Expanding educational opportunities: Conceptualization and measurement

This paper re-examines data on inequality of opportunity for higher education in the light of the debate aroused in Sweden by the U68 report. Earlier data for four countries (U.S.A., Sweden, Spain and Germany) are used to portray diverse status profiles of students: neither level of national income nor level of university enrolment appreciably affects selectivity of attendance. Changes in rates of attendance for three status categories in Sweden from 1950 to 1970 are measured in three ways. Convergence between the status categories in rates of enrolment is demonstrated.     

桂林市中小学教育科研的现状、问题与对策

随着基础教育课程改革的不断深入，桂林市中小学教育科研工作既面临新的机遇，也面临新的挑战。为进一步做好桂林市的教育科研工作，必须对桂林市中小学教育科研工作的现状及存在的问题有一个正确的认识，同时，针对存在问题采取必要的对策。本文在这方面做了一些思考，希望能给广大教育工作者提供一些有益的参考和启示。     

“现象——问题”对象观逻辑辨析——兼论教育现象与教育问题的逻辑关系

教育学研究对象之争主要有现象对象观和问题对象观,其中现象对象观内在推演的逻辑蕴涵从现象到本质再到规律的推理过程,问题对象观内在逻辑思路可概括为从问题(矛盾)到本质再到规律或从问题到矛盾,再到本质,最后通达规律的推演进程。据此分析现象———问题对象观中关于教育学是研究教育现象和教育问题,揭示教育规律的科学之表述所折射出的教育现象与教育问题之间用和连接的逻辑问题,在理清教育现象与教育问题逻辑关系的基础上将教育学的研究对象定义为教育学是研究教育现象,重点研究教育问题,揭示教育规律的科学。     

Growing confidence in educational research: Threats and opportunities

We live in difficult times—socially, economically and politically—and it is right that learned societies, such as the British Educational Research Association, reflect on their purpose and direction. We cannot take for granted the social contract that supports the funding of social science and educational research. This paper reflects on enduring themes and new pressures and argues for special attention to: collaboration within and beyond the community of university‐based educational researchers; support for, and recognition of, the importance of reviews of research; the development of accessible forms of communication of findings and their implications, to guide sound decision making; more direct engagement with practitioners, policy makers and the public. It argues that it is time for communities of educational researchers to have confidence to become outward looking and strengthen alliances with other groups of researchers at home and abroad, across disciplines, with different types of research institutions and also with practitioners and policy makers. What drives this should be our principal aim to pursue educational research and its application for the improvement of education and the public benefit.     

关于教育理论反思若干问题的思考

批判与反思教育理论自身的发展至为重要，本围绕关涉教育理论发展的几个根本性问题展开讨论，主张：教育理论实现进步与超越的基本形态是内生式而不是外发式的；教育理论研究中真与善的并生共存；要高度重视教育合理性问题的研究，教育理论合理性的检验应是多维度、多层面的。     

Participatory pedagogy in an open educational course: challenges and opportunities

This article presents an empirical study of an open educational course in an online peer-to-peer university (P2PU). P2PU is a nonprofit organization offering free educational opportunities. Focus is on how peers are part of creating course content in a Web 2.0 environment. Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have evolved into two different pedagogical directions: content-based xMOOCs and connectivist cMOOCs. cMOOCs emphasizing learning in networks developed informally, where learners are part of creating course content, resemble P2PU`s vision. We investigated processes of interaction in co-creation of tasks in an open educational course and what opportunities and challenges emerge. We employed template analysis for coding data. We report two different processes of interaction between users and organizers: problem identification and co-creation of tasks. This study contributes to understanding a new model of teaching and learning through scrutinizing participation in an open educational course and explores implications for the learning experience.     

Lifelong education in Japan,a highly school-centred society: educational opportunities and practical educational activities for adults

In Japan the use of the term lifelong education has become widespread throughout the 1990s and is central to educational policies, which actively tackle crucial subjects that take place in a wide area of education in a drastically changing contemporary society. This paper examines in detail the present situation of the development of lifelong education, in particular concerning adults, relating to the traditional ideas and systems on education called a highly school-centred society. These traditional ideas and systems, even today in Japan, have still functioned to greatly value school credentials and disturb the widening of the participation of adults in lifelong education, nevertheless adults have stood in need of continuously studying up-to-date knowledge and skills in a wide range of areas and at a different level throughout their working lives.     

