The Scottish educational crisis of 2000: an analysis of the policy process of unification

The ‘exam results debacle’ of August 2000 provoked a crisis of confidence in Scottish education and appeared to reveal widespread discontent with the current Higher Still reform of post-16 education. For a time the political future of the reform seemed to hang in the balance. This is surprising because the reform incorporated the views of the consensus that emerged from the Howie debates of the early 1990s, and its development involved consultation on a wide scale. Subsequent debates blamed the leadership style of those, especially the Inspectorate, who steered the reform process; some commentators invoked Humes' (1986) analysis of the ‘leadership class’ of Scottish education. This paper argues that a full explanation must take account of Higher Still's character as a flexible, unified system. Compared with other types of reform, the introduction of a flexible unified system tends to involve more conflict between educational interests, and a policy process that is relatively centralized, ‘top-down’ and linear. An analysis of this process must take account of horizontal as well as vertical lines of conflict in education, and of the political weaknesses which prevented the leadership from articulating clear principles and priorities as a basis for conflict resolution. The paper concludes that Humes' analysis should be complemented by McPherson and Raab's (1988) account of Scottish educational policy-making as the interplay of pluralist and corporatist forces.     

The seeds of discontent: examining youth perceptions of higher education in Syria

This article examines young Syrians' perceptions of higher education after the 2001 reforms, which expanded access to higher education and permitted the establishment of private universities. Data come from in-depth interviews conducted with 22 Syrians residing in Damascus, aged 18–32 in 2009. Analysis indicates youth are critical of the higher education system broadly, and that their discontent stems from two sources: (1) the high level of state involvement in determining youth life paths when uncoupled from labour market security; and (2) the perceived unfairness in university admissions stemming from connections and new forms of privatisation. This youth discontent reflects a larger rejection of the state's role in the higher education admissions process. Given Syria's long-term commitment to a model of state-led development in the post-independence era, the failure of the Syrian state to successfully link expanded higher education to secure employment in the neo-liberal era has contributed to a de-legitimisation of the Syrian state as a whole in the eyes of its youth.     

Educational Reform in Viet Nam: a process of change or continuity?

Comprehensive national educational change is a complex and often difficult process. In countries such as Viet Nam where the govemment exercises tight control over social and economic development strategies, wide scale changes to an education system are often not possible. Viet Nam's increasing engagement with private sector development has, however, enabled greater flexibility for improving and strengthening its education system. In response to Viet Nam 's transition to a market economy, educational planners have had to consider strategies for making the education system more responsive to current and future labour demands. Accordingly, beginning in the early 1990s, the Govemment of Viet Nam put in place policies to enable the education system to 'modemise'. Guided by the principle that an investment in education is an investment in economic development, the government has pursued and continues to pursue an agenda of educational refonn by means of curriculum reforns. Early evidence indicates that despite an initial rapid development and implementation of change-driven policies and Strategie directions, the pace of reform is slowing down. The thesis of this paper is that a programme of substanrial education change and innovation in VietNam is actually a programme of cautious reform based on select targeting of particular school populations, in this case, populations in the arger cities, economic priority zones and urban areas.     

Improving exam results,but to what end? The limitations of New Labour's control mechanism for schools: assessment-based accountability

Bernard Barker's thesis that schools have been undermined over the past quarter of a century by a damaging combination of top-down, centralised reform and a desire to impose a market philosophy on education is powerful. This article analyses the nature of the apparatus of control – both statist and free-market – which has been applied to schools over this period. In particular, it will focus on the key control mechanism: the use of test and examination results as apparent measures of schools' quality. It will assess the success of this system, comment on its design faults and its problematic implications for the broad conception of education as understood in The Pendulum Swings, and argue that the concluding note of optimism sounded in Barker's book – about a future of communities exerting greater influence over education locally – appears not to be being realised in policy under the new coalition.     

