The unintended consequences of school inspection: the prevalence of inspection side-effects in Austria,the Czech Republic,England, Ireland,the Netherlands,Sweden, and Switzerland

It has been widely documented that accountability systems, including school inspections, bring with them unintended side effects. These unintended effects are often negative and have the potential to undo the intended positive effects. However the empirical evidence is limited. Through a European comparative study we have had the rare opportunity to collect empirical evidence and study the effects (both intended and unintended) of school inspections (a key system of accountability) in a systematic way, across seven countries. We present the findings of the unintended effects in this paper. Survey self-report responses from school principals in each country, with differing school inspection systems, are analysed to measure the prevalence of these unintended effects and to investigate the part played by pressure to do well in inspections. A key finding is that increasing pressure in school inspection systems is associated with the undesired effect of the narrowing and refocusing of the curriculum and instructional strategies. We also show that a proportion of school principals admit to misrepresenting the school in data sent to the inspectorate and show evidence for formalisation/proceduralisation (excessive focus on records) and ossification (fear of experimentation in teaching), although these factors are less related to changes in pressure.     

Effect of individual career counseling on psychological distress: impact of career intervention components,working alliance,and career indecision

International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance - This study examined the impact of intervention components, working alliance, and career indecision on the change in psychological...     

Values,intelligence and client behavior in career counseling: A field study

We examine relations of values and intelligence to overt behavior in a field study of clients in career counseling (N=365). Eleven counselors reported their clients' independence, activity and insightfulness behaviors. As predicted, both values and intelligence correlated substantially with particular behaviors. Activity and independence correlated positively with self-direction and achievement values and negatively with conformity and tradition values. Independence correlated positively with maturity values as well. Insightfulness correlated positively with maturity values and negatively with conformity and tradition values. All three behaviors correlated positively with intelligence. Values predicted behavior over and above intelligence, but intelligence added to the prediction by values only for the clients of some counselors. Implications of the findings for research on values and behavior are discussed.     

Social justice and career guidance in the Age of Talent

The practice of career guidance is heavily influenced by changes in the workplace impacted by globalization and fluctuating economies. In the current era, known as the Age of Talent, people are increasingly viewed as commodities to fulfill labor market needs. There are controversies and inequities about who has access to meaningful employment and what resources are made available to support people’s career development. Career guidance practitioners need to be responsive to current labor market demands while also considering the implications of their roles and practices for social justice.     

Shifting the paradigm: The use of creativity in career counseling

Conclusion To summarize, the techniques provided were intended to serve as a springboard for career counselors to employ creative strategies in their work. There also are important individual difference variables in career counselors that would make some of these techniques more desirable than others. It seems critical to explore different ways of being creative in our work in order to ensure that students develop an interest in vocational counseling and clients receive excellent services.As surveys of counselors as well as clients continue to show a dissatisfaction with career counseling it seems imperative that we investigate dynamic new ways of helping our clients think about their life/ career planning. As we model creativity in our own lives and practice, our clients will vicariously experience people who are truly excited about their occupational employment. This alone may assist career clients in achieving their dreams and maximizing their creative potentials.     

Online career counseling success: the role of hardiness and psychological capital

International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance - Online career counseling is an important new horizon for vocational guidance. The present study investigates the role of online...     

The unintended and intended academic consequences of educational reforms: the cases of Post-Soviet Estonia,Latvia and Russia

In this paper, we try to unravel some of the unintended and intended academic effects associated with post-Soviet educational reforms by focusing on three cases: Estonia, Latvia and Russia. We have chosen this comparison because a unique ‘natural experiment’ in the three countries allows us to compare the changing academic performance on an international test of a largely similar population in the three countries—Russian origin students attending Russian-medium schools—subjected to three variations of post-Soviet reforms. We find that relative to students in Russia, Russian-medium students in the Baltics made significant gains in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) test. In Latvia, these appear to be an unintended effect of somewhat ‘softened’ state language policies, the conditions surrounding minority rights, and the general context of maintaining social cohesion. In Estonia, the (later) relative gains of Russian students appear to an intended effect of locally grown educational (and language) policies and increased, more effective cooperation with Russian medium schools to further improve PISA performance in a relatively high scoring, PISA-focused country.     

