Showing papers in "Compare in 2000"
TL;DR: The authors discusses the differential distribution of opportunities for professional development of science teachers in post-apartheid South Africa and proposes that evolutionary ideas on teacher change and development offer a more effective model of the constraints under which teachers work.
Abstract: This paper discusses the differential distribution of opportunities for professional development of science teachers in post-apartheid South Africa. It is argued that northern/western ideas about teacher change and development are poorly suited to modelling practices and challenges for those who were historically disadvantaged. The environment in which teachers work-physical, social and political-act to select a more limited repertoire of behaviour than those providing in-service might imagine. The paper proposes that evolutionary ideas on teacher change and development offer a more effective model of the constraints under which teachers work. These ideas have general application to educational systems in sub-Saharan Africa. The implications for policy are a need to research current practices more thoroughly and to facilitate change through modest steps.
152Â citations
TL;DR: This paper highlighted the importance of societal culture to developing theory, policy and practice within an increasingly globalizing educational context. But they also highlighted the need for greater cultural sensitivity by raising some key issues.
Abstract: This paper highlights the importance of societal culture to developing theory, policy and practice within an increasingly globalising educational context. It argues that tensions exist between globalisation and societal culture and that globalisation makes the recognition of societal culture and cross-cultural similarities and differences more, not less, important. Consequently, the inclusion of societal culture as a factor in investigations covering such themes as the curriculum, teaching and learning, leadership and school-based management is seen as an imperative for the future development of comparative education. Accordingly, the first part of the paper clarifies the concept of 'globalisation'. In the second part, globalisation and societal culture are juxtaposed and the interface between them is explored. The third part offers a set of dimensions by which to gauge the influence of, and to compare, cultures. Finally, we illustrate our argument for greater cultural sensitivity by raising some key issu...
124Â citations
TL;DR: The construct of the market is an interesting new element in the discourse on higher education in Europe and it has generated serious initiatives in deregulating higher education, in developing performance-based models of resource allocation, in fostering inter-institutional competition and efficient management structures, and even in considering the "privatisation" of higher education.
Abstract: The construct of the market is an interesting new element in the discourse on higher education in Europe. It has generated serious initiatives in deregulating higher education, in developing performance-based models of resource allocation, in fostering inter-institutional competition and efficient management structures, and even in considering the 'privatisation' of higher education. These developments affect particularly the financing of higher education, where new models of resource generation and allocation, institutional steering and controlling, and accountability are being explored. Within this context, and with a view towards the future of higher education in Europe, four issues are being examined in more detail: formula funding, the mobilisation of external resources, the introduction of tuition fees, and the creation of private institutions of higher education.
59Â citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors analyze the positive and negative features associated with the unusually strong presence of private education in the context of a poor country, and asses their implications for the public education system.
Abstract: This paper starts with an overview of the current education situation in Haiti and a presentation of the relevant historical background. It will then analyze the positive and negative features associated with the unusually strong presence of private education in the context of a poor country, and asses their implications for the public education system. Finally, it will consider different options for fostering an more balanced and harmonious development of private and public education in Haiti, including the feasibility of institutionalizing demand-side financing.
48Â citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a study of how comparative educators, and relate scholars, used their creative imaginations to construct new knowledge and understand about ways of representing changing educational phenomena and relations.
Abstract: The study is organised around three questions, i.e. (1) how have comparative educators, and relate scholars, used their creative imaginations to construct new knowledge and understanding about ways of representing changing educational phenomena and relations? (2) what genres and forms of representation have been appropriated or elaborated and how have these code choices influenced ways of seeing and thinking? and (3) can this self-reflexive history of imagination in practice be patterned as an intertextual field of difference, as a comparative cultural map that may help to open new vistas into the past and the future? In this, my desire is to move beyond the sterile polarities of modernist rule-making and poststructuralist nihilism in knowledge work. Here I should instead like to privilege a hermeneutic of imagination with its power of disclosure, which I believe marks our basic ethical ability to imagine oneself as another. Two figures and two tables help to visualise my argument and summarise findings.
47Â citations
TL;DR: The authors argue that the current education system fails to address the full implications of historical change in relation to ethics and equity, and propose new frameworks for helping students to deal with the altered context of moral and political life.
Abstract: How are we to educate young people of, and for, these times in a way which takes into account the existential and moral dilemmas of our age? We argue that the current education system fails to address the full implications of historical change in relation to ethics and equity. In what follows, we offer some ways of describing and theorising contemporary life in an age of uncertainty. We offer it as a knowledge base from which teachers, principals and policy makers might draw in creating new morally and ethically sound policy discourses. We follow with some new frameworks for helping students to deal with the altered context of moral and political life.
