Are traditional extension services dead or have they a role in rural development?

Abstract

Rural areas are changing and extension if it is to remain relevant must meet the current needs of rural people. Over 50% of farm households in Ireland will have difficulty in maintaining viability and many farm households have an increasing dependence on off-farm earned income and on social transfers. The Irish advisory service Teagasc strongly supports the development of a competitive agriculture and although charging for some of its services is still heavily subsidised by state funding. The number of people employed by Teagsac is falling and it is suffering from an embargo on the recruitment of new staff. Other broader based rural development type extension services are emerging. The role that traditional extension services should play is now a critical issue and its response may determine whether it lives or dies.     

What makes the difference? An analysis of a reading intervention programme implemented in rural schools in Cambodia

This article compares the existing single-strategy approach towards the teaching of early literacy in schools in rural Cambodia with a multiple-strategy approach introduced as part of a reading intervention programme. Classroom observations, questionnaires and in-depth interviews with teachers were used to explore teachers’ practices and attitudes. Research was also conducted into the nature of the Khmer language. These preparations informed the design of the programme implemented in 127 rural schools. The success of the intervention was evaluated through classroom observations and a survey of teachers. Pupils’ reading was assessed in a sample of the intervention schools and compared with a sample of pupils in schools without the intervention. Results showed that most teachers in Cambodia use a one-strategy approach to teaching reading but that reading competence remains poor. In comparison, the assessment of pupils following the training of teachers in a multiple-strategy approach showed a marked improvement in their reading.     

Transnational higher education for capacity development? An analysis of British degree programmes in Hong Kong

Drawing upon a project on British transnational education (TNE) programmes offered in Hong Kong, this paper interrogates the capacity development impact of TNE on the students, the Hong Kong Government and the programme providers. It addresses the questions: ‘What capacity is being developed in TNE operations?’ and ‘For whom?’ Our findings reveal multiple capacities at play. As TNE has been traded between British and Hong Kong universities and facilitated by the Hong Kong Government's laissez-faire doctrine, as a commodity in the neoliberal trade-in-education regime, students' interests are often sidelined. This paper calls for a critical reflection on this TNE model.     

Departmental networks—An empirical analysis of career patterns among junior faculty in Germany

By using recruitment data from 60 German departments of business administration, networks are constructed in which the nodes are departments, and two departments are connected if they have either sent or received a scientist from one another. Different concepts of social network analysis are applied to answer a series of questions, such as the number of scientists the business departments produce, to whom they send and from whom they receive their scientists, and which role academic networks play in the career of young scientists in business administration. Regression analysis revealed that network centrality is a robust predictor of departmental reputation. The social network approach can be used to assess reputational differences among business departments, thereby providing an alternative to existing opinion surveys and research rankings.

Do gooders or do betters? An analysis of the motivation of student tutors

Across the UK hundreds of undergraduate students are volunteering their time and skills to assist teachers in local schools. This research investigates the factors that motivate already pressured undergraduate students to give up their precious free time for community work. Specifically, it addresses the question: are they primarily seeking to better their community or themselves? This short report argues that the primary motivation for such apparently community‐focused activity among undergraduates, in the south‐east, is actually centred on a concept of self‐improvement. The volunteer student, by undertaking unpaid community work, is engaged in a conscious attempt to enhance his/her chances of success in seeking post‐education employment. The paper goes on to argue that this finding has significant implications for the administration of student tutoring schemes, as recruitment and funding are the two major obstacles to establishing and maintaining an extracurricular activity in higher education (Stadium, 1997). Therefore, when the factors known to motivate undergraduates to undertake additional responsibilities are incorporated into recruitment and fund‐raising strategies, the activities can be tailored to maximize potential.     

Where are we at? An empirical study of levels and methods of evaluating continuing professional development

Continuing professional development (CPD) is increasingly becoming recognised as important for all professionals in order to maintain and develop their competence. Many professions, especially in the health field, require evidence of CPD in order for professionals to be granted continuing registration as practitioners. Given its accreditation as well as developmental uses, it is important that CPD is evaluated. The present study examines the usefulness of a hierarchical model for the evaluation of CPD for teachers. The data were derived from a sample of 223 CPD coordinators and 416 teachers from a randomly selected sample of 1000 schools in England. Questionnaire data were analysed using Rasch modelling. The results suggest a reasonable fit with the model, with participant satisfaction being the most commonly evaluated outcome while participants' use of new skills and student outcomes were the least likely to be evaluated, together with value for money according to teachers only. The implications for teachers' CPD are discussed.     

Can we further improve tablet-based drawing to enhance learning? An empirical test of two types of support

Instructional Science - Digital drawing can foster learning, but only if the drawing is of sufficient quality. Hence, the focus of the present study was to investigate whether and how two types of...     

