Educational research in Sweden: Reform strategies and research policy

Educational R & D in Sweden is to a large extent policy-oriented. It has been an integrated part of the Swedish educational reform system and has brought about a dialogue between politicians, administrators and researchers. Several circumstances have contributed to the Swedish model. One is the system with government-appointed committees in whichresearchers often play an active part. Another is that the Swedish educational system is highly centralized, with the National Board of Education (NBE) as the central authority, responsible for primary, secondary and adult education. A third — and a crucial one — is that, since 1962, the NBE has had increasing funds for educational R & D at its disposal. These funds account for the main part of the economic resources for R & D, along with resources allocated to research appointments at research departments of universities.Educational R & D, conducted primarily within the NBE funds, has recently been evaluated by a government-appointed committee. In its evaluations of the impact of educational R & D, the committee distinguished between theeffects of R & D and theeffect correlates. It concluded that the impact of R & D is more indirect than direct, more long-term than immediate. The effects are also more easily recognized at levels above the actual school situation. This finding could be interpreted as a consequence of the policy-orientation of educational R & D, which at the same time shows the difficulties in reaching the school level with research and development results.There are two general trends in Sweden, which will influence both research planning and research use. First, there is a trend towards the decentralization of decision-making and responsibility for the educational system. Secondly, there is a trend towards the sectionalization of the R & D system as a whole. This sectionalization will mean that research will to a great extent be planned to meet needs from different parts of society — labour market, social welfare, industrial development, etc. As a consequence, the question of the impact of research will be an even more debated one and will probably lead to the development of research on research as an increasingly important research area.

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Zusammenfassung Die Bildunsforschung und -entwicklung (R & D) in Schweden ist weitgehend politisch orientiert. Sie bildet einen integralen Bestandteil des schwedischen Bildungsreform-Systems und hat zu einem Dialog zwischen Politikern, Administratoren und Forschern geführt. Verschiedene Umstände haben zu dem schwedischen Modell beigetragen. Einer davon ist das System der von der Regierung ernannten Ausschüsse, in denen Forscher oft eine aktive Rolle spielen. Ein anderer ist die hochgradige Zentralisierung des schwedischen Bildungssystems, mit dem Nationalen Bildungsamt (NBE) als Zentralbehörde, die für die Primar-, Sekundar- und Erwachsenenbildung verantwortlich ist. Ein dritter — und ausschlaggebender — Umstand ist, daß das NBE seit 1962 über ständig wachsende Finanzmittel für Bildungs- R & D verfügt. Diese Mittel stellen den Hauptteil der für R & D verfügbaren Mittel dar, zusammen mit denen, die Forschungsabteilungen an Universitäten zur Einstellung von Forschungspersonal erhalten.Die hauptsächlich mit Hilfe der NBE Ressourcen durchgeführte R & D ist vor einigen Monaten von einem von der Regierung ernannten Ausschuß ausgewertet worden. In seiner Evaluation der Auswirkungen der Bildungs- R & D unterschied der Ausschuß zwischendirekter undkorrelierter Wirkung. Er kam zu dem Schluß, daß diese Wirkung mehr indirekt als direkt, mehr langfristig als unmittelbar ist. Außerdem ist sie deutlicher auf höheren Ebenen als auf der Schulebene erkennbar. Diese Feststellung könnte als Folge der bildungspolitischen Orientierung des R & D interpretiert werden. Gleichzeitig zeigt sie auf, wie schwierig es ist, die Ergebnisse von Forschung und Entwicklung auf die Schulebene zu übertragen.Zwei allgemeine Trends in Schweden werden sowohl die Planung als auch die Anwendung der Forschung beeinflussen. Dies sind: erstens, ein Trend zur Dezentralisierung der Entscheidungsbefugnisse und Verantwortlichkeit für das Bildungssystem, und zweitens, einer zur Sektionalisierung des R & D Systems als ganzen. Eine solche Sektionalisierung würde bedeuten, daß die Forschung weitgehend auf die Bedürfnisse verschiedener Sektoren der Gesellschaft — Arbeitsmarkt, Sozialwesen, Industrie-Entwicklung, usw. — abgestimmt wird. Infolgedessen wird die Frage nach den Wirkungen der Forschung noch stärker debattiert werden und wahrscheinlich zur Entwicklung von Forschungsforschung als immer wichtigerem Forschungsgebiet führen.

