The dynamic role of cultural capital in the competitive school admission process: a Chinese experience

School choice in China is a parent-initiated bottom-up movement characterised by the payment of a substantial ??choice fee?? to the desired school, and parents?? positional competition through the use of cultural, social and economic capital, before and during the school choice process. This study demonstrates that Chinese middle class parents?? cultural capital and their efforts to help their children to accumulate cultural capital through after-school activities greatly increase their positional advantage in the competitive school admission process in China. The Chinese practice of acquiring cultural capital outside the family has to some extent extended the development of Bourdieu??s cultural reproduction theory. The widespread practice of such actions by middle class families clearly illustrates how cultural capital can be used to maintain social stratification by perpetuating educational inequalities that lead to unequal life opportunities for differently schooled people.     

Minds, Brains, and Education: Part II. Responding to the Commentaries

The present authors wrote a paper on cognitive neuroscience (i.e., Byrnes and Fox, 1998) that spawned a number of commentaries. In the present paper, they respond to these commentaries. Using a theme-based approach, they reveal an emerging consensus regarding the educational relevance of neuroscientific research.     

Directions for Integration in Australia: Overview of a Report to the Commonwealth Schools Commission. Part II.

Drawing upon information from a national survey, this paper examines the extent to which integration is being achieved for children with disabilities in Australian schools. Technical and organizational issues leading to identification of major barriers to integration together with possible strategies to overcome these are discussed. A need for policy‐oriented research in this field is identified, particularly the provision of accurate prevalence figures and other data to help monitor the impact of policy. Overall, there is evidence of a national movement towards integration but typically this is occurring within a context of inadequate policy formulation, organizational development and resource provision.     

Entry to University in the United States: The role of SATs and Advanced Placement in a competitive sector

This paper briefly explores the US secondary education system, concentrating on the variables that affect students' entrance into university and the effects of increased competition for places in the most highly selective universities. The SAT (formerly known as the Scholastic Aptitude Test) programme is highlighted, since it comprises the most common form of national standardised assessment for university bound students. With the recent increase in competition for the most highly prized university places, and growing numbers of US students entering university, another national assessment programme is gaining popularity—the Advanced Placement (AP) Program—which is then analysed.     

Samuel Torrey Orton award to Jack M. Fletcher: Citation acceptance of the Samuel Torrey Orton award November 14, 2003, San Diego,California

In recognition of your commitment to effective reading instruction through your dedicated research into language development and other cognitive skills in children and adults with learning and attention difficulties.     

Individualised educational programmes. Part II: raising the attainment of pupils with special educational needs

This paper is based on an investigation into individualised educational programmes (IEPs). The project, entitled 'Raising the Attainment of Pupils with Special Educational Needs', was commissioned by the Scottish Executive Education Department in 2000 and was completed in 2001. A literature review published previously traces the origins of IEPs and compares and contrasts their use in education systems in the UK, elsewhere in Europe, in the USA and in Australia.     

Young Children,Television & Learning: Part II. Comparison of the effects of reading and story telling by the teacher and television story viewing

Three groups of 6‐ to 7‐year old children were used to compare the effects of stories read by a teacher with stories viewed on educational television. Weekly, for ten weeks, a story was read to Group A while the same story was seen on television by Groups B and C, Group B being prepared for the story by the teacher and given appropriate follow‐on. Questioning for understanding and recall showed that, at the end of the ten weeks, the largest gains were made by the Group B children, who showed improvement in their classification ability and in application of their understanding to domains beyond the confines of the immediate story structure. Television was preferred by the children for its pictures, movement and action, and generated more detailed understanding and recall, but only when the stories were interpreted and rationalised by the teacher. Video recorder replay is helpful, and teachers need to be taught how best to manage story‐telling with young children     

Creating learning environments conducive to change: The role of fear/safety in the adult learning process

This paper addresses the adult educator's responsibility to establish an emotionally safe learning environment. Such a climate enables students to address constructively the fears they bring to the learning event. This empowers the learner to risk change-the goal of adult education. The research of Maslow, Rogers, Knowles, and Freire supports an atmosphere of mutual respect as the key to adult learning. Trainers/Teachers of adults were interviewed to identify the kinds of fears that adults bring to the learning event. This paper explores the attitudes and techniques used by the facilitator to create an atmosphere of respect.     

East Meets West in Assessment Development: Western Technical Assistance to Eastern Needs. Part II: Project and Team Management in the AERo Project in Romania

This is Part II of a three-part series describing the consultancy and training demands that are encountered in technical assistance projects in Central and Eastern Europe. This part highlights project management and cooperation aspects in delivering support to the Romanian Assessment and Examination Service. Part I dealt with strategic issues for a successful delivery of "Western Technical Assistance to Eastern Needs." Part III will address training of Polish subject experts, preparing to take on responsibility for a decentralized and drastically changed final exam, the Matura.     

芥川龙之介在华译介版本考录:1921-1929

目前中国学者对芥川龙之介在华译介情况的研究还比较少,而且也存在或多或少的疏漏错误之处.针对现有研究的不足,本文对芥川龙之介及其作品在20世纪20年代中国的译介情况进行详实准确的考录,以便让读者对其形成一个较为客观详尽的认识.     

Contextual Influences on Integration in Australia: Overview of a Report to the Commonwealth Schools Commission. Part I.

Integration of students with special needs has emerged as a significant challenge to education practice in Australia, as elsewhere in the world community. To date, however, little information is available regarding the implementation of integration policy which, in many cases, is still evolving. This paper presents findings of a study sponsored by the Commonwealth Schools Commission at the request of the Organization for Economic Co‐operation and Development, Centre for Education Research and Innovation (OECD/CERI) and describes the current context within which integration in Australia occurs. Reference is made to the philosophical, legislative, and policy bases, administrative organization, and funding structures from which the implementation of policy is proceeding. Differences between States, as well as issues of common interest are identified.