When marketisation and privatisation clash with socialist ideals: Educational inequality in Urban China

In the last two decades, China's education has experienced significant transformations and restructuring on account of privatization and marketization. Unlike the Mao era when the state assumed the major responsibilities in financing and providing education, individuals and families have now to bear increasing financial burdens in paying for education. The marketization and privatization of education has undoubtedly intensified educational inequalities and widened regional disparities between the economically developed areas in the eastern coast and the less economically developed areas in the middle and north-western parts of the country. The growing inequalities in education and the increasing financial burdens presented by education have been a source of social discontentment, which have in turn prompted the central government to revisit its approaches to educational development. This article sets out to examine, how in this wider policy context, China's education has been transformed following the adoption of more pro-competition and market-oriented reform measures. This article is based on intensive secondary data analysis, fieldwork observations, and findings from a household survey conducted in eight different Chinese cities about people's perceived education hardship. The article concludes by considering how the Chinese government has attempted to address the problems of educational inequalities that have intensified on account of two decades of education marketization.     

Neoliberal Education Reform in The Netherlands

Until recently the Dutch education system was determined by the historic compromise of 1917, after which private schools were supported by the state on an equal financial footing to state schools. The consequence of this compromise was a mainly privatised and centralised system with a corporatist policy structure. In the mid-1980s The Netherlands, like other countries, came under the spell of the 'neoliberal revolution'. This article explores the extent to which the management reform carried out under a neoliberal flag has brought about radical changes to the Dutch education system. It especially looks at four key issues set out in that reform: increased autonomy, freedom of choice, privatization and quality control.     

中国素质教育发展中的得与失

中国教育在70年的发展历程中，坚持以培养全面发展的人才为教育目标，取得了令人瞩目的成就。如今，中国正从教育大国逐渐走向教育强国，足见其教育方针的基本内容和方向是好的、正确的。针对改革开放以来的中国教育状况，从泰国华人的视角，对中国素质教育在实施过程中的得与失进行了分析和思考，探讨了中国在素质教育改革与发展中存在的问题及解决对策，并得出结论：中国素质教育要有全局的考虑，要适应中国和全球经济、社会发展的需要。只有对文化科学知识教育和品德修养教育给以同等重视，中国的素质教育才能培养出更多品学兼优且适应社会发展的人才，才能满足中国经济高速发展和树立良好国际形象的需要。     

四十年来我国高校心理健康教育政策分析：定性与定量的视角

采用定性与定量结合的方法,对改革开放以来我国高校心理健康教育政策的发展脉络与特征进行分析。我国高校心理健康教育政策经历了萌芽期、探索期、推进期和深化期,现已成为国家顶层设计中的重要组成部分,且展现出一种由心理健康教育走向心理健康服务的“大心理健康教育观”。定量分析结果显示：“心理健康”“心理健康教育”等关键词频次随时间变化而增加,且在不同时期存在显著差异,表明心理健康教育愈发受到重视;政策类型逐渐多样,卫生/健康类政策和心理健康教育专项政策有效提高了心理健康教育的社会关注度。未来政策制度应从六大体系入手,推动建立健全具有中国特色的心理健康教育体制。     

General Survey and Background

The systemic reform of early childhood education (ECE) in Shenzhen has given rise to widespread debate as it has, in fact, changed ECE's rights and power relationships. It has created an impact in terms of ECE's public nature and, in a way, affected the integrity of China's education system. Although this reform possesses positive significance, its negative effects are not to be overlooked. The successful development of ECE should be securely ensured by means of legislation on preschool education.     