41Â citations
TL;DR: The Knowledge Management System (KMS) as discussed by the authors attempts to be more than a mere data bank, for it seeks to provide highly selected and targeted knowledge, based on a manager to determine what constitutes "relevant" and "best" evidence.
Abstract: As globalisation expands, the twin forces of the market and information technologies are pervading the educational arena. One instance is the Knowledge Management System (KMS), which proposes to produce easily retrievable materials via the Internet and hypertext. KMS attempts to be more than a mere data bank, for it seeks to provide highly selected and targeted knowledge. For its implementation, KMS depends on a manager to determine what constitutes 'relevant' and 'best' evidence. Since powerful institutions in the North are the most likely to develop KMS, this innovation augurs further dominance by the North, with detrimental consequences for the South in the selection of research that fits ideological and methodological paradigms preferred by such institutions. Further, the notions of 'just-in-time' knowledge and 'best practices' risk confusing what is bound to become segmented and decontextualised information with what should be knowledge (and wisdom) appropriate for educational decision-making.
32Â citations
TL;DR: The authors examines the new configurations in global relations and the centrality of knowledge as the emerging currency in that relationship, taking into account the vacuum created by the collapse of the Soviet Union, and especially the subduing effect that this has had on Marxist scholars and scholarship as the once core critical paradigm.
Abstract: This paper examines the new configurations in global relations and the centrality of knowledge as the emerging currency in that relationship. Taking into account the vacuum created by the collapse of the Soviet Union, and especially the subduing effect that this has had on Marxist scholars and scholarship as the once core critical paradigm, the paper argues that the 'centre-periphery' fault line and dichotomy may be far less obvious to the younger generation than to the predecessors. This has to do with the fact that on the one hand, discourses of concealment with benign exteriors have so permeated the life spaces including those in the 'periphery', making it ever more difficult to separate what is real and what is not. On the other hand, the forces of the new global economy have led to structural acquiescence of the economies of the South to the extent that one witnesses the poor countries becoming quite desperate to become, and remain, attractive to globalised capital. In the far less categorical scenar...
29Â citations
TL;DR: The authors explored the 1998 reforms of the further education and training system in the context of broader questions of educational and economic transformation in South Africa, and concluded that one of the central elements determining South Africa's short-to medium-term future will be the success of educational transformation, particularly when it is directed to addressing issues of equity and economic development.
Abstract: As South Africa enters the Mbeki Presidency so the fortunes of the country are thrown into sharp relief. One of the central elements determining South Africa's short- to medium-term future will be the success of educational transformation, particularly when it is directed to addressing issues of equity and economic development. This paper explores the 1998 reforms of the further education and training system in the context of broader questions of educational and economic transformation in South Africa.
25Â citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors focused on the development of information and communication technologies (ICTs), their implications for education and learning, and the resource constraints that will shape their impact on developing countries.
Abstract: This short paper is focused on the development of information and communication technologies (ICTs), their implications for education and learning, and the resource constraints that will shape their impact on developing countries. The analysis in the paper sets a challenge for the future. It argues that educational developments related to ICTs will be highly concentrated in richer countries where connectivity is common and markets for services are extensive and profitable. Some middle-income developing countries will derive benefits and become increasingly interconnected both as service consumers and specialised providers. The poorest countries are most likely to experience marginalisation and dependence from many of the benefits that ICTs can provide. For them, and for those concerned about their development, the challenge is to imagine, demonstrate and finance ways in which ICTs can permeate learning opportunity and infrastructure to lessen dependence, democratise access and promote the kinds of knowled...
21Â citations
TL;DR: The authors argue that new forms of egalitarian politics are likely to emerge, first, around differentiations within rather than between subordinated and powerful groups and, second, around the individualisation of learning processes and flexible educational careers.
Abstract: This paper highlights the challenges that schools in the future may face in relation to egalitarianism (in relation to gender, ethnicity and social class). It argues that new forms of egalitarian politics are likely to emerge, first, around differentiations within rather than between subordinated and powerful groups and, second, around the individualisation of learning processes and flexible educational careers. New gender concerns will challenge the concepts of educational excellence, the masculinisation of science, and schools' responses to disengagement. Traditional gender identities are changing and schools may have to respond to the gap between the educational success of young women and the discrimination they face on the labour market, and the disadvantages associated with a celebration of masculinity. The processes of individualisation and globalisation suggest that educationists and feminists have to engage with male and female experiences that could be even more different and unequal.
TL;DR: In this paper, a conceptual evaluation of primary assessment policy and the policy process in the Republic of Ireland is presented, with reference to the decision-making process and comparisons with other systems outside Ireland, particularly England/Wales, are made, where appropriate.
