社会民主进程中的学校重建——杜威教育思想中的一个核心主题

社会民主与学校重建的关系是杜威教育思想中的一个核心主题。工业革命以及随之引起的在科技、交通、政治、经济、文化等社会诸领域的全面变革,对美国民主构成了严峻挑战。从哲学高度,深入反思学校如何重建和变革,以在美国社会的民主进程中扮演更为积极、有为的角色,成为一个重大而紧迫的时代课题。杜威从教育的角度,重构了民主概念,主张学校应超越旧个人主义的狭隘性,通过主动作业培养未来公民的民主意识和社会精神。20世纪20年代前后,杜威的教育思想发生转向,对制度化教育在社会民主进程中的功能的有限性的认识更为清晰,但终其一生,杜威都未曾放弃对学校重建问题的关心。杜威有关民主和学校重建关系问题的思想十分深刻,超越了杰斐逊和贺拉斯·曼等前人,影响了克伯屈和拉格等社会改造主义教育家。在美国教育史中,杜威是一位继往开来的大师。     

WHAT ROLE CAN BE FULFILLED BY AN EXTERNAL SUPPORT TEACHER TO MAINTAIN STUDENTS WHO PRESENT MAINSTREAM SCHOOLS WITH BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT DIFFICULTIES

In July 1989 the special school where I was head was closed down and I found myself appointed to run a small ‘behaviour support service’ which was to provide support to secondary schools in South Cambridgeshire and to make (or purchase from an external provider) a very small amount of ‘alternative provision’ at KS4 (maximum 10 places). The early days of the service were an unmitigated disaster. As I slowly began to understand what the service needed to provide, I wanted to study further the role which an external (to the school) support teacher might provide which would enable schools to work effectively with ‐ or, at least, not exclude ‐ potentially difficult to manage students. This article describes briefly a piece of research which I have carried out into ‘behaviour’ support work in secondary schools which looks at the role which is effective from a support teacher's view and also at that which heads/senior managers are willing to purchase ‐either directly or by endorsing the LEA's ‘top‐slicing’ of its potential schools budget.     

Fighting for social democracy: R.H. Tawney and educational reconstruction in the Second World War

R.H. Tawney (1880–1962), a leading English economic historian and prominent socialist, was vigorously involved in educational reconstruction during the Second World War. For Tawney, the war was a war for social democracy. His ideals of social democracy formed a basis for his case for Public (independent) School reform and free secondary education for all. Despite this, the connection between Tawney’s ideals and his perspectives on educational issues has not been addressed fully by historians and thus there has been a lack of a proper explanation for his often criticised sympathy for the public schools and his indifference towards the multilateral school. Hence, this paper aims to re-examine the link between them in greater depth. It concludes that, according to Tawney’s ideals of social democracy, the abolition of the public schools was not necessary for the establishment of a democratic educational system. Moreover, Tawney did not launch an attack on the tripartite system proposed by the Norwood Report of 1943 since it was not against his ideal of equality as long as different secondary schools were equal in quality and status. Equality, he believed, must be advanced through the raising of the school leaving age to 16 and the abolition of fees in all secondary schools. Thus, he laid more emphasis on the school leaving age and tuition fees than on the multilateral school. In brief, on various issues pertaining to secondary education, Tawney’s opinions and actions were deeply grounded in his distinctive ideals of social democracy.     

The Hirst‐Carr Debate Revisited: Beyond the Theory‐Practice Dichotomy

This article examines the benefits and burdens of the debate between Paul Hirst and Wilfred Carr over a set of issues to do with philosophy and education specifically and theory and practice more generally. Hirst and Carr, in different ways, emphasise the importance of Aristotelian practical philosophy as an antidote to the theory‐oriented confined method of ‘conceptual analysis’ that has haunted the philosophy of education. Despite their proper recognition of the irreducible character of practice to theory, they fail to provide a satisfying account of their interpenetrating relation. Hirst falls into error by fencing off ‘forms of theoretical knowledge’ from ‘forms of practice’; Carr's dismissive attitude to theory is saturated with internal tensions in his own discourse. This article contends that what is left unaddressed both in Hirst's and Carr's arguments is the most fundamental sense of ‘social’, which is prior to relative differences in the standards of knowledge among societies and which reminds us that theory is not a socially disembodied enterprise. A lively appreciation of this point encourages us to see the prevailing outlook towards the relation between philosophy and education quite differently.     

