The regulated education market has a past

In many countries, neo-liberal education policy has embraced the concept of a regulated education market. In Australia, for example, the federal government is seeking to create one education market by pursuing policies that blur the distinction between public and private education. There is a growing body of research examining the operation and effects of education markets, using a range of perspectives and approaches. However, historical perspectives have rarely been used in relation to this research programme. This is surprising given that the education market is not just a contemporary phenomenon: it has a past. This paper explores the insights that can be gained from an historical perspective by undertaking an historical sociology of a period of South Australian education history (1852–1875) when there was a regulated education market in operation. The paper focuses on one aspect of the effects of regulated markets, that of teachers’ work.     

高校体育教育专业术科“单元探究式”教学模式的构建

对我国高校体育教育专业术科教学模式进行分析与研究,构建了体育专业术科“单元探究式”教学模式.实践证明,体育术科“单元探究式”教学模式符合我国高等体育教育改革与发展和社会主义市场经济条件下对人才的需要;体育专业术科“单元探究式”教学模式,不仅适应体育教育专业术科,也适应其它专业和学科.培养创新型人才是高等院校教学改革与社会主义市场经济相适应的必然.     

Application of learning analytics using clustering data Mining for Students’ disposition analysis

Learning Analytics (LA) is an emerging field in which sophisticated analytic tools are used to improve learning and education. It draws from, and is closely tied to, a series of other fields of study like business intelligence, web analytics, academic analytics, educational data mining, and action analytics. The main objective of this research work is to find meaningful indicators or metrics in a learning context and to study the inter-relationships between these metrics using the concepts of Learning Analytics and Educational Data Mining, thereby, analyzing the effects of different features on student’s performance using Disposition analysis. In this project, K-means clustering data mining technique is used to obtain clusters which are further mapped to find the important features of a learning context. Relationships between these features are identified to assess the student’s performance.     

Choosing a major in higher education: Profiles of students’ decision-making process

This study identified decision-making profiles of students who make a choice of a major in higher education. These profiles were examined in a sample of Belgian students at the end of Grade 12, when the educational system expects that these adolescents choose a specific major. Using latent class cluster analysis on adolescents’ scores for coping with career decisional tasks (i.e., orientation, exploration, decisional status, and commitment), four clusters were identified. As expected, these profiles paralleled Marcia’s (1966) identity statuses (i.e., the achievement, moratorium, foreclosure, and diffusion status). Results provided support for the external validity of the identified clusters through differential associations with several person variables (i.e., career decision-making self-efficacy, career choice anxiety, and decision-making style) and with academic functioning in higher education (i.e., commitment, academic and social adjustment). Implications for current educational research and research on career decision-making are discussed.     

A New Two-Step Approach for Hands-On Teaching of Gene Technology: Effects on Students’ Activities During Experimentation in an Outreach Gene Technology Lab

Emphasis on improving higher level biology education continues. A new two-step approach to the experimental phases within an outreach gene technology lab, derived from cognitive load theory, is presented. We compared our approach using a quasi-experimental design with the conventional one-step mode. The difference consisted of additional focused discussions combined with students writing down their ideas (step one) prior to starting any experimental procedure (step two). We monitored students’ activities during the experimental phases by continuously videotaping 20 work groups within each approach (N = 131). Subsequent classification of students’ activities yielded 10 categories (with well-fitting intra- and inter-observer scores with respect to reliability). Based on the students’ individual time budgets, we evaluated students’ roles during experimentation from their prevalent activities (by independently using two cluster analysis methods). Independently of the approach, two common clusters emerged, which we labeled as ‘all-rounders’ and as ‘passive students’, and two clusters specific to each approach: ‘observers’ as well as ‘high-experimenters’ were identified only within the one-step approach whereas under the two-step conditions ‘managers’ and ‘scribes’ were identified. Potential changes in group-leadership style during experimentation are discussed, and conclusions for optimizing science teaching are drawn.     