大学新生心理健康问题及教育对策

大学新生正处于世界观、人生观和价值观形成的关键时期,处在迅速走向成熟、但还未完全成熟的阶段。大学新生经历的从中学跨入大学的过程,是其人生经历中一次质与量突飞猛进的过程。在这个过程中,大学新生普遍存在着一些心理问题。如何以良好的心理素质、健康的精神风貌迎接新的大学生活,是摆在每一位大学新生面前亟待解决的重大问题,也是广大高校教育工作者、学生家长以及全社会深思的,本文阐述了大学新生心理问题的解决方法,以期培养合格的当代大学生。     

Monoculturalism in transition: The educational implications and opportunities of finnish internationalization

A lecturer in English language at the Department of Teacher Education, University of Jyv?skyl? (Finland). His fields of interest include the use of computers in language teaching, Canadian studies, global education and citizenship. He has published several articles and textbooks, includingA handbook of classroom English.     

Zimbabwe's educational miracle and the problems it has created

When ZANU (PF) came to power in 1980, it had promised to establish free and compulsory primary and secondary education for all children in Zimbabwe. The Ministry of Education has achieved remarkable increases in school enrolments, particularly at secondary level. It has also undertaken to allow all pupils to sit the O Level examinations after four years of secondary schooling. But by so doing it has encouraged a belief in the importance of academic qualifications and a crisis of expectation among pupils. There are insufficient places for those who wish to continue to Sixth Form (higher secondary) studies, a lack of alternative vocational training, and an inadequate rate of creation of new jobs for school leavers. There seem but three ways out: to cut defence spending in favour of education, to send students abroad for higher training, or to develop new employment and training schemes, perhaps after an imported model.

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Zusammenfassung Als die Afrikanische Nationalunion von Simbabwe, ZANU (PF), 1980 an die Macht kam, hatte sie zugesichert, eine allgemeine unentgeltliche Schulpflicht für die Primar- und Sekundarstufen in Simabwe einzuführen. Das Erziehungsministerium hat einen erstaunlichen Zuwachs an Einschulungen, besonders auf der Sekundarschulebene erzielt. Darüberhinaus hat das Ministerium Schritte eingeleitet, so daß Schüler die Mittlere Reife (O Level) nach vier Sekundarschuljahren ablegen können. Durch diesen Schritt wurde gleichzeitig die überzeugung von der Bedeutsamkeit akademischer Qualifikationen gestärkt und eine Erwartungskrise unter den Schülern ausgelöst. Plätze für Schüler, die die höhere Sekundarstufe (Sixth Form) weiterbesuchen möchten, reichen nicht aus, es mangelt an alternativen Berufsausbildungsmöglichkeiten und an neugeschaffenen Arbeitsplätzen für Schulabgänger. Nur drei Auswege scheinen möglich zu sein: die Verteidigungskosten zugunsten des Bildungswesens zu kürzen, Schüler zur höheren Ausbildung ins Ausland zu schicken, oder aber neue Berufs- und Ausbildungsprogramme gegebenfalls nach einem importierten Modell zu entwickeln.

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Résumé Lorsque le Front Patriotique (ZANU - PF) parvint au pouvoir en 1980, il avait promis d'établir un enseignement primaire et secondaire gratuit et obligatoire pour tous les enfants du Zimbabwe. Le Ministère de l'Education a réussi à faire progresser de manière remarquable le taux de scolarisation, en particulier dans le second degré. Il a également décidé de permettre à tous les élèves de passer les examens du niveau O après quatre années d'enseignement secondaire. Mais en agissant ainsi, il a encouragé une croyance en l'importance des titres scolaires et une crise d'attente chez les élèves. Les places sont insuffisantes pour ceux désirant poursuivre leurs études jusqu'à la 6e classe (enseignement secondaire supérieur), un système alternatif de formation professionnelle fait défaut et le taux de création de nouveaux emplois pour les jeunes quittant l'école est inadéquat. Trois issues semblent se dessiner: augmenter le budget de l'éducation en réduisant celui de la défense, envoyer les élèves à l'étranger pour y recevoir une formation supérieure, ou bien développer de nouvelles structures d'emploi et de formation, à l'instar d'un modèle étranger notamment.