Synthesis Cards Flashcards
Krishnan (2009)
The author critically examines recent arguments in favor of promoting interdisciplinarity, and he finds some barriers to this movement.
The author examines interdisciplinarity from the lenses of philosophy, sociology, anthropology, history, management and education.
The author argues that a primary role of disciplines is to create coherence for theories, concepts, methods, and what counts as knowledge. We will continue to need disciplines to serve these functions.
Policing: disciplines involve policing speech, thought, and behaviors
PHILOSOPHY: The philosophical perspective involves some who view knowledge as socially constructed to serve group interests. Each discipline has it’s own language games with rules for how language should be used. Peer review is a good example of disciplines monitoring how language is used, and what counts as knowledge.
ANTHROPOLOGY: Disciplines are a kind of tribe with their own behaviors, values, and territories.
ECONOMICS: Education involves managing the distribution of knowledge resources and and meeting the demands of society.
POP: Students need to learn the “language games” of their academic discipline. They also need to learn the cultural practices of the academic discipline. Teachers need to provide sufficient economic value to paying students.
Lareau (2011)
The author argues that The author argues that there is systemic economic and social inequality in the U.S. which affects how children are raised and educated.
Lower class and Middle class children are raised with different social structures, or patterns of culture-based behaviors, and these differences account for different educational outcomes.
Middle class children are raised in a system of Concerted Cultivation. This involves practicing verbal reasoning, structured leisure time, negotiation, and interacting as equals with adults. Schools also reward concerted cultivation.
Lower class children are raised in systems of Natural Growth. This system involves much less structure, and children are given more independence. Children use simple language to respond to directives, leisure is unstructured, and children are subordinate.
Language use: Verbal reasoning and negotiation Vs. short, simple sentences and directives.
Miller and Murillo (2011)
The authors conducted a qualitative ethnographic study to better understand why students don’t seek help from libraries and to understand who they do seek help from.
METHODS: Semi-structured ethnographic interviews. Used photo artifacts.
PARTICIPANTS: 91 undergraduates of various majors at 3 midwestern universities
FINDINGS: The authors found that participants did not seek librarians help, and participants did not understand how librarians could help them. Ss preferred using professors, peers, and public libraries due to habit formation and proximity.
IMPLICATIONS: Library use should be integrated into school curricula. Schools should use peer mentors to reduce library anxiety and increase accessibility.
ARTIFACT USE: researchers showed participants pictures of their libraries. Participants could not explain what a circulation desk is or a reference desk
Coleman Report (1966)
This was a nationwide study that was mandated by congress. The goal was to document ways that unequal funding for blacks and whites was potentially contributing to unequal achievement.
METHODS: The researchers used survey methods to measure student achievement and variables related to teachers, students and schools. They used multiple regression analysis.
PARTICIPANTS: Coleman conducted a nationwide study of 4,000 schools across the U.S. There were 600,000 student and 60,000 teacher participants.
FINDINGS: Contrary to expectations, Coleman did not find that funding explained differences in achievement. The factors that correlated positively with achievement were family educational level, and the diversity of students in a school (SES, family expectations). Teacher verbal scores and students sense of control over the future also correlated to achievement.
IMPLICATIONS: Broad sociological studies can help confirm or invalidate assumptions. Quantitative studies can help mitigate biases.
POP: I will use quantitative survey data to serve as a check on assumptions that the intervention will help reduce writing anxiety.