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Résumé La recherche et le développement en éducation (R & D) en Suède est en grande partie orientée politiquement. Elle a été une partie intégrante du système de réforme de l'éducation suédoise et a conduit à un dialogue entre politiciens, administrateurs et chercheurs. Plusieurs circonstances ont contribué au modèle suédois. L'une d'elles est le système des comités nommés par le gouvernement, où leschercheurs jouent souvent un rôle actif. Une autre est la puissante centralisation du système d'éducation suédois avec, comme autorité centrale responsable de l'enseignement primaire, secondaire, et de l'éducation des adultes, le Conseil national d'éducation (NBE). La troisième circonstance (essentielle celle-là) est que, depuis 1962, le NBE dispose de fonds sans cesse accrus pour la recherche et le développement en matière d'éducation. Ces fonds constituent la majeure partie des ressources économiques de la R & D avec les crédits affectés à la nomination de chercheurs aux départements de la recherche dans des universités.La R & D en éducation, menée d'abord avec les seuls fonds du NBE a été récemment évaluée par un comité nommé par le gouvernement. Dans ses évaluations de l'impact de la R & D, le comité a établi une distinction entre leseffets directs de la R & D et leseffets corrélatifs. Il a conclu que l'impact de la R & D est plus indirect que direct, plus à long-terme qu'à court-terme. Ces effets sont plus facilement vérifiables aux niveaux supra-scolaires que dans l'école même. Cette constatation pourrait être interprétée comme une conséquence de l'orientation politique de la R & D, ce qui montre, par la même occasion, les difficultés à faire passer les résultats de la R & D dans la pratique scolaire quotidienne.Il existe en Suède deux courants généraux qui influenceront la plantification et l'utilisation de la recherche. Tout d'abord, le courant vers une décentralisation des prises de décisions et de responsabilités. Puis le courant en direction d'un sectionnement du système de la R & D dans son ensemble. Par ce sectionnement la recherche se trouvera, en grande partie, planifiée pour répondre aux différents besoins de la société — marché de l'emploi, protection sociale, développement industriel etc. La conséquence en sera une discussion accrue de la question de l'impact de la recherche et conduira probablement au développement de la recherche sur la recherche comme d'un nouveau domaine d'étude d'importance croissante.

     

MSIs across the globe: laying the foundation for future research

In this paper, we explore the role that Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) play in democratizing education in the USA and around the world, examining both the institutions and their larger context. We also put forth recommendations for reaching and empowering students attending MSIs and “students at the margins” across the globe.     

Fatal child neglect: Characteristics,causation, and strategies for prevention

Research in child fatalities because of abuse and neglect has continued to increase, yet the mechanisms of the death incident and risk factors for these deaths remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to systematically examine the types of neglect that resulted in children's deaths as determined by child welfare and a child death review board. This case review study reviewed 22 years of data (n = 372) of child fatalities attributed solely to neglect taken from a larger sample (N = 754) of abuse and neglect death cases spanning the years 1987–2008. The file information reviewed was provided by the Oklahoma Child Death Review Board (CDRB) and the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) Division of Children and Family Services. Variables of interest were child age, ethnicity, and birth order; parental age and ethnicity; cause of death as determined by child protective services (CPS); and involvement with DHS at the time of the fatal event. Three categories of fatal neglect – supervisory neglect, deprivation of needs, and medical neglect – were identified and analyzed. Results found an overwhelming presence of supervisory neglect in child neglect fatalities and indicated no significant differences between children living in rural and urban settings. Young children and male children comprised the majority of fatalities, and African American and Native American children were over-represented in the sample when compared to the state population. This study underscores the critical need for prevention and educational programming related to appropriate adult supervision and adequate safety measures to prevent a child's death because of neglect.     

