Education and development in Latin America (1950–1975)

Structural analysis of educational development in Latin America shows the determining effect of economic and social trends. The past 25 years have seen a shift to industrialization and increasing involvement of foreign capital, visible in growing urbanization as well as in modernized agriculture focused on export. The reduction of job opportunities in both traditional and modern sectors has not been offset by the emerging service sector, although social structures have been deeply affected by these trends.The authors place in this context their analysis of education at successive levels. Progress in primary school enrolment has been real in the region, but with market disparities between countries and with little evidence of increased efficiency (i.e. enduring literacy) or equity. The basic fact is that this level of education has lost its economic value and prepares only for activities of low productivity.At secondary level, expansion has been considerable, even in countries with an inadequate primary infrastructure. A growing dichotomy is evident as schools continue to perpetuate classical values and forms while failing to establish links with the labour market. The effect is seen in growing pressure on higher education, where rapid expansion has led to fragmentation of institutions and a depreciation of standards.The relationship of education to development in these past 25 years has brought about a wide perception of the conservative role played by education, as the mechanism for reproducting the dominant cultural models and ideologies. This critical distrust, shared by teachers and students alike, may indeed be a force strong enough to create a new model of development.

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Zusammenfassung Eine strukturelle Analyse der Entwicklung des Bildungswesens in Latein-Amerika zeigt die entscheidende Auswirkung wirtschaftlicher und sozialer Tendenzen. Die Letzten 25 Jahre sahen eine Veränderung in Richtung auf Industrialisierung und zunehmende ausländische Kapitalbeteiligung, was ebenso in wachsender Verstädterung wie in Modernisierung der Landwirtschaft mit Konzentration auf den Export in Erscheinung tritt. Durch den aufkommenden Dienstleistungsbereich wurde der Rückgang der Stellenangebote sowohl in traditionellen als auch in modernen Bereichen nicht ausgeglichen, wenn auch die gesellschaftlichen Strukturen durch diese Tendenzen stark in Mitleidenschaft gezogen wurden.In diesen Zusammenhang stellen die Autoren ihre Analyse der Bildung auf den aufeinanderfolgenden Stufen hinein. Bei der Aufnahme in die Primarschule hat in Latein-Amerika tatsächlich ein Fortschritt stattgefunden, allerdings mit deutlichen Unterschieden zwischen den einzelnen Ländern und wenig erkennbarer Leistungssteigerung (d.h. andauernder Überwindung des Analphabetentums) oder Ausgleich. Es ist eine grundlegende Tatsache, daß diese Bildungsstufe ihren wirtschaftlichen Wert verloren hat und nur auf Aktivitäten mit geringer Produktivität vorbereitet.Auf der Sekundarstufe vollzog sich eine beachtliche Erweiterung, sogar in Ländern mit ungeeigneter primärer Infrastruktur. Deutlich zeigt sich eine zunehmende Dichotomie, da die Schulen fortfahren, klassische Werte und Formen weiterzugeben, und dabei versäumen, Brücken zum Arbeitsmarkt zu schlagen. Dies wirkt sich in zunehmendem Druck auf die höhere Bildung aus, wo schnelle Ausweitung zur Zersplitterung von Institutionen und zur Senkung der Anforderungen geführt hat.Durch die Beziehung zwischen Bildung und Entwicklung in den letzten 25 Jahren wurde die konservative Rolle des Bildungswesens deutlich wahrnehmbar, ist es doch ein Mechanismus zur Reproduktion der herrschenden kulturellen Modelle und Ideologien. Tatsächlich kann vielleicht dieses von Lehrern wie Schülern gleichermaßen gehegte kritische Mißtrauen eine genügend starke Kraft sein, um ein neues Entwicklungsmodell zu schaffen.

