New publications

The annual Horizon Report describes the continuing work of the New Media Consortium (NMC) on the Horizon Project, a research-oriented effort that seeks to identify and describe emerging technologies likely to have considerable impact on teaching, learning and creative expression within higher education. It identifies key trends affecting tertiary education. The abundance of resources and relationships made easily accessible via the Internet is increasingly challenging educators to revisit their roles in sense-making, coaching and credentialing. People expect to be able to work, learn and study whenever and wherever they want. The world of work is increasingly collaborative, giving rise to reflection about the way student projects are structured. The technologies educators use are increasingly cloud-based, and IT support is decentralised. The NMC is a globally focused not-for-profit consortium dedicated to the exploration and use of new media and new technologies.

This literature review, commissiond by the Scottish Government, considers the links between childhood and adult participation in cultural activities, including participation in science events. The review aims to demonstrate whether there are any links between cultural participation and experience as a child and cultural participation as an adult; establish any such links regarding childhood experience of science events and visits to science museums and adult interest and attendance later in life; and inform future analysis. Adapted from the review which is available online.

In 2004, the parents of over 10,000 children around Australia agreed to take part in Growing Up in Australia: the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC). The study is designed to identify policy opportunities for improving support for children and their families and to inform intervention and prevention strategies. This longitudinal study involves two representative cohorts of children – approximately 5,000 infants aged approximately 0 to 1 years (B or infant cohort) and 5,000 children aged 4 to 5 years (K or child cohort) when the families agreed to take part in 2004. The study addresses a range of key questions about children's development and wellbeing. Information is collected on the children’s physical health and social, cognitive and emotional development, as well as their experiences in key environments such as the family, community, child care and preschool and school settings. Adapted from the report which is available online. See also article in the Brisbane Times,17 February 2011.

Over 50 contributing authors discuss maths education from a wide range of perspectives, including psychology, philosophy and social sciences. A significant portion of the book includes new theoretical developments related to complexity theory, neuroscience, modeling, critical theory, feminism, social justice and networking. This is the inaugural book in the new series Advances in Mathematics Education. Adapted from publisher's description.

Childhood obesity prevention brings together research reports on childhood obesity researchers, practitioners and theorists internationally. The book covers prevalence of childhood obesity, and strategies to address it. Individual chapters examine factors such as social class and ethnic differences, and global and local trends. Adapted from the publisher's description.

This paper investigates the separate impacts of parental substance misuse, domestic violence and parental mental health problems. It presents evidence regarding the extent to which these problems co-occur and a discussion of the wider context of exclusion and disadvantage, its causes and its consequences. Finally, it provides an overview of research and theory for working with families with multiple and complex problems. Adapted from the introduction. The full report is available online.