A Festschrift for Andy Hargreaves

Recent social policy reforms have sought to overcome the limitations of “First Way” strategies emphasizing the welfare state and “Second Way” approaches advocating markets. Scholars and policymakers instead have begun to explore optimal synthesis of the public and private sector in a new “Third Way” of leadership and change. According to one line of interpretation advanced by Andy Hargreaves and Dennis Shirley, however, the Third Way as developed in education has ushered in a new orthodoxy of testing, accountability, and data-driven decision making. This new orthodoxy is said to distract educators from their true moral purposes. Hence, Hargreaves and Shirley have called for a new “Fourth Way” of change that draws upon international best practices in education. In this interpretive essay for a Festschrift issue of the Journal of Educational Change celebrating Andy Hargreaves’ 60th birthday, Dennis Shirley revisits Fourth Way change architecture to inquire after the appropriate role of new technologies in classrooms and schools. He retrieves the concept of mindful teaching and learning from the Fourth Way change model and illustrates how it can be used as a lens to adjudicate various interpretations of the appropriate role of new technologies in schools.     

Diversity and multiculturalism in Japan: what is called into question?

This study explores the different ways in which the notion of multiculturalism in Japan has been influenced by various social and historical trajectories. Since the Japanese government started to promote “internationalization” in the 1980’s, slogans such as “international exchange,” “cultural exchange,” and “understanding of other cultures” have become the most popular expressions among policy makers and educators. This article demonstrates that the notion of Japanese multiculturalism is intricately and deeply embedded in the society, culture, and education system of Japan. It also points out that this particularly Japanese style of multiculturalism excludes some immigrants who have lived in Japan for generations, and that this exclusion is not the result of ideological products, but rather the effect of multiple power relations.     

The study on the core concepts of contemporary sociology of education and its theoretical construction

Within the sphere of contemporary social sciences, the terms “modernity,” “post-modernity” and “globalization” have penetrated, as the core concepts, into various fields of social sciences in a logical way. In constituting the concept of “modernity,” sociology of education develops the educational theory, as sociological theory does, into a “grand narrative” and “foundationalist” theory; the contribution of post-modernity is pluralism and self-examination in an attempt to transcend modernity. Globalization, a kind of expanded modernity, makes education sociologists broaden their perspective from single and traditional “nationality,” “society” and “nation” to an international society and even to the global society, which has broken through the research paradigm of modernity with ethnocentrism, anthropocentrism and Euro-centrism. These changes have required urgent constitution of the conceptions and theoretical frameworks of sociology of education to be applied on a global level. __________ Translated from Peking University Education Review, 2006 (1)     

Decomposition analysis of carbon reduction measures and carbon emission changes in five areas in China

Based on the analysis of primary energy consumption structure in five main provinces or municipalities in China, the factors that affect carbon emissions in the five study areas are analyzed quantitatively and comparatively with the decomposition analysis method. Empirical results demonstrate that the decomposition models of carbon emissions can be defined as “municipality model” and “provincial model”, and the population factor of “municipal model” plays a significant role in carbon emissions than that of “provincial model”. Either positive or negative effects of energy structure can be found in five different areas. However, there is a general trend that energy structure effort is becoming more and more important. Based on the characteristics and trends of carbon emissions in different areas, the carbon reduction measures are proposed as well.     

New representation of Maxwell relation

A new representation of the Maxwell relation for phase transformation is given, which is expressed in simpler form and has more direct physical meaning than the original Maxwell relation. It is shown that the physical conjecture for the so-called “lock-up” condition suggested by Jensen （1999） is correct, but the equation for the “lock-up” condition suggested by Jensen （1999） is not. Numerical examples also demonstrate that the application of the new representation of Maxwell relation gives exactly the same solutions as the ones with application of the original Maxwell relation and, however, application of the “lock-up” condition gives no real solutions.     