An analysis of program evaluation course content in CSHSE–accredited human services baccalaureate programs

This study examines evaluation course content for undergraduate Human Services programs. Evaluation is not generally considered to be an undergraduate topic, and as a result, there is limited understanding of evaluation course content for undergraduate programs. The increased focus on evaluation in the human service field warrants a targeted review of the preparation and training provided to potential members of the profession, particularly at the baccalaureate degree level. This research examines syllabi for program evaluation courses in baccalaureate level Human Services Programs accredited by the Council for Standards in Human Services Education (CSHSE) to determine whether there is alignment between professional evaluation competencies and human services program evaluation course content. Content analysis of program evaluation course syllabi and cross-case analysis reveals how Human Services program evaluation course content compares with Essential Competencies for Program Evaluators (ECPE)-based standards for professional program evaluators. Implications for education, practice and future research are discussed.     

Does a doctoral degree pay off? An empirical analysis of rates of return of German doctorate holders

The empirical analysis examines differences in salaries and working time of doctorate holders in comparison to graduates with a master or equivalent degree (in Germany, the first university degree is called a “diploma” or “state examination” depending on the field of study. The diploma degree and the state examination are equivalent to a Master’s degree as they typically require a 5 year full time study program. Only recently, after the implementation of the so-called Bologna reform in 1998, have German universities started to introduce Bachelor and Master’s degrees), distinguishing between different fields of study. Human capital theory is used as the theoretical basis for our empirical analysis of a sample from the microcensus (2006) of the German Federal Statistical Office. The results indicate that doctorate holders tend to work longer hours than graduates with a master degree, especially doctorate holders in Economics and Law and the Social Sciences. Moreover, a doctoral degree has a positive effect on the income-situation in nearly all tested fields of study. Graduates from the field of Economics and Law in particular earn comparatively high incomes.     

What drives m-learning? An empirical investigation of university student perceptions in Pakistan

M-learning is gaining popularity in formal and informal education, both in developed and developing countries. Specifically it can be an effective tool to overcome digital divide in developing countries. The success of m-learning at tertiary level depends on the perception of students towards this form of learning. A scientific approach was used in this study to explore the critical factors responsible for m-learning adoption among university students. The findings of this study, based on 628 valid survey responses, have both theoretical and practical implications for researchers and policy-makers.     

Do early care and education services improve language development for maltreated children? Evidence from a national child welfare sample

Young children under 6 years old are over-represented in the U.S. child welfare system (CWS). Due to their exposure to early deprivation and trauma, they are also highly vulnerable to developmental problems, including language delays. High quality early care and education (ECE) programs (e.g. preschool, Head Start) can improve children's development and so policymakers have begun calling for increased enrollment of CWS-supervised children in these programs. However, it is not a given that ECE will benefit all children who experience maltreatment. Some types of maltreatment may result in trauma-related learning and behavior challenges or developmental deficits that cause children to respond to ECE settings differently. The current study uses data from a nationally representative survey of children in the U.S. child welfare system, the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being II, to assess whether young CWS-supervised children (N = 1,652) who were enrolled in ECE had better language development outcomes 18 months later than those not enrolled in ECE. We also explore whether the type of maltreatment that brought children to the CWS’ attention moderates the relationship between ECE and children's language development. After controlling for children's initial scores on the Preschool Language Scale (PLS-3), type(s) of maltreatment experienced, and child and caregiver demographics, we found that ECE participation predicted better PLS-3 scores at follow-up, with a positive interaction between ECE participation and supervisory neglect. ECE seems to be beneficial for CWS-involved children's early language development, especially for children referred to the CWS because they lack appropriate parent supervision at home.     

Who succeeds in STEM studies? An analysis of Binghamton University undergraduate students

Using student level data, the characteristics of STEM and Non-STEM students are examined for attributes associated with academic success. We use fixed effects models to analyze the variables’ role in attaining graduation and college GPA and find preparation and ability, as evidenced by Advanced Placement course work, mathematical ability, gender, ethnicity, high school GPA and college experience are all statistically significant indicators of success. These attributes may confer a comparative advantage to STEM students. The engineers have statistically significant differing response elasticities than the non-engineers, and show evidence of persistence that may arise from learning-by-doing. A successful engineering STEM major at Binghamton has good mathematics preparation, and disproportionately is of Asian ethnicity. Women are few in numbers as engineers. Other STEM fields see less emphasis on mathematics preparation, but more emphasis on the presence of AP course work. Women have the same presence in these other STEM fields as in the whole university.     