Cognitive-behavioural Approaches for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Teacher Survey

This study provided an investigation of the knowledge, implementation and perspectives of Australian teachers of students with autism spectrum disorder regarding cognitive-behavioural approaches, using an anonymous survey. The sample of 270 New South Wales teachers reported a reasonable level of knowledge and implementation of strategies commonly employed in interventions using cognitive behavioural approaches. A modest difference was found in the knowledge and implementation of surveyed strategies between teachers with and without formal qualifications in special education. Incongruent with research evidence, the respondents perceived that cognitive-behavioural approaches were suitable for students from a very young age and with cognitive levels from typical intellectual ability to moderate intellectual disability. The respondents also used the surveyed strategies for various purposes over and beyond those reported typically in the research literature. Directions for future research are suggested.     

Approaches to learning,evaluations of teaching,and preferences for contrasting academic environments

Previous research has demonstrated that the academic environments provided by departments in higher education have direct effects on students' approaches to studying. But other studies have indicated that these effects are mediated by the students' own perceptions of those environments. Here two studies are reported which explore the relationships between approaches to learning, or study orientations, and perceptions of the academic environment. Those perceptions are measured in two distinct ways, one which minimises the effects of differential perceptions, and one which highlights them. Factor analyses of the responses of three groups of students taking engineering and psychology are used to clarify the nature of the relationships between study orientations and perceptions of the academic environment. It is found, as in earlier studies, that there are relationships which associate deep approaches with perceptions of relevance, and surface approaches with a heavy workload. But here it is also shown that students with contrasting study orientations are likely to define effective teaching in ways which reflect those orientations. Implications both for the design of feedback questionnaires and for the improvement of teaching and learning in higher education are discussed.     

Searching for the political dimension in education for sustainable development: socially critical,social learning and radical democratic approaches

By means of a narrative research synthesis, the aim of this article is to explore how the political dimension can or should be staged as a teaching and learning content in education for sustainable development (ESD). The study is limited to research literature dealing with the political dimension in relation to the phenomenon of conflict. Three approaches to the topic are identified: a socially critical approach (SCA), a social learning approach (SLA) and a radical democratic approach (RDA). Notably, SCA and SLA are already established in the research field, whereas RDA is a result of our synthesis. The scope of the synthesis is limited to these three approaches. We follow up the narrative research synthesis by comparing the three approaches to discern how the political dimension emerges as an educational content by using conflict as part of the teaching and learning activities. The main results are that all three approaches tend to downplay the political and produce political sameness. The article ends by suggesting possible directions for further research that would fruitfully translate the idea of the political dimension into educational settings and enrich the political dimension as a concept in ESD in both practice and research.     

Experimental inquiry and naturalistic inquiry: An evaluation

In recent years, questions have been raised about the usefulness of experimental inquiry in educational research and evaluation. An alternative paradigm, called naturalistic inquiry has been advocated by some and appears to be growing in acceptability. In this article, these two approaches are described and compared using illustrations from two science education research projects. Several strengths and limitations of each inquiry style are identified. Investigators are urged to seriously consider both paradigms in planning research and evaluation studies.     

Antecedents to the export market orientation of Hungarian higher education institutions,and their export performance consequences

Research into the international competitiveness of the higher education sector has shown that the approaches which management literature has introduced into the business sphere during the last half-century are being more and more frequently applied by successful universities as well. The authors extend the theory of export market orientation to the higher education sector, and explore the association between export coordination, export experience, export market orientation, export performance and the competitive environment in the context of the Hungarian higher education sector. The aforementioned relations are analysed on two subsamples (universities with a top performance vs. higher education institutions with a lower performance in regard to internationalization and scientific research). Based on the results, the authors conclude that export experience is a significant predictor of export performance in both groups of institutions, while export coordination can only explain changes in export market orientation for the group comprising the universities that lag behind in terms of internationalization. They observe, moreover, that the influence of export market orientation on export performance is stronger in the case of top-performing Hungarian universities, and that for the same group, the intensity of competition in international markets improves international orientation.     