Solution of an inverse problem for ＂fixed-fixed＂ and ＂fixed-free＂ spring-mass systems

The tridiagonal coefficient matrix for the ＂fixed-fixed＂ spring-mass system was obtained by changing spring length. And then a new algorithm of the inverse problem was designed to construct the masses and the spring constants from the natural frequencies of the ＂fixed-fixed＂ and ＂fixed-fres＂ spring-mass systems. An example was given to illustrate the results.     

Learning/work: Turning work and lifelong learning inside out

CONFINTEA VI took place against the background of an uneven and contradictory social and economic impact of globalisation. This impact registered globally and locally, in both the political North and South, drawing new lines of inequality between “core” and “periphery”, between insiders and outsiders of contemporary society. Financial turmoil in the world has exacerbated levels of poverty and insecurity. The question is how work-related education and conceptions of learning might promote greater inclusion and security for those whose livelihoods are most severely affected by globalisation. The Belém Framework for Action implicitly recognises that lifelong learning and work cannot be discussed outside broader socio-economic and political contexts. The authors of this article draw substantially on research from around the world and argue for the re-insertion of “politics and power” into both the theory and practice of “lifelong learning” and “work”.     

Educational technology and the world wide web in the pacific islands

Conclusion The United States and Japan are at the forefront of technological innovation, telecommunications and information management in the Pacific. This new era of “information” and “communication” raises disturbing questions: Whose information will be disseminated and heard? Can diversity be respected in a world driven by CNN World News and MTV world music? We do not have answers to these questions, but those of us who disseminate innovation and technology into the Pacific must engage in these dialogues with indigenous peoples. Pacific Island cultures must be taken into account as educators and others move toward international dialogue about educational technology, learning and “voice.” We hope this essay stimulates further thought and discussion in this area, as well as an impetus for developing partnerships between Pacific Island communities and institutions of higher education. Her research interests include learning and teaching with multimedia and web-based materials. His research interests include technologies for self-determination and voice.     

The “System of Chymists” and the “Newtonian dream” in Greek-speaking Communities in the 17th–18th Centuries

The acceptance of new chemical ideas, before the Chemical Revolution of Lavoisier, in Greek-speaking communities in the 17th and 18th centuries did not create a discourse of chemical philosophy, as it did in Europe, but rather a “philosophy” of chemistry as it was formed through the evolution of didactic traditions of Chemistry. This “philosophical” chemistry was not based on the existence of any academic institutions, it was focused on the ontology of principles and forces governing the analysis/synthesis of matter and formulated two didactic traditions. The one, named “the system of chymists”, close to the Boylean/Cartesian tradition, accepted, contrary to Aristotelianism, the five “chymical” principles and also the analytical ideal, but the “chymical” principles were not under a conceptual and experimental investigation, as they were in Europe. Also, a crucial issue for this tradition remained the “mechanical” principles which were under the influence of the metaphysical nature of the Aristotelian principles. The other, close to the Boylean/Newtonian tradition, was the integrated presentation of the Newtonian “dream”, which maintained a discursive attitude with reference to the “chemical attractions”–“chemical affinities” and actualised the mathematical atomism of Boscovich, according to which the elementary texture of matter could be causally explained within this complex architecture of mathematical “punkta”. In this tradition also coexisted, in a discursive synthesis, the “chemical element” of Lavoisier and the arguments of the new theory and its opposition to the phlogiston theory, but the “chemical affinities” were under the realm of the “physical element” as “metaphysical point”.     

Student equity’s starring role in Australian higher education: not yet centre field

The field of Australian higher education has changed, is changing and is about to change, repositioned in relation to other “fields of power”. It is a sector now well defined by its institutional groupings and by their relative claims to selectivity and exclusivity, with every suggestion of their differentiation growing. The potential of a “joined-up” tertiary education system, of vocational education and training (VET) and universities, has the potential to further rework these relations within Australian higher education, as will lifting the volume caps on university student enrolments. Moreover, Australian universities now compete within an international higher education marketplace, ranked by THES and Shanghai Jiao Tiong league tables. “Catchment areas” and knowledge production have become global. In sum, Australian universities (and agents within them) are positioned differently in the field. And being so variously and variably placed, institutions and agents have different stances available to them, including the positions they can take on student equity. In this paper I begin from the premise that our current stance on equity has been out-positioned, as much by a changing higher education field as by entrenched representations of social groups across regions, institutions, disciplines and degrees. In taking a new stance on equity, the paper is also concerned with the positioning in the field of a new national research centre with a focus on student equity in higher education. In particular, the paper asks what stance this new centre can take on student equity that will resonate on a national and even international scale. And, given a global field of higher education, what definitions of equity and propositions for policy and practice can it offer? What will work in the pursuit of equity?     

