability systems in education generally include indicators of student performance. However, these indicators often differ considerably among the various systems. More and more countries try to include value-added measures, mainly because they do not want to hold schools accountable for differences in their initial intake of students. This study presents a conceptual framework of these value-added measures, resulting in an overview of 5 different types. Using data from Dutch secondary schools, we empirically provide estimates of these different measures. Our analyses show that the correlation between the different types of school effects estimated is rather high, but that the different models implicate different results for individual schools. Based on theoretical considerations, arguments are given to use the following indicators in the value-added accountability models: prior achievement, student-level background characteristics, and compositional characteristics of the student population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Issues / Thèmes Canadiens is the property of Association for Canadian Studies and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

There is an imminent urgency in public education. The state and federal government increased the requirements necessary for high school graduation. Thus, the challenge for school districts is identifying factors which positively impact levels of student achievement, student satisfaction with school, student connection to school, and the number of students graduating from high school. This research analyzed the relationship between parental involvement in the education of middle-school students and the student's satisfaction with school. By understanding the impact of the members of the residence of a student, and parental involvement on student satisfaction with school, school districts can develop effective parental-involvement programs to positively impact levels of students' satisfaction with school. Students at one Midwest middle school completed a survey employing questions from the Student Satisfaction Survey (SSS) and an individual data sheet (IDS). The SSS determined student satisfaction with school, while the IDS provided demographic information and levels of satisfaction with parental involvement from participants. Quantitative statistical techniques determined a relationship exists between parental involvement in the education of middle-school students and the students' satisfaction with school. Additionally, this research found a statistically significant direct relationship between the residence of a student and satisfaction with school-related activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students' perceptions of instruction are important because they direct the learning of students. The fact that teachers have only limited knowledge of these perceptions is likely to threaten the effectiveness of learning, because congruence between interpretations of an instructional intervention is necessary for its optimal use. This study examines participatory design as a strategy for taking student perceptions into account in instructional re/design. Participatory design meetings of groups of teachers and seven co-designing students in a secondary education setting identified changes to improve the regular education process. The results on changes in student perceptions, perceived-desired discrepancy, and teacher-student disagreement showed some improvement for the co-designers but, unexpectedly, limited or even negative effects for the non-co-designing students. Possible causes are discussed. Participatory design seems to have potential for improving education, but further research is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research is to analyze the concept of educational equity from the capabilities standpoint proposed by Amartya Sen. To do this, first the literature on the notion of equity is reviewed and a philosophical discussion about it is presented. Second, it is applied to the educational field. Third, according to the Sen approach, educational equity is defined as equality in outcomes in abilities that individuals acquire in the educational system (secondary level). Finally, it is concluded that under this conception it is possible recommend policies to compensate original differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the proposed targets and objectives for secondary education in the National Education Plan (NEP). It states that the objectives and targets in NEP aimed at assessing the extent of attaining or not the targets in 1990s which have impacted the expectations and perception of high school students on their admission to higher education. Moreover, it mentions the secondary education's attendance and provision.

The article discusses the writing of literary essays by high school students and addresses the importance of understanding genre. It examines the teaching of various aspects of genre, including literary form, structure, and rhetorical devices, to high school students. The authors suggest that students are too often posed with the challenge of writing in a genre they have never read and argue that teachers should better prepare students for writing by informing students about various genres of writing. They present information on a writing course in which they used classroom activities to help students become aware of literary genres, forms, and audiences. Topics include the study of nature writing, the challenges of genre writing, and dialogues about test writing.

The article discusses the role of drama practice, dialogue, and performance in improving the writing of students. The authors discuss the concept of literacy and argue that teachers should embrace multiliteracies and focus on the role of social, economic, and political aspects of literacy and literacy studies. They suggest that the use of drama and performance in the classroom can be useful for students who struggle with literacy and present data from an international ethnographic project in which drama was used in multicultural high school classrooms. Topics include drama pedagogies, student writing activities, and collective creation.

The article presents a study which aims to develop the teaching practice of teachers regarding the use of writing portfolios in French immersion students in Anglophone secondary school in Kingston, Ontario. It mentions that the use of the teaching format of these writing portfolios will improve the linguistic accuracy of these students in written French which would be their second language. It states that data analysis is done to assess the improvement in the language production accuracy of these students. It also looks at the findings of the study as well as its contributions to literature.

Adolescents with asthma or allergies do not consider their disease when making their career choice. Therefore the aim of this project was to sensitize secondary school students for occupational diseases before they start working. Four virtual patients for secondary school students were created. They present their experiences as apprentices. Occupational diseases as well as prevention methods are discussed. Evaluation and longterm knowledge was assessed. Furthermore, a webpage (http://www.volle-puste.de/en/) was created, where free access to the virtual patients can be ordered by teachers. Virtual patients are suitable for age 13-16. On a scale from 1 (very good) to 6 (insufficient) students rated the use of the virtual patients with an overall mean of 2.7 (Standard deviation: 1.15). Long-term gain in knowledge was shown. Using virtual patients in adolescents is useful to enhance knowledge about occupational risks. Whether this contributes to an informed job choice has to be shown in further studies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

As student assignments and assessment evolve to keep pace with the technological developments, students have the opportunity to express their knowledge in a wider range of forms. The current study aims to examine the meaning representation in videos produced by secondary school students as part of a non-written inquiry project. The content of the video outcomes in the inquiry project, student interviews, and reflection essays written by the six participating students who were of different academic achievement levels were analyzed to better understand their meaning representation using videos. Five types of literacies used by the students in their video outcomes for meaning representation were identified: text, action, narration, cinematography and acoustics. The findings also showed that there were three types of meaning representations with different characteristics: drama, documentary and photo story. The components identified to be required for meaning representation in video were attitude towards video representation, choice of inquiry topic, organizational skills, and data management. The findings informed us of the possibility of diversified use of literacies for meaning representation in different genres of videos. The findings also alerted us of the need to equip students with necessary attitude and skills for better meaning representation. Nevertheless, the need to support learners to present meanings well with videos is suggested. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this article the author discusses the academic literacy of students who are learning the English language in secondary schools in the U.S. She believes that many of the students entering secondary schools are still unexposed to enhanced academic literacies that are required in comprehensive high schools. Also examined are the possible approaches in developing academic literacy and the significance of prioritizing the academic literacy of the students beyond the subject-matter curriculum.

This experience describes the use of computer assisted laboratory in the classroom of Physics and Chemistry of Secondary and High Schools, with the aim of discussing the truth or falsity of the hypotheses by the students in three specific events: the heating a liquid, the motion of an object on an inclined plane and the vibration of an object attached to a spring. The paper uses the computer assisted laboratory as part of the teaching-learning process that can help change some erroneous preconceptions very common and persistent students studying those subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of integrated illustrations on understanding instructions for practical work in science. Ninety-six secondary school students who were unfamiliar with the target content knowledge and practical equipment took part. The students were divided into two conditions: (1) modified instructions containing integrated text and illustrations, and (2) conventional instructions containing text only. Modified instructions produced significantly higher levels of performance on task, lower time to completion and perceived cognitive load and task difficulty, higher relative efficiency score, and higher post-test scores than the conventional instructions. When learners are inexperienced and the information is complex, the results suggest that physically integrating mutually referring sources of information reduces cognitive load, and therefore makes practical work instructions easier to understand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]