A Critique of the Existing Research into Small Primary Schools

Major studies carried out in the United Kingdom on small primary schools are drawn upon and evaluated. It is argued that research in this area is flawed for the following reasons: there is no agreed definition of a 'small primary school'; investigations have been biased in their favour as a result of problems in research design and the ways in which data have been analysed; and, finally, there has been a neglect of certain key issues, notably those affecting pupil grouping.     

Counseling Faculty Members' Involvement in Schools and School Reform: A National Survey

Counselor education faculty from programs in school counseling accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP) in school were surveyed and found to have substantial involvement in activities relevant to K-12 education.     

市场经济条件下的学校人事制度改革

人事制度改革是学校管理改革的核心。其必然性体现在:市场化配置是学校人事制度发展的必然趋势;竞争与优胜劣汰是确保效率的前提;市场化配置是学校人力资源管理的需要;竞争与优胜劣汰是教育事业发展的需要。学校人事制度改革需要跳出几个误区:教师职业“终身制”是社会主义的优越性;竞争必然损害“人和”;学校不是企业,可以不讲效率和效益。要以积极的态度迎接学校人事制度改革。     

当今美国小型学校改革述评

近年来，随着美国小班化改革的深入，缩减学校规模的改革及其研究也在进行，本介绍并分析了美国小型学校改革的现状及有关人员的研究成果。指出由于小型学校与大型学校相比具有无可比拟的优势。缩小学校规模的改革必将是美国教育改革的未来方向之一。     

公平与优质:纽约市公立中小学教育政策解析

纽约市教育局通过解决择校问题、保证教育经费、保障弱势群体的教育权等多方面政策举措,推动纽约市公立中小学教育的公平发展,并在注重教育公平的同时,通过一系列法案和举措来提升教育质量,注重天才培养,力图在该市公立中小学教育发展的进程中兼顾公平与优质。     

From Cultural Dissonance to Diasporic Affinity: The Experience of Jamaican Teachers in New York City Schools

This phenomenological study was designed to investigate the experience of Jamaican teachers recruited to serve in elementary and high schools in New York City. The study explored three broad questions: (1) What was teaching like for the participants before they assumed their assignments in the US? (2) What is teaching in the US like for them? and (3) What meanings/insights do they derive from their experience teaching in the US? The findings indicate that the immigrants’ experienced profound cultural dissonance in the classroom as their experiences in the US differed significantly from their previous experience in Jamaica. This dissonance was illustrated by four prominent themes that emerged from data collected through in-depth interviews: (1) lack of respect for teachers and other adults; (2) disregard for teacher authority; (3) lack of student appreciation for the teacher’s work; and (4) student apathy towards education. The cultural dissonance immigrants experienced made them more sensitive to the condition of African American and other minorities, disrupted their strong sense of nationalism, and engendered a growing allegiance to the black Diaspora.     

Evaluation Report on the New York City Academic High School Program in Physics

The physics syllabus being offered in the academic high schools of New York City has aroused considerable interest as to its value as prerequisite to baccalaureate programs in science and engineering. To gather certain facts, the Engineering Advisory Committee was organized, comprised of members selected from the New York Metropolitan sections of the professional engineering societies. The members visited numerous schools to arrive at a broad appraisal of high-school physics as a pre-engineering preparation. They inspected class schedules, laboratory facilities and libraries. They examined laboratory schedules, textbooks in use, teaching load assignments, and procedures for ordering laboratory equipment. They evaluated the qualifications of teachers and methods for motivating gifted students. Their findings are described in this report which includes a listing of recommendations.     

新一轮学院制改革的动力与路径探析

新一轮学院制改革是高等教育发展的基本需求,改革的难点在于教育资源的重新分配,改革的基本路径就是要重塑大学的办学理念,创新大学内部治理结构,和谐党政与学术的共建关系,确立目标绩效导向下的激励与制约机制.     