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Résumé L'analyse structurale du développement de l'éducation en Amérique Latine montre l'effet déterminant des courants sociaux et économiques. Ces dernières vingt-cinq années ont vu un glissement vers l'industrialisation et une intervention croissante des capitaux étrangers. Ceci est visible dans l'urbanisation grandissante et dans la modernisation de l'agriculture axée sur l'exportation. La réduction des chances de travail dans le secteur traditionnel aussi bien que dans le secteur moderne, n'a pas été compensée par une ouverture dans celui des services en formation, bien que les structures sociales aient été profondément affectées par ces courants.C'est dans ce contexte que les auteurs placent leur analyse de l'éducation à des niveaux successifs. En ce qui regarde la fréquentation de l'école primaire, le progrès a été indéniable dans toute l'Amérique Latine, avec toutefois des inégalités marquées selon les pays, et sans grand évidence d'efficacité croissante (c'est-à-dire alphabétisation persistante) ou d'équité. Un fait certain est que ce niveau d'éducation a perdu sa valeur économique et ne prépare qu'à des activités de basse productivité.Au niveau secondaire, l'expansion a été considérable, même dans les pays dont l'infrastructure primaire est inadéquate. Il est certain que la dichotomie va aller en s'amplifiant puisque les écoles continuent de perpétuer les valeurs et les formes classiques sans parvenir à établir des rapports avec le marché du travail. On en constate l'effet dans la pression grandissante qui s'exerce sur l'éducation supérieure, où l'expansion rapide a conduit à la fragmentation d'institutions et à une dépréciation des normes.Les relations entre l'éducation et le développement, au cours de ces vingt-cinq dernières années, ont conduit à une prise de conscience largement répandue du rôle conservateur de l'éducation, en tant que mécanisme de reproduction des idéologies et des modèles culturels dominants. Cette méfiance critique, partagée par les enseignants et les étudiants, peut devenir une force suffisamment puissante pour créer un nouveau modèle de developpement.

     

The presence of African American scholarship in early American criminology texts (1918–1960)

This paper reviews the results of a citation analysis conducted to determine the extent of references to African American scholarship in American criminology texts published between 1918 and 1960. The analysis showed that African American graduates from the University of Chicago's “Chicago School”, including Charles Johnson, E. Franklin Frazier, Monroe Work, and Earl R. Moses, were cited most often. They were usually cited in discussions of either race or culture areas and crime. African American scholars' discussions of the effects of social, economic, and political conditions such as slavery, segregation, racism and oppression on crime and criminality, especially among African Americans, were generally not cited. These findings suggest that while claims that African American scholarship cannot be found in mainstream publications might be somewhat overstated as they relate to early American criminology texts, the most important themes found in the writings of African Americans were excluded.     

Counteracting Victimization in Unequal Educational Contexts: Latin American Migrants’ Friendship Dynamics in Chilean Schools

This article addresses the role of friendship dynamics among newcomer Latin American migrant youth during their transitions to Chilean secondary schools. Drawing on qualitative life history interviews, we discuss ethnic minority well-being in two high-ethnic mix schools, and how power inequalities and racial discrimination are managed through social capital in the courtyard. In particular, we demonstrate the importance of ethnic diversity for counteracting victimization. We found few instances of internal segregation (homogenous or bonding forms of friendship groups); instead cross-ethnic friendships were more common, enabling participants to navigate gendered and class-based cleavages within the schools. Although concentrations of ethnic students in low-quality municipal schools represent deeper social justice issues, the research argues for the need to move beyond dichotomized notions of integration and segregation. Creating greater equity in these spaces, we suggest, does not depend on ethnic mix, but on the opportunities to develop social capital support.     

