Search

The article focuses on the World Bank's Education Sector Policy Paper, which highlights issues and trends in the development of education. It examines the relationship between education and development. The significance of education can be shown in the following ways: education as a basic need; education as an instrument to support programs designed to meet other basic needs and education as an activity that sustains overall development. Meanwhile, a set of problems that affects educational development include equality in educational opportunities; internal efficiency of educational systems; management of educational systems and source of funds for education.

This paper aims to identify secondary teachers' perspectives regarding educational supervision as well as the role of the inspector in convincing teachers of his/her applied supervisory method. The previous viewpoint has given way to a new one that believes in the developmental supervision method, as this new method stems from the supervisor's ability to anticipate the future and stay current on educational developments in the professional development field. This includes the ability to forecast future educational needs for the organization and the administrative direction of education. In addition, the developmental supervision method comprises the presentation of educational innovations and their incorporation into study programs, content, practices, and means, as well as the target audience. The goal is to prepare in advance for new roles and tasks to instill a sense of seriousness in the educational process and propel it forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning design is growing in importance but is not yet widely adopted by teachers. This paper describes the development of a scenario‐led learning design process, divided into two stages, which was implemented with over 500 teachers altogether from 15 European countries. Activity theory is used to explore the contradictions that arose when such changes were introduced into the established activity system of lesson planning. Data were collected through interviews and questionnaires from a small sample of participants including national coordinators (stage 1: n = 8; stage 2: n = 13) and teachers (stage 1: n = 13; stage 2: n = 23). These participants perceived that the scenario‐led learning design process, involving a wide range of stakeholders, was collaborative, supportive and innovative (compared to previous lesson planning practices). However, a number of contradictions were identifiable between: (1) the shift to collaborative learning design from teachers preparing their lessons alone; (2) the new tools and the existing rules of the national/regional education systems; (3) the time required to both understand and implement learning design, and the impact of competing demands. This paper discusses the challenges faced when attempting to scale‐up European school teachers' development of digital pedagogy. The structured (yet flexible) approach was welcomed and the tools promoted teacher reflection but, as commonly noted, the complexity and time‐constraints were major issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the contribution of international studies on educational effectiveness in the light of 4 papers presented at the new ICSEI Methodology of Research and Effectiveness (MORE) Network in Barcelona in January 2005 and published in this issue of the journal. A brief historical overview is used to provide a context for these papers and a number of themes are identified in relation to the secondary analysis of international datasets such as TIMSS and PISA. The value of creating a new international teacher observation and feedback instrument to facilitate collaborative international research is discussed. In addition, the paper discusses the value of comparative studies of education policy in different national systems using the example of a high profile study of successful countries (in terms of PISA 2000 results) initiated by the Deutsches Institut für Internationale Pädagogische Forschung to inform a review of the German system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the history of human thought, Confucius' thought is prominent in Chinese philosophy. The value of Confucius' philosophical thought has transcended space and time and influenced the social life of China, Vietnam, and the world. In general, Confucius thought in particular and Confucian ideas became the ideology of the feudal class during its development through feudal dynasties in China and many other Asian countries, including Vietnam. The report describes the educational philosophy of Confucius. The article clarifies the limitations and existing values in the educational innovation of Vietnam today. The paper uses dialectical materialism methodology and synthesis, analysis, and comparison methods to explain the system of views on education, educational objects, educational program content, and educational plans to educate people in socio-political and moral ways to stabilize society. The article also clarifies Confucius's thoughts as the man who laid the foundation for the development of Confucianism in Chinese history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article comments on the Educational Sector Policy paper of the World Bank. The paper explores the educational problems in developing countries. The author compares it with the 1974 paper of the Bank, claiming that the present paper is more clear in terms of recognizing the complexity of the social and political forces at work on the educational scene in developing countries. However, he criticizes the paper's view of the purposes of education. He suggests that it lacks diachronic perspective on the processes of growth and adjustment in the past.