Are there demonstration effects of fiscal expenditures on higher education in China? An empirical investigation

This paper investigates the spatial demonstration effects of local governments' fiscal expenditures on higher education in China. Using regional panel data from 1999 to 2015 and spatial econometric models, this paper finds that the developed region of Eastern China has not shown greater willingness to spend on higher education than the less developed regions of Central and Western China. Local governments' fiscal expenditures on higher education have significant spatial demonstration effects, which are strongest in Central China. The attenuation boundary test shows that, as the economic distance increases, the demonstration effect becomes weaker. Econometric models, including the interaction of economic growth and the spatial lag term show that the demonstration effect is enhanced by economic growth. Henceforth, this paper concludes that, to increase fiscal expenditures on higher education in China and save incentive costs, with the local governments being the main investors, the central government can achieve the goal of increasing the total fiscal expenditures on higher education by exerting the spatial demonstration effect. It will eventually drive local governments to spend more on higher education by strongly encouraging others beforehand.     

Does integration count for much? An analysis of the practices of integration in eight countries

ABSTRACT

This article focuses on the state of the art of integration in eight western countries: Italy, Denmark, Sweden, United States, Germany, England, Belgium and the Netherlands. Both qualitative and quantitative information on integration practices is given, and from these findings general conclusions on similarities and differences in integration efforts and results are discussed. The differences in the incidence of special needs students in eight countries are mainly to be explained by the differences in registration procedures to enter special facilities in regular or special education. Despite these differences it seems that in all countries involved at least 1.5 per cent of all students is difficult to integrate in regular education settings.     

What leads people to keep on e-learning? An empirical analysis of users' experiences and their effects on continuance intention

User retention is a major goal for higher education institutions running their teaching and learning programmes online. This is the first investigation into how the senses of presence and flow, together with perceptions about two central elements of the virtual education environment (didactic resource quality and instructor attitude), facilitate the user's intention to continue e-learning. We use data collected from a large sample survey of current users in a pure e-learning environment along with objective data about their performance. The results provide support to the theoretical model. The paper further offers practical suggestions for institutions and instructors who aim to provide effective e-learning experiences.     

Is it all memory recall? An empirical investigation of intellectual skill requirements in Leaving Certificate examination papers in Ireland

The terminal examination of post-primary education in Ireland, the Leaving Certificate, is often criticised for the reliance on memory recall over higher order thinking skills in the assessment process. In order to examine the evidence base for these critiques, this article presents an empirical investigation of the intellectual skills and knowledge domains implicit in the tasks in the written examination papers of 23 subjects in the Leaving Certificate in Ireland from 2005 to 2010. Data were collected from two sources: examination papers and student interviews. In an in-depth document analysis of the examination papers, 14,910 occurrences of command verbs were coded for the intellectual skill and knowledge domains required by the assessment task. As the same verb can require different intellectual skills in different subjects and in different tasks, each occurrence of every verb was assigned a specific value depending on its context. The article presents the frequencies and distributions of intellectual skills and knowledge domains within and across subjects. In light of key points in the literature search, the findings indicate concern regarding the level of challenge and stimulation for the development of students of the Leaving Certificate.     

Does regulation induce homogenisation? An analysis of three voucher programmes in the United States

We examine whether voucher programme regulation reduces private school specialisation in the US. We employ school-and-year fixed-effects regression and examine individual private schools in Washington, DC, Indiana, and Louisiana as they transition into voucher programme environments. We leverage the Private School Universe Survey to observe how schools self-identify before and after switching into voucher environments. We find that upon switching into school voucher environments, private schools in all 3 locations are more likely to identify as less specialised than they were prior to entering the programmes. We find suggestive evidence that the homogenising effects may be stronger in more heavily regulated voucher programme environments, and that those schools in more lightly regulated environments are more likely to continue highlighting their specialised approach to education. These findings are examined within an institutional theory framework to understand the potential homogenising effect of regulations on the diversity of the private school market.     

Do academic disciplines matter? An analysis of organizational responses to the accreditation of graduate programs by field of study and sector

Higher Education - Accreditation in higher education has become omnipresent and, on many occasions, has been used as a synonym for quality assurance. The establishment of accreditation agencies as...     

Do extra-curricular activities in schools improve educational outcomes? A critical review and meta-analysis of the literature

Secondary schools tend to sponsor a large number of extra-curricular activities (ECA) yet little is known about their contribution to students’ educational outcomes. This meta-analysis aims to determine what it is about ECA participation that supports positive educational outcomes. Furthermore, this study challenges the theoretical assumptions about the benefits of participation in ECA. 29 studies (all except for one based on data collected in the United States) met the search criteria for inclusion in the analysis. Most effect sizes on academic achievements yielded from non-specific ECA, academic clubs and journalism were small, as were participation in performing arts, sports and leadership activities on a range of educational outcomes. Although the results show associations between participation in ECA and educational outcomes, causal effects could not be confirmed. It is concluded that the lack of evidence supporting the causal effects, and thus the common theoretical assumptions about the effects of ECA on educational outcomes, is due to methodology limitations in these studies.