Education Commons^™

Seeking Democracy Inside, And Outside, Of Education: Re-Conceptualizing Perceptions And Experiences Related To Democracy And Education, Paul R. Carr, Gina Thésée

Democracy and Education

This conceptual article underscores the importance of critical engagement in and through education with a view to enhancing education for democracy (EfD). As a centerpiece to illustrating this connection, we refer to our research project, which engages international actors through an analysis of the perceptions, experiences and perspectives of education students, educators and others in relation to EfD. The article presents the Thick-Thin Spectrum of EfD and a Spectrum for Critical Engagement for EfD to re(present) the problematic of political engagement and literacy on the part of teacher-education students. The findings of our study highlight a necessity for education to …

Cross-Cultural Experiences During A Visiting Scholar Program: “…A Start[Ing] Not A Finishing Point”, Carla Aa Ventura, Judith E. Mill, Isabel A.C. Mendes, Emanuele Seicenti De Brito, Leanne Johnson

Quality Advancement in Nursing Education - Avancées en formation infirmière

Aim

To describe the Visiting Scholar Program as a context for cross-cultural learning experiences and the development of intercultural competencies.

Background

In 2004, a Visiting Scholar Program (VSP) was developed between the Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta (UA), Canada, and the University of São Paulo at Ribeirão Preto College of Nursing (USP-EERP), Brazil, with the goal to promote capacity building among nurse researchers. During a cross-cultural exchange program, participants are immersed in a foreign culture and language over an extended period of time, which offers them a potential opportunity to develop intercultural competence.

Methods

A qualitative design was utilized …

Education Or Quality Of Teaching? Implications For Australian Democracy, R. Scott Webster

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The argument being made here is that democratic life is more likely if educators actually ‘educate’, rather than comply with quality of teaching approaches as promoted by the Australian federal government. Engaging with some philosophy of education can assist educators to resist being seduced by notions such as ‘quality teaching’, ‘evidence-based’ practices and ‘impact’ and to exercise the intellectual and political resolve necessary to ensure educational practices promote democracy (Biesta, 2010a) and are not surrendered to the control of non-educators. Blake et al. (2000, p. xiii) identify that philosophy is usually avoided in discussions regarding quality, evidence-based approaches and accountability …

Pranayama Meditation (Yoga Breathing) For Stress Relief: Is It Beneficial For Teachers?, Stevie-Jae Hepburn, Mary Mcmahon

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The effects of stress can have a significant impact on an individual’s personal life, relationship with colleagues, job satisfaction and career prospects. If unmanaged, stress can be the trigger that drives talented, motivated teachers out of our classrooms and into other professions. Yoga and meditation have been prescribed as a form of complementary alternative medicine for the treatment of stress, anxiety and depression. The current exploratory, mixed-methods case study aimed to determine if the participants in a five-week pranayama meditation (yoga breathing) course experienced a degree of stress relief. The course included one 60-minute weekly meditation class focusing on breath …