‘I think we are still very directive’: Teachers’ discourses on democratic student participation

The objective of this study [Susinos, T. (Dir.), ‘Schools moving towards inclusion: Learning from the local community, the student voice and educational support’ (I+D+I, EDU2011-29928-C03-03)] is to gain a deeper understanding of the analysis of the discourses that different education professionals in the Spanish education system have on student participation in schools, based on the premise that they tacitly reflect different models of democracy and advance very diverse school practices. The study is based on the Student Voice Movement, which is defined by its commitment to deliberative democratic education and its role in the development of inclusive schools. In this article, we have conducted a qualitative analysis of the data from 31 in-depth interviews carried out with teachers and other education professionals from nine schools. These teachers’ discourses are summarised in four dimensions, which we have named individual, pedagogical, organisational and socio-political. Some conclusions of this work demonstrate a predominance of discourses linked to an individual and pedagogical dimension of participation, based on the idea that this fundamentally depends on the personal dispositions that some students have. It is less common to appeal to the socio-political dimension, which refers to participation as a citizen's right to debate and make decisions regarding common and public affairs. This suggests that teachers still see their work from a technical point of view, rather than envisaging the school as a space for democratic participation and practice. In short, with this study we aim to contribute to normative theories on participation and democracy in order to expand their empirical and practical support in schools.     

The Democratic Curriculum: Concept and Practice

Dewey continues to offer arguments that remain powerful on the need to break down the divisions between ‘academic’ and ‘vocational’ in terms of his specific theory of knowledge. Dewey's writings are used to argue that a democratic curriculum needs to challenge such divisions to encompass the many forms of knowledge necessary in the contemporary classroom. Gandin and Apple's investigation of community participation (Orçamento Participativo or Participatory Budgeting) in the curriculum of the Citizen School in Porto Alegre, Brazil, will be explored as an example of democratic structures informing educational planning. The work of Paul Hirst, Atli Har?arson and Chris Jane Brough is analysed regarding the issue of curriculum aims and student negotiation. Dewey's emphasis on learning as a collective enterprise will resonate here. Brough offers innovative research on student‐centred curriculum integration that suggests even very young children are able to participate in debate over their own learning. Hirst and Har?arson provide contrasting views on the issue of curriculum aims—Hirst arguing that a curriculum cannot exist without definable aims while Har?arson challenges the very notion of settled aims if students are to be reflexive regarding their education. The article also refers to the work of Alexander on the use of dialogic questioning in the classroom. Such questioning, it is suggested, enhances and encourages collaborative forms of enquiry necessary for a democratic curriculum through discussion between teachers, students and other stakeholders.     

Neoliberalism inside two American high schools

This article examines ‘neoliberalism’ inside two American public high schools. The work of one leading critical theorist, Mark Olssen, is explained and examined. Particular attention is paid to Olssen’s concepts of ‘homo economicus’ and ‘manipulatable man.’ It is concluded that Olssen’s theories on neoliberalism accurately describe developments in public education in the West since the early 1980s. It is also believed that his theories could benefit from a study that ‘looks inside the black box’ and reveals what neoliberalism looks like inside schools. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 teachers and two principals at two public high schools in the American state of Louisiana. Analysis reveals that an educator’s sense of professional autonomy relates to students’ socioeconomic backgrounds. That is, educators at poor schools tend to have dramatically less freedom from local school boards than educators in non-poor schools.     

‘It’ll look good on your personal statement’: self-marketing amongst university applicants in the United Kingdom

‘Selling yourself’ through personal statements and interviews is now a standard practice for university applicants. This article draws on a multi-case-study research project to report on the self-marketing orientations of students within three 16–19 institutions in England. These orientations (active/passive; internal/external; retrospective/prospective; and integrated/segregated) were embedded within and shaped by each site’s strategic response to the conditions of the local education market-place. It is argued that the patterns of these orientations across different institutions is related to the resources and support available to students, the educational trajectories that were considered appropriate for them, and the pedagogic identities fostered by the institution as a whole. Where these differentially prepare students to access universities and courses, schools and colleges may be contributing to, rather than challenging, the socially stratifying work of the education system.     

