set 2002: no. 3

In my editorial for set, Issue No.3, 2001 I wrote, “In the very first bulletin published by NZCER, Educational Research in New Zealand (1935), Dr Beeby, our first director, stated that NZCER needed to feed the curiosity of teachers in a way that acknowledged the demanding environment of the classroom.”

From Alan Duff’s original vision in 1992, the Books in Homes programme grew to reach 397 low-decile schools and 78,000 students by 2001, with well over a million books distributed. The evaluation was based on questionnaire responses from Year 5 students, teachers and principals. The results showed that Books in Homes is well established as a powerful force for change in these schools, with significant improvements in reported reading habits and attitudes to reading associated with the length… Read more

The author describes a study in which videotaped interviews from the NEMP project were analysed to see how children explained their answers to questions involving the commutative (“changing the order”) properties of addition, subtraction and multiplication. Many of the children, having grasped that “turn-arounds” worked in addition, incorrectly applied that same reasoning to subtraction. Asking students to explain their understanding of why number properties such as commutativity “hold good… Read more

Earlier this year 225 primary, intermediate and secondary schools took part in a national consultation on the draft national exemplars. Schools effectively trialled the exemplars and provided feedback on their quality and usefulness. The results, though mixed, were generally positive, and have influenced the ongoing development of national exemplars. They also have implications for the professional development of teachers when the national exemplars are implemented in 2003.

This article draws on a study of three New Zealand primary co-principalships to discuss some alternatives for re-ordering school organisational structures and power relationships. Some recommendations are made for teachers and boards considering this approach for their own schools.

This paper explores differences between scientists’ experiences of science and the investigations that are a common type of learning activity in school science. The first half of the paper makes a case for distinguishing between investigative processes that build new knowledge and those that help students learn knowledge that is only “new” for them. The second half of the paper examines the implications of this rethinking for the assessment of practical investigations – and in particular for… Read more

Spelling is an important aspect of literacy – but not something that children can “pick up” during reading or writing. Here are some practical suggestions for combining spelling with writing in the primary classroom.

Harvey McQueen reflects on the media’s lack of interest in good news in education, in light of the imminent election of four teachers to the Teachers Council. Looking at the bigger picture, he notes the widening of the learning gap at a time of rapid technological advances in education; the need for a long-term vision of the purpose and direction of education; and the need to value our teachers more highly.

This summary of an extensive literature review highlights the different ways in which peers influence learning, and describes classroom approaches that maximise these peer effects. Learning is enhanced when teachers structure the learning environment to allow students to develop their own knowledge and understandings collectively. The continuum of student interaction includes peer tutoring, co-operative learning, collaborative learning, and reciprocal teaching.

Teachers are often asked to work in partnership with others to meet the educational needs of their students. If the partnership is to be successful, it is important that people are clear about why they are in that relationship and what they hope to accomplish together. The authors illustrate their theory of partnership by describing a study of how teachers report to parents, which showed that both parties need to understand each other’s expectations for the child’s achievement and take joint… Read more