美国小型化学校的改革与发展

在推进小班化改革的同时,缩小学校规模的改革势必成为美国教育改革的方向之一。小型化学校通过缩小学校规模提供快乐的人道的教育,培养富有创造精神和独立意识的个性,其根本特征在于确立了儿童个体在学校中举足轻重的地位,符合教育发展趋势。     

美国纽约市公立中小学教育质量的影响因素浅析

本文分析了影响纽约市公立中小学教育质量的因素有学生、教师及行政人员教科书、纽约市联合教师工会、联邦政府和州政府的教育法等。     

New Directions for School Effectiveness Research: Towards School Effectiveness Without Schools

School effectiveness research has made a number of valuable contributions to educational research over the past three decades. However, its validity is threatened by a number of evolutions that question the continuing centrality of its basic research object, the public school. Moves towards more flexible school organization such as networks of schools, a broader role for schools reconceptualized as community centers, the emergence of new providers outwith the public sector, the increasingly internationalised nature of research and moves towards greater use of distance learning and home schooling all mean that this focus may rapidly become outdated, potentially making school effectiveness research irrelevant.In this paper we will discuss the consequences of these evolutions for school effectiveness research and argue that, rather than lessening the need for effectiveness research, they increase the imperative for this type of research, as long as it is broadened to educational effectiveness in its broadest sense whether it takes place in the traditional public school or not, and is conducted in an empirical and open-minded way.     

契约学校:美国学校教育改革的新动向

20世纪80年代以来,美国的学校教育改革经历了传统意义上的改革、校本管理、磁石学校、学券制、特许学校等多种形式,契约学校是当前的制度以及前面所施行策略的“混合物”。合同制使政府与学校的关系变得更为明晰,并试图打破多年来美国公立教育中的民主控制制度;它把学校看作是一个管理的基本单元,一个真正的组织和共同体;它强调学校的绩效贡任,促使学校自主发展,以满足公众的日益多样化需求。总之,合同制被认为是为公立学校提供了一种全新的治理模式。     

学校深化素质教育研究——以"新基础教育"学校转型性变革研究为例

"新基础教育"基于对当代中国社会转型特征的认识,提出了学校素质教育"深化之型"是要在学校整体形态、内在基质和日常教育实践中完成由"近代型"向"现代型"的转换;要将育人价值追求和思维方式改变之"魂"渗透和附着在学校整体、日常的教育教学实践之成事与成人关系统一的变革与发展之"体"中,从而促进学校中的"人"在日常的教育教学实...     

校本课程开发有利于学校教育的变革

校本课程是国家对地方和学校课程决策权力与责任的重新分配。校本课程开发是学校自己的教育产物 ,可以为教师提供足够的教育内容供教师选择 ,使之达到最优化程度。校本课程开发是教育的进步 ,能够适应学生心理的发展变化 ,促进学生个性的全面发展。     

培养精英、维护公平与学校特色发展——纽约特殊高中SHSAT考试制度评析

纽约特殊高中在招生时享有"优先选择权",它们通过SHSAT考试选拔在数理逻辑方面潜力突出的学生,除了数学和英语同时表现优异的学生以外,也为偏科发展的学生留下了一条录取的通道。这一"掐尖"行为看似有违公平,但实际上是为具有特定潜力的资优学生提供与学校的办学特色相吻合的"精英教育",同时让普通学生接受与他们水平相符的"大众教育",体现出一种"支持选择机制的公平"。SHSAT考试颇具特色的照顾"偏才"的计分方式,以及与学校特色相吻合的针对性"掐尖"行为,对我国高中教育的特色发展来说,都是有借鉴意义的。     

Community Schools As An Educational Alternative In Africa: A Critique

With a view to basic formal education, this study explores actual experiences and potential values of current community-school initiatives in Africa. Using data from different programmes around the continent, it examines their dynamics in terms of various conceptions about alternative provisions for basic education. The wider policy question posed is whether community schools can respond in a meaningful and viable manner to the interests of learners and their communities, meet social-policy goals of equity and social justice, and foster reform. While its conclusions remain tentative, the study explores effective but problematic approaches supported by communities, non-governmental organizations and governments. It gives particular attention to those elements promoting empowerment and transforming educational provision and local socio-economic conditions. It also raises fundamental questions about sustainability and equity as well as the responsiveness of schools to community needs and their ability to assist learners in overcoming disadvantage and marginality.