Community,Self and the Other: Learning Processes in Norwegian Folk High Schools

The Norwegian folk high schools have a legally defined role in the national educational system as a value-based pedagogical alternative without grades, exams or pre-defined curriculums. The roots of the schools can be traced to the theologian N.F.S. Grundtvig and his ideals of a learning that develops not just the mind but the whole student. The empirical study of this article seeks to explore the learning processes of contemporary Norwegian folk high schools. A theoretical development of Etienne Wenger’s social learning theory is applied to analyze 60 student texts. The article describes 3 overarching themes of learning: community as a context where self is developed through identity work and the other is the focus.     

Khatami,political reform and education in Iran

Khatami was elected President of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1997. He came to power with the promise of creating an Islamic civil society and bringing about political reform, rule of law, freedom, and religious democracy. He advocated such values as tolerance, moderation, respect for diversity, and dialogue at the domestic and international arenas. Khatami assigned schools the task of creating pious, moral, politicised, and empowered individuals with a strong Iranian-Islamic identity, capable of maintaining a balanced relationship with the West. This article seeks to identify the pillars of Khatami's thoughts and assess whether his reformist agenda is reflected in formal schooling. An analysis of the prevailing educational goals and values illustrates that although some of Khatami's ideals are reflected, schools are still parochial, separating ‘us’ from ‘them’, with no attempt to prepare the young for global citizenship. Iranian schools continue to remain bastions of conservatism and ideology.     

Alternative education and social justice: considering issues of affective and contributive justice

This article considers the ways in which three alternative education sites in Australia support socially just education for their students and how injustice is addressed within these schools. The article begins with recognition of the importance of Nancy Fraser’s work to understandings of social justice. It then goes on to argue that her framework is insufficient for understanding the particularly complex set of injustices that are faced by many highly marginalised young people who have rejected or been rejected by mainstream education systems. We argue here for the need to consider the importance of ‘affective’ and ‘contributive’ aspects of justice in schools. Using interview data from the alternative schools, we highlight issues of affective justice raised by students in relation to their educational journeys, as well as foregrounding teachers’ affective work in schools. We also consider curricular choices and pedagogical practices in respect of matters of contributive justice. Our contention is that the affective and contributive fields are central to the achievement of social justice for the young people attending these sites. Whilst mainstream schools are not the focus of this article, we suggest that the lessons here have salience for all forms of schooling.     

Democracy and governance in the local school system

The Labour government showed no interest in extending local democracy in the school system, in spite of a policy rhetoric of local democratic renewal. The Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition government's localism agenda promotes the autonomy of schools from local authorities without proposing alternative forms of local democracy in the school system. The perspective of this paper is derived from a Gramscian Marxist critique of dominant discourses within the field of urban governance. From this vantage point it examines the research evidence regarding participation in governance within local school systems. It ends by offering an alternative approach towards more democratic participative governance in local school systems based on a recognition of conflicting class interests and the need to re-envision the role of local authorities.     

Freedoms and Perils: Academy Schools in England

Can Dewey's Moral Principles in Education throw light on a contemporary policy issue in education, namely the privatisation of education through the establishment of academy schools in England? The article first considers what the policy entails, in terms of its conception of education as a market commodity. The next section suggests an alternative conception, drawing particularly on Deweyan claims for the fundamentally normative and relational nature of teaching, through his definition of democracy as ‘a form of associated living’ and the school as a place for such association. The third section relates the two conceptions of education and in their light considers tensions and conflicts in the academisation policy concerning inclusion, equity and social cohesion. The article concludes that the establishment of academy schools compromises these values and constitutes a danger to the commons, that is, to socially consensual and equitable ways of being together.     

