This investigation reviews published empirical studies that attempted to support or to validate transactional distance theory (Moore, 1993). It was found that either data only partially supported the theory or, that if they apparently did so, the studies lacked reliability, construct validity, or both. It was concluded that the basic propositions…

Premature autonomy describes a developmental dynamic where parents of high-risk adolescents reduce their involvement and guidance when confronted with challenges of problem behaviour and the influence of deviant friendships. This dynamic was tested on the sample of Oregon Youth Study boys (N=206), whose family management practices and friendships…

This paper stems from the ESRC TLRP Learning How to Learn--in Classrooms, Schools and Networks Project, and explores how Assessment for Learning (AfL) relates, conceptually, to learning how to learn (LHTL). The term LHTL was intended to draw attention to a primary focus on learning practices, and we have related the processes of AfL to LHTL. A…

Children's rights to nurturance and self-determination have been included in social policy agendas for many years. Children's and parents' attitudes concerning children's rights are likely an important determinant of whether rights on paper actually serve to protect the well-being of children, yet there is little research on factors associated…

This article traces key competences that are necessary to master as teachers are increasingly obliged to orchestrate learning as initiation into individual autonomy. The context is one that acknowledges that learning increasingly dissipates out into cyberspace. Inspired by Gilles Deleuze and Michel Foucault, the article explores preconditions for…

Promises to staff usually evolve around issues of working conditions and individual autonomy, but a staff's collective commitments to students can serve as a powerful catalyst for improved professional practice. In this article, the authors present two schools--Penasquitos Elementary School in San Diego, California, and Levey Middle School in…

Students are rarely given the opportunity of being decisionmakers in class, and when they are, they may feel unsure of how to organize their own learning. However, over time they come to appreciate the benefits of a more active engagement in learning English. In this paper, I describe a procedure based on Exploratory Practice (EP) for guiding…

This study evaluated the extent to which practitioners in higher education settings employ interventions that promote independence among students with learning disabilities. A survey was developed and sent to 694 practitioners across the United States involved in service delivery to students with learning disabilities at the postsecondary level.…

This manual presents suggested measures which are designed to examine the outcomes of support and service provision on the lives of people with disabilities in Illinois. Included are 30 measures for people and 16 measures for organizations. The measures were developed after initial input from people with disabilities participating in a Community…

This review of the literature defines the concept of student empowerment, discusses the implications of student empowerment in educational settings, and outlines strategies for facilitating increased empowerment. A definition of "empowerment" as "bringing into a state of belief one's ability to act effectively," is offered and the critical…

A study conducted a nationwide evaluation of 15 residential camp programs designed for children, youth, and young adults with mild to severe disabilities. The study involved 2,184 campers (ages 7-19) with disabilities and was undertaken to further validate evaluation instrumentation, evaluate residential camp programs for children with…

A study investigated how asking students to evaluate a poem-reading task stimulated their autonomy as learners. Subjects were 51 Japanese university students of English. During one 90-minute class period, students were given a brief poem with pre-reading, reading, and post-reading tasks. The poem, entitled "40-Love," had ambiguous…

This practicum paper describes an intervention to help parents increase their sense of empowerment. Expected outcomes of the intervention were that parents would: (1) increase their knowledge of concepts related to empowerment, such as control and nurturance; (2) experience a shift from an external to an internal locus of control; (3) observe an…

In the current climate of empowerment models, critical research, and deconstructed theory, this discussion raises some questions regarding the concept of "empowerment" and its use as a rubric for course and program design in teacher education. From the review of literature several usages of the term empowerment emerge. Each one is…

Written for people with mental disabilities, this booklet focuses on ways that individuals with disabilities can protect themselves from sexual abuse and understand their individual rights pertaining to sexuality. An introduction explains discrimination and gives examples of sexual abuse. The first chapter briefly discusses sexuality and sexual…