The Rise and Fall of Swedish Educational Technology 1960–1980

In Sweden educational technology (EdTech) prospered during the 1960s and 1970s inspired by US experiences from primarily programmed instruction. The Departments of Education at the universities started different activities of research and other bodies developed EdTech products for commercial use. In some business firms in‐service training of staff was organised and managed according to the rational ideas that were the basis of EdTech. Public education from elementary to university level was also influenced by EdTech and in the National Board of Education particularly the section responsible for developing teaching–learning aids ran its work guided by EdTech principles in a broad sense of rational and systematic planning. In the 1970s the peak of EdTech withered, to almost disappear towards 1980. This article describes the development in Sweden with the aim of understanding both the rise and fall of EdTech. The rise is understood in relation to the modernisation of Swedish society with reforms of education and trust of science and technology. The fall is understood in terms of the change of values and conception of democracy taking place around 1970 (1968).     

‘Freer’ Forms of Organization and Financing and the Effects of Inequality in Latin American Educational Systems: two countries in comparison

The introduction of ‘freer’ forms of organization and financing into the Latin American educational systems about 20 years ago parallels similar developments in the contexts of neo‐liberal policies in the USA, Great Britain and, more recently, in Eastern Europe. This article will highlight the effects of ‘school autonomy’, decentralization, and privatization in the Latin American educational systems. In so doing, I will focus on the analysis of educational policy development in Chile and Argentina, based in part on my own research results. The results demonstrate that ‘freer’ forms of organization and financing have not proven to be positive for the progressive distribution of education, democratization and the consideration of diversity—and also not for the (difficult to measure) categories of ‘quality’ and ‘efficiency’ of education. These findings contribute to question whether the neo‐liberal forms of organization and financing of educational systems in Latin America are important factors in the realization of these goals.     

Educational Adequacy Litigation in the American South: 1973–2009

Calls to strengthen education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are underscored by employment trends and the importance of STEM innovation for the economy. The Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth (SMPY) has been tracking over 5,000 talented individuals longitudinally for 40 years, throwing light on critical questions in talent identification and development in STEM. SMPY includes individuals identified in 7th/8th grade as in the top 1% or higher in mathematical or verbal ability, and a comparison group identified as top STEM graduate students. SMPY findings cover the educational and occupational attainments of participants, including a large percentage earning a degree or pursuing high powered careers in STEM; gender differences; the extent to which high school experiences, abilities, and interests predict later outcomes; and subsequent creative production. Mathematical reasoning ability as measured by standardized tests is a reliable predictor for later math/science engagement and achievement in adulthood, and spatial ability adds predictive value. Exposure to appropriate educational opportunities do correlate with career achievement and creative production. SMPY researchers have concluded that potential future STEM innovators can be identified early and that educational interventions can increase their chances of success.     

Educational attainment in the OECD, 1960–2010. Updated series and a comparison with other sources

This paper describes the construction of updated series on the educational attainment of the adult population for a sample of 22 OECD countries covering the period 1960–2010. These series are then compared with (the OECD subsample of) the latest available version of other cross-country data sets on average years of schooling that are commonly used in the literature. Finally, statistical measures of the information content of the different series are constructed using the procedure developed by Krueger and Lindhal (K&L, 2001) and de la Fuente and Doménech (D&D, 2006). The exercise shows that there are important differences in quality across data sets and suggests that successive revisions have succeeded in increasing their signal to noise ratios.     

Educational research for development—Contributions and challenges

Abstract

The study was designed to assess changes in farmers' knowledge of farmer seed production through schools (FSPSs) in Vietnam. A set of 25 questions covering five technical areas of the seed production process was used for pre and post knowledge testing at 12 FSPSs in the provinces Binh Dinh, Nam Dinh, Nghe An and Dong Thap. The main findings show an overall increase in farmer's knowledge scores after attending the FSPS. FSPS-farmers with low scores on the pre-field school test (ex-ante) scored much better on the post field school test. Gender had no effect on the test scores. Binh Dinh province had significantly higher mean scores on the post field (ex-post) school test compared to farmers in Nam Dinh, Nghe An and Dong Thap provinces. The increase in knowledge score is linked to the application of good practices learned in the field school as farmers who applied good quality seeds, low seed rates and the transplanting method showed a large increase in scores. The results of this study indicate that the tests provide insight into the knowledge gaps.     

