The aim of this study was to examine the informational cues that male and female students perceive to be influential when developing initial impressions and expectancies of a lecturer. University students ("n" = 752) rated the extent to which 30 informational cues influence their initial perceptions of a lecturer. Following exploratory…

This paper uses the notion of perspectives, derived from Activity Systems Theory as a lens through which to examine the process of change in one UK university. It argues that change is a multidimensional phenomenon and so examines the drivers and barriers towards change in teaching practices through the differing and at times conflicting…

The notion of student-centred learning is often not defined; within the pedagogic literature it is generally associated with constructivism or principles associated with a constructivist environment such as building on prior knowledge, purposeful active learning and sense-making. An informal enquiry into conceptions of university staff prior to…

This paper explores how strategic management concepts, especially the notion of 'wicked problems', can be useful in analysing the professional practice of teachers in higher education. The keeping of a dialogical journal with a colleague helped illuminate that strategic management and education have much in common. Both are situated in…

The purpose of the study was to analyze two certificate programs in regard to the impacts on alumni professional career and strengths and weaknesses of certificate programs in the views of their alumni. The sample consisted of 58 participants who completed one of the certificate programs. The results showed that alumni rated self-improvement as…

New Zealand primary school teachers have access to a comprehensive arts curriculum that includes dance, drama, music, and visual arts. This research focused on several teachers' reality of implementing the dance curriculum in New Zealand primary schools, drawing on Snook's (2012) study in this field. Our research valued the voices of…

Diversity in the student body, particularly the inclusion of disadvantaged groups, has been incorporated into the discourse of inclusive education, with social justice and equality now part of the agenda. However, the conflation of diversity with equality potentially obscures some structural elements of the contemporary university system. This…

The paper adds to extant professional education literature by reflecting on apparent differences in pedagogy of similar professional programmes of study, allowing deeper insight into the unique strand of higher education influenced by the professions. A comparative international case study approach is adopted of an interpretive qualitative nature…

In this paper, I report my investigation of the use of metaphors in teaching theory in electronic engineering. I give a description of the nature of metaphors, how they are used in teaching the theory and some of the problems that might arise in the process. I investigate how some people react to the metaphors and how others forget the metaphors…

Background: The range of outcomes for young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and the early childhood factors associated with this diversity have implications for clinicians and scientists. Methods: This prospective study provided a unique opportunity to predict outcome 17 years later for a relatively large sample of children diagnosed…

As the USA experiences rapid growth of nontraditional adult students in higher education, educators and institutions will increasingly need to look beyond the traditional youth-centric educational models to better address adult learning needs. To date, no research has been conducted examining the learning experiences of adult students enrolled in…

In the 1950's, many experts believed hyperkinesis was a neurotic reaction to inner conflicts arising from early family experiences. In the 1990's, many experts believed ADHD to be "genetic" (without a mechanistic explanation of what that meant). Both views appear naïve today in a scientific world grappling with the complexity…

Pundits and bureaucrats use the results from international tests, particularly the PISA, to make claims about the quality of the public education system in the United States and make policy recommendations. In this article I argue, with evidence, that the scores and rankings from PISA are not important and that they cannot give policy makers or…

In light of continuing disagreement, even at the meta-analytic level, as to whether the gene- × -environment (G×E) interaction involving 5-HTTLPR and stressful life events (SLEs) predicts depression, Bogdan and associates (this issue, Bogdan et al., 2014) sought to extend research on what has become a highly controversial general (GxE) and…

Background: The efficacy of three dietary treatments for ADHD has been repeatedly tested in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). These interventions are restricted elimination diets (RED), artificial food colour elimination (AFCE) and supplementation with free fatty acids (SFFA). There have been three systematic reviews and associated…