Education & Pedagogy

Dutch programs, courses, and policy for foreign student education are described. (DE)

This article discusses the appropriate content of and methodology for teaching a environmental health education program. (PD)

Presents strategies used to initiate a bilingual program. (DW)

Discusses the present hierarchy of chemical education levels in Great Britain and proposed changes to this structure. (MLH)

Presents several activities related to aerospace education. Included are activities on flight motion, rocketry, and communications. (RH)

A description of the systems approach in media training in Great Britain. (HB)

This paper is about changing concepts of equity in UK higher education. In particular, it charts the moves from concepts about gender equality as about women's education as a key issue in twentieth century higher education to questions of men's education in the twenty-first century. These changing concepts of equity are linked to wider social and economic transformations, the expansion of higher education and the growth in the knowledge economy, or what has been called "academic capitalism". Feminist theorists and activists, often called second wave feminists, developed concepts of gender equality in education, including higher education in the twentieth century, and these have been incorporated into higher education and policies with the expansions of higher education, especially around notions of widening participation. Notions of widening participation in policy and practice arenas focus on equity as about social class, socio-economic disadvantage, ethnicity and race, rather than specifically on gender questions. Equity is now twinned with diversity and where gender is now invoked it is largely about young and working class men's disadvantage in relation to higher education. In this paper, I will also provide research evidence from the UK's Teaching and Learning Research Programme (TLRP) which has been the UK's biggest ever initiative in education research about equity and diversity as currently conceived in UK higher education. I will show how gender has been incorporated with diversity questions and has lost its critical and feminist edge. I conclude with addressing questions about the future of higher education policies and practices to address questions of equity and diversity, attempting to counter the systemic inequalities in current forms of UK higher education. There are opportunities for developing new, critical and feminist pedagogies. More inclusive or "connectionist" approaches, rather than "teaching to the test", would engage socially diverse men and women students in a range of higher education subjects and settings.

This year's joint report highlights the progress made in education since the special session of the 106th General Assembly (2010), which included passage of the First to the Top and Complete College Tennessee Acts. Both Acts provide a framework for collaboration between all state systems of education, addressing the overarching need to produce a higher proportion of college- and career-ready graduates. The "Joint Report" discusses the following four areas, as mandated by T.C.A. §49-1-302(a)(10): (1) Minimizing Duplication -- the extent of duplication in elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education; (2) Compatability -- compatibility between high school graduation requirements and college admission requirements; (3) Master Plan Fulfillment -- fulfillment of the State Board of Education and Tennessee Higher Education Commission's master plans; and (4) State needs in Public Education -- the extent to which the state needs in public education have been met as determined by the board and commission. Tennessee has made significant progress in each of these areas and has set up a robust system of collaboration between different levels of public education in the state. This collaboration has driven the State's goals of increasing the number of college-ready high school graduates and the number of college graduates. This report demonstrates that the goals set by the T.C.A. §49-1-302(a)(10) are being successfully met. The goal of aligning high school graduation requirements and admission requirements of higher education institutions has been fully attained. Robust data collection across the P-20 sector allows for identification of the areas of duplication that must be minimized. A variety of programs, projects, and initiatives aim to serve the state needs in public education and achieve the specified goals. [For the 2014 report, see ED560727.]