Hong Kong Higher Education, 1981–2001: public policy and re-emergent social stratification

In this paper I first place the development of Hong Kong's higher education in the larger context of education and governance histories. Next I describe one of the deepest policy quandaries for Hong Kong's government in charting the futures of its higher education system: whether to view the ultimate benefits of higher education for individuals in terms of ‘sponsored’ versus ‘contest’ mobility. I then turn to evidence from HK census data about the changing distribution of opportunity for higher education. I discuss trends in educational stratification since 1981, focusing most attention on changes in the opportunity for post-secondary and, especially, for university education to the Bachelors' degree level. I discuss methods for the use of Hong Kong's 1981, 1991 and 2001 census, and I present bivariate and multivariate analysis of the changing impact of family cultural and material resources on the odds of continuing and attending education at the university level. From 1991 to 2001, census data suggest there was a reversal of a trend towards greater equality of opportunity that was observed between the 1981 and 1991 census. I conclude by relating the findings from these analyses to future higher education planning in Hong Kong.     

Educational ideologies and national development needs: the ’African University‘ in Namibia

Although a new institution, the University of Namibia is facing the same problems of curriculum, funding, and access which hinder academic effectiveness elsewhere. Research on the future prospects for the university was facilitated by the senior authors prior involvement in the effort to construct a modern Namibia in the post-colonial period. Such involvement included several advisory assignments relating to the emerging university. This shared experience provided unusual access for in-depth and confidential interviews with national and university decision-makers. Based on these discussions and previous research, the authors outline a process for facilitating the government and academic leadership so crucial to evolving a responsive university. They discern that success for higher education in the Namibian context will require merging the roles of the University and the Polytechnic and transcending imported models to develop an institution responsive to Namibian needs.     

A blueprint for educational development in China: A review of “The National Guidelines for Medium- and Long-Term Educational Reform and Development (2010–2020)”

Frontiers of Education in China -     

Between East and West: Sappho Leontias (1830–1900) and her Educational Theory

The paper presents one of the most prominent Greek women teachers and educators of the nineteenth century, and a leading figure of Greek women’s education in Ottoman territory, Sappho Leontias (1830–1900). Within a transnational framework and based on the study of the writings of Sappho Leontias, the paper presents her educational views, theory and philosophy and focuses on her connections to educational thought and activity “beyond ethnic/national borders”, investigating the influences on her theoretical schema. A secondary intention of the paper is to present the influence Leontias exercised on the education of her times through an overview of her educational activity. The historical and social conditions of the time and place, as well as gender ideologies, are taken into consideration; the paper supports the position that they affect or shape individual projects and choices to a great extent.     

Equity and productivity of vocational training—The Latin American experience

The debate on the relative merits and cost-effectiveness of alternate modes of delivering vocational training has become rather heated in recent years. It is quite natural that the results of an activity that absorbs so many resources should be under constant scrutiny, particularly in times of economic crisis. Furthermore, there is widespread current acceptance of the concept that investment in human capital is a pre-requisite for economic development.Many studies and much research work have been carried out in this field. Most of these studies purport to offer concrete evidence and guidelines for an adequate selection of modes, methods and techniques of vocational training according to the objectives pursued, populations involved and so forth, as well as requirements to be met.However, the controversy has become extremely complex. Apart from the practical impossibility of an assessment and comparison of the wide diversity of training modes and combinations thereof that exist in the world, there is the underlying difficulty of differing notions as to what constitutes vocational training or vocational education, and what is to be expected of it. In view of the variegated economic, social and cultural contexts where such modes have originated, the conclusions reached in the above studies are so relative that they can only offer general indications as to the pros and cons of each method or mode under certain conditions. The only thing that may be gathered is that there are no universal solutions and that, under favourable conditions, any training system can be effective.¹