Abstract: This paper offers a conceptual evaluation of primary assessment policy and the policy process in the Republic of Ireland. It considers, in particular, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment's policy document, A Programme for Reform: curriculum and assessment policy towards the new century and within that, the policy statement, The Curriculum at Primary Level: programme development and pupil assessment and it also refers to the primary teachers' union stance on assessment. It critically evaluates the Irish policy position on assessment in the light of recent literature in this field. The main argument of the paper is that the proposed policy is preoccupied with measurement issues and it does not sufficiently recognise the complexity of implementing formative assessment. The paper also seeks to explain the nature of current policy in Ireland with reference to the decision-making process and comparisons with other systems outside Ireland, particularly England/Wales, are made, where appropriate.
TL;DR: This article explored elementary school children's geographical and affective location of the self in Japan, Macau and Hong Kong, finding that Japanese children are far less likely than their counterparts in Hong Kong and Macau to locate themselves in an international sphere.
Abstract: In the so-called 'global age', the issue of how children learn to locate themselves in the world is an important one. Working from a foundation of theories related to globalisation, identity development and citizenship education, this paper describes the findings of a research project which explored elementary school children's geographical and affective location of the self in Japan, Macau and Hong Kong. Analysis and discussion of Japanese education policy is then presented in an attempt to explain the finding that Japanese children are far less likely than their counterparts in Hong Kong and Macau to locate themselves in an international sphere.
TL;DR: In this paper, the concept of lifelong learning and associated ideas are unpacked and particular applications highlighted, including human rights, literacy and gender, and new arenas for lifelong learning are noted, but the general imbalance between the High Human Development countries and the rest of the world is under scored.
Abstract: Taking a historical perspective and focusing on Low and Medium Human Development countries, the paper starts with a quotation from a nineteenth-century Scot proposing universal empowerment through education for all citizens and ends with the recognition that at the end of the twentieth century his social justice challenge has not yet been met. The concept of lifelong learning and associated ideas are unpacked and particular applications highlighted, including human rights, literacy and gender. New arenas for lifelong learning are noted, but the general imbalance between the High Human Development countries and the rest of the world is under scored. At the same time, lessons in learning from the majority world for the High Development countries are suggested, including development-related learning and popular participation.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examine the rationale for how resources are organized, value is created and how value is converted into power in an emerging knowledge-based economy, and the resultant social, political, production and structural changes are examined.
Abstract: In an emerging knowledge-based economy, the rationale for how resources are organised, value is created and, in turn, how value is converted into power will change radically. Educators, in particular, can play a central role in negotiating these power shifts. This paper examines the impetus behind the shift. In so doing, production is examined as to how it creates value and how that changes our work and learning environments. Emerging definitions of education, value, labour and knowledge are discussed in light of these changes. Finally, resultant social, political, production and structural changes are examined.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explored the process of needs assessment within this programme and presented an effective model of need assessment which guided it, suggesting the use of a multi-pronged qualitative approach to assessing needs.
Abstract: The literature endorses the critical role of needs assessment for effective INSET (In-service Education and Training). This view is not however, adequately supported by empirical research. There is also a dearth of literature on the process of needs assessment. The few studies that explore the process focus on the use of questionnaire and interview methods. The latter method was found to be inappropriate for the unqualified primary teachers participating in an INSET programme in Namibia (1995-97). This paper explores the process of needs assessment within this programme and presents an effective model of needs assessment which guided it. The model suggests the use of a multi-pronged qualitative approach to assessing needs.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a rationale for children's participation and argue that their capacity for participation is determined not only by age and by stage of development but also by such factors as gender, religion, ethnicity, wealth and disability.
Abstract: This paper presents a rationale for children's participation and argues that their capacity for participation is determined not only by age and by stage of development but also by such factors as gender, religion, ethnicity, wealth and disability. It critically reviews a range of models to measure children's participation and uses one of these models to analyse the level of participation illustrated in case studies of school health in Nepal, Zambia and Botswana. Finally, it identifies strategies for increasing the level of children's participation through developing health-promoting schools. It concludes that among the main barriers to children's participation are the attitudes of adults who have yet to fully realise the value of children's participation and to develop the skills needed to work with them as partners for health.
TL;DR: In this article, a comparison of national quality policy developments in two countries, Australia and South Africa, and investigates the emerging tensions in quality policy processes in these countries, verifying the underlying assumption of the authors that notions of quality and quality policies and their implementation are very much dependent on the particular localised contexts in which they exist.