教育对不同群体收入的影响

This study investigates, statistically and econometrically, the income level, income inequality, education inequality, and the relationship between education and income of different social groups, on the basis of the Chinese Urban Household Survey conducted in 2005, the Gini coefficient and the quartile regression method. Research findings indicate that income inequality in China shows a significantly increasing trend since the beginning of the 1990s, which is attributed to the lowest income groups. Additionally, it is seen that the higher the level of education in a group, the smaller the income gap within it. As a result, the rate of returns on education for the “group with weaker ability to earn” is higher than that for the “group with stronger ability to earn”. Translated from Beijing Daxue Jiaoyu Pinglun 北京大学教育评论 (Peking University Education Review), 2006, 4(2): 85–92     

“New Basic Education” and me

Initiated in September 1994, “New Basic Education” first underwent a five-year Exploratory Research phase from September 1994 to May 1999, which was followed by a second five-year Developmental Research phase from September 1999 to May 2004. Thus during the past ten years, “New Basic Education” has undergone a complete research process, including the presentation of the problem, the formation of results, and finally the dissemination, application, perfection, and development of its research. This study has preliminarily explored the transformation of schools, educational theories and educational research methods in China. The author hopes to respond actively to educational changes caused by our transforming society through her professional research. She presents in this paper the retrospective notes of her subjective state, such as her thought process, planning, actions and experiences while conducting and developing “New Basic Education” research. “New Basic Education” research originated from ten years of theoretical preparation (amassing basic educational theory, the methodology for educational research, and meta-research of educational disciplines), as well as from the author’s personal experiences conducting field research during the past three years and her profound reflections on the nature of the social transformations taking place in late 20^th century China. During the Exploratory Research phase, “New Basic Education” research—which consists of reconstructive research on educational theory and practice—regards the rebuilding of educational aims as its theoretical starting point. Additionally, “New Basic Education” research regards schools, which provide nine-year compulsory education as the entire unit of practical research. The research also focused on classroom education, teaching reform, and school management for the experimentation and reform of the schools. As for the core issue of methodology, the crux of the issue lies in how to deal with the relations between theoretical research and practical research and the relationship between theoretical researchers and practical researchers.     

Issues of teacher education and inclusion in China

Since the 1980s, children with disabilities in China have been integrated into general education settings; the practice is termed sui ban jiu du, literally “learning in a regular classroom” (LRC). The term LRC means “receiving special education in general education classrooms”, and it is regarded as a practical form of inclusion in China. This paper provides context for understanding the issues of teacher education and inclusion in China by comparing the concept of LRC in China to the international concept of inclusive education. It discusses the challenges for and development of LRC at the levels of policy and practice. The main issues involved in teacher education for special/inclusive education are discussed in relation to the culture and context of current policy and its implementation, teachers’ attitudes toward LRC, the professional competence of LRC teachers, the shortage of qualified teachers, and the lack of a national system for special education certification. The final section considers strategies to develop high-quality inclusive education in China from the perspectives of policy development, professional development, and the development of procedures for policy implementation.     

Examining the social and scientific roles of invention in science education

I have been drawn to the construct of “invention” and “inventive acts” because in my research involving how homeless children construct science and the self-in-science, an overwhelming theme has been the multiple ways in which self-identity in science has been described by the children through a language of invention. Using post-modern feminism and science and technologies studies, I examine the multiple uses and definitions of “invention” in science in order to develop a theory of invention and inventive acts around the themes: invention as a social act, invention as a recursive and socially linked process, and embodied agency. I use this framework to examine the construct of “invention” in two different case studies involving the science education of urban homeless children. Finally, I link this discussion of invention and inventive acts with current international reform initiatives revolving around constructivist science teaching and learning.     