以行动进入文明： 杜威手工训练课程一解

本文以杜威创办的芝加哥实验学校中的手工训练课程为讨论对象，集中解析其中蕴含的教育原理与文明关怀。由于过分突出语言学习课程，美国镀金时代的基础教育丧失了根本的生命力和行动力。杜威以手工训练取代语言学习，开启了进步主义教育改革。从心理学层面看，手工训练解放了儿童的自然力量，让儿童恢复积极的行动力。从社会学层面看，手工训练实现了“去社会的社会化”，让个体沿着特定的社会方向成长。而在更普遍的意义上，手工训练充当了个体与文明之间的教育中介，为整全人格的塑造和现代公民教育奠定了坚实基础。对于手工训练的解读，有助于我们更加深入地理解杜威的教育思想与现实关怀，同时反思中国当前的教育状况与课程改革。     

日本高等教育市场化述评

20世纪90年代以来,日本进行了高等教育市场化改革。进入21世纪,日本高等教育市场化改革更加频繁和深入,推行了国立大学法人化、事后监督制度和认证评价制度等改革措施。这些改革措施的目的在于通过"放宽对大学的限制"和"让大学具有像民间机构一样的活力"来增加大学的自主性和自律性,在高等教育领域引进市场竞争机制。但是,这些改革的实际影响却并非一定符合改革的初衷,而改革的很多副作用也在改革实施之后渐渐显现出来。     

新世纪以来芬兰基础教育课程改革及其启示

21世纪芬兰经济快速发展,产业结构发生变化,第三产业比重持续上升并成为国民经济的主导产业,加上社会经济与科技的进步,芬兰政府意识到改革基础教育课程的重要性。芬兰在课程理念、课程内容、课程管理、课程设置、师资建设等方面都进行了改革。具体包括:尊重天性,培养终身学习的能力;重视科技与外语课程;课程管理分散灵活,实行"不分年级制";增加课程设置的弹性;整治教师队伍,为课程改革提供师资保证;政府为基础教育课程改革提供财力保障。改革虽然取得了一定的成果,但是其中也存在一些问题,例如,忽视学生学习自觉性的引导,对性别造成的学习差异不够重视,缺乏统一客观的课程评价标准等。芬兰基础教育课程改革的经验与教训启示我们:要注重课程设置的公平性;增加课程设置的弹性;提高师资队伍质量,使其具备配合国家课程改革的综合素质;建立全面而严格的基础教育课程改革评估制度;为学生提供多样化的选课方案以及课程指导制度。     

Changing the culture: The governance of the Australian pre-millennial university

Australian universities have undergone considerable reform in the past decade. What is seen as the 'unkindest cut of all' has been a more conservative federal government's substantial economic cut-backs in higher education from 1996 onwards. They have precipitated profound changes in its culture as the university becomes privatised, marketised, globalised and increasingly student-driven. In these shifts, the deregulated higher education sector is operating out of a 'busnocratic' rationality where choice and positional advantage are integral to market logic. This paper explores how universities are responding rapidly to fiscal stringency through the adoption of tactics and strategies which appropriate the operation of business for the governance of university culture     

Does the expansion of higher education reduce gender gaps in the labor market? Evidence from a natural experiment

In 2005 Chilean congress approved a bill that established a new funding tool for higher education funding through a "private system" of student loans (named CAE). The system aimed to support higher education inclusion among students with academic merits overcoming the lack of resources for ensuring access. Politicians have referred to this reform in higher education funding as a critical factor for expanding higher education enrollment. By its immediate results, it is a great strategy to cope with inequality and social mobility issues. However, there is little empirical evidence about labor market variables' overall effects, such as gender discrimination. This work attempts to estimate the new instrument's impact on the three standard measures of gender labor discrimination: labor participation, the gender wage gap, and the glass ceiling. The empirical strategy uses a difference-in-difference approach to provide estimates. The results indicate that the CAE policy changed women's labor market participation and contributed to close the gender pay gap in the labor market. However, the glass ceiling increased in the entire labor market, but not in the white-collar job market in specific.     

