Interrogating the discourse of 'social literacies' in an era of uncertainty

Originally, the term 'social literacies' was used to suggest the skills, knowledge and processes for addressing multicultural teaching and learning (Kalantzis and Cope, 1983). The meaning of the phrase has since evolved to encompass widely different concepts, including for example, social 'competencies', and/or citizenship education (eg., Arthur & Davison, 2000). Clearly the discourse around 'social literacies' is shifting in response to changing educational policies, both nationally and internationally.

In this paper, we examine how constructs of 'social literacies' have been and might be deployed. Building from a review of the policy, program and theoretical literature, we pose questions concerning how 'social literacies' might be used to interrogate and rework relations, especially those of gender and culture. Questions to be considered include: will the concept of 'social literacies' enable us to better understand the processes of identity and community formations in this era of uncertainty? Which knowledges and skills are identified in the literature and positioned as critical in establishing 'productive' social relations/literacies? Additionally, we begin to theorise the degree to which such constructions of 'social literacies' might enhance and/or limit quality learning at the tertiary levels of teacher education.

Whose homework? researching parental labour in socio-economically diverse communities

Recent government education policies in Britain, USA and Australia advocate increased parental involvement in schooling. In the context of inadequate resourcing of public schools, increasingly parents assume significant responsibility for their children's education through active involvement in schools and at home. However, numerous studies have identified barriers to inclusion in the life of schools faced by families living in poverty, by families whose first language is not English, by Indigenous families. Class linked analyses of homework suggest that homework can be a source of stress in many families which serves to reinforce educational and social inequalities and underline cultural differences.


This paper reports on a feminist ethnographic study of homework which examines the nature and underlying purposes of tasks children bring from school for completion at home, the impact of homework on families, and the kinds of parental labour performed in homes where homework is completed. It reconceptualises homework as a 'field of practice' and develops a Bourdiueian analysis of parental management of homework across 2 socio-economically diverse communities. The paper argues that the pedagogical work in the home is increasingly complex and that the labour performed by parents is misunderstood and devalued in policies which shape homework.

Educational administration and social justice

This paper argues that social justice is central to the pursuit of education and therefore should also be central to the practice of educational administration. Social justice in education, as elsewhere, demands both distributive justice (which remedies undeserved inequalities) and recognitional justice (which treats cultural differences with understanding and respect). But, given that cultures are always in the process of change, education is a key agency for negotiating cultural change through the exploration and negotiation of difference. Educational administration as a field can no longer escape the consideration of such issues as they are brought to the fore by the recognition of the failure of schools and school systems to ameliorate injustice in the distribution of resources and to recognise and celebrate difference as a means to social and cultural progress. We still need a model of educational administration centered around the problem of the justice and fairness of social and educational arrangements. Given the renewed interest in such issues, perhaps what was impossible twenty five years ago might now be achieved.

Designing, implementing and evaluating a social work practice skills course: a case example

Practice skills, such as communication and interviewing skills, are an integral part of every undergraduate course that aims to provide professional qualification for social workers. While there is substantial literature about the skills required to be a proficient social work practitioner, there is a dearth of literature about how to teach such skills and particularly how students experience such a course. By critically reflecting on the design, implementation and evaluation of a social work practice skills course, this article is offered as a contribution toward filling an identified gap in social work education literature. The course evaluation particularly highlights the importance of face to face interaction between students and teachers to the process of learning.

Ambivalent relations : the 'tricky footwork' of parental involvement in school communities

Parental involvement in schools, generally seen to be a good thing, is now closely linked through policy to the educational achievement of their children. In this Victorian case study, teacher and parent responses to policies advocating parental involvement are examined. It explores the intersections of gender and class in the context of changing home/school relationships characterised by policies and processes of institutionalisation, familialisation and individualisation that are shaping parental involvement. It suggests that the current discursive construction of parent/school relationships around partnerships for student learning fail to recognise the complexity of parent/teacher relations and its gendered nature. Feminist critical policy analysis framed by the sociology of the family inform our understandings of the ways changing discourses and practices currently are informing parental involvement in a culturally and socio-economically diverse school.