This paper analyzes the diffusion and determinants of innovations in secondary education. First, the diffusion path of five clusters of innovations in secondary schools is described. Second, the determinants of the adoption of these innovations are analyzed. The findings show that size is one of the main determinants of share of innovations in a school. Other determinants are competition, school type, and teaching method. These should be factored in innovation in public sector education. This paper explains why. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At a time when questions are being asked about the identity and purpose of academic development, this paper seeks to address these questions within the context of one country in which educational development has been actively supported. This study considers a narrative of the complex and contradictory reality of educational development in the United Kingdom based on the perceptions of heads of educational development. Based on a survey of over 40 institutions, the paper highlights the growth of educational development centres and considers their staffing, institutional location, role and responsibilities. It also seeks to explore some points of similarity and difference with trends in other countries. A l'heure ou des questions sont posees au sujet de l'identite et des visees du developpement pedagogique, cet article cible ces questions du point de vue d'un pays au sein duquel le developpement pedagogique a ete soutenu activement. Cette recherche examine l'historique de la “realite complexe et contradictoire” du developpement pedagogique au Royaume-Uni a partir des perceptions de directeurs de centres de developpement pedagogique. Se basant sur un sondage de plus de 40 institutions, l'article met en lumiere la croissance des centres de developpement pedagogique et examine leur localisation institutionnelle, leur role et leurs responsabilites. L'article cherche aussi a explorer les similitudes et les differences avec des tendances observees dans d'autres pays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reflect upon the process that underpinned and informed the development and delivery of a “creativity-led” credit-bearing teacher training provision and to illuminate key factors of influence for the approaches to teaching and learning. Design/methodology/approach – Based on the assumption that sustaining enterprise education involves developing educator capacity, networks of collaborating educators from different institutions and subject disciplines developed transdisciplinary pedagogical strategies. These were delivered to two pilot programmes, with a cohort of 18 in each. Findings – Feedback from the pilots suggest that creativity-based pedagogies are effective triggers. They motivate educators and enable specialists to develop subject-related content. Practical implications – The paper highlights the need for a more developed understanding of creativity, innovation and opportunity recognition, so that enterprise education starts with ideas generation, not merely ideas evaluation. Originality/value – Understanding creativity and innovation is emergent and there is a dearth of understanding, especially in teaching and learning for enterprise. The paper illuminates a developmental process that has responded to this shortfall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the author's commentary on the Educational Sector Policy paper of the World Bank regarding the criteria and methods of generating education cooperation projects for external funding. It refers to the World Bank's Education Policy Summary which states "A review of Bank experience suggests that methods of generating educational projects have not been adequate." The author claims that the paper fails to consider a number of special features of foreign assistance which apply to all sectors including education. Meanwhile, some of the criteria of generating education cooperation projects are as follows: it should be clearly requested by the recipient country and it should be carefully related to the recipient country's resources as well as to it needs.

The article presents the author's commentary on the World Bank Educational Sector Policy Paper regarding the role of language in education. He claims that the issues surrounding language policy and the problems raised in implementation of this policy are discussed in the paper in a confusing manner. Instead of focusing on the more complex dimensions of both language policy formulation and implementation, the Paper refers to many isolated aspects of the policy. The author also argues that the paper fails to connect the role of language to issues of educational planning and development.