略论孟子的礼与当时现实等级之礼的差别

孟子认为仁义礼智都内在于心,并不存在内、外的差异.把礼归于辞让之心,礼在这里就直接提升为道德主体.这样,这种道德主体意义上的礼与现实等级制度意义上的礼之间就有了鲜明的差别.孟子道德主体意义上的礼,进而其整个心性之学真正的意义在于一个新的道德生命的开辟,这种道德生命因其超越性在今天仍有其生生不息的生命力,而这种道德生命只有在与当时现实等级之礼作出区分时才能显示出来.     

An investigation of the college and career counseling needs of economically disadvantaged,minority gifted students

This study is an investigation of the college and career counseling needs of economically disadvantaged, academically gifted minority students. Two groups of students were studied and compared ‐ one group of 50 low‐income students, predominantly minority, who were chosen for a special college counseling program, and a second group of 42 middle to high income students, predominantly Asian and Caucasian, who were participating in a summer academic program. Students were compared on college plans and preparations, aspirations and expectations about higher education, support from others, motivation, values, and career interests and maturity. Results showed that the gifted disadvantaged students had lower educational aspirations, felt somewhat less prepared for college and less confident about being admitted, had unrealistic ideas about how to finance college, and perceived that college life would be more frightening and lonely compared to nondisadvantaged students. Student groups were similar in motivation to attend college, support from significant others and values. Disadvantaged students had better skills related to selecting a career but expressed less confidence in making a career decision. The results suggest a need for differentiated college counseling programs for disadvantaged minority students.     

Cultural and socio-political influences on counseling and career guidance: The case of Arabs in the Jewish State

Conclusion Counseling in Arab schools in Israel is part and parcel of the whole Arab educationsystem. Like the system itself, counseling is also an object of many socio-politicalfactors which influence it negatively in such a status of affairs. However, unlikeother components of the system and due to its very nature, it is more susceptibleto these influences superimposed upon it. Its weakness is readily observable, morethan that of any other educational delivery service This weakness is due to itshigh level of susceptibility stemming from its nature as a reflector of both themacro and micro problems of education and society, to its being an object ofdifferent factors of cultural restraints since it is a super modern service plantedinto a traditional setting, to the lack of strong leadership and backing, and finally,at as due to the tact that at is at the cross-roads of conflicting political forces stemmingfrom the authonty's expectations on the one hand and from the community onthe other.Even though counseling and career guidance are found to be under varyingcultural and socio-political constraints in the Arab educational system in Israel,it is nonetheless a most meaningful educational service. Its meaningfulness isrecognized beyond its micro level of functioning (i e helping students in personalproblems, family issues and learning difficulties and/or guiding a student more orless successfully into a suitable career ). Its meaningfulness is notable also inthe following contributions.Firstly, it has a modernizing effect on the total educational system. It is aninnovation which Arab schools have had to cope with as they absorbed it. It createdpositive orientation towards innovations, especially those aiming at the well-beingof students. Secondly, counseling as a reflector of micro and macro problems hasuncovered those problems and brought them to the attention of students, teachers,authorities and communities. Thirdly, the introduction of counseling services intoArab schools opened a whole new path of vocational choice in that it familiarizedArab youth with a new area of vocations, namely the helping services in theirmodern sense. Finally, its introduction into the Arab educational system hassensitized students in particular, and the wider community an general, to look forprofessional help. Especially under conditions of cultural transition, this contributionis of special significance. Traditional ways of providing help to people haveeither vanished or become outdated and unsatisfactory.     

Self-efficacy and behavioral intention: A mediational analysis of the effects of commitment on career counseling

This article examines two questions of research. Can we make educational and vocational information sessions effective by applying commitment theory (Kiesler, 1971) to this particular aspect of career counseling? Does commitment as part of an initial low-cost behavior (taking part in an information session) have a direct effect or is the effect a mediate one? Data gathered during an experiment involving six sixth-year secondary school classes would appear to suggest that there is a mediate process. To be more precise, the accepted impact of commitment upon the effectiveness of information sessions (postsession information and orientation is more actively sought) would seem to be linked to its mediation by perceived self-efficacy (Bandura, 1997/2003) in orientation. On the other hand, it is not mediated by the behavioral intention (Fishbein, 1980) to take such steps, this being an intention upon which commitment has no effect. The discussion links these results to some of Kiesler's initial questions (commitment as a process of internal self-attribution), and also places them within the framework (proper to counseling) of factors common to all intervention theories and techniques designed to explain the effectiveness of said interventions.     

