Legitimacy through alternate means: schools without professionals in the private sector

The new institutionalism predicts that professionalism is a key element of organizations’ ability to be seen as legitimate. Emphasizing the professionalism and formal credentials of its members lends legitimacy to the organization, protecting it from scrutiny. What happens when this norm of professionalism is absent? How do schools legitimate themselves, if not through professionalism? This paper examines a population of small, secular non‐elite private schools that overwhelmingly hire uncertified teachers. Using data from 60 private school principals in Toronto, Canada, I examine the ways in which private schools tap into alternate means of legitimacy. This study finds that small, secular ‘rogue’ private schools fail to invoke norms of professionalism as a means to garner constituent support and legitimacy. I argue that these schools substitute an innovative, unconventional ‘caring consumer ethos’ in place of teacher professionalism.     

Strategic research prioritisation in veterinary schools: a preliminary investigation

ABSTRACT

In step with the worldwide trend for highereducational institutes to establish areas of research emphasis,the accumulation of resources in key areas has become commonpractice in veterinary faculties. Although there are perceived logicalbenefits to research prioritisation, there have been very little criticalretrospective analyses of research prioritisation in any discipline,let alone in the relatively niche field of veterinary medicine.This study aimed to bring attention to this gap in knowledge.Evidence for the use and breadth of research area prioritisationin veterinary schools in Western nations was obtained throughpublicly available content on the Internet. Preliminary evaluation ofthe effectiveness of prioritisation strategies in veterinary schools toincrease research performance was performed using bibliometriccriteria. Although limited to publicly available information, findingsfrom this preliminary study suggest a positive relationship betweenan identifiable research prioritisation strategy and researchperformance of veterinary schools.     

拾遗补缺创办特色——我国民办学校发展的战略选择

我国“政教合一”的传统,使公立学校严重挤压了私立学校的发展空间,直接影响了私立学校的发展基础。民办学校应在广阔的教育供求领域,“拾”公立学校之“遗”,“补”公立学校之“缺”,为社会提供不同于公立学校的“另类选择”。     

Creating world-class universities: Implications for developing countries

Many countries are now creating world-class universities (WCUs) as essential parts of their higher education reform agendas, and as national goals. It is legitimate to ask whether every county that aspires to build a WCU can do so—especially developing countries. To answer this question, this paper provides a three-step framework. The first step in building a WCU is to understand its characteristics. The second is for the country to systematically assess whether it has the capacity to create a WCU by rationally appreciating the challenges it would face in creating one. Third, it must understand, given the challenges discovered in the second step, what to do to create a WCU. Considering this framework, only a few developing countries have the potential to foster a WCU. Thus it is difficult for many universities in developing countries to enter an existing market already occupied by well-developed education systems and universities.     

Strategic Embodiment in Virtual Spaces: Exploring an on-line discussion about sexualities equality in schools

This paper analyses patterns of participation on a voluntary anonymous Web-based discussion forum, open to students and faculty in one UK university, concerning sexualities equality in schools. Analysis revealed that participants often rejected the security of anonymity and strategically embodied themselves and others (as gay, straight, parents, etc.) to provide authority and ethical grounding for certain arguments. These embodied arguments invited engagement and promoted dialogue. We found that while personal embodiments were crucial for meaningful interaction, they also brought the risk of personalizing systematic inequality and fostering a victimization discourse. In the light of this, we argue that both individual and collective perspectives are crucial for promoting sexualities equality in school.     

Quest for building world-class universities in South Korea: outcomes and consequences

The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of the Korean government’s policies for building world class universities (WCUs) and their implications for Korean higher education institutions. Primarily through an extensive literature review, but also through a discussion of field interviews and the experiences of one of the authors as a public official in education policy making, this study examines the Korean government’s policies to establish WCUs, as well as the outcomes and consequences of these policies. Using the framework suggested by Salmi (The challenge of establishing world-class universities. The World Bank, Washington, DC, 2009), the study seeks to answer the following research questions: (a) What policies has the Korean government implemented to build WCUs since the late 1990s? (b) How has the government’s quest to build WCUs transformed the Korean higher education system? Specifically, how have HEIs in Korea responded to the policies implemented? (c) What issues and challenges has the Korean higher education system confronted in its quest to build WCUs?     