Enhancing curricula and learning environments using critical realist perspectives and approaches: a case study and critique

While critical realist (CR) ontological and epistemological perspectives and research approaches are becoming more widely adopted by higher education researchers, the scope of research is relatively limited, and novice researchers in the area still struggle to create rich, in-depth, and critical accounts of these approaches ‘in action’. This article provides an account of teacher-researchers’ exploration of these perspectives in the context of an important aspect their everyday teaching practice – the design of effective curricula and learning environments. The context is research that focused on the design, evaluation, and enhancement of learning environments intended to facilitate students’ development of design thinking expertise. The article outlines the researchers’ CR paradigm positioning and implications for methodologies used to gather, analyse, and theorise data about the response of design and business students to three iterations of a design thinking learning environment. The research involved action research that integrated survey, case study, and theorising methodologies. Examples of data, analyses, and explanatory theory are provided to give insights into specific research tasks and their outcomes. Possible explanations for the findings and their implications for attempts to enhance the learning environment are considered from a CR perspective along with challenges that deploying these approaches may entail.     

The future for industrial engineers: education and research opportunities

EU graduation and the recruitment of industrial engineers (IEs) have been investigated. An increasing demand is observed for graduates in almost all industrial engineering (IE) subjects. The labour market in the EU is evolving towards the service sector even if manufacturing still represents a significant share of both IE employment and gross domestic product. On average, IE in the EU is still within the framework of the ‘market-driven’ paradigm, which contrasts with the knowledge society aims pursued by the ‘Bologna process’. R&D resources and human capital are identified as major success factors to overcome current limits for IE development in the EU. With reference to both factors, a comparison between the EU, Japan and the US is provided. In the EU, the attractiveness of universities and the social dimension are recognized as major forces attracting human capital. Patent maps outline current and future IE research and education fields of interests. Finally, EU higher education opportunities are briefly described.     

Do grades in higher education matter for labour market rewards? A multilevel analysis of all Norwegian graduates in the period 1990–2006

This paper examines the effects of grades from higher education on labour market outcomes. Economic theory predicts that grades are rewarded in the labour market because employers regard them as an expression of valuable skills or a signal of other sought after attributes. Social closure, however, may give reason to expect no effects. Whether good grades are rewarded in the labour market is thus uncertain. This paper addresses this question by examining whether employers tend to reward good grades in the form of employment and higher income. Previous research has demonstrated that the returns to education vary according to structural–institutional labour market settings. We examined the interaction effects between grades and field-specific characteristics and between grades and sector by analysing data on all graduates in these educational programmes at Norwegian universities and university colleges from 1990 through 2006. The education data are linked with multiple other data sources such as the national tax register and the national employment register. We find that good grades have positive effects on both income and employment and that these effects are influenced by both the type of education and sector.     

An Approach to Economic Evaluation in Undergraduate Anatomy Education

Medical education research is becoming increasingly concerned with the value (defined as “educational outcomes per dollar spent”) of different teaching approaches. However, the financial costs of various approaches to teaching anatomy are under-researched, making evidence-based comparisons of the value of different teaching approaches impossible. Therefore, the aims of this study were to report the cost of six popular anatomy teaching methods through a specific, yet generalizable approach, and to demonstrate a process in which these results can be used in conjunction with existing effectiveness data to undertake an economic evaluation. A cost analysis was conducted to report the direct and indirect costs of six anatomy teaching methods, using an established approach to cost-reporting. The financial information was then combined with previously published information about the effectiveness of these six teaching methods in increasing anatomy knowledge, thereby demonstrating how estimations of value can be made. Dissection was reported as the most expensive teaching approach and computer aided instruction/learning (CAI/L) was the least, based on an estimation of total cost per student per year and assuming a student cohort size of just over 1,000 (the United Kingdom average). The demonstrated approach to economic evaluation suggested computer aided instruction/learning as the approach that provided the most value, in terms of education outcomes per dollar spent. The study concludes by suggesting that future medical education research should incorporate substantially greater consideration of cost, in order to draw important conclusions about value for learners.     