普-方语音差异研究及其在普通话教学中的意义——以亳州方言为例

作为华北次方言的亳州方言与普通话有着一定的一致性,也存在差异性,尤其是语音方面。以《方言调查字表》为依据,对亳州方言和普通话的语音特征进行系统比较,分析二者在声韵调方面的语音差异和对应关系,为亳州方言区学生说好普通话提供帮助,并在此基础上以亳州方言为例,论述普-方语音差异研究在普通话教学中的意义和作用。     

Emerging adulthood among Palestinian minority in Israel: the relation between perceived career barriers,future orientation and career decisions

This study examines the relation between perceived career barriers, future orientation and career decisions among young Palestinian-Israeli youth. The study employs a theoretical model that links perceived career barriers and career decisions via variables of future orientation. Three hundred eighty-eight young Palestinian-Israeli women (73.20%) and men (26.80%) participated in the study. Structural equation modelling shows that perceived ethnic discrimination is positively related to the motivational variables of future orientation, while perceived gender discrimination and childcare and family difficulties are negatively related to motivational variables. This means that perceived ethnic discrimination towards Palestinian-Israeli youths make them more inclined to perceive the value of higher education and to feel greater control over their personal accomplishments and their goals of achieving a higher education. Investment in future orientation will in all likelihood incentivise the choosing of a career path.     

Exploring shifts in the characteristics of US government-funded science curriculum materials and their (unintended) consequences

Grant-funded curriculum development efforts can substantially impact practice and research in science education. Therefore, understanding the sometimes-unintended consequences of changes in grant priorities is crucial. Using the case of two large funding agencies in the United States, the current portfolio review provides insight into these consequences by examining shifts in the characteristics of K-12 science curriculum materials funded during two time periods with differing funding priorities. Findings revealed a move away from comprehensive curricula, increased reliance on technology-based materials, a growing trend towards open access, but also a decrease in teacher supports. While these shifts may enhance teachers’ flexibility to shape curriculum, they also increase the challenge of ensuring curricular coherence. Recommendations are outlined for policymakers, science education researchers, and curriculum developers.     

The construction,expression, and consequences of difference in education practice,policy, and research

In this essay, I discuss three key ideas related to the construction and treatment of “difference” in and around schools and schooling. First, just as difference is most commonly located within marginalized populations at the intersections and along the lines of race, disability, social class, national origin, sexuality, sex, language, and religion, such “locating” is done by those socialized and reinforced to view themselves as normal and the norm against which they compare those different from them. Therefore, normalcy operates to maintain positions of superiority for some and inferiority for others. Next, the situation of disability at the intersection of non-dominant identities can be a powerful tool for disrupting normative spaces, practices, and beliefs. Finally, I call for critical action that exposes the negative construction of and consequences of difference in the academy, noting how epistemologies, methodologies, publication outlets and formats, and sentence structures that fall outside what we associate with normalcy, and those who employ them, are also sorted along lines of competence and incompetence, leading to the dismissal or exclusion of disabled scholars, scholars of color, and those scholars engaging in more public praxis outside the academy walls.     

Wolf cries: on power,emotions and critical literacy in first-language teaching in Sweden

Adopting a critical literacy perspective in teaching is about how experiences, social contexts, languages, learning and power relations interact in language development. In this article, we explore how students’ critical literacies are enhanced and hindered by emotional power relations in the classroom. We investigate what happens when emotionally charged texts – here texts about wolves in Sweden – are used in lower secondary schools. Drawing on two examples we illustrate different ways of enhancing students’ critical approach to the argumentative text type. The article highlights the affective aspects of teaching, and thus the unforeseeable aspects of classroom interaction. Emotionally, the wolf issue became very different objects for the persons occupying the classrooms. It invoked, e.g. homosocial relations, racist accounts and nationalistic outbursts. The article stresses the significance of teacher intervention but argues that to facilitate critical literacy in emotionally charged classrooms, the circulation of emotions, including teachers’ emotions must be brought to light.     

论中西文论在语言、意义和观念上的异同

中国古代文论与西方现代文论在语言、意义观念上既存在着相似之处，又有明显的不同。通过对比，能使我们对积淀深厚的中国古代文论有一个较为全面而深刻的理解。