Purpose |!|#8211; The purpose of this paper is to discuss and demonstrate the relevance of a new conceptual framework for leading and managing the development of learning and teaching to e.learning strategy development. Design/methodology/approach |!|#8211; After reviewing and discussing the research literature on e.learning in higher education institutions from 2000 to 2010 to identify the issues associated with leading and managing the development, implementation and evaluation of e.learning, the paper describes and makes an argument for how a new conceptual framework for leading and managing the development of learning and teaching in higher education, developed and reported elsewhere (Marshall et al.), might be used to guide the development, implementation and evaluation of e.learning strategy. Findings |!|#8211; While subject to the limitations of all conceptual/analytical frameworks, it is argued that this new conceptual framework is able to first alert those with the responsibility for the development of e.learning to many of the critical issues identified in the research literature as being associated with its development, implementation and evaluation, and second, assist in conducting and developing the multi-dimensional SWOT analyses and strategies necessary to guide the development, implementation and evaluation of e.learning. Originality/value |!|#8211; This is the first paper to demonstrate the applicability of Marshall et al.|!|#39;s new conceptual framework for leading and managing the development of learning and teaching to the development, implementation and evaluation of e.learning strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australia is a federation of six states and two territories. Each state and territory has its own legislature, which may not be of the same political persuasion as the Commonwealth (Federal) Government. Under the Australian Constitution primary control of school education is with the State and Territory Governments, with the Australian Commonwealth Government having no specific constitutional responsibility for school education. However, this is complicated by a dual-tiered funding system, whereby the Australian Commonwealth Government has responsibility for some funding of government schools and majority funding for non-government schools. Since 1975 there have been moves by the Commonwealth Ministers for Education to acquire a significant role in identifying national priorities for education and constructing policies and assessment tools to achieve such goals. Financial provision and national policy formation have increasingly become the means by which Australian Commonwealth Ministers for Education have "shaped" educational debates and policies. In November 2004 the then Australian Commonwealth Minister for Education, Science and Training announced the details of the Australian Government National Inquiry into the Teaching of Literacy. The focus of the Inquiry was examination of research into reading, preparation of schoolteachers and literacy teaching practices, especially reading. The Inquiry may be seen as the latest move by the Commonwealth Government to influence the teaching of literacy in Australia. In this paper official notions of literacy, as outlined through the various Australian Commonwealth Government's inquiries into literacy and national policy documents for the period 1975-2005, are examined using metaphor analysis. Metaphor analysis provides a means of analysing discourses about literacy in each of the reports and policies in order to interpret the underlying ideology. These official constructs of literacy are briefly considered within the competing and wider notions of literacy in Australia academic debates and the tensions that exist in defining literacy. Why did the Australian Commonwealth Government become involved in the literacy debates during this time? In particular, how has the Australian Commonwealth Government defined literacy and why did it take a more controlling role in both the definition of literacy and the shaping of education for literacy? The reasons for the Australian Commonwealth Government becoming involved in the literacy debates remain largely unresolved. In this paper it is proposed that involvement in the literacy debates constituted a way for the Commonwealth Government, in a time of economic rationalisation, to change their role in educational reform from one of financial assistance to one of leadership in curriculum. It is also proposed that a metaphor analysis of the policy documents and associated reports indicates a move from a wide definition of literacy to an increasingly narrow and utilitarian definition of literacy, reflecting the predominantly economic focus of the Australian Commonwealth Government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to address the discourse of Romanian universities as a mirror of the reformation process in the national higher educational system. Design/methodology/approach - The focus of this paper is on external and internal communication, on institutional identity and the symbiosis of orders of discourse. The paper highlights the prospective EU integration as a major trigger of change in the Romanian educational system. It then draws upon critical discourse analysis (CDA) as a relevant research approach and presents the results of conducting critical discourse analysis on a corpus consisting of the web site presentation of ten public and private universities, on three faculty and university prospectuses, and one promotional CD. Finally, the paper briefly compares the discourse of Romanian universities with the discourse of universities from the UK, France, Italy and Germany, and suggest lines for improvement. Findings - Romanian society is currently the site of ample reformation and one of the factors that trigger change is the prospective integration in the European Union. In higher education, change is enacted discursively though the emergence of new genres as the generalization of promotion as a discursive practice. The discourse of Romanian universities is heavily colonized by the EU discourse, but factors pertaining to local culture also resurface openly. Discourse is, indeed, a factor of change, but not the only one affecting it. The westernizing of Romanian university discourse needs to be backed up by a westernizing of patterns of thinking and behaving. Originality/value - The paper presents insights into the discourse of Romanian universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on some aspects of a collaborative action research project involving teams from 25 schools in England working with researchers from three universities in an attempt to understand how schools can develop more inclusive cultures, policies and practices. Unusually in this field, the schools were not selected because of any exceptional and explicit commitment to ‘inclusion’. A common process of development emerged across the schools, which started with the disturbance of existing practices and was nurtured by a range of institutional and external factors that included ideas about inclusion. The national ‘standards agenda’ was a major force shaping the directions taken by schools. Whilst it constrained inclusive development it also provided that development with a particular focus and led schools to consider issues that might otherwise have been overlooked. The paper concludes that inclusive developments — albeit of a highly ambiguous nature — are possible even in apparently unpromising circumstances and that there may be specific ways in which these developments can be supported. Encouraging such developments may be a necessary complement to the continued radical critique of current educational polices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper describes a project that emphasized the use of case-writing by teachers engaged in an educational innovation. The aims of the paper are threefold: to provide a somewhat detailed description of the case-writing process, to explicate the varied functions of cases and case-writing by teachers, and to discuss an important feature of cases and case-writing that might explain their power. The main argument is that cases could be used to achieve three purposes: to promote, to describe, and to explain teacher and educational change. The description of the case-writing process and an analysis of the cases themselves reveal their great potential in achieving these three aims. Additionally, it is argued that cases and case-writing facilitate border-crossing, or the integration of theory/practice, research/narration, and cognition/emotion, an integration necessary for authentic professional activities. This seminal feature of cases and case-writing also accounts for their potential in achieving the previously mentioned functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educationist Willis Hawley's paper identifies some of the chief sources of tension and confusion in American educational policy. The article presents comments of the author on Hawley's paper. The first is that the concern for innovation pervades the whole educational system, and that correctives which stop at the school level are unlikely to succeed. The second is that there are some identifiable prerequisites to an adaptive education, which research can help bring about.

In this paper it is presented the evolution of schooling and education process in Europe from Antiquity to modern times. Education is one of the most important elements of social life, and it has a great impact on it. The article presents the main sociological theories of education which are the functionalist theory (Emile Durkheim) and the social conflict theory (Max Weber). The following chapter presents the historical evolution of educational systems in Europe from Antiquity till the modern times emphasizing on the most important stages and reforms. In this article there are presented the strong links between the process of education and the other aspects of social life and the way they influence each other. The emergence of public schooling systems and its evolution is presented along with the main reforms and public policies. The steps taken for the massification of education and the reforms that led to the increased access to schooling is presented in a strong relation with the social classes that had existed in different historical periods. The foundation and the evolution of higher education institutions - namely the Universities, are presented along with their impact on the social life in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of ESPIRAL: Revista de Docencia e Investigación is the property of Universidad Santo Tomas, Bucaramanga and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Negotium is the property of Revista Negotium and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista de Educacion y Desarrollo Social is the property of Universidad Militar Nueva Granada, Departamento de Educacion and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose – This article aims to describe and discuss four major innovations to improve the quality of teacher education including preparation programs and professional development programs in recent years in China. The four major innovations include establishing the National Curriculum Standards for Teacher Education (NCSTE) and the National Teacher Certification Examination; implementing the "double development plan" to reform clinical practice; launching the "National Training Plan" to develop in-service teachers; and consolidating the career ladder for teachers.Design/methodology/approach – The paper takes the form of a review of the government documents and current literature.Findings – The author argues that the four major innovations reflect the central trends to reform teacher education both in China and the USA – increased standards and accreditation, more clinical experiences in preparation, increased use of technology in teacher professional development, and more accountability and incentive for teachers.Originality/value – When the world is faced with the globalized economy, cultural exchange and social equity issues, discussions about the recent innovations of China's teacher education will shed light on our understanding of better approaches to improve teacher quality that no doubt connect tradition and local practices with global convergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on Great Britain and Ireland Planning Research Conference 2018 in September 2018. Topics discussed include conference focuses planning academics for Great Britain and Ireland; views on doctoral workshop focused on writing and publishing planning research; and engagement and participation in planning for young people, and new technological platforms for education.

