Der Einfluss der kommunalen Steuerung auf die Weiterbildungsbeteiligung – Ein Mehrebenen Modell mit Daten des Mikrozensus in Deutschland

Few analyses of participation in continuing education take into account management at the local or regional level. This is surprising, since continuing education is expected to react not only to global changes in employment structures, but also to local changes in demographic structures, qualification levels or migration flows. Responding to this problematic situation with individualized and diverse choices is especially challenging considering that, in recent years, local community administrations have also been given the responsibility of managing continuing education programs. Questions arise regarding the extent to which local communities actually address the needs of specific (non-)participant groups and the role community management of continuing education plays. These questions are investigated using a multi-level model which looks at the impact of local community administrative practices on participation in continuing education by members of certain social groups. We find differences between districts in the continuing education participation of older persons as well as less qualified males.     

Die professionelle Kompetenz angehender Physiklehrkräfte in verschiedenen Ausbildungsformen

A nation-wide measurement of competencies in teaching training programs was carried out in order to find suggestions for optimizing university study programs for students on teacher training programs in the subject of physical sciences. 430 physical science teacher training students were surveyed using a standardized test, which covered knowledge of physical sciences, didactic knowledge for physics, general pedagogic knowledge, beliefs and motivations. This contribution, firstly, compares the competencies of students of teacher training colleges with the competencies of students of teacher training in universities. Parallel investigations have already found that the students of different training programs also differ in their performance. The resulting differences are then analyzed using regression models in an attempt to find the determinants of subject-related competencies in teacher training programs. The findings point to the significance of individual personality characteristics and the amount of time spent on learning opportunities in the university. The article closes with a discussion of the implications for optimizing teacher training programs.     

Initiation in Audio – Visual Communications

Teaching audio-visual communications

Dealing with audio—visual communications and, in the broader sense, communications as a whole, is a subject which has been taught in French schools for many years. It has aroused interest in many neighbouring countries such as Spain, Portugal, Italy and Germany, and also in countries as far away as Quebec, Panama, the Ivory Coast and Kuwait.     

Play – a multi-modal manifestation in kindergarten education in China

Play, as an educational concept, has entered many kindergartens in China; yet it has not become a core idea, or been prioritised in the teaching and learning process. An ongoing trans-provincial study started in 2008, using observation, interviews and document analyses. Based on findings from nine kindergartens in three provinces, this article illustrates how the concept of play is perceived and manifested in kindergartens located in three cities across China. It is suggested that there is a certain relationship between the rank and the status of play in a kindergarten, which may offer a systematic way to better understand how the concept of play is represented in Chinese kindergartens. Evidence also shows that the play concept has influenced Chinese educational ideas and pedagogy at certain levels but without changing the fundamental Chinese ideas of a play and learning relationship. Explanations for the phenomena observed, such as ranking versus forms of manifestation will be suggested.     

Gender – diversity – intersectionality: (New) perspectives in adult education

International Review of Education -     

Partnerships and parents – relationships in tutorial programmes

The tutorial system is considered to be a useful pedagogical intervention to improve student retention, particularly in the context of a first-year student’s experience of entering university. For these novice students to achieve academic success, it is important that they are given access to the subject-specific knowledge and practices in their different disciplines, that is, that they acquire ‘epistemological access’. A recent study of the tutorial system in a South African university (Layton, D.M. [2013]. A social realist account of the tutorial system at the University of Johannesburg (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Rhodes University, Grahamstown), sought to discover to what extent tutorials were discursively constructed as being about the enablement of epistemological access. This paper focuses on two discourses that emerged from the study – the parent discourse and the partnership discourse. Both discourses were concerned with relationships between key stakeholders in the tutorial programme. Given that tutorials are considered to be spaces in which more intimate learning can take place than in the anonymous environment of the large lecture hall, an interrogation of the relationships fostered in tutorials is important. The parent discourse, in which students were positioned as ‘kids’ needing care, was supportive of new students but ran the risk of being patronising and reductionist. The partnerships discourse, in which tutors and academics were seen to be working together towards the common goal of student success, was seen to be enabling of epistemological access. But it required a commitment to teaching endeavours that was in tension with the institutional focus on research. Through a social realist analysis of the two discourses constructing relationships in the tutorial system, we conclude that these discourses have the power to both constrain and enable the extent to which the tutorial system can be a site of epistemological access.     

