Education & Pedagogy

This study aimed to examine the trends in grants for STEM/STEAM education in Japan as well as Japanese students' perception of science learning and future careers. The grants were addressed through analysis of chronological trends, while student perceptions were reviewed through student questionnaires on Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2011, 2015, and 2019. The results reflect ideas on not only STEM education, which is often treated in the context of workforce development and science/mathematics education in Japan, but also ideas on the rapid expansion of and changes to STEAM education around 2015, which seems to be intended the integration of multiple subjects. In contrast, the results showed that students' perceptions of science and engineering careers are improving, but there are still challenges. Since subject-integrated learning has already been conducted in Japan, we consider the further discussion required regarding specific objective of STEAM versus STEM education.

The New Zealand schooling system is well-known for its progressive and innovative approach to education (Couch, 2012; Mutch, 2013; Wells, 2016). Their national curriculum is inclusive and flexible, allowing schools and teachers to select the content they deem necessary to meet the competencies in the designated learning areas (Ministry of Education, 2007). Additionally, the NZ education system provides choice to parents by offering a range of alternative approaches to schooling, such as Steiner Schools, Montessori Schools, Catholic Schools, or Kura Kaupapa Mãori (Mãori language immersion schools). Within such progressive public schooling system, one would not expect that there would be interest in alternative private schools. Yet, this study found the opposite. To examine the growing interest in independent alternative programs in New Zealand, this study uses a qualitative multiple-case study design of four independent educational programs in the North Island of New Zealand.

Using data from a case-study school as a springboard, this article explores how enactments of democratic education might both problematise and illuminate new possibilities for the way we conceptualise social justice in education. Nancy Fraser's tripartite framework of social justice is used to analyse in-depth interviews with students aged 14-16 from a democratic school in the United Kingdom. The article makes two key arguments: first, it highlights the interdependence of 'recognition' and 'representation' and, consequently, calls on mainstream policy and practice to make a substantive commitment to participatory democracy as part of the 'inclusive education' agenda. Second, it points to the tensions between 'redistributive' justice and other social justice aims which may be particularly stark in democratic education (and other progressive education) spaces. The article suggests that a strengthened relationship between democratic schools and research communities would offer a crucial contribution to collective critical reflection on social justice in education.

Inclusive education workforce capability is the ability of the education workforce to meet individual student learning needs, regardless of educational context. In this study, we investigated the perceptions of 12 principals in Australian education settings on their views about roles and responsibilities related to the workforce's preparedness for inclusive education. We used thematic analysis to identify 9 major themes and 3 subthemes across the 3 roles about which participants were asked: the principal's role, the system's role, and the teacher registration boards' role. The findings indicated a number of areas of concern for these principals about ensuring the capability of the education workforce in the context of extensive student diversity. In summary, results indicated that principals, systems, and teacher registration boards each have a role in building inclusive education workforce capability, with a coordinated effort more likely to bring Australia closer to its pledge of inclusive education for all students.

In Australia, access to music education is inequitable due to the challenges of distance, different state education systems and a lack of resources in schools. As a means to address this social justice issue, we explore here the viability and effects of a digitally based music outreach programme undertaken in collaboration with Hands on Learning (HOL), an alternative education provider. The programme was delivered over 6 weeks using GarageBand to children in a small rural town who were experiencing difficulties in upper primary and lower secondary school years. A qualitative approach was taken, holding focus groups, observing sessions and accessing HOL daily notes. The programme had a significant impact on the teachers and children involved, showing promise for a larger scale project in the future.

Poverty is a complex social problem, which has always attracted attention. 2020 is the year of a decisive victory for the Chinese government to alleviate poverty. Education plays a fundamental role in the fight against poverty and is the foundation for eradicating poverty and stabilizing poverty alleviation. Based on the literature in the CNKI database, this study took "poverty-alleviation by supporting education" as the subject, and conducted a bibliometric analysis of the publications in the field of China's poverty alleviation by education during 1988-2020. Through analyzing the research time distribution and keyword, the results of poverty-alleviation by supporting education were sorted out and analyzed around three hotspots: the main framework of poverty alleviation, key models, and technical support. It is proposed that the research and development of China's poverty-alleviation by supporting education should pay more attention to its evaluation and sublimation of empirical theory.

In this study, we explore whether education-occupation mismatch in the form of over-education and under-education affects the risk of long-term sickness absence. We use register data covering the Norwegian population in the period 2003-2013, containing 13,628,079 person-year observations (2,059,989 persons). To account for selection, we controlled for unobserved occupational and individual heterogeneity. This has been lacking in previous studies of mismatch and health outcomes. Our results show that over-education increases, and under-education reduces, the probability of long-term sickness absence. Controlling for selection reduces the associations substantially. The associations also diminish with experience. These results hold across two different measures of mismatch. Furthermore, both time spent in a mismatched status and specifications of mismatch alter the probability of LTSA. We conclude that education-occupation mismatch is associated with long-term sickness absence but underscore the need for adequate controls for selection.

