League tables in educational evidence-based policy-making: can we stop the horse race,please?

International large-scale student assessments (ILSAs) in education represent a valuable source of information for policy-makers, not only on student achievements, but also on their relationship with different contextual factors. The results are partly described in the official studies’ reports; more can be derived from the publicly released data sets. However, league tables are often the only evidence used in policy debates and decisions on education. Indeed, the comparison of student achievement across the participating educational systems is a legitimate proxy for estimating countries’ development and productivity, but the use of league tables more often turns into ‘horse-ranking’, ignoring the contexts of teaching and learning. This is often supported by the media, turning the use of results into their abuse. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the use and misuse of league tables in reporting ILSA results, vs. the use of data for in-depth analysis in order to make informed decisions.     

全球化与本土化之间——课程改革论述的转变与文化认同问题

本次课程改革所争论的议题,直接或间接地,都在回应社会所面临的文化认同危机。本文将新课程改革放在全球化与本土化交互辩证的文化认同视框中,考察课程改革表象下论述的形成、实践以及论述实践反过来所建构的文化认同,由此了解课程改革论述在接纳与排除的机制运作下,搓揉出一个怎样的文化认同。讨论课程改革需求的解释之语言政治,不同的语言论述是如何互动,课程改革论述的崛起、转变暗示一个怎样的政治、经济和个人教育之间疆域的转换,以及在课程的论述中形成一个怎样的主体化模式,并对文化认同和课程教学进行了反思。     

Improving exam results,but to what end? The limitations of New Labour's control mechanism for schools: assessment-based accountability

Bernard Barker's thesis that schools have been undermined over the past quarter of a century by a damaging combination of top-down, centralised reform and a desire to impose a market philosophy on education is powerful. This article analyses the nature of the apparatus of control – both statist and free-market – which has been applied to schools over this period. In particular, it will focus on the key control mechanism: the use of test and examination results as apparent measures of schools' quality. It will assess the success of this system, comment on its design faults and its problematic implications for the broad conception of education as understood in The Pendulum Swings, and argue that the concluding note of optimism sounded in Barker's book – about a future of communities exerting greater influence over education locally – appears not to be being realised in policy under the new coalition.     

Evidence and education policy – some reflections and allegations1

The paper reflects on the use by the UK central government of statistical evidence in educational policy matters. Particular attention is given to school league tables. The paper is generally critical of government attitudes, but suggests that progress towards rational decision‐making does occur.     

“淘宝体”的语篇构建

通过对"淘宝体"的语篇分析,讨论"淘宝体"的语篇构成,分析"淘宝体"的组成机制,包括其主述位推进的语篇构建、人际功能的语篇构建、评价意义的语篇构建以及隐喻认识的语篇构建四个方面。"淘宝体"有利于促进构建和谐的人际关系,拉近人们之间的距离。     

The relationship between A-level subject choice and league table score of university attended: the ‘facilitating’, the ‘less suitable’, and the counter-intuitive

Abstract

English students from less privileged backgrounds and state, rather than private, schools remain significantly under-represented at high-status universities. There has been little work to date on the role of A-level subject choice, as opposed to attainment, in access to university. Using linked administrative data for three recent cohorts of English entrants to UK universities, I examine the relationship between league table score of university attended and A-level subject choices, using a taxonomy of A-levels categorised according to their published efficacy for Russell Group university admission as ‘facilitating’, ‘useful’, or ‘less suitable’. I further examine the relationship of three ‘less suitable’ A-levels with league table score of university for related degree courses commonly leading to professional business careers (accountancy, business, and law). Holding more facilitating A-levels is associated with attending a higher ranked university overall, even controlling for degree subject, and the converse is true for ‘less suitable’ subjects. The heterogeneous relationships of professionally-related A-level subjects with university ranking make decision-making for aspirational 16-year-olds problematic: an apparently sensible subject choice for students wishing to prepare for a professional career may, in fact, put them at a disadvantage.     

河北省高校开展网球联赛的可行性分析

采用文献资料、问卷调查、专家访谈等方法,对河北省高校开展网球运动的现状进行调查研究在阐述网球运动自身功能的基础上,提出在河北省高校开展网球联赛的重要性及可行性。     

加强和改进新时期高校团学活动的思考

高校团学活动是培养青年学生成长成才的重要载体,对学生教育管理发挥着重要的作用。近年来,随着社会环境和高等教育形势的变化,高校团学活动的效果较难满足学生的需求。新时期改进高校团学活动要以广覆盖、基层化、重实效为原则,以注重活动创新、创立特色品牌、加强社团建设为方法,着力提高团学活动质量。     

河北省高校开展网球联赛的可行性研究

采用查阅文献资料、调查访问、数理统计、逻辑分析等方法,在实证调查的基础上,就网球联赛在河北省高校开展的可行性进行了分析和探讨,构建出了河北省高校开展网球联赛的四级竞赛体系,为有关部门制定相关政策提出了合理的建议。     

对中国飞利浦大学生足球联赛的调查与分析

以飞利浦大学生足球联赛为研究材料,采用文献资料法与分析比较法,对飞利浦大学生足球联赛的存在与发展进行分析研究。为其长远发展提出建议：与职业足球接轨,完善赛制,加大投入。