Economic crises such as those of 1929, 1973 and 2008 appear to associate with shifts in the rhetorics of management. These dates mark the end of expansionary phases within an economic cycle, and they portend what James O'Connor has called a 'fiscal crisis of the state'. It is argued, speculatively, that immediately before and after an economic crisis - be it occasioned by financial bubbles (as in 1929) or by other events (such as the 1973 oil crisis) - a 'normative' or 'commitment' managerial rhetoric develops. This rhetoric strikes a more emollient tone than that of the 'control' or 'rational' rhetoric which had marked the early stages of the economic up-swing. The current economic crisis may follow this pattern. In England, there are already indications that the regulatory rhetoric which applies both to organisational structures and to pedagogical processes is become 'normative' in its appeal; it is a 'commitment' rhetoric which purports to serve what O'Connor has termed both 'accumulation' and 'legitimation'. As an example of this rhetoric, the paper draws briefly upon Paul Adler and Charles Heckscher's concept of 'collaborative community'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper focuses on pedagogical plans intended as objects to support human communication. Its purpose is to describe a structural model for pedagogical plans which can assist both authors and users. The model helps authors to engage in the design of a plan as a communication project and helps users in the process of understanding, customizing, enacting and evaluating an existing plan. A distinctive feature of the model is the adoption of a hierarchical representation where each plan can be represented as a hierarchical network of constituent elementary plans that focus in on more specific parts of the learning process, thus going from more general to more concrete, detailed levels. This makes it possible to approach plan authoring as a top-down process, something that presents considerable advantages. It is a valuable aid for mastering the complexity of design and at the same time represents a maieutic factor that encourages authors to establish levels of conceptualization and abstraction which would otherwise remain unexpressed. The user too comprehends the plan in terms of a top-down process, where the specific steps of a learning activity are seen as originating from more general and abstract conceptualizations. In this way communication and understanding are enhanced and facilitated. The paper provides an easy-to-understand example of a hierarchical plan and describes a prototype tool that has been developed for managing hierarchical plans. Finally some preliminary results are presented from initial application of the model and the associated tool in the context of an international research project on educational innovation in mathematics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Innovations in assessment practice have become widespread in Higher Education (HE) throughout the world. Taking a case study approach, this paper examines the nature of students' assessment preferences at one English university, and compares the views of UK students with a sample of learners from a number of other countries studying at the same institution. A brief discussion of the literature is followed by a methodological overview, before turning to an examination of the study's findings with regard to the students' views and experiences of assessment. Similarities and differences in preferences are explored, and an attempt is made to account for these on the basis of the insights supplied by the students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a research project from the University of Iceland, Faculty of Pedagogy and Education which focuses on how Innovation Education emerged in Iceland as a new subject and how the subject has developed; what makes the subject special; and what factors, internal and external, have influenced its dissemination. The paper will include an overview of the data collection and analysis methods and an overview of the findings. Diverse research methods have been utilised during this research. Questionnaires, interviews, and observations were used to gather data from students, teachers, head teachers, pioneers in Innovation Education, entrepreneurs and ministry officials. Documentation of various kinds was also consulted, including reports, laws, curriculum, teaching materials and products from Innovation Education lessons. The research indicates in conclusion that curriculum formulation and implementation is a complex interplay of connected factors that are not completely predictable. It seems of more use to view changes within education systems as an organic rather than a linear progression, more comparable to biological evolution than to the production process of a factory. It is important to recognise the fundamental factors, inherent in the hidden curriculum, and verify their powers to influence the development of the subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many scholars agree that students should be regularly engaged in dialogues that require them to question texts, values, or issues. We observed social studies classrooms in secondary schools serving urban, rural, and suburban students of different socioeconomic backgrounds in New York to learn what kinds of questioning strategies teachers were using and whether their questioning supported dialogue. In this paper we identify and give examples of three patterns of questioning we observed. Then, we explain how frequently these forms of questioning were used in high track and heterogeneous classes and in schools serving different socioeconomic communities. While we found that dialogic questioning can and does occur in classrooms, students in heterogeneous tracks and lower-income schools appear to have few experiences with dialogic questioning that would help them make connections and think critically about course content and texts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PowerPoint and other visual technologies have become pervasive in schools. Adoption of these technologies is perceived as a necessary - or, at the very least, an educationally appropriate - innovation in UK schools, even though systematic examination of their