职业中学试办综合高中的理性思考

主要分析了目前高校扩招、普高升温、中等职业教育出现了暂时的滑坡现象后,职业学校为了扭转这种局面,增强办学活力,试办或举办综合高中的动因、存在的主要问题及几点建议。     

中国怎样建成世界一流水平的大学

目前我国的重点大学与世界一流大学相比还有很大的距离。平均主义、功利主义和形式主义 ,是影响我国建设世界一流大学的三大现实障碍。为了早日建成我国的世界一流大学 ,必须在教育观念、办学体制、学术政策、师资选聘、经费投入和教学模式等方面对我国高等教育进行彻底的改革     

Does socialization in schools matter? differences in value priorities between managers, professionals and executives in a singaporean firm

This paper discusses the functionalist perspective of stratification and institutional processes of values inculcation in schools and organizations. It is assumed that students’ school-to-work transition entail certain differences in life and work expectations as the education system forms the basis of cultural reproduction and values formation. A quantitative study was conducted to investigate the variations in value priorities between managers, professionals and executives in a MNC in Singapore. The questionnaire survey involved 252 participants. The findings highlight that the notion that differences in the relative value preferences between the three hierarchical groups may be a result of their previous respective educational socialization and achievements in schools.     

Pandemic,a catalyst for change: Strategic planning for digital education in English secondary schools,before during and post Covid

Following lockdowns in 2020 owing to Covid-19, schools needed to find a way to ensure the education of their pupils. In order to do this, they engaged in digital learning, to varying extents. Innovations emanated from all school staff including, for example, teachers, leaders and teaching assistants. Some were already innovating in this area and brought forward and implemented digital strategies, while others engaged with digital learning for the first time. While research is emerging about the effects of the pandemic restrictions on pupils and staff in relation to key issues such as mental health and educational attainment, very little is known about the impact on school leaders' strategic planning processes. To address this gap, this paper draws on a UK Research and Innovation funded study adopting a strategy as learning approach to report on 50 qualitative interviews with school leaders to examine digital strategy in English secondary schools, before, during and after July 2021, when restrictions were lifted in England. It draws on strategy as learning literature to evaluate if schools have changed their strategic planning for digital learning, as a direct response to having learned and innovated during the pandemic. The paper concludes that there is evidence that digital innovations during the pandemic have changed the ways in which leaders think about their digital strategy, thus supporting a strategy as learning approach. However it also concludes that although there is ample evidence that the pandemic has changed the way many schools view digital learning, for some schools, there remain persistent barriers to digital integration and planning. These emanate both from material and cultural considerations, as well as leader vision and belief in digital learning.     

The professional role and exercise of the role of educational assistance professionals in schools with School Integration Programs in Chile

The incorporation of health professionals into inclusive schools is increasingly necessary. However, the work of these professionals has not yet been studied globally. This qualitative research analyses the perceptions of speech therapists, psychologists, physical therapists and occupational therapists on the role that educational policy defines for working in schools with School Integration Programmes in Chile. Through chain sampling, 52 professionals were interviewed. The data were analysed inductively through thematic analysis. The results show that the role defined by policies for professionals is not in line with the needs of schools and the aspirations of the inclusive approach. The exercise of the role emerges as a distinct entity from the defined role that seems to be more responsive to the needs of schools and students. Interviewees described tensions related to the role in schools, professional training, working conditions and contextual features that would permeate the role that the policy mandates them to play. The findings of the study promote new research horizons related to the role of professional assistants, where research is still incipient worldwide, and invite reflection on the importance of designing education policies with a bottom-up approach to capture the needs presented by learners and professional teams.     

