‘You want us to teach outdoor education where?’ Reflections on teaching outdoor education online

This article reports on the experiences of two lecturers working at the University of Tasmania required to teach outdoor and sustainability education (O&SE) courses online. Using an (auto)ethonographic case-study approach, the lecturers were interviewed with a view to exploring their perceptions, challenges, ethical dilemmas, tensions, opportunities and experiences in this space. A number of themes emerged, including commitment to quality teaching and learning, the role of experience, and experiential learning, in the online space, the challenge of fostering a connection to place, difficulties faced when trying to develop a learning community, and the role of professional learning and support in terms of pedagogy and technology in the online space. These themes, and their implications for teaching and learning in higher education both generally, and specifically in O&SE, are discussed in light of what is a mounting body of literature exploring the move to online delivery in higher education.     

Is self-assessment in religious education unique?

This paper addresses the question: is self-assessment in religious education unique? It first presents an overview of some challenges for assessment from subject differences, and then reviews the generic literature on self-assessment. It builds on earlier empirical research on self-assessment in religious education, carried out in an English state secondary school; this was used to propose a variant of self-assessment which is tailored to the demands of religious education – reflexive self-assessment. Its implications for more general understandings of the relationship between subject pedagogy and self-assessment are discussed, especially the recognition of values not only in religious education but in other subjects too, reinforcing the need to develop subject-specific variants of self-assessment that reflect the breadth of learning outcomes.     

Does Russia need sex education? The views of stakeholders in three Russian regions

Objective To investigate the attitudes of the main stakeholders towards the introduction of sex education in schools in Russia.

Design Qualitative semi-structured interview study.

Setting Altai Krai, Volgograd Oblast, Moscow, Russian Federation.

Participants One hundred and fifty-three interviews with Intersectoral HIV/AIDS Committee members, government officials responsible for HIV policies and interventions, non-governmental organisation and private-sector representatives.

Main outcome measures Perception of and attitudes towards the introduction of sex education in schools.

Results Ninety-one per cent of stakeholders welcomed the introduction of sex education in schools and emphasised its importance for a child's personal development, public health, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS control, and pregnancy planning. The majority of respondents suggested providing different information for each age and grade. Despite the claimed support of interviewed policy-makers and main HIV stakeholders, there has been no action to introduce sex education. The majority of respondents were of the view that wider positive support through propaganda about health, sex and healthy lifestyle should be gained prior to introducing sex education in schools by addressing the stigma surrounding sexual issues.

Conclusions There was little opposition to the introduction of sex education in Russian schools expressed in our survey, but there are uncertainties regarding curriculum quality, teaching methods and the starting grade of teaching about sex, and there is a need to cover local sensitivities in the territories. These concerns could and should be addressed during curriculum design, development and programme implementation by the federal and local authorities. Wider involvement of educational specialists, peer-adults, health workers, celebrities and religious representatives in discussion of the curriculum could help prevent opposition to its implementation.

Contribution to knowledge Discussion of sex-related topics has been taboo in Russia and there has been little research into opinions on issues related to sex education. The contribution of this research is in gaining theoretical in-depth understanding of the attitudes of the interviewed stakeholders in Russia about the introduction of sex education in schools.     

Conscientious withdrawal from religious education in Scotland: anachronism or necessary right?

This paper considers the right of parental withdrawal from the statutory subject Religious Education (RE) in Scottish primary and secondary schools. The background, history and current legislative situation relating to this right are considered, as well as current discussions and debates about this issue. The intentions are to establish how often and for what reasons parents opt to withdraw their children, as well as to investigate how schools and local authorities respond to requests for withdrawal. This research is informed by a survey of primary and secondary schools within two local authorities in particular. It emerges that there are relatively few cases of withdrawal. A majority of participating schools argued for the abolition of this right.     

Education or Service? Remarks on teaching and learning in the entrepreneurial university

German universities come under fire: in contemporary political discourse they are considered to be antiquated, inefficient and unfit for international competition. Accordingly, the German government implemented an extensive program of reforms. Following the so‐called ‘Sorbonne Declaration’, the universities shall become part of an European higher education system with comparable and compatible structures. With the focus on the field of academic teaching and learning, this essay discusses the way of defining these activities in a new, entrepreneurial way, and the implications of this process within the university. The reflections lead to the thesis that the actual reforms ask for new forms of critique, because the neoliberal offer of marketable ways to teach and to learn makes the enduring asymmetry of power relations within the educational field invisible, endangers the democratic character of the university and trivializes education.     

