Olssen has recently claimed that educational psychology, being a derivative of mainstream psychology, is a sham, a pseudo-science based upon outdated positivist philosophy of science and an inappropriate understanding of the social determinants of individual behaviour and of mind. This article argues, firstly, that educational psychology has a certain independence of psychology in general; secondly, that most modem psychology does not rely on positivism; and, thirdly, that whatever the ultimate roots of behaviours and mental phenomena, it is perfectly logical-indeed it is a necessary part of the discipline-for psychologists to concentrate upon studying and working with individuals.
Louisa Nottidge was kidnapped and committed to a private asylum in 1846 by her family because she had joined a millenarian sect of which they disapproved. After eighteen months the Commissioners in Lunacy were pressurised into ordering her release. Subsequently, she successfully sued her brother and brother-in-law for wrongful imprisonment. The judge's criticisms of the medical profession led to an acrimonious public debate about the nature of mental illness and its treatment, a debate that involved some of the leading 'mad doctors' of the day including Dr. John Conolly. The complex history of this case, frequently referred to in recent scholarly work, but never discussed in detail, is examined together with its implications for our understanding of Victorian psychiatry, and its attitude to mental illnesses involving religious matters.
Although information technology (IT) is playing an increasing role in education, little research has been done on its use by academics in higher education. A questionnaire was sent to 125 members of a university faculty of education and community studies concerning their use of IT. The number of replies received totalled 71, 58 of them from IT users. Respondents made use of IT for a variety of teaching, research and administrative purposes. Many had purchased machines of their own and used a wide range of proprietary software packages, though very few did any original programming. Attitudes to IT were generally utilitarian and pragmatic.
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