Abstract: Over the last decade universities across the world have been grappling with quality and quality assurance issues. In several countries national policies on higher education quality assurance have been evolving, mostly with the purpose of putting external systems of quality assurance in place. In many instances, these policies and systems had less effect on the quality of teaching and learning than had been expected. This paper serves as a comparison of national quality policy developments in two countries, Australia and South Africa, and goes on to investigate the emerging tensions in quality policy processes in these countries. Whereas a number of similarities were discerned, differences were as evident, verifying the underlying assumption of the authors that notions of quality, and quality policies and their implementation are very much dependent on the particular localised contexts in which they exist.
TL;DR: In The Netherlands, since 1996, migrants, refugees and asylum seekers are obliged to take part in an educational settlement program which should enable them to gain access to professional education and to the labour market.
Abstract: In The Netherlands, since 1996, 'newcomers', like migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, are obliged to take part in an educational settlement programme which should enable them to gain access to (professional) education and to the labour market This paper deals with the settlement efforts that are required from adult education on the one hand and newcomers on the other hand, and with the current results and further prospects We elaborate the central aspects of the settlement policy and its developments, and, drawing on the field theory of Pierre Bourdieu, we analyse the settlement policy and its consequences for adult education as well as newcomers Then we turn to the two ideologies, cultural assimilation and structural integration, which firmly instigated the (re)formation of the policy, and we relate them to the actual settlement practice Conclusively, we stipulate three kinds of conditions for a settlement policy that has greater significance for the labour participation of newcomers, and for thei
TL;DR: In this article, women in the network surrounding the British and Foreign School Society Ladies Committee used constitutional, familial, religious and educational languages to claim an authoritative role for themselves in the development of education for non-Western women and girls.
Abstract: This article focuses on the way women in the network surrounding the British and Foreign School Society Ladies Committee used constitutional, familial, religious and educational languages to claim an authoritative role for themselves in the development of education for non-Western women and girls. It highlights some of the ambiguities of colonial power for British women educators, which were implicit in women's self-representation of themselves as authoritative and their depictions of the non-Western female 'other'. It argues that in the two-way relation of metropole and periphery, the notion of the universal 'rational' mother employed within the network constituted an early 'professionalisation' of motherhood in relation to non-Western women, which worked to confirm the authority, responsibility and the 'Britishness' of British women themselves.
TL;DR: The authors compared approaches to curriculum specialisation in secondary education in New Zealand and England and identified three dimensions that have played a part in influencing curriculum specialization in both countries: opportunity, source of impetus and support.
Abstract: The paper compares approaches to curriculum specialisation in secondary education in New Zealand and England. In both countries there have been movements towards increased specialisation, though these have been quite different in form and scope. In both countries specialisation cannot be divorced from broader education policies designed to increase devolution and choice and the paper discusses these contexts before analysing the different approaches to specialisation and attempting an explanation. The authors draw on findings from research undertaken in New Zealand schools. The paper identifies three dimensions that have played a part in influencing curriculum specialisation in both countries. These are opportunity, source of impetus and support. It is argued that while local initiative is possible in New Zealand, central planning and guidance is inadequate. In England while central planning is strong and support is available, it is far from clear that real specialisation is encouraged by existing curricu...
TL;DR: In this paper, the problem of knowledge production and legitimation at the University of Cyprus is examined against the background of extant theory on the relationships between knowledge and legitimacy, and the problem is examined in terms of knowledge exchange and knowledge exchange.
Abstract: This paper investigates the problem of knowledge production and legitimation at the University of Cyprus. The problem is examined against the background of extant theory on the relationships betwee...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors compare and contrast school counsellor training programs in two institutions from different cultures: The University of Ilorin, Nigeria and The Pennsylvania State University, USA.
Abstract: This paper compares and contrasts school counsellor training programmes in two institutions from different cultures: The University of Ilorin, Nigeria and The Pennsylvania State University. While the USA is an industrialised Western nation, Nigeria is a developing African nation. A comparative inquiry of this nature is likely to provide a comprehensive and contemporary view of the national conditions from which guidance and counselling concerns emerge in the two countries. The areas covered include course content, method of training, programme emphasis, and accreditation. The implication of these issues for the development and improvement of counsellor education programmes are discussed.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the Social Democrats' policy on the creation of a better division between the genders for professors, and examined the factors that influenced the design and implementation of the policy.
Abstract: In the spring of 1995 the Social Democrats, the party of government in Sweden, introduced legislation on gender equality in education as part of its commitment to equal opportunity for both genders in Swedish society. Part of the proposal behind the legislation related to the creation of a more equal division of professional positions between the genders. This paper examines the Social Democrats' policy on the creation of a better division between the genders for professors. There appears to be no-one active in the debate who claims that there ought not to be female professors, although how this ought to be achieved is an issue of dispute. The central issues examined in the paper are the factors that influenced the design and implementation of the policy and whether the Social Democrats' policy goals are being achieved.