After conflict comes education? Reflections on the representations of emergencies in ‘Education in Emergencies’

Over the last decade, education has been advanced as a new and legitimate core of the humanitarian crisis response. ‘Education in Emergencies’ (EiE) developed into an institutionalised field of humanitarian practice, advocacy, and scholarly work. Identifying how emergency discourses have been critiqued to operate as ‘social imaginaries’, in this paper the ‘emergency imaginary’ as it develops in the particular discursive context of EiE is analysed. We scrutinise how emergencies are represented in this EiE-discourse by pointing to the socio-ideological and economic drivers of conflict, how the interconnections between education and these drivers are pictured, and the educational changes subsequently advocated for. We conclude that, while EiE has been called a ‘new field of academic and policy research’, the discourse might reiterate prevailing power relations, leading to an adverse portrayal of crisis-affected communities and a legitimation of a global status-quo.     

How does national culture affect the teaching style in higher education and what are the implications for the student experience?

Tertiary Education and Management - One of the effects of globalization in Higher Education is that teachers in institutions and faculties increasingly come from diverse cultural backgrounds. This...     

On the margins or at the center? Distance education in higher education

Abstract

This reflection focuses on the position of distance education in today’s global higher education. Firstly, it identifies three types of convergence of distance and campus-based education – dual mode, add-on/blended, and full convergence – arguing that the last type has yet to be fully realized due to the complexities involved. It then critiques the interplay between the two, concluding that despite being influenced by campus-based instructional delivery in its early days, distance education is now influencing campus-based education. Implications of convergence are also discussed. Arguably, distance education universities should be proud of the increasing presence of distance education in campus-based universities and have confidence in maintaining their advantages. As for campus-based universities, a systems approach is needed if they intend to take advantage of this ‘unorthodox’ mode of education. Finally, it is suggested that both campus-based education and distance education are at the center of higher education because they are now equally conventional.     

Measuring confessionality by the outcomes? Islamic religious education in the Finnish school system

Confessionality is a term which is seldom defined but often used. One of its meanings is enhancing the religiosity of pupils. In Finland, pupils are provided with religious education in their own religion. Does this produce more religious young people than a neutral or multi-religious education would produce? Interviews with 15–16-year-old Muslim pupils at three different Finnish comprehensive schools are examined in order to answer this question. The young Muslims themselves usually regarded their families as the most important factor in their religious identity, although they also acknowledged and valued the impact of school. For them, knowledge of Islam was an important asset. Some peer group influence could also be detected, although the interviewees stressed the fact that their faith was a matter of individual choice. Islamic religious education certainly provides an arena for developing religious attitudes and models of behaviour, but other factors determine whether these models are received or not. The focus of defining the degree of confessionality should be shifted from the outcomes to the process of teaching, and in particular the question as to whether the religious education class can be seen as a safe space for every pupil.     

Swimming in the deep end: transnational teaching as culture learning?

Drawing upon the experiences of a group of academics who were responsible for the teaching and coordination of a newly established offshore program, this study considers intercultural learning during transnational education (TNE) sojourns and demonstrates that the personal and pedagogical adaptation required of academics is significant. The study combines data from pre-, during- and post-sojourn interviews with detailed observations of offshore teaching. This ethnographic methodology provides a detailed account of the TNE experience that is rare in the literature. The study adds support to the contention that the acknowledgement of cultural distance, rather than the adoption of a universalist mindset, is a precondition for development of intercultural competence through transnational teaching. The reflections of the respondents indicate that when transnational educators are prepared to learn from the ambiguity encountered during offshore teaching, they have the capacity to experience personal growth and to add significantly to their university's human capital. The paper argues that this ‘preparedness’ to learn should not be left to chance lest it does not eventuate and that the responsibility for development is shared between transnational educators, who must be open to change and prepared to engage in self-reflection that can be confronting, and universities, who must formally recognise the need to provide time, resources and quality, ethical learning interventions in order to facilitate the development of intercultural competence in all staff, especially those who teach overseas.     

Reflections on the application of the western reproduction theory in the research into the education of China

The ＂reproduction theory＂ was conceived and born in the research into educational inequalities in Western countries. Famous as the theory is, when it is to be applied in the research into education in China, a few factors must be taken into consideration： the subjects investigated must be educational inequalities that have come into being in the context of China; a shift in theoretical approach and expression is needed, with the Functional approach as the dominant research method; in terms of the standpoint of the researcher, whose academic mission and realization of social ideals should be closely and fully integrated; in terms of research method, the principle of combining both the macroscopic and microscopic approaches and analysis on the basis of actual facts should be adopted so as to effectively analyze and solve the problems plaguing the education of China and to promote the localization of the western reproduction theory in China.     

Why research-informed teaching in engineering education? A review of the evidence

Challenges of today's engineering education (EE) are emergent, necessitating calls for its reformation to empower future engineers function optimally as innovative leaders, in both local and international contexts. These challenges: keeping pace with technological dynamism; high attrition; and most importantly, quality teaching/learning require multifaceted approaches. But how can EE respond to the growing demand for relevant teaching? What can we do for engineering faculties to leverage on quality teaching? How do we embed quality teaching in EE? Scholarship of teaching and learning is advocated as one viable approach. It uses evidence-based teaching (EBT) strategies, and research-informed evidence to guide educational decisions regarding teaching and learning. We review the theories underpinning EBT, the scientific evidence on which it is based, and innovative instructional strategies that enhance active learning. Some of these issues have been discussed already, largely through developing countries lens. Nevertheless, linkages to equivalent global perspectives are presented here.     