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Zusammenfassung GEMEINDESCHULEN ALS EINE ERZIEHERISCHE ALTERNATIVE IN AFRIKA: EINE KRITIK – Mit einem Blick auf die formale Grundbildung erforscht diese Studie tatsächliche Erfahrungen und mögliche Werte gegenwärtiger Gemeindeschul-Initiativen in Afrika. Anhand der Nutzung von Daten aus verschiedenen Programmen vom ganzen Kontinent untersucht sie ihre Dynamik in Bezug auf verschiedene Konzeptionen von alternativer Grundbildungsversorgung. Die weitere politische Frage, die aufgestellt wird, lautet, ob Gemeindeschulen in einer bedeutungsvollen und gangbaren Weise auf die Interessen von Lernern und ihren Gemeinden antworten, sozialpolitische Ziele von Fairness und sozialer Gerechtigkeit erreichen und Reformen fördern können. Während ihre Schlussfolgerungen vorläufig bleiben, erforscht die Studie wirkungsvolle, aber problematische Zugänge, die von Gemeinden, Nicht-Regierungs-Organisationen und Regierungen unterstützt werden. Sie widmet jenen Elementen besondere Aufmerksamkeit, welche die Handlungskompetenz fördern und die erzieherische Versorgung sowie die örtlichen sozio-ökonomischen Bedingungen weiterentwickeln. Sie erhebt darüber hinaus grundlegende Fragen über die Nachhaltigkeit und Gerechtigkeit ebenso wie die Verantwortlichkeit von Schulen gegenüber den Bedürfnissen der Gemeinden sowie ihre Fähigkeit, die Lernenden darin zu unterstützen, Benachteiligung und gesellschaftliche Ausgrenzung zu überwinden.

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Resumen ESCUELAS COMUNITARIAS COMO ALTERNATIVA EDUCATIVA EN ÁFRICA: UNA CRÍTICA – Con miras a una educación básica formal, el autor explora con este estudio experiencias concretas y valores potenciales de iniciativas actuales relacionadas con escuelas comunitarias en África. Usando los datos de diferentes programas implementados a lo largo y a lo ancho del continente, examina su dinámica en cuanto a diferentes conceptos referentes a provisiones alternativas de educación básica. El interrogante político, más amplio, es el de si las escuelas comunitarias pueden ofrecer una respuesta razonable y viable a los intereses de los educandos y sus comunidades, alcanzar los objetivos sociopolíticos de igualdad y justicia social y promover las reformas. Si bien las conclusiones del estudio siguen siendo provisionales, explora enfoques efectivos, pero problemáticos sostenidos por comunidades, organizaciones no gubernamentales y gobiernos, prestando especial atención a aquellos elementos que promueven el fortalecimiento y la transformación de la provisión educativa y de las condiciones socioeconómicas locales. También plantea interrogantes fundamentales sobre persistencia y equidad y la capacidad de las escuelas de responder a las necesidades de las comunidades y de asistir a los educandos para superar desventajas y marginación.

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Résumé LES ÉCOLES COMMUNAUTAIRES EN TANT QU’UNE ALTERNATIVE ÉDUCATIVE EN AFRIQUE : UNE CRITIQUE – Tout en ayant un regard sur l’éducation formelle de base, cette étude explore les expériences actuelles et les valeurs potentielles des initiatives en cours dans les écoles communautaires en Afrique. Faisant usage des données des différents programmes sur tout le continent, elle examine leur dynamique en termes de conceptions différentes quant aux dispositions alternatives en faveur d’une éducation de base. La question politique plus large qui se pose est si les écoles communautaires peuvent répondre d’une façon significative et viable aux intérêts des apprenants et de leurs communautés, si elles vont à l’encontre des buts socio-politiques de l’équité et de la justice sociale, et si elles favorisent les réformes. Alors que ses conclusions demeurent provisoires, l’étude explore les approches effectives mais problématiques soutenues par des communautés, des organisations non gouvernementales et des gouvernements. Elle accorde une attention particulière à ces éléments qui promeuvent la mise en vigueur et transforment les besoins éducatifs et les conditions socio-économiques. Elle soulève en outre des questions fondamentales sur la persistance et l’équité ainsi que sur la responsabilité des écoles vis à vis des besoins de la communauté et sur leur capacité à aider les apprenants à surmonter des désavantages et la marginalité.