Minority Education in China: From State's preferential policies to dislocated Tibetan schools

This article analytically describes how the state of mainland China addresses the 'periphery syndrome' of education in its 'peripheral areas' of national minorities. It discusses the rationales, policies, implementations and results for the development of minority basic education. The examination of the 9-year compulsory schooling and the boarding school system for minority pupils suggests contradictions and mismatches between state policies and implementations. The article reveals educational, as well as geographical displacement of minority schooling, particularly the internationally little-known Tibetan Schools and Classes that have been radically developed in the metropolises of Han majority. The dislocation of reform for minority basic education, especially the lack of cultural sensitivity, is further compounded by the ubiquitous practices of pupil tracking and school differentiation in the education system. The author concludes that the policy components of cultural responsiveness should be integrated in minority education development.     

日本高校“主动学习”的构建与发展

近年来,为了适应社会发展,提升高等教育的质量,在世界范围内掀起了“从教向学的范式转换”改革热潮。日本高校自2012年起积极推进“主动学习”,其中既包含教师教学也包含学生学习。为深入理解日本高校“主动学习”的理论和方法,需要从基本概念入手,对“主动学习”产生的学术理论背景、社会背景、政府政策导向、推进状况、经验与教训进行深入的考察与分析,以期对我国高校的教学改革有所启发。     

职业教育教师资格制度变革的理论解释与现实难题

新《职业教育法》的实施为建设高质量职教教师队伍夯实了法治基础,面对时代背景的重要转变,职业教育教师资格制度应顺时而变。当前职教教师资格制度变革面临资格规范相对滞后减损制度效力、资格条件较为单一阻滞制度效能、资格考试设计粗疏掣肘制度效度、资格认定尚待优化影响制度效果等现实问题,胜任力理论可为构建职业教育教师资格制度提供新视角。职教教师资格制度变革可遵循以下路径：以职教高质量发展为基点,构建职教教师资格制度体系;以教师专业化发展为导向,改进职教教师资格条件框架;以考察教师素质为重点,优化职教教师资格考试制度;以教师职业成长为目标,完善职教教师资格认定制度。     

Inclusive education and best practice for children with autism spectrum disorder: an integrated approach

Many parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have reported general discontent with the services offered by the education system and have advocated for increased ASD‐specific services to better meet their children’s educational needs. The elements of best practice offer an ideal model for educational support. There are, however, limitations to advocating ASD‐specific services. This paper describes how best practice for ASD as an educational model fits within what is described as authentic inclusion. Further, it is suggested that the ASD community align with the greater inclusive education reform movement. With the use of this unified model of education, all children will receive the educational support they require.     

高考改革试点中家长对选科的 认识及意向的调查分析

家长是高考改革重要的利益相关者，其对选科的认识及意向是学生选科的重要影响因素。调查显示：家长对孩子在校课程学习和高考选科关注度较高，但对相关政策的了解有待深入；家长与孩子的选科意向及意向学科组合总体趋势较为一致；家长对孩子大学专业报考的初步意向集中在教育学、经济学、理学、医学等专业上，较为尊重孩子的选科及专业报考意向，赞同根据兴趣、能力、成绩及大学招生要求进行综合选择。根据家长对高考高度关注但实际了解程度偏低、新高考赋予更多选择权但家长的选择取向相对集中、家长和学生选择意向的趋利性特点突出、家校社协同机制有待形成等实际，还需进一步推动高考制度设计在试点中持续优化，发挥高校在招生和育人中的导向作用，推进高中学校育人方式改革，构建家校社协同机制以增进社会理解，从而加强对家长和学生选科选考的指导。     

Special and inclusive education in the Eastern Caribbean: policy practice and provision

The countries of the Eastern Caribbean have for more than a decade been committed to the implementation of a common educational reform strategy. At the heart of this strategy has been the policy of 'education for all', which includes establishing educational support services for children with special educational needs. In the past, many disabled children and children with learning difficulties have been excluded from the education system in these countries. For many more children, attendance at school has not given meaningful access to educational opportunities. This article discusses research carried out by the authors and reports on the implementation of the Reform Strategy and on the barriers to inclusive education that persist in the region.