Education & Pedagogy

The article analyzes the latest steps taken by Russian authorities in reforming the system of education, and substantiates society's strongly felt need for the reforms to be liberated from bureaucratic dictatorship and secrecy. It demonstrates the close connection between the reform of education and the rapidly dropping quality of education, emphasizing that the scale of higher professional education in Russia does not correspond to the pace of the country's social and economic development. It argues that the degree of freedom offered to teachers in the performance of their professional functions constitutes the actual indicator of the degree of democracy of the social structure. [This article was translated by Kim Braithwaite.]

In France, there is no religious education in state schools. "Convictional education" appeared by drawing its perimeter around three educational subjects: philosophy, teaching about religions, and moral and civic education. Today, the French school is facing new challenges in a highly secularised society on which religion is laying new claims. As an institution, it is not neutral insofar as it proceeds from a political philosophy that evolved from the French Revolution. It is within the operative framework of this philosophy and with specific teaching practices that it intends to combine unity and plurality within itself.

Contemporary society makes it even harder to reflect upon the issues of education, as more and more people get higher education, and even study at professional retraining programs. The rise of popularity of online education platforms poses another set of concerns and confounds the traditionally clear model of educational relationship between the teacher and the student. In Russia, the legislative initiatives of the government gain momentum, while funding is constantly reduced. The author puts forward several crucial questions in order to consider the transformations of education and its social functions that we witness today. [This article was translated by Kenneth Cargill.]

Few can argue the marginalized status of physical education in today's schools, making the advocacy skills of physical educators and preservice teachers (PSTs) increasingly important. This article will describe how visibility and relationship building can be utilized as advocacy efforts. Following this, we will provide suggestions for how to integrate these strategies into physical education teacher education (PETE) programs including: making advocacy a major component of PETE programs early and often, engaging PSTs in hands-on projects, providing PSTs with opportunities to hear from practicing physical educators about advocacy, and developing professional networking skills and dispositions.

The value of international education lies in facilitating meaningful cultural immersion as a catalyst for intercultural learning and the creation of global citizens. As the current pandemic poses a threat to the survival of international education offices across the globe, Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) are facing not only unprecedented challenges, but also opportunities to strengthen students' capacity to address the issues of the 21st century. This essay will include a brief case study and address the importance of innovation in international education given the current pandemic.

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of master of music education degree program directors and alumni from selected schools regarding the ways in which their music education master's programs balance the varied needs of program participants. Findings are presented in the two broad categories of improvement in P-12 teacher learning and preparation for future scholarly work, and the discussion examines the qualitative comparisons between participant responses. Suggestions for graduate programs and future researchers are included.

Professional standards for principals include numerous provisions addressing the need to have the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to promote effective special education programs. The administration of special education programs requires complex responsibilities including assurances that policies and practices are in compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Administrators report that oversight of special education programs is among their most prioritized responsibilities yet was the area for which they were least prepared. This paper discusses coursework linked to professional standards and special education content, selected student assessment products, and qualitative data from program graduates. Several implications are identified.

Understanding college-level sex education can help campus stakeholders understand student knowledge, inform policies, and influences on culture. Although there is a large amount of research on sexual health programming, little is known about the types of sex education curriculum on college campuses. This systematic literature review evaluates the breadth of postsecondary sex education research over the last 10 years. Three sex education course themes indicate research spans the following areas: philosophical and pedagogical considerations, perceived student knowledge and learning, and cultural and feminist-informed sex education. Finally, the results also indicate there are six types of courses taught at the college-level.

This paper considers the extent to which European countries have distinctive models and approaches to film education, and the extent to which a supranational model of European film education might exist in competition with those national models. It considers where film education is positioned in relation to other subject fields and disciplines (literacy and media literacy); the role of the European Commission in promoting both European and national approaches to film education; and the potential of transnational film education programmes to move between national and supranational film education cultures. It draws on data collected for Screening Literacy, a survey of film education funded by the European MEDIA programme that was carried out in 2012.

Recent developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI) have generated great expectations for the future impact of AI in education and learning (AIED). Often these expectations have been based on misunderstanding current technical possibilities, lack of knowledge about state-of-the-art AI in education, and exceedingly narrow views on the functions of education in society. In this article, we provide a review of existing AI systems in education and their pedagogic and educational assumptions. We develop a typology of AIED systems and describe different ways of using AI in education and learning, show how these are grounded in different interpretations of what AI and education is or could be, and discuss some potential roadblocks on the AIED highway.

As music teachers, a large percentage of our clients are children and young adults. Researchers from the field of neuroscience and the aging brain have demonstrated that music education may benefit the brain and cognition throughout a person's lifespan. Thus, the purpose of the current review of literature is to provide a comprehensive scope through which to view the effects of music education on the aging brain. Specifically, cognition and neuroanatomy of aging, music education and cognition in aging, music education and brain changes in aging, proposed theories of these changes, existing music programs, and implications for music education will be discussed. Music educators can use these themes to advocate and promote music education of older adults in classrooms, universities, and healthcare settings.

In the current scenario of dispersed knowledge authorities and uncertainty brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, a critical reflection on the nationalist and anti-global climate is necessary to support the promotion of alternative ways of Global Citizenship Education (GCE). This paper addresses some of the criticism raised at the concept of GCE to discuss Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) as an alternative Thirdspace for promoting intercultural encounters in the internationalisation of higher education, in order to cope with local, national and global tensions in this process, with a 'glonacal' view that accounts for the role of individuals, local/national governments and higher education in it.

Culturally relevant education (CRE) approaches use minoritized populations' cultural capital to break the perennial cycle of these groups' underperformance. Yet, mathematics and science teachers do not feel confident in using CRE approaches. This literature review explores the practices and challenges that accompany CRE implementations in math and science classrooms aiming to inform mathematics and science teachers' preparation for equitable education. Practices were clustered in alignment with the CRE outcomes, namely cultural competence, academic achievement, and critical consciousness; further categories were inductively identified. Challenges were clustered in teachers' beliefs, lack of inclusive tools, and influence of institutional norms. Insights from the findings inform implications for preparing math and science teachers for equitable education.

In this contribution we describe and reflect on the organization of Chalmers University of Technology and how it benefits education development and innovation. Chalmer's matrix organization with a buyer-supplier management model for education has proven to be a driving force for change and quality enhancement and promotes the agility necessary for implementing educational reforms in response to both internal and external impulses. We exemplify this by describing and analyzing development projects in curriculum design, education for sustainable development, entrepreneurship, and a new transformative model for flexible education.

This qualitative case study explored ways innovation is practiced in a PK-12 special education school, including the antecedents and outcomes to innovation, and how innovation was supported. Findings concluded that specific elements within the school's staff, leadership, and environment fostered high levels of innovative practice. Individual's intrinsic motivation, openness to change, and way they approached challenges led to more innovative practices. Leaders who demonstrated transformational and servant leadership promoted innovative practices within the special education school. Implications for practice across special education is discussed, as well as how findings can be applied to the general education environment.