While there has been increased scholarly interest in the translator trainer's competence, the translator trainer's professional identity, that is, how they conceptualise their work and roles in daily teaching practice, remains an unexplored area. This multiple-case study aims to fill this gap by examining four university translator trainers'…

Success in diverse educational and work environments requires intercultural competence, positive attitudes towards difference, and willingness to interact across cultures. Consequently, study abroad participation has increased as universities aim to internationalize; yet we lack clear evidence of study abroad providing students with skills and…

The purpose of this exploratory mixed-methods action research study was to expose six students studying Oral Communications 1 (OC1) at Japan's Technical University (JTU) to a sociocultural component using the textbook "Mirrors and Windows" (Huber-Kriegler, Lazar, & Strange, 2003) over an eight-week period with the assistance of…

Ostensibly, the orientation towards learning outcomes in adult English language and literacy delivery ensures that the focus is on standardised skill development and knowledge acquisition of students. Such measureable development is seen as foundational to broader employability skills and job readiness. It is an agenda however which ignores the…

The purpose of this study was to investigate socio-cultural factors underpinning curriculum change by examining teacher beliefs in the context of professional development. Scottish teachers in the study were participating in policy implementation based on formative assessment. Teachers were selected who were positive about the formative assessment…

This article examines the relationship between knowledge and policy in French-speaking Belgium. It starts by describing Belgium as a consociational democracy, i.e. a society that is largely organised around integrated pillars of society (Catholic, secular), each of which provides a wide range of services (educational, training, health, health…

The article grapples with the question of how much curriculum change is appropriate in a given context and in a given time frame. How can a balance be struck between stagnation, on the one hand, and the promotion of unrealistic innovation on the other? In answer to this dilemma, the concept of a zone of feasible innovation (ZFI) is proposed and…

In this article we describe an educational leadership faculty's collective efforts to improve its curriculum by examining meanings, implications, and challenges of sociocultural identity differences for its graduate programs in educational leadership. We employed a case study method to examine the process and interim effects of faculty engagement…

In this study we investigated the lives and academic histories of eight students enrolled in an alternative-school program in a mid-sized Midwestern city. Through the triangulation of interviews, fieldnotes, local newspaper articles, artifacts such as student work and information provided in cumulative folders, and a battery of measures of…

We are living in a fast-changing, technology-driven world, where technology affects the daily lives of every person, directly or indirectly. While the importance of providing young children with technological knowledge and experience has been well-recognized, how the curriculum should be developed deserves greater study. Using early childhood…

This article presents findings from the first year of a 3-year qualitative case study investigating teacher knowledge and voice in an ESOL curriculum development project. Participants were nine elementary ESOL teachers, a school district coordinator, and a university researcher. This study engages the strand of research on teacher learning and…

Demonstrates that the literature on the Scandinavian welfare state incorporates gender as a central concept for both measurement and evaluation. Argues that the Scandinavian case lends itself to a variety of European and non-European comparative courses. Provides several specific suggestions for integrating this material into broader courses. (MJP)

A case study of Costa Rica's Universidad Estatal a Distancia, an Open University school with a distance learning system, is presented. Areas of discussion include characteristics of the country, the educational system of Costa Rica, and the university. Specific topics include: the physical setting of Costa Rica; the population; the economy;…

A case study of the Sri Lanka Institute of Distance Education, an Open University school, is presented. Areas of discussion include characteristics of the country, the educational system of Sri Lanka, and the university. Specific topics include: the physical setting of Sri Lanka; the population; society and culture; the economy; the political…

A case study of The Free University of Iran, an Open University school with a distance learning system, is presented. Areas of discussion include characteristics of the country, the educational system of Iran, and the university. Specific topics include: the physical setting of Iran; the population; society and culture; economic development and…