use is relatively recent. On the basis of a wider ethnographic study of ICT use in one UK school, this paper presents ways in which visual technologies are used in the school setting, analyses the impacts of those technologies on students and teachers, and raises a set of important issues about how such visual technologies are used in schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to raise awareness of the importance of services as a subject for scientific research and teaching. Services represent the majority of the world economy but universities and business schools have not generally considered services to be an appropriate subject for scientific research and teaching. With the help of industry, universities and business schools need to bring together a variety of current academic disciplines, including engineering, statistics, management theory, and human psychology, to develop a formal, interdisciplinary curriculum around service science. It is imperative that we do this to drive much needed service innovation and to equip graduates for the jobs of tomorrow. Design/methodology/approach - The paper is based on first-hand experience of working with over 50 universities from around the world which are developing service science as an academic discipline and research topic. Findings - The paper finds that the number of business schools and universities running service. science on their curriculum is on the rise. By being part of the Service Science, Management and Engineering (SSME) academic initiative, business schools and universities are enabling their graduates to benefit from the swiftly growing service sector and strengthening their linkages with business. Originality/value - This paper sets out to inspire academic and business school leaders to find out more about SSME. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper will outline answers to the two central questions regarding improving engineering education: (1) What is the full set of knowledge, skills, and attitudes that engineering students should possess as they leave the university, and at what level of proficiency? (2) How can we do better at ensuring that students learn these skills? The suggested answers lie within an innovative educational framework, the CDIO (conceive–design–implement–operate) Initiative. This initiative will be described along with the needs it meets, its goals, context, vision and pedagogical foundation. The first question is answered by the CDIO Syllabus and the process for reaching stakeholder consensus on the level of proficiency that students should attain in a given program. The second question is addressed through a best practice framework, which discusses curriculum design, design-implement experiences, teaching and learning, student assessment, program evaluation and faculty competence. Examples are provided of the implementation of best practices within the CDIO program in Aeronautics and Astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While there continues to be a proliferation in the number of studies conducted on various aspects of distance education, we are often left with little understanding of the holistic planning and effects of it. This paper draws lessons learned from the literature on distance education over the past five years. This review did not seek to be exhaustive in presenting the findings of every study, but instead focuses on specific instruction we can take from past research at the institutional, faculty, and student levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Action research has received increasing attention, especially by school leaders, as a result of the Singapore Ministry of Education’s push for greater autonomy, diversity and innovation at the school level. It is also perceived as a means for teacher professional development and professionalism. The Teachers Network, which has its own brand of action research called ‘Learning Circles’, is in support of such a view. Action research projects are not, however, without problems. In this paper, structures that pose constraints to successful action research endeavours will be the main focus for discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on recent and innovative moves towards flexible learning in initial teacher education programmes in England and Wales, as part of the ‘widening participation’ agenda in higher education and in response to changes in teacher recruitment patterns. We take as our perspective our own experience as two course tutors in a higher education institution that introduced flexible routes into its secondary teacher education programme at the beginning of the academic year 2002/2003. Using the university's model for our case study, we have undertaken a small‐scale research project and reviewed the literature describing flexible learning discourses in higher education, to consider the extent to which concepts of flexibility are being translated into practice. In particular we highlight some implications for pedagogy and practice that have become apparent at this early stage in the development of flexible courses and which will have an impact upon their progress in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Key Stage 3 Strategy is a complex and evolving government strategy intended to improve the education of 11- to 14-year-olds in England. This paper provides a snapshot of its development by early 2004, drawing on our evaluation of the pilot phase which began in 2000. The evolution of the Strategy, with its phased introduction of both subject and cross-curricular strands, is described. We then examine the policy intentions and evidence base which underpin it before considering what the Strategy offers in terms of curricular and pedagogical reform. While the Strategy seeks to improve schooling for 11- to 14-year-olds, it has struggled to offer a coherent approach, though recent changes in emphasis may help. We conclude that a more radical approach to the learning needs of 11- to 14-year-olds is needed and draw evidence from international trends in middle years education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes research into the beliefs and practices established over time by teachers, who had been engaged in an innovative `mathematical investigations' school program, based