A study of casework with seventeen women between the ages of eighteen and thirty at the Psychosomatic Clinic of the Massachusetts Memorial Hospitals June 1, 1949 to June 1, 1950.

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston Universit

Debunking the Myth of the Efficacy of “Push-down Academics”: How Rigid, Teacher-Centered, Academic Early Learning Environments Dis-Empower Young Children

The increased emphasis on higher academic standards in Early Childhood Education has changed the instructional landscape and developed myths of quality learning. In recent decades, pre and primary schools have begun to focus more on assessments and testing as a determinant of quality learning; this emphasis has led to a shift to “push down academics”, which refers to an increase of academic standards at a younger age (Bassok, Latham, and Rorem, 2016). The concept of “push-down academics” is contrast to the foundational components of early childhood education, which equally values socio-emotional development, academic core concepts, and natural growth (Burman, 2016; Alford, Rollins, Padron & Waxman, 2016). This paper discusses the shift in ECE educational settings from foundational components of learning to “push down academics” and reveals the commonly associated myths of the implications of “push down” academics. We also review how the implementation of “push down academics” in early childhood privileges academic concepts over other forms of learning and consequentially minimizes the importance of skills outside of the academic core (Piker & Jewkes, 2014)

HIV/AIDS and Adolescent's School-Work Choices in Malawi

Malawi is facing a severe HIV/AIDS Pandemic. With an estimated prevalence rate of 14.2%, it ranks eight in the world. About 900,000 Malawians were infected by 2003 and there were110,000 new infections and 87,000 deaths due to HIV/AIDS in 2003. The disease has poten tially devastating impacts. For example, 'taking children out of school' is mentioned as one of the coping mechanisms (Garbus 2003) but evidence is mixed. Doctor (2004) found no statistically significant difference between enrollment of orphans and non-orphans and mentioned an effective extended family structure as explanation. However, HIV/AIDS, poverty, macroeconomic policies, and food shortages are reported to render informal safety networks of the extended family systems irrelevant (Garbus 2003). Some evidence seems to point in this direction (Nankhuni 2005). This research shows that adolescents who are orphaned and those who do not live with their parents are less likely to attend school, spend less hours on school work but more hours on domestic and paid work. Children in households that have adults with chronic illnesses that are associated with HIV/AIDS symptoms are also more likely to be absent from school and spend more hours on d omestic and paid work. These results suggest that HIV/AIDS contributes to low investments in children in Malawi. The results also suggest that the extended family system is weakening due to pressure from increased number of orphans and the low economic status of most Malawians since even parents that are living foster out their children and these children do worse than orphaned children.HIV/AIDS, Demographic Economics, Time Allocation, Malawi, Labor and Human Capital, 01, J1, J2, Human Capital, 05,

Design for Social and Environmental Enterprise

SEED Foundation undertakes action research to develop new, innovative ways for design to most effectively contribute towards sustainable development. The research that follows is not the result of academic investigations but rather, a culmination of 20 years direct professional involvement in the sector. By aligning current political goals with cutting edge design thinking and good business sense, this paper presents our ideas on how more designers can profitably solve social and environmental problems through their work. It specifically investigates how the still emerging discipline of service design, in dealing more with relationships and experiences than material objects, offers inherent social and environmental benefits and is naturally transferable to sectors broader than private business –where designers traditionally work. By working in public and third sectors, and especially with social businesses, this paper uncovers new roles and business models for comprehensively sustainable design practice. Keywords: Design, Service design, sustainable development, social enterprise, social and environmental</p