Reflections on the lecture: outmoded medium or instrument of inspiration?

The traditional, didactic lecture is under attack from diverse quarters. With its origins rooted in the emergence of orality, the lecture now stands as only one of a plethora of educational communication tools, and has been subject to criticism particularly by constructivists for failing to deliver deep and effective learning experiences. This article explores the lecture's advantages and limitations in the context of evolving teaching practices and technologies, and posits that the strength of the lecture lies in its immediacy and presence. Its future survival and evolution must exploit this powerful asset to enhance student learning through engagement and interaction.     

Silver bullet or red herring? New evidence on the place of aspirations in education

This article reports on a longitudinal study of student aspirations at the ages of 13 and 15 in three schools in the United Kingdom, where there has been a great deal of emphasis placed on aspirations in recent policy making. The data, based on individual interviews with 490 students in areas with significant deprivation as well as interviews with parents, teachers and community members, call into question the effectiveness of concentrating educational efforts on raising aspirations. Aspirations, even in these communities struggling with poverty, are very high—the missing element is the knowledge of how to make these aspirations concrete and obtainable. Implications for educators include insights into the highly aspirational nature of marginalised communities, the key role teachers play in helping aspirations come to fruition, and the need to focus on supporting young people to achieve aspirations that already substantially exceed the jobs available in the UK workforce.     

Higher education in Turkey: Subsidizing the rich or the poor?

We investigate how the benefits of publicly financed higher education in Turkey are distributed among students with different socioeconomic backgrounds. We use a dataset from a nationally representative sample of university entrance exam takers together with data on government subsidies to public universities. We compare the characteristics of students who succeed in the exam to those who do not and those who enter public universities to those who go to private ones. Our econometric analyses based on a three-stage selection model reveal that students from wealthier and more educated families are more likely to be successful at university entrance. Unlike the findings in other countries, students who enroll in private universities come from higher income and more educated families. Among those who enter public universities, students from higher income and better educated families are more likely to go to universities that receive larger subsidies from the government.     

Vocational education and the binary higher education system in the Netherlands: higher education symbiosis or vocational education dichotomy?

The Netherlands has a binary higher education system in which academic education and higher professional education at EQF levels 5–8 co-exist. There is also secondary vocational education at EQF levels 1 up to 4. In this paper, I analyse policy documents resulting from the Bologna Process and argue that under neo-liberal conditions, higher professional education brings opportunities for both students and employers, but also creates a socio-economic tension in terms of employability. The gap between higher professional education and secondary vocational education adds to the formation of a labour market in which higher professional education graduates are prepared to an international labour market but employability pressure is being put on lower skilled employees, creating unequal employability opportunities for vocational education graduates.     

Reflections on outdoor education and English ‘Indigenous Organic Fascism’ in the 1930s

The 1930s in England saw the emergence of what has been called an ‘Indigenous Organic Fascism’. This ideology was based on deeply articulated concerns for both the natural environment and a perceived threat to a cultural and spiritual connection to the land. This article reviews these perspectives and explores the ideas of English Fascism for a rural and thereby cultural revival. The article reviews how such environmental concerns became practically expressed in a range of enterprises in outdoor engagement with young people in an attempt to counter the desultory effects of capitalism and urbanisation. Some initiatives were based on summer camps with regular organised activities; others sought to promote deeper, spiritual connections to the natural environment. It is suggested that how such an intolerant and elitist ideology came to see such deep connections to the environment as central to their articulation may be of interest to contemporary practice in outdoor learning and that critical reflection, review and interrogation of some of the terms we use is a way of safeguarding unintentional misinterpretation in uncertain times.     

Dialogue in religious education lessons – possibilities and hindrances in the Estonian context

This paper discusses the limitations and potentials for dialogue in religious education (RE) classes on the basis of observations of Estonian RE lessons. I investigated how the way of asking questions contributes to the dialogue in the classroom. Additionally I investigated how students’ readiness to engage in dialogue is influenced by others’ responses to their contributions. I examined what happens in a classroom, by observing and analysing patterns of interaction in RE lessons in two schools. Video‐ethnographic data collection was combined with stimulated recall. Incident‐analysis stemming from conversational analysis was used to interpret the data. On the basis of these analyses and interpretations, we can conclude that the teacher‐centred habit of instruction is a main impediment to dialogue. A teacher’s positive reinforcement of answers does not contribute to dialogue between students but rather to the assumption that the correct answer has already been given and to reliance on the teacher’s arguments. Also, open questions do not work always as facilitators of dialogue, but rather can be felt as intimidating.