New publications

Nurturing positive attitudes to school could be the key to increasing participation in post-compulsory education according to new research. The latest findings from the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) show that the intentions to complete or leave school formed early in secondary schooling are powerful predictors of participation in the latter years of school. Attitudes to school were in turn found to strongly influence these educational intentions, prompting researchers to conclude that by promoting a positive attitude toward school, educators can increase participation in education beyond compulsory schooling. (From publisher's description)

The 2005 edition of Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators enables countries to see themselves in the light of other countries’ performance. It provides a comparable and up-to-date array of indicators on the performance of education systems. The indicators look at who participates in education, what is spent on it and how education systems operate, and at the results achieved. Results are reported using indicators which include a wide range of outcomes, ranging from comparisons of student performance in key subject areas to the impact of education on earnings and adults’ chances of employment. New material in this edition includes selected results of the 2003 survey of OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), data on the distribution of earnings for individuals with different educational levels as well as first evidence of non-economic outcomes of education, comparisons of the participation of labour force members in continuing education and training, an analysis of student learning time out of school, a comparison between the performance of public and private schools, and data on the policies and practices secondary school systems employ to differentiate among students and the impact of these on outcomes. (From publisher's description – see also Executive Summary online)

The psychological function known as 'working memory', or the temporary maintenance and manipulation of information, is the focus of this title. The authors present research supporting how working memory relates to academic attainment in reading, comprehension, arithmetic and writing, as well as looking at the differences in the working memories of children with hearing impairment and attention deficiencies. Additional chapters deal with how to assess the working memory, and approaches to remediation. This book is aimed at psychologists, educationalists, and those interested in cognitive development. (Available from DA Information)

This work discusses the establishment of professional learning communities (PLCs) within rural, urban, and suburban K–12 schools in the USA. Findings from a five year research study into PLCs are outlined, along with PLC models, theory and earlier research. The authors provide evidence of the progressive development of a PLC from initiation to implementation. Factors that hinder or facilitate the creation and development of PLCs are discussed. The book also describes a new assessment tool, the Professional Learning Community Assessment (PLCA), and includes five case studies. (Adapted from publisher's description)

The third volume in a new series written for those studying early childhood, education, sociology, psychology, anthropology and cultural studies, this book explores the everyday experiences of young people ranging in age from early childhood to the teens. The cultural contexts considered include the USA, Bangladesh and South Africa. Topics include friendships and the significance of play; how children use language to construct relationships and identities; the role of print literature, other media and information technology in children's lives; and their growing power as consumers. (Adapted from the publisher's description)