Gifted students differ from their peers in many areas, and require additional effort and skills from their teachers in regular schools. Teachers in regular education play a critical role in the identification of gifted students and education. Therefore, considering their attitudes toward these students and gifted education in general will provide a deeper understanding of teachers' needs regarding the quality of gifted education. The present study aims to examine teachers' perceptions about gifted students through the use of metaphors and attitudes toward gifted education. Qualitative data were collected from 136 teachers utilizing two open-ended questions. Teachers used metaphors based on three categories: gifted education, the social value and various characteristics related to giftedness. The results were discussed in terms of practical implications, teachers' training needs, educational strategies for gifted students and challenges endemic to the identification process in Turkey.

The complex nature of contemporary challenges requires a culture of cooperation between academic disciplines. However, to what extent do educational systems prepare students to think beyond the boundaries of austerely defined and often entrenched academic fields? UNESCO has successively called for Environmental Education, Education for Sustainable Development, and Education for Global Citizenship to incorporate complex socio-environmental issues into mainstream education. Despite the presence of strong institutional support by governments and international organizations, the introduction of these interdisciplinary approaches into actual educational settings has been slow. With no intention to underestimate the pertinence and agency of strong political will in promoting educational change, we explore the presence of deeper, epistemological issues that may account for the generally slow progress of interdisciplinary pedagogies. To elaborate on this discussion, we focus on pragmatic solutions that can promote the integration of environmental, sustainability, and global citizenship education into the existing educational ethoi.

Purpose: To identify and define a set of core practices for physical education teacher education (PETE), to situate these practices within existing conceptions of core practices in other subject matters, and to validate the core practices using expert opinion and the evidence-based pedagogy literature. Method: A total of 45 PETE teacher educators, consisting of 22 research experts and 23 faculty members, were purposely selected to establish a consensus on core practices. The procedures draw upon guidelines from evaluation and program planning, medicine, nursing, and health education. Data were collected over e-mail. Results: From an initial set of 18 core practices, 16 practices were further developed and refined by the experts. These 16 practices were further validated by seeking evidence from the physical education literature and by using meta-analytic effect sizes. Discussion/Conclusion: The results of this study can be used as an invitation to the field to improve the authors' teacher education efforts.

In this article we analyze the landscape of dance teacher certification programs in the United States for the potential of anti-racist transformation in the field of dance education. We look at higher educational programming as a main place for revolutionary change in the future of dance education because the socio-political culture within curricula, pedagogies, policies, and practices of dance education in higher education maps to that of P-12 educational settings. This article enlists the aid of the work of Tema Okun and adrienne maree brown to envision the re-culturing of dance teacher certification programs through somatic social justice and Emergent Strategy. The article includes somatic reflective practices for the readers to engage in throughout the article to provide a lived, enacted experience of the long-term, sustainable change we propose for the future of dance education.

Growing literatures highlight global shifts in education brought by spreading neoliberal values and marketisation. Parallel literatures address parenting styles. Parents, these literatures observe, are increasingly made responsible and/or voluntarily take responsibility for educational inputs alongside mainstream schooling. Much parental investment is in the so-called shadow education sector of private supplementary tutoring. Examining Chinese patterns, this paper notes longstanding high enrolment rates in both academic and non-academic supplementary education prior to government restrictions that brought a sharp marketplace jolt. The paper then employs parental interview data to show the rationales for such investment despite efforts by the Chinese authorities to retain schooling as a fully-sufficient form of education. The strengthened government policy altered the picture, but it seems likely that in the competitive society many parents will still secure supplementary support to manage what they feel to be a precarious environment.

Across major anglophone college systems, institutions in various jurisdictions have gained the authority to award the bachelor's degree. That prospect has come late to further education colleges in England. With its long history of teaching for the bachelor's degree, the English road to awarding powers has features in common with and different from those in North America and Australia. In the modern-day literature on college higher education in England, little attention has been given to the bachelor's degree in its own right. Accordingly, a summary history and a digest of quantitative and qualitative evidence are assembled. Domestic debates are reviewed. Issues for policy and research are signalled. In this way, a platform is provided by which to better connect with international debates and comparisons.

In general education, researchers find candidates' pre-service experiences are a tool for socialization into the knowledge, norms, and values of the profession. An important aspect of this process is program vision--the collective understanding of teaching put forth by a preparation program. Yet, few investigations in special education examine program vision. Using interviews with candidates across six teacher preparation programs, the author generates theory to understand the role of vision in special education teacher candidates' professional socialization and how experiences of program vision are associated with their conceptions of their future roles and responsibilities. Candidates' conception of special educators' roles reflected three characterizations consistent within, but distinct across programs: Direct Instructor, Supportive Differentiator, and General Responder. Each profile was associated with unique roles and responsibilities for special educators. Findings draw attention to the importance of examining vision as a tool for professional socialization in special education teacher preparation.

The arts have been part of human endeavor throughout the history of civilization. They have defined cultures and enriched our lives. Despite their value, the arts have not been given equal priority with other academic disciplines, either in K-12 or in tertiary education. Recognizing the value of arts education for the overall cognitive development of students, this article evaluates the impact of arts courses in a university setting through a General Education program. Pre- and post-surveys (N=203 for the Study Process Questionnaire and N=163 for the Learning Experience Inventory) were conducted to evaluate what was learned in these courses, and the results show that there was a positive impact on students' capacity for quality learning. The study indicates the importance of arts education for student learning and the power of the arts in General Education.