Getting the complete picture : combining parental and child data to identify the barriers to social inclusion for children living in low socio-economic areas

Background: Childhood mental health problems are prevalent in Australian children (14–20%). Social exclusion is a risk factor for mental health problems, whereas being socially included can have protective effects. This study aims to identify the barriers to social inclusion for children aged 9–12 years living in low socio-economic status (SES) areas, using both child-report and parent-report interviews.

Methods: Australian-born English-speaking parents and children aged 9–12 years were sampled from a low SES area to participate in semi-structured interviews. Parents and children were asked questions around three prominent themes of social exclusion; exclusion from school, social activities and social networks.

Results: Many children experienced social exclusion at school, from social activities or within social networks. Overall, nine key barriers to social inclusion were identified through parent and child interviews, such as inability to attend school camps and participate in school activities, bullying and being left out, time and transport constraints, financial constraints and safety and traffic concerns. Parents and children often identified different barriers.

Discussion: There are several barriers to social inclusion for children living in low SES communities, many of which can be used to facilitate mental health promotion programmes. Given that parents and children may report different barriers, it is important to seek both perspectives.

Conclusion: This study strengthens the evidence base for the investments and action required to bring about the conditions for social inclusion for children living in low SES communities.

Understanding educational process in leadership development

This thesis is a case study of educational process in the leadership development program of the Australian Defence Force Academy. The intention is to determine the relative emphasis in educational process on the conventional command and managerial compliance (Type A) style and the emergent contingent and creative (Type B) style of leadership. The Type A style is theorised as emphasizing hierarchy and control, whereas the emphasis in a Type B style is on adaptive and entrepreneurial behaviour. This study looks at the learning process in a cultural and structural context rather than focus on curriculum and instructional design. Research in this wider context is intended to enable development processes to successfully bridge a gap between theory and practice, implicit in studies that identify theories 'in-operation' as different from the theories 'espoused' (Argyris 1992, Savage 1996). In terms of espoused and in-use theory, the study seeks to produce a valid and reliable result to the question: what is the relative emphasis on the two leadership styles in the operation of the three educational mechanisms of curriculum, pedagogy (teaching practice) and assessment? The quantitative analysis of results (n = 114) draws attention to both leadership styles in terms of two and three-way relationships of style, cadet or work group and service type. The data shows that both Type A and Type B leadership styles are evident in the general conversation of the organisation. This trend is present as espoused theory in the curriculum of the Defence Academy. However, the data also confirm a clear and strong emphasis towards command and managerial compliance as theory-in-use, particularly by cadets. This emphasis is noticeably evident in the teaching and assessment practice of the Defence Academy. Other research outcomes include the observation that: Contextually, while studies show it is difficult to isolate skills from their cultural and biographical context (Watkins, 1991:15), this study suggests that it is equally difficult to isolate skills development from this context. There is a strong task or instrumental link identified by cadet responses in terms of content and development process at the Defence Academy, in contrast to the wider developmental emphasis in general literature and senior officer interviews. There is a lack of awareness of teaching strategies and development activity consistent with espoused Type B leadership theory and curriculum content. This gap is compounded by the use in the Defence Academy of personnel without teaching expertise or suitable developmental experience. The socialisation of cadets into the military workplace is the primary purpose of training. This purpose appears taken for granted by all concerned - staff, cadets and senior officers. Defence Academy development processes appear to be faced with a dilemma. Arguably, training and learning from experience are limited approaches to development. Training, which involves learning by replication, and learning from experience, which is largely imitative, are both of little use when people are faced with novel and ambiguous situations. This study suggests that in order to support the development of capabilities that go beyond training based competence a learning and development approach is needed. This more expansive approach requires educational planners to consider the cultural and social context that can inadvertently promote the status quo in practice over espoused outcomes.

Creative tensions? Creativity and basic skills in recent educational policy.

Recently, in response to sustained criticism about the standards driven curriculum, UK government agencies have been promoting creativity in schools. In this article we explore how creativity is being defined in current national educational policy statements; how these definitions relate to other theoretical work on creativity, and the implications for the curriculum and pedagogies.