on the use of exploratory software. The theoretical framework perceives the teacher as an active mediator of innovation, constructing and reorganizing a personal pedagogy. Interview and detailed observa- tional classroom data were collected and analyzed, synthesizing qualitative and quantitative interpretations of teachers' comments in the classroom. The results show that teachers refer to a variety of aspects of the learning situations in which they intervene rather than just the mathematical concepts and ideas. They adopt multiple roles in the classroom and are influenced by the values of the educational system. The ways in which these issues influence teaching and learning of the mathematical concepts at hand is considered. The nature of teacher beliefs and the ways in which they may influence their practice is questioned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Austria, as in many other countries, the educational system is confronted with challenges. Many of these challenges directly or indirectly affect the teaching profession. The first two sections in this paper describe a few system elements with special emphasis on the situation of the teaching profession. The second section describes new demand structures and how they affect the teaching profession. Sections 3 and 4 are two examples of major interventions in the system and their implications for the profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores three aspects regarding the supporting of teaching and learning through ICT. First, the use and value of storyboarding as a preferable technique prior to the creation of a pupil-authored CD-ROM by children aged 9 and 14. Second, responses to the innovation by practising teachers. Third, lessons learned from trying to incorporate the CD-ROM within UK teacher training. The article ends with suggestions regarding future ICT training approaches. The content of the CD-ROM was centred on environmental education and the use of local wildlife sites in the UK. In summary, the paper suggests that there are considerable learning gains to be had from enabling children to create their own multimedia sequences but that institutional constraints make these difficult to achieve. School-based teacher education in the UK currently restricts the opportunity for experimentation and innovation, which, in turn, impacts on the full potential of teaching and learning through ICT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has long been acknowledged that the beliefs of university teachers can have a significant impact on the success of flexible learning innovations in tertiary settings (Errington, 1985, 2001; McDiarmid, 1990; Pajares, 1992; Calderhead, 1996; Richardson, 1996; Hofer & Pintrich, 1997; Tatto, 1998). The infrastructure for the adoption or rejection of such innovation exists as much at the level of beliefs as it does on any physical resources plane. The consequence of this assumption is that what teachers believe is possible within their learning arenas, and what they actually manage to do/achieve, are factors subject to a range of beliefs, central to which are beliefs about teaching and learning per se. This paper discusses the impact of teachers' beliefs on flexible notions of teaching and learning; extricates the issues and challenges facing academic developers and, finally, explores practical ways by which the author and colleagues are currently attempting to address these challenges with their own staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Conhecimento & Diversidade is the property of Conhecimento & Diversidade and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper outlines developmental stages in reading and spelling derived from research over the last two decades. Phonemic strategies for reading and spelling are defined. These strategies appear to require the ability to manipulate rhyme, segment and blend intra-syllabic units and phonemes, and a knowledge of tile correspondence between phonemes and graphemes. Within each of these competences there are levels of difficulty. Evidence from cross-sectional and longitudinal studies is provided to show that children are proficient users of a phonemic strategy for reading. It is suggested, therefore, that teachers ensure that children spell phonemically (i.e. segment phonemes in words and map on tile appropriate graphemes) before expecting them to read by combining letters. A model is proposed which indicates a progression of activities to extend children's phonemic ability and knowledge of letters in order that they may acquire the use of a phonemic strategy for reading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper contains a brief description of the research we have undertaken on innovations and innovation processes in higher education [1]. Within the framework of a larger project (a study of educational planning for Swedish Higher Education [2]), we have made seven case studies of innovation processes and tried to relate them to an attempt towards a general theory of innovations. We have built on, and tried to exemplify, the field theory of the social psychologist, Kurt Lewin [3]. This means that we view change as being realised through a form of political process, determined by the strength of the different forces within a social system. We have tried to define the characteristics of higher education as a social system and the factors which determine the nature of the various forces towards a certain type of change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the author's commentary on the Educational Sector Policy paper of the World Bank regarding the lack of success that has been experienced in efforts to reform educational systems worldwide. According to the author, the development efforts in education suffer from a misleading idea of how to accomplish reform. He presents these two arguments regarding the quality of education: substantial reforms of education are unlikely to succeed while the working conditions, self-image and morale of teachers remain as low and poor as they are and the ability to change is not much helped by current managerial methods and dispositions in education, both those of ministries and external aid agencies. Lastly, he suggests ways on how to improve the quality of education.