The transition to adulthood for autistic young people with additional learning needs: the views and experiences of education professionals in special schools

Education professionals (n = 41) in special schools were interviewed about supporting their autistic pupils transitioning to adulthood following the introduction of the Children and Families Act 2014. Our participants explained how they lacked the time to fully implement knowledge gained from training, leading to growing reliance on experiential expertise. While our participants reported employing a variety of methods to elicit the voices of pupils, they were uncertain how effective and ethical these were. Further, a lack of available opportunities meant that participants felt they could not always support young people in achieving their goals. Based on these findings, we recommend greater investment in the implementation of staff training, more flexibility for schools to be able to meaningfully elicit and act on pupils' voices, and better vocational opportunities for autistic young people with additional learning needs. This would enable the principles of the Act, which have been widely lauded, to become a closer reality.     

Hospice--an education center for professionals

The need for further improved professional training in the care of the dying is now being recognized by doctors themselves, and increasingly they are turning to hospices for such education. The ways in which such training might be provided are outlined and some of the problems discussed in the light of British experience. It is suggested that no major hospice program should ever be initiated unless it incorporates an education program aimed to meet the deficiencies revealed in recent studies.     

Competencies for distance education professionals

The purpose of this study was to identify the roles and competencies of distance education professionals within the United States and Canada. A population of 103 distance education experts was identified, and their perceptions regarding this information were sought in a modified two-round Delphi process. The results of the study include a competency model for distance education. It illustrates the final top ten competencies and eleven roles which were identified by the study. In addition, a supplemental table outlining outputs and competencies by individual role was developed. The top ten competencies portray the dual importance of both communication and technical skills in distance education. These ten competencies are: (1) Interpersonal Communication, (2) Planning Skills, (3) Collaboration/Teamwork Skills, (4) English Proficiency, (5) Writing Skills, (6) Organizational Skills, (7) Feedback Skills, (8) Knowledge of Distance Education Field, (9) Basic Technology Knowledge, and (10) Technology Access Knowledge. The resulting competency model will be useful in serving as a research foundation for development training and certification programs for distance education professionals. She is also Editor of the International Review section of this journal.     

The influence of research within religious education: the Westhill Seminars,RE professionals,pupils and schools

This article investigates the educational value of research studied by exploring the influence on a range of religious education professionals from a set of research seminars. The seminar series, sponsored by the Westhill Endowment Trust, has been running since 2004, bringing together teachers, advisors and higher education professionals working on religious education in UK schools and internationally. The seminars have been intended to develop the relationship between research and professionals, and they have generated a number of publications. Eleven seminars involving a total of 167 participants are analysed in terms of what participation in the seminars may have influenced (the professionals, pupils, schools), which aspects of the seminars were influential and why the seminars were influential. This article describes the process of developing appropriate methods to investigate both the influence of research seminars and the results of their use. The research includes a questionnaire and follow-up interviews. The most significant indications show that the seminars influenced pupils in schools and professionals; the publications from the seminars had a distinctive influence, and spending time to think and discuss about religious education was at least as influential as the presentations by researchers.     

Hemispheric basis for schools in mathematics

Kant based Geometry upon the intuition of space and Arithmetic upon the intuition of time. Frege's logicism accepts Kant's view on Geometry and rejects his view on Arithmetic. Logicism bases Arithmetic upon the Logics of sets. On the other hand Brouwer's Intuitionism accepts Kant's view on Arithmetic and rejects his view on Geometry.A model of Ben-Dov and Carmon relates the Kantian modes of perception, space and time, to the brain's right and left hemispheres, respectively. Therefore we conjectured that the preference for particular foundational schools may be related to the brain's hemispheres.Another way to approach mathematics according to two foundational schools is to compare Nominalism with Platonism. Nominalism accepts individual objects and therefore may be related to the left hemisphere, which processes individual details of information. Platonism accepts classes of individual objects and may be related to the right hemisphere, which integrates individual objects into new wholes.These conjectures were tested in a course on Philosophy of Mathematics. The students were asked which foundational schools they preferred and these preferences were then compared with the scores on the hemispheric tests. The results correspond to the conjectures and the model of Ben-Dov and Carmon.This work is part of a doctoral thesis of the author, which was carried out under the supervision of Prof. A. Evyatar.