高教强省与地方本科院校发展——基于对高校分类指导的视角

地方本科院校在建设高等教育强省大格局中扮演着重要角色,本文基于对高校分类指导的视角,提出地方本科院校的发展,需要通过统筹协调、政策引导,准确定位、目标引领,试点实验、典型示范,因校制宜、项目推进,省市共建、校地互动等多措并举,共同推进。     

重审教育理论性质:纪念保罗·赫斯特教授

上个世纪,英国学者彼得斯带动了分析的教育哲学传统,不仅影响教育哲学,也带动了教育理论的发展。其中,赫斯特扮演着重要的角色。他与奥康纳对教育理论之辩,尤为人所称道。奥康纳致力于将教育理论带往科学理论。前期,赫斯特认为教育理论是实践理论,迥异于科学理论,教育理论应该以其他学门知识的型式、领域为基础,而建构出有助于指导教育实践的原理;后期,赫斯特则更为重视隐而未现的实践意义,修正前期过于重视理性知识的立场。重审赫斯特、奥康纳之辩以及赫斯特前后期立场,将有助于我们理解教育哲学重点在于证成教育政策及开拓新的思考方式,量化研究成果在于拓展新知,质性研究则在于对实践智慧的探究。赫斯特后期念兹在兹于缄默之知等实践知识,哲学论证、量化研究、质性分析都应将之列入重要探索领域,必能有助于教育理论的精进。     

Placement schools as professional learning communities in teacher education

This article investigates how schoolteachers’, school leaders’ and college teachers’ involvement affects placement schools as professional learning communities. Norwegian teacher education is used as a case. The first part builds on a survey among schoolteachers and mentors at 111 placement schools in Norway. It documents great variety in the level of engagement. Interviews with mentors, school leaders and college teachers reveal how cooperation between colleges and placement schools, as well as the school leaders’ commitment, influences the quality of placement. The school leaders’ role proves to be important in developing the schools as professional learning communities, and they seem to have a significant impact on the work of the mentors. The data also show that there is a need for a more substantial cooperation between college teachers and mentors about the student teachers’ professional development as well as a need for a more systematic integration of learning in the two learning contexts.     

Youth representations of environmental protest

A necessary condition for a functioning democracy is the participation of its citizens, including its youth. This is particularly true for political participation in environmental decisions, because these decisions can have intergenerational consequences. In this article we examine young people’s beliefs about one form of political participation—protest—in the context of communities affected by fracking and associated anti-fracking protest, and discuss the implications of these representations for education. Drawing on focus groups with 121 young people (aged 15–19) in five schools and colleges near sites which have experienced anti-fracking protest in England and Northern Ireland, we find young people well-informed about avenues for formal and non-formal political participation against a background of disillusionment with formal political processes and varying levels of support for protest. We find representations of protest as disruptive, divisive, extreme, less desirable than other forms of participation and ineffective in bringing about change but effective in awareness-raising. These representations are challenging, not least because the way protest is interpreted is critical to the way people think and act in the world. These representations of environmental protest must be challenged through formal education in order to safeguard the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and ensure that the spirit of Article 11 of the UK Human Rights Act is protected.     

地方高等学校专业体系与经济轴心关系匹配——以广西地区高校为例

高校为地方发展提供的人力资源的质量是由高校的专业结构与地方经济结构的匹配的程度以及学校教学水平决定的.本文以广西地区高校为例,探讨地方高校如何为区域中心城市提供与经济发展相匹配的人才,构建合理的高等教育空间布局,发展与广西千亿元产业和战略性新兴产业密切相关的学科和专业.     

The completion agenda,community colleges,and civic capacity

In this article, we present a new critique of the Completion Agenda as inscribed in Reclaiming the American dream, a policy document published in April 2012 by the American Association of Community Colleges. Our critique is grounded on the premise that community colleges should improve completion rates, but this should be motivated by a desire to empower students and prepare them for a richer life in an evolving democracy and not simply satisfy the national economic objectives commonly offered to justify the Completion Agenda. Accordingly, following our critique, we outline an alternative vision based on a text in the literature of democracy as problem solving, a body of work that remains largely unacknowledged in higher education research and scholarship. We specifically focus on Briggs (2008) who found that six different global communities were successful in addressing serious social and economic problems through an organic process grounded in a nontraditional view of democracy. Using Briggs’ work as a model, we propose that community colleges adopt a new vision that prioritizes the empowerment of students and their communities.