Patterns of maternal behavior among neglectful families: implications for research and intervention

OBJECTIVE: The heterogeneity within neglecting caregivers has not been explored in an empirical fashion. The current study sought to address this limitation by utilizing archival data in order to explore variability of maternal behavior among neglectful families. METHOD: The current study utilized archival data containing caseworker and self-report information on 100 mothers for whom neglect had been substantiated and was the primary referral concern. Cluster analysis was used to describe patterns of maternal behavior. Subsequent analysis was used to determine differences between the clusters on degree of neglect, maternal depression, perceived social support, and other demographic characteristics (income, education). RESULTS: Five distinct patterns of maternal behavior emerged, each with different ratings of maternal confidence, relatedness, impulse control, and willingness to engage in verbal interactions. The clusters differed on ratings of neglect, life stressors, resource problems and adult problems. The clusters were similar in terms of maternal education, number of children in the home, and monthly income. Additionally, women in all clusters reported similar levels of depression, similar number of children, and a comparable amount of social support. CONCLUSIONS: The five clusters are described and implications for intervention approaches are discussed.     

The interplay between teachers’ approaches to teaching,students’ approaches to learning and learning outcomes: a qualitative multi-case study

The interaction between approaches to teaching and students’ learning has been the focus of research for more than 20 years. Previous studies concerning approaches to teaching in higher education have identified two broad categories: content- and learning-focused approaches. Some studies indicate that teachers do not always adopt a consonant teaching- or learning-focused approach, but might employ elements of both, which results in a dissonant approach. Research on how dissonant approaches to teaching and students’ quality of learning are related is scant. This study explored relationships between how teachers’ approaches to teaching and undergraduate students’ self-reported approaches to learning and learning outcomes. The data for this study consisted of 33 semi-structured interviews with students from three courses. Interviews were analysed with qualitative content analysis. The results demonstrated that, when the teacher used a consonant learning-focused approach to teaching, students’ learning outcomes and approaches to learning were of a slightly higher quality than when the teacher employed a dissonant approach to teaching. However, a dissonant approach to teaching did not always result in a lower quality of approaches to learning and learning outcomes.     

Analysing change in learning strategies over time: A comparison of three statistical techniques

Change in learning strategies during higher education is an important topic of research when considering students’ approaches to learning. Regarding the statistical techniques used to analyse this change, repeated measures ANOVA is mostly relied upon. Recently, multilevel and multi-indicator latent growth (MILG) analyses have been used as well. The present study provides details concerning the differences between these three techniques. By applying them to the same dataset, we aim to answer two research questions. Firstly, how are findings on the average trend complementary, convergent or divergent? Secondly, how are results on the differential growth over time complementary, convergent or divergent? Data originates from a longitudinal study on the change in learning strategies during the transition from secondary to higher education in Flanders (Belgium). 425 students provided complete data at each of the three waves of data collection. Results on the significance of average trends are convergent while the strength of the growth over time diverges across analysis techniques. Regarding the differential change, the MILG seems more able to detect variance in growth over time. Recommendations for future research on the changeability of learning strategies over time are provided.     

Transforming American High Schools: Possibilities for the Next Phase of High School Reform

The next phase of high school reform is ripe with possibilities. Over the last 3 decades, educational research has identified a number of promising and effective high school models. Research demonstrates the benefits of career academies and early college schools. Schools that offer small, personalized environments; comprehensive approaches to schoolwide instruction and operations; and integrated opportunities to experience career and college have exhibited positive impacts on labor market outcomes, student achievement, or high school graduation. Guided by advances in research of high school reform and recent education policy, leaders and funders of reform and educational innovations should seek to further integrate structural arrangements and instructional practices with local employers and higher education institutions. Reforms should also search for ways to accelerate rapid and dramatic improvements in school performance.     

Participation in job-related training in European countries: the impact of skill supply and demand characteristics

Ageing populations and accelerating economic change make it increasingly important to update the skill levels of populations over the whole life course. Adult education is believed to allow adults’ skills to adapt continuously to constantly changing economic requirements. Both research into adult education, and discussions on lifelong learning policies have been dominated by a supply side view of the labour market (the human capital approach), which has tended to underplay the role of the demand side of the labour market. This paper aims to extend previous analyses by examining how both labour supply and demand characteristics influence participation in non-formal job-related education in countries with different skill formation systems. The paper emphasises skill use at work. The purpose is to understand better the relationship between participation in adult education and workers’ skills profiles as well as the extent to which those skills are used in jobs and how this relationship differs in different countries. We used data from the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies and applied logistic regression analysis.