Humanities in the primary school – philosophical considerations

ABSTRACT

Drawing on a range of philosophical traditions, this article argues that the humanities are essential aspects of the development of the whole child. The humanities help children to understand themselves and other people in relation to place, time, belief, identity and culture and to become empathetic, thoughtful and critical citizens. Learning the content, language, concepts, skills and ways of working associated with separate disciplines is important, as is exploration of key ideas related to human experience and culture, including controversial ones. Defining the humanities in the primary years by the types of knowledge, qualities and values involved may be more appropriate than by subject. These can be learned, and reinforced, in all subject areas, with some offering particularly fertile opportunities, and through cross-curricular approaches. An emphasis on factual knowledge is too limiting, with active, first-hand experience helping to engage and include children. To teach and demonstrate appropriate ways of working and thinking, teachers require pedagogical content knowledge and enthusiasm as well as subject knowledge.     

Gender Issues – Inclusion Perspectives in Teaching and Learning in Post-Conflict Kosovo

Understanding the role of women in the development of society generally and in education in particular is a critically important dimension of inclusive thinking. Understanding the challenges confronting women in Kosovo as they strive to be full partners in a post-conflict society which is also an emerging democracy is another substantial dimension of inclusion as well. In building a greater understanding of the inclusion of females and female leadership in educational settings in Kosovo the author relates the issue of gender to teaching and leadership in Kosovo’s higher education with specific reference to one University.     

Tiger in Focus – a National Survey of ICT in Estonian Schools

Estonia has not participated in international studies of ICT in education, nor have there been any similar studies at the national level up until the year 2000. The first survey of ICT in Estonian schools was conducted after completion of the national school computerization programme called Tiger Leap. This paper focuses on the targeted responses of participating students.

Focus sur le Tigre – une enquête nationale sur le TIC dans les écoles d'Estonie

L'Estonie n'a pas participé aux études internationales sur les TIC en éducation, et il n'y a pas eu d'études similaires au niveau national jusqu'en 2000. La première enquête sur les TIC dans les écoles d'Estonie a été menée après l'achèvement du programme national d'ajustement en ordinateurs appelés Tiger Leap (Le saut du tigre). Cet article se concentre sur les réponses ciblées des étudiants participants.

Tiger im Fokus – eine nationale Umfrage über ICT in estnischen Schulen

Estland hat bisher weder an internationalen Untersuchungen über ICT im Bildungsbereich teilgenommen, noch hat es entsprechende Studien auf nationaler Ebene bis ins Jahr 2000 gegeben. Der erste Überblick fiber die Nutzung von ICT in estnischen Schulen wurde nach Abschluss des nationalen befasst sich mit den Antworten der teilnehmenden Schüler und Studenten.     

Zivilgesellschaft und freiwilliges Engagement in Deutschland im Lichte des Freiwilligensurveys 1999 – 2004 – 2009

This contribution will describe the empirical trends regarding civic society in Germany between 1999 and 2009, especially the development of the main issue: volunteering. The basis of the analysis constitutes three volunteer surveys with large representative samples of 14 year olds, which were commissioned by the German federal ministry for family, elderly, women and youth. The participation of the population in civic activities increased over this period, particularly the willingness to undertake public responsibility voluntarily. Between 1999 and 2004, the share of volunteers rose from 34% to 36%. These are people who execute specific activities or offices within the framework of their membership of clubs, organizations or public institutions. This share has, however, stagnated since 2004. The willingness to volunteer has, therefore, not led to an increase in actual volunteering since 2004, especially amongst young people, for whom the share even dropped slightly. In the difficult context of demographic change, social reform and an increased pressure on young people in schools and vocational training and on employees and the unemployed, the level of engagement could at least be maintained in Germany. This is largely due to older people and families, which have tended to take on more tasks in social and health areas and in services for children and young people. In view of the continuance of these societal problems, one can expect the level of voluntary engagement to stay broadly the same in the future.