Search

These are the times that try practitioners' educational bottom lines. Thomas Paine, an American revolutionary and pamphleteer of the eighteenth century, found that the revolution through which his writings steered America's colonial ancestors put both their souls and his on trial. However, even after being vilified by his former countrymen, this revolutionary patriot and little known inventor sought to remain connected to the continent. To do this, Paine designed a pier-less iron bridge that he hoped to promote in the new American states and, perhaps even abroad. Today, the importance of remaining connected to others near and far is also understood, and thus the digital revolution to further social studies understanding and curiosity for North Carolina public school teachers and their students in grades four through seven has been embraced. Like a pier-less bridge designed to move people, digital work online as well as in printed texts and video productions was designed to move the minds and imaginations of North Carolina's public school students by connecting them with global information about cultural geography beyond the borders of their towns. This article presents an account of how the best laid plans, digital and otherwise, can remain unrealized if they do not receive administrative support.

This study examines patterns of victimization among youth in residential placement facilities using data from the Survey of Youth in Residential Placement. Findings indicate that gang involvement in residential placement is associated with multiple forms of victimization. However, desistance from gang membership resulted in rates of victimization among gang members that were no different from those of youth who had never been involved in gangs. These findings support prior research showing that gang involvement does not appear to serve as a protective function and further specifies the nature and contexts of the relationship between gang association and victimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two earlier papers in this special issue detail staff and student perceptions of their higher education science and engineering learning communities for the New Zealand university and polytechnic sectors (Campbell et al. 2008; Cronje and Coll 2008). These findings suggest the students in these communities gradually come to share some of the views and values of the learning community as a whole; we can argue they become gradually "enculturated" into this learning community. The extent to which this happens, how it happens and the implications are considered here. The research findings suggest students are rapidly enculturated into their higher education learning communities and quickly take on board the culture developed by lecturers and tutors.

Discussion of the advantages of online learning environments (OLEs) for distance education focuses on the importance of collaboration and discussion to make the students feel more central to the learning process. Presents methods to stimulate collaboration and discussion in OLEs. (Author/LRW)

Notes that data on working for the nonprofit sector is not readily available to college students who are involved in career decision making. Identifies 10 myths about work in the nonprofit sector and discusses facts for each myth that reveal the myth to be untrue. (NB)