The Neoliberal Educational Agenda and the Legitimation Crisis: Old and new state strategies

In the context of globalisation and hegemonic neoliberalism, the state's ability to legitimate the economic system and its own policies cannot be assumed as a positive automatic effect. The economic and political conditions that once framed state action have changed, and it is reasonable to think that the emergence of a new accumulation regime implies also a shift in the traditional strategies used by the nation-state to legitimate its policy-making. This paper reviews how the neoliberal educational agenda develops a new political rationality that changes the traditional forms in which the state has managed its legitimation crisis. In addition, the paper argues that context-based factors, nationally specific, show that this political rationality may not be uniformly applied among different nation-states. The case of semiperipheral countries provides some evidence on the necessary combination of old and new strategies developed by the state to legitimate a neoliberal agenda.     

Bridging research and practice: challenges and successes in implementing evidence-based preventive intervention strategies for child maltreatment

Child maltreatment has been associated with a wide range of negative developmental outcomes for children and families as well as significant economic consequences. While efficacious intervention strategies have been demonstrated to reduce symptoms of trauma and to improve behavioral and emotional functioning, these models have not been widely adopted by clinicians. The challenges associated with exporting evidence-based interventions into community settings are discussed, along with an example of a preventive intervention program for young mothers, successfully implemented through a partnership of community agencies and funders.     

Toronto multiagency child abuse research project: The abused and the abuser

Information from 422 cases of child mistreatment in Toronto was gathered from the files of a child welfare agency and a children's hospital. These data were compared to patterns reported in previous studies and clinical writings on child mistreatment to investigate similarities and differences in families whose children have been abused in Canada, England, and the United States. Findings from the present study were similar to others in many respects. The differences were primarily in the area of lower incidences of such problems as perinatal difficulties in the children and intellectual limitations and social isolation in the parents; however, there was a higher incidence of single-parent families. The results suggest that clinicians should bear in mind that child mistreatment cannot be ruled out on the grounds that no serious problems have been noted for the child or the family.     

论失独家庭困境及对策分析

失独群体是最敏感、最脆弱、最需要关怀的特殊群体。独生子女一旦出现意外,这个家庭就会转化成"残缺家庭"、"悲苦家庭"和"真空家庭"。本文通过对安徽省基线调查数据的整理分析得出,失独家庭主要存在物质生活、家庭关系、精神慰藉、社会再适应、收养、再生育以及医疗、养老等困境,而想解决失独家庭的问题,必须整合政府、社会、社区和个人等多方面的资源,文章主要从转变观念、完善政策、构建新型养老模式以及精神关怀等方面提供建议。     

Educational research at international level: Features, expectations and limitations

This paper offers a short review of the major characteristics and limitations of international educational research institutions. One of the major concerns of the paper is to constrast the role of international vis à vis national institutions in educational research. The complementarity of international and national institutions is manifested in the selection of topics, application of approaches, use of methods and organisation of work usually applied in international research programmes, but rarely used in national projects. The article concludes by drawing attention to the fact that the variety of international research institutions alone cannot satisfy evolving needs in the educational field, but should be accompanied by sufficient flexibility for continuous adaptation.     

Educational research at international level: Features,expectations and limitations

This paper offers a short review of the major characteristics and limitations of international educational research institutions. One of the major concerns of the paper is to constrast the role of international vis à vis national institutions in educational research. The complementarity of international and national institutions is manifested in the selection of topics, application of approaches, use of methods and organisation of work usually applied in international research programmes, but rarely used in national projects. The article concludes by drawing attention to the fact that the variety of international research institutions alone cannot satisfy evolving needs in the educational field, but should be accompanied by sufficient flexibility for continuous adaptation.

