New publications

This British book is written for mentors and academics involved in leadership preparation programs. Both the history of leadership preparation and critical analysis of the current state of leadership preparation are provided. The authors then outline an agenda for future improvement, including suggestions for research and practice, and look at how to prepare leaders for the landscape of leadership and the UCEA's National Reform Agenda. (Adapted from distributor's description.)

Based on research on reading habits and library use amongst teenagers, this book aims to help teachers and librarians engage students in reading despite competing interests. The book considers the reading environment, and explores how space design, the library website and publicity materials can be used to promote reading. Interactive promotions are also suggested, such as readers advisory, booktalking, partnering with other organisations, and book-related events. (Adapted from distributor's description.)

This eBook is freely available and includes contributions from both educators and students. The articles consider how growing up with information technology has shaped the aptitudes, attitudes, expectations and learning styles of young people today. The implications for teaching, curriculum, educational administration and the design of the learning environment are outlined. Several articles suggest teaching strategies for using ICT to engage students and meet curriculum expectations. The book focuses on the secondary and tertiary sectors. (Adapted from publisher's description.)

 

In the USA, a new study by the ACT has found a gap between what high schools are teaching in their core preparatory courses for tertiary education and what higher education institutes want incoming students to know in order for them to succeed in first-year courses. The study was based on a national curriculum survey completed by thousands of high school and college instructors across the country. In Mathematics, high school teachers tend to give advanced content greater importance than do college instructors. College instructors rate a rigorous understanding of math fundamentals as being more important than brief exposure to advanced content. In contrast to science academics, high school Science teachers consistently rate knowledge of content as more important than an understanding of science process and inquiry skills. In English and writing, college instructors place more importance on basic grammar and usage skills than do high school teachers. Many college instructors express frustration that students who enter their classes often can't write a complete sentence, which forces them to re-teach these basic skills and interferes with their efforts to teach higher level skills. Instruction of reading skills diminishes in high school, suggesting that the reading skills students have acquired in middle school/junior high are not being expanded or enriched at senior secondary level. (Adapted from media release.)

This book suggests strategies for integrating ICT in middle and upper humanities classrooms. The author aims to show how ICT can foster engagement and self-directed learning, and help students to develop thinking skills in line with curriculum requirements. Each chapter considers learning and thinking contexts, classroom strategies, broader applications and possible activities. Topics covered include concept mapping, oral language, avoiding 'death by PowerPoint', online discussion, hypertext and lateral thinking, visual literacies and using computers to respond to student work. (Adapted from publisher's description.)