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Education Policy provides an Agency-wide vision and direction for supporting partner countries in strengthening their capacity to deliver quality learning opportunities for children and youth. The primary purpose of programming in education by USAID is to achieve sustained, measurable improvements in learning outcomes and skills development. The principles laid out in the policy drive decision-making for new education investments supporting the vision that partner country education systems must enable all children and youth to acquire the education and skills needed to be productive members of society. The priority areas laid out in this policy serve as a general framing and orientation for USAID's work in education. Across these areas, USAID investments in education may cut across education levels (from pre-primary through higher education), types of institutions (state and non-state), and learning environments (formal and non-formal). These priorities illustrate key areas for programming and investment that are critical to supporting countries on their journey to self-reliance: (1) Children and youth, particularly the most marginalized and vulnerable, have increased access to quality education that is safe, relevant, and promotes social well-being; (2) Children and youth gain literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional skills that are foundational to future learning and success; (3) Youth gain the skills they need to lead productive lives, gain employment, and positively contribute to society; and (4) Higher education institutions have the capacity to be central actors in development by conducting and applying research, delivering quality education, and engaging with communities. USAID's education investments support partner countries to strengthen their capacity to achieve sustainable, quality learning and education outcomes. In the education sector, self-reliance describes a country's ability to sustainably finance and equitably deliver services that improve learning outcomes and skill acquisition for all children and youth.

This paper complies with the requirements established in T.C.A. Section 49-1-302(a)(10). The act directs the State Board of Education and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission to provide a report to the Governor and General Assembly, all public schools, and institutions of higher learning and their respective boards. This report is to include, but is not limited to, a discussion of the following four areas: (1) The extent of duplication in elementary, secondary and postsecondary education; (2) The extent of compatibility in high school graduation requirements and admission requirements of postsecondary institutions; (3) The extent to which respective master plans of the board and the higher education commission are being fulfilled; and (4) The extent to which state needs in public education are being met as determined by such board and commission. This year's joint report marks the continuation of a new era for education in Tennessee, in response to the special session of the 106th General Assembly (2010), including First to the Top and the Complete College Tennessee Act. Each is focused on raising the level of statewide accountability and support in K-12 schools and institutions of higher education. Taken together, this work provides the framework for collaboration between all state systems of education, addressing the overarching need to produce a higher proportion of college- and career-ready graduates. Tennessee will use this framework to make significant progress toward increasing postsecondary educational attainment to the national average by 2025. Appendices include: (1) Tennessee High School Graduation Requirement; and (2) Minimum High School Course Requirements for Regular Undergraduate Admission to Tennessee Public Higher Education Institutions. (Contains 3 footnotes.) [For the "Annual Joint Report on Pre-Kindergarten through Higher Education in Tennessee, 2011", see ED540083.]

This volume provides an overview of some of the outstanding features of the work of the Norwegian sociologist and comparative educationist, Jon Lauglo. After an introduction, "'It Ain't Necessarily So!': Theories and Observations in Jon Lauglo's World of Education and Training" (Se-Yung Lim and Klaus Schaack), essays and studies are presented in five sections. Section 1, "Teachers and Social Contexts," includes "Teachers' Social Origins, Career Commitment during University, and Occupational Attitudes"; "Upper-Secondary Teaches in Norway: Organizational Participation and its Correlates"; and "Rural Primary School Teachers as Potential Community Leaders? Contrasting Historical Cases in Western Countries." Section 2, "Technical and Vocational Education and Training," includes"Concepts of 'General Education' and 'Vocational Education' Curricula for Post-Compulsory Schooling in Western Industrialised Countries: When Shall the Twain Meet?"; "Diversified Secondary Education in Kenya: The Status of Practical Subjects and Their Uses after School" (Jon Lauglo and Anders Narman); "Technical Secondary Students in Kenya: Origins, Achievement and Destinations"; and "Vocational Training: Analysis of Policy and Modes--Case Studies of Sweden, Germany and Japan." Section 3, "Control of Education," includes "Soviet Education Policy 1917-1935: From Ideology to Bureaucratic Control"; "Populism and Education in Norway"; and "Forms of Decentralization and Their Implications for Education." Section 4, "The 'Agency' for Education and Social Capital among Immigrant Youth," includes"Working Harder to Make the Grade: Immigrant Youth in Norwegian Schools" and "Social Capital Trumping Class and Cultural Capital? Engagement with School among Immigrant Youth." Section 5, "A Case for Adult Basic Education in Developing Countries," includes "A Case for Renewed Engagement with Adult Basic Education in Africa." (Papers contain references.) (SM)