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Zusammenfassung Dieses Papier bietet eine kurze Übersicht über die Hauptcharakteristika und Beschränkungen internationaler pädagogischer Forschungsinstitute. Eines der Hauptanliegen dieses Beitrags ist es, die Rolle der internationalen den nationalen Institutionen gegenüberzustellen. Internationale und nationale Institutionen ergänzen sich; das zeigt sich insbesondere in der Auswahl der Themen, Anwendung der Forschungsansätze, und dem Gebrauch von Methoden und Arbeitsorganisation, die gewöhnlich in internationalen Forschungsprogrammen angewendet werden, aber in nationalen Projekten kaum zu verwirklichen sind. Der Artikel weist schliesslich darauf hin, dass die Vielfalt der internationalen Forschungsinstitute allein die sich im pädagogischen Bereich entwickelnden Bedürfnisse nicht befriedigen kann, sondern dass gleichzeitig genügend Flexibilität zur dauernden Anpassung vorhanden sein muss.

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Résumé Ce document présente un aperçu sur les caractéristiques majeures et les limites des institutions internationales de recherche en éducation. L'un des soucis essentiels de ce document est de mettre en contraste le rôle des institutions internationales vis-à-vis des institutions nationales de recherche en éducation. La complémentarité de ces deux genres d'institutions se manifeste dans le choix des sujets, l'application des approches, l'usage des méthodes et l'organisation du travail suivis habituellement dans les programmes de recherches internationales, mais difficilement réalisables dans les projets nationaux. En conclusion, l'article attire l'attention sur le fait que la variété même des institutions internationales de recherche ne peut pas satisfaire aux besoins se manifestant progressivement dans le domaine éducatif, mais devrait être stimulée par une souplesse suffisante pour une adaptation continue.

     

Boys Bonding: Same-sex friendship,the unconscious and heterosexual discourse

This article aims to explore some of the ways in which the cultural meanings and practices of gender, sexuality and relationships intersect with and are reworked in the same-sex friendships of children aged nine to eleven. Using material from an ethnographic study, it focuses on two boys, Ben and Karl, who identified themselves as best friends. The article argues that, while the boys clearly knew, positioned themselves in and deployed heterosexual discourse, their relationship to this was complex. In particular, they appeared to use it to distance themselves from the feminine and to build their friendship as a pleasurable, intimate and exciting space. The article uses psychoanalytic arguments to explore this material, tentatively suggesting that the boys' access to the cultural practice of 'best friendship' mobilised identifications that both reinforced conventional versions of heterosexual masculinity and questioned these. In particular, the article suggests that the boys' friendship may have involved 'over-inclusive' gender identifications - ones that indicate the existence of boyhood masculinities that are more capacious and flexible than those hegemonic in teenage and adolescent cultures.     

反思性教育实习研究

反思能力是教师专业成长的重要促进因素,培养反思型教师,必须从教育实习开始。然而,从调查结果来看,实习反思现状不容乐观。论文通过分析实习反思存在的问题及成因,结合教学实践,提出了教育实习中促进反思的途径与方法,并对其成效及存在问题进行了调查与分析。     

The British Educational Research Association and the future of educational research

This paper considers the role of the British Educational Research Association (BERA) in promoting the improvement of UK research over the past 27 years. The views of some BERA representatives, as expressed at Conferences, in occasional publications and particularly in the pages of Research Intelligence, suggest a certain complacency. These representatives have devoted considerable effort to defending the existing quality of research, arguing for greater funding, and explaining how it is that educational research is so much more difficult than in any other field of endeavour. Some effort has been devoted to making more people aware of the value of existing research, but relatively little attention appears to be devoted to rallying the field to improve. This paper suggests that this relative emphasis should be adjusted, and presents a few examples of ways in which the BERA of the future, if it is to survive in strength, as it should, might address these deficiencies. In my opinion, BERA as the sole professional organization of UK educational researchers should be leading our way rather more on this, and not merely acting as our apologist.