The article analyzes the relevance of the studies related to role of the education policies. The author refers to a paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association in San Diego, which debates that quasi-markets in education and training has settled into ritual. The author comments that as with an ongoing ideological struggle about the intensification of market forces and market culture in the realm of education in various societies the ritualistic aspect has nothing much to do with the changes in the culture of education. The article examines the views that the government intervention in the realm of education as natural because it is for social or public good. It comments that such views support the intervention as the best mechanism for the provision of educational services. But in reality it is liable to reduce freedom of choice and thereby curtail the sphere of responsibility of the citizens. The market culture in the field of education attempts to make it a commodity, which provides increment to knowledge and the curriculum. The role of the government is to roll back it with rules and jurisdiction to check the hidden hand of marketized individual competition.

The research on school effectiveness and school improvement lacks theoretical development. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the construction of a theory of school effectiveness and leadership. The contribution made here is in the form of a typology of school effectiveness. In the early stages of theoretical development, typologies are often useful devices for organizing what is known and for focusing attention on important questions and areas for further exploration. Within the typological framework offered here, school effectiveness is supposed to be a function of three major factors: administrative appropriateness, teacher preparedness and student readiness. While parents and community effects are important, they are assumed to be mediated by these three factors. The most ineffective schools are those in which the administration is inappropriate, the teachers are not prepared to teach and the students are not ready to learn. In the most effective schools, the opposite is the case. Schools tend to move back and forth between these two extremes in stages. It is hypothesized that there are eight stages of school effectiveness, the stages ranging from the most ineffective to the most effective school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore what happened in Romanian education in the post-modern context. Design/methodology/approach - The paper discusses the reactions to the changes in Romanian education. Findings - Post-modernism means innovation. Communication, team work, adaptability, flexibility and problem solving are key skills for the post-modernist workforce and have major implications in the field of education. Originality/value - The paper offers insights into the transition from excessively rigid conditions to a more open environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we demonstrate, through content analysis of university-based programmes and one management institute, the construction of 'leadership' in the particular context of Kenya. The study paid attention to how the particularities of the locale are infused with universal discourses to develop an indigenous conceptualisation of 'leadership'. In the particular context of Kenya, school leadership is similar to the universal construction of leadership - with an emphasis on instructional leadership, the management of resources and change occasioned by rapid reforms in the education sector - but there are some context-specific differences. School leadership is also about negotiating between competing cultural and political interests, especially in relation to access, equity and equality. School leaders need to manage internal conflict in the school as well as external ethnic conflict. Leadership is also about implementing government initiated reforms that called for flexibility and innovation not only in the use of scarce resources, but also in identifying less traditional sources of funding. These unique roles have implications for leadership preparation and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that the said issue of Comparative Education will be dealing with the problems and needs of the low income countries. It also contains five articles that covered the developmental and educational policy problems in the Third World countries. Moreover, it contains articles that discusses the educational reforms in Western Europe. It also mentions the previous Notes and Comments covered the conferences related to comparative education which includes the "Fourth World Congress of Comparative Education Societies" held in Tokyo, Japan and "Pre-Congress Conference" held in Seoul, South Korea.

This present paper has got a clear goal: to contextualize education for development in the present moment, planning its evolution and the keys that characterize education collected from the most representative and up-to-date pieces of work. The experience that we present is integrated in a project developed in Paraguay that is expected to describe the professional characteristics of the school supervisors of the Republic of Paraguay and according to them, determine which are their training needs in order to establish the rules for the elaboration of a training programme that includes the guidelines that managers should know in order to exercise their role. The implementation of the abovementioned programme and the global evaluation of the project, complete the study with the second and third stages of the work. An empirical descriptive study of a transverse nature has been used. One of the conclusions worth mentioning is that two fifths of the supervisors have not received update course over the last three years and those who have taken it belong to very diverse areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]