DISTURBING THE DATA: Gender and Family Size Matters with Evangelical Homeschooling

Posted on April 13, 2015 by Robert Lyon

Record: Melissa Sherfinski and Melissa Chesanko, “Disturbing the Data: Looking into Gender and Family Size Matters with US Evangelical Homeschoolers” in Gender, Place & Culture: A Journal of Feminist Geography, 7, no. 14 (2014): 1-18. [Abstract Here]

Summary: Sherfinski is an assistant professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction/Literacy Studies at West Virginia University. Chesanko is a doctoral student in the same department. In this qualitative study, the authors examine gender matters in Evangelical homeschooling families of various sizes. Continue reading →

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VIRTUAL SCHOOLS IN THE U.S.: A Comprehensive Analysis (2015 Update)

Posted on April 7, 2015 by Robert Lyon

Record: Alex Molnar, ed., Virtual Schools in the U.S. 2015: Politics, Performance, Policy, and Research Evidence (Boulder, CO: National Education Policy Center, 2014). [Available Here]

Introduction: This report is the third in an annual series published by the National Education Policy Center (NEPC). The first report in 2013 was followed by the 2014 report, which was reviewed on this blog here. If you have not done so before, I recommend reading the in-depth 2014 review first because this post will only cover the information that has been updated for 2015. Continue reading →

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THE CHALLENGES AND BENEFITS OF UNSCHOOLING: Questionnaire Results

Posted on March 30, 2015 by Robert Lyon

Record: Peter Gray and Gina Riley, “The Challenges and Benefits of Unschooling, According to 232 Families Who Have Chosen that Route” in Journal of Unschooling and Alternative Learning 7, no. 14 (2013): 1-27. [Article]

Summary: Gray is a professor of psychology at Boston College, and Riley is an educational psychologist who teaches courses at Hunter College and Mercy College. Here they discuss the results from a survey they conducted with 232 unschooling families. Continue reading →

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RECONCILING POLICY DISSONANCE: How Governments Respond when Citizens Rebel

Posted on March 23, 2015 by Robert Lyon

Record: Anat Gofen, “Reconciling Policy Dissonance: Patterns of Governmental Response to Policy Noncompliance” in Policy Sciences 48, no. 1 (2014): 3-24. [Abstract]

Summary: Gofen is a lecturer at The Federmann School of Public Policy and Governance as part of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In this article she presents four patterns of governmental response to public noncompliance in the context of homeschooling and several other examples.  Continue reading →

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CHILD TORTURE AS A FORM OF CHILD ABUSE: Homeschooling’s Role

Posted on March 16, 2015 by Milton Gaither

Record: Barbara L. Knox, Suzanne P. Starling, Kenneth W. Feldman, Nancy D. Kellogg, Lori D. Frasier, and Suzanna L. Tiapula, “Child Torture as a Form of Child Abuse” in Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma 7, (2014): 37-49.

Summary:  The authors, affiliated with a range of medical and educational institutions across the country, here come together to report on 28 cases of extreme child abuse, finding that the term “torture” aptly summarizes what these children experienced. Continue reading →

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THE CHANGING CONVERSATION AROUND HOMESCHOOLING: More Data and Less Ideology

Posted on March 3, 2015 by Robert Lyon

Record: Mary Rice Hasson, “The Changing Conversations around Homeschooling: An Argument for More Data and Less Ideology” in The University of St. Thomas Journal of Law and Public Policy (2012*): 1-23. [First Page]

Summary: Hasson is a fellow at the Catholic Studies Program of the Ethics & Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C. As the title suggests, she argues that policymakers should focus on the data and research behind homeschooling rather than ideological rhetoric. Continue reading →

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HOMESCHOOLING IN POLAND: Debate and Legal Status

Posted on February 24, 2015 by Robert Lyon

Record: Szymon Paciorkowski, “Homeschooling in Poland? Legal Status and Arguments Used in Polish Debate over Home Education” in Social Transformations in Contemporary Society (2014): 153-162. [Abstract Here]

Summary: Since 2011, Paciorkowski has been a PhD student of Law and Administration at Adam Mickiewicz University, Poland. The purpose of the present article is summarize the current legal status and evolution of home education in Poland, especially with regards to the Polish School Education Act of 1991. Continue reading →

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ONLINE CHARTER SCHOOLS: Evolution and Concerns

Posted on February 18, 2015 by Robert Lyon

Record: Lisa H. Waters, Michael K. Barbour, and Michael P. Menchaca, “The Nature of Online Charter Schools: Evolution and Emerging Concerns” in Educational Technology & Society 17, no. 4 (2014): 379-389. [Full Article]

Summary: Waters is a Technology Integration Specialist at Flint Hill School in Oakton, Virginia. Barbour is the Director of Doctoral Studies for the Isabelle Farrington College of Education and an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut. Menchaca an Associate Professor with the Department of Learning Design and Technology at the University of Hawaii. Their goals for this literature review are to: Continue reading →

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FAMILY PROCESS DIFFERENCES ENSUING FROM THE CHOICE TO HOME-SCHOOL: Self-Selection Bias?

Posted on February 15, 2015 by Robert Lyon

Record: Mark H. Butler, James M. Harper, Matthew L. Call, and Mark. H Bird, “Examining Claims of Family Process Differences Ensuing From the Choice to Home-School” in Education and Urban Society 47, no. 1 (2013): 86-108. [Abstract Here]

Summary: Butler and Harper are professors in the Brigham Young University School of Family, Life, Marriage and Family Therapy graduate programs. Call is a master’s student in the Family, Life, Marriage and Family Therapy program at Brigham Young University. Bird is a licensed Marriage and family therapist in private practice in Dallas, Texas. Here they explore whether homeschooling is as beneficial to the family as many people suppose. Continue reading →

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HOMESCHOOLING IN SOUTH AFRICA: Implications for other African Nations

Posted on February 9, 2015 by Milton Gaither

Record: Michael Olalekan Olatunji, “Contemporary Homeschooling in the Republic of South Africa: Some Lessons for Other African Nations” in Middle Eastern and African Journal of Educational Research 9 (2014): 4-16. [Available Here]

Summary: Olatunji, whose affiliation is listed as the Botswana Institute for Educational Leadership, here summarizes the home education situation in South Africa and uses it to exemplify opportunities and potential pitfalls for other African nations. Continue reading →

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