An ecosystemic approach for understanding inclusive education: An Indian case study

India is currently faced with the formidable task of fulfilling its commitment towards Education for All. This paper presents findings of a multi-level study, which explored the various meanings, and efforts towards inclusive education in an Indian context. Using an ecosystemic framework, it discusses the many complex ways in which efforts have been influenced by international developments and socio-cultural factors within the national context. This paper discusses the emergence of inclusive education, as being about the education of children with disabilities. It places specific focus on exploring the impact that narrowly constructed notions of “ability” and “disability” have on efforts undertaken at the government and school level. The paper concludes by arguing for a need to understand inclusive education, not only in terms of new terminology, policies and legislations, but also by critically examining the beliefs and values that underpin its developments.     

Critical thinking, education, and postmodernity: Possibilities and limitations for moral education

The contemporary educational discourse on critical thinking, as one of the primary aims of education. has been divided into the spheres of modernist defense and post-modernist criticism. Critical of both positions, this paper attempts to find a new way of employing critical thinking, especially for the purposes of moral education, by drawing on Bernard William’s concept of “ethical reflection.” It will be shown that employing critical thinking for the fostering of ethical reflection in our young students can lead them into an “understanding” of ethical, rather than “ethical knowledge,” which enables them to properly deal with moral relativism in a culturally pluralistic society. This paper then explores the educational possibilities presented by Socrates’ teaching method as an example of this employment, though not without consideration of the attendant educational limitations and dangers.     

A case for critical constructivism and critical thinking in science education

While constructivism has made a considerable mark concerning learning in many areas of school learning, much less is evident relating to the education and professional development of teachers. This paper not only deals with the implementation and evaluation of such a constructivist course, but extends the argument towards the induction of teachers into “critical constructivism” through their own action research projects. Data is drawn from a single case study which illuminates the induction process and illustrates the changes taking place in the professional life and the reflective practice of one teacher as she deals with scientific concepts with two classes of 11–15 and 18–25 year olds. The Brazilian setting for the course lends resonance to its international significance.     

School–Parent Partnerships in Singapore

In an era of rapid global economic and social change, educational institutions like schools and universities are struggling to keep their curricula and programs relevant. Singapore’s schools are no exception, especially when education is viewed as the essential element for maintaining the nation’s global competitiveness in ways that are totally disproportionate to its size. The current shift from an ‘efficiency-’ to an ‘ability-’ driven paradigm in education, however, is increasing uncertainty and raising the stakes in an already pressurized system where schools, educators and students constantly compete for top academic awards and rewards. The concept of “partnership” in Singapore education is a significant, relatively new, trend that has caught on among local schools only since the late-1990s, with the focus on creating better “total” learning environments for students. This paper analyses the challenges of matching rhetoric with professional practice with regard to school–home partnerships in Singapore, and concludes that the key to authentic collaboration lies in the mutual appreciation and valuing of diversity as well as a deep sense of shared responsibility by all parties concerned.     

Hutchins’s University of Utopia: Institutional Independence,Academic Freedom,and Radical Restructuring

In a crisis-plagued world looking to higher education for knowledge, wisdom, and solutions, higher education itself is stumbling. Its transformational thinking has frozen up like an overstressed computer program; and we need, in effect, to “push the reset button.” In 1953, the renowned and controversial president of the University of Chicago, Robert M. Hutchins, authored a refreshing and provocative work, The University of Utopia, containing ideas that still challenge today’s paradigms. He argued for institutional independence over “accountability,” “outcomes,” and “stakeholders.” He indicted educational evils he called “industrialization,” “specialization,” “philosophical diversity,” and “social and political conformity” and suggested ways to defeat them. Although his 56-year-old thoughts on reconceptualizing the multiversity are not a panacea, they could help higher education make a fresh start. This essay reintroduces the modern reader to Hutchins’s iconoclastic and stimulating ideas in the hope of restarting the stalled agenda for educational reform.