Researching the competence-based curriculum: preface to a case study of four urban secondary schools

This introductory article accompanies three further articles forming a case study research project undertaken to describe the experience of four urban secondary schools implementing a competence-based curriculum for students in their first year of secondary education. The nature of such competence-based curricula is discussed in the context of secondary schools before providing an outline of the context of each of the case study schools. A democratic and emancipatory view of education provides the rationale for the development of transferable competencies, and this is considered with respect to the challenges of engaging in a cross-disciplinary approach to the curriculum. These challenges are viewed through the lens of Bernstein's concepts of strong and weak framing and horizontal and vertical discourses. Each of the accompanying articles takes up a different aspect of education, focusing on curriculum planning, teaching and learning, and leadership and management respectively. Further challenges with regard to changes in the English curriculum are briefly reflected upon. Finally an outline of the case study methodology which was employed in the study is provided.     

Understanding number sequences leads to understanding mathematics concepts

Ninety-six first grade students in an urban school system were tested in October and May on reading, mathematics, and their understanding of sequences of letters and numbers. A time lag analysis was subsequently conducted. In such analyses, cross-correlations between the first measurement of one variable and the second measurement of another are compared. The larger of the correlations indicates the direction of the relationship; i.e., which variable is most likely to be causal. Correlations of the fall scores on the number sequences with spring scores on the mathematics concepts scale were significant, while correlations of the fall mathematics concepts scores with spring number sequence scores were negligible. This indicates that understanding such complex sequences has a directional effect on understanding mathematics concepts. Fall–spring cross-correlations for the letter sequences and reading test, although significant, did not differ, and hence provided no indication of the direction of the relationship. Potential explanations were discussed.     

Characterisation of best practices in the development of cross-curricular competences in Vocational Education and Training: case study in the Basque Country

This paper presents the most important results of a research project aimed at gathering empirical evidence on current efforts to foster and develop cross-curricular competences (CCC) in Vocational Education and Training (VET) Centres located in the Basque Country (Spain). The case study research method was used, with data being gathered by means of a questionnaire completed by 473 teachers from 61 centres, as well as 16 group interviews with management teams, 16 discussion groups with students and 4 with teachers, and 3 in-depth interviews. Three general conclusions can be drawn from the results: (1) There is no common way of understanding or defining CCCs among the teachers–students–management teams of VET centres; (2) Cycles are the ideal context in which to develop processes of pedagogical change which incorporate work on CCCs in an integrated manner; and (3) Assessment continues to be the most problematic curricular element. The study also highlights a more specific set of conclusions related to organisational characteristics, the teaching–learning process and the dynamics of educational innovation.     

Evaluating student allocation in the Portuguese public higher education system

This paper characterizes and evaluates the student allocation in the Portuguese public higher education system. It describes the supply and demand sides of the system by looking at the numerus clausus across areas of study and institutions, institutions’ degree of diversity, and performance and adjustment indicators based on students’ revealed preferences. Performance indicators quantify the adequacy between demand and supply, across institutions and fields of study, and gauge the performance of public higher education institutions in the competition for candidates. Adjustment indicators allow us to predict the potential impact of changes in higher education regulations on student allocation and its stability. According to these indicators, such changes could result in an expansion for some institutions and fields of study, whereas other institutions might face a reduction.

‘La Maîtresse dit que je suis lent’: Représentation de l'école française dans le discours d'élèves immigrés

Résumé Les difficultés scolaires éprouvées par les élèves immigrés ont été généralement étudiées en mettant l'accent sur leurs carences ou sur les stratégies d'adaptation dont ils se servent. Le travail qu'on présente ici vise à renverser cette optique — en inserant cette problématique dans le cadre théorique de la Transculturation, et en étudiant la façon dont ces élèves perçoivent l'institution scolaire.Une étude de l'énonciation porte sur 101 entretiens dans la langue d'origine, avec des sujets hispanophones et lusitanophones, garçons et filles, âgés de 10 à 17 dans.Sur la base d'une analyse statistique informatisée on a établi des indices visant à saisir (a) les rapports chercheur/sujet dans l'entretien; (b) les liens qui rattachent l'individu à son groupe (moi — nous); (c) sa perception de l'autre; et (d) la façon dont il se situe par rapport à son expérience (assumée ou subie, actant ou acté). Des mots-clé illustrent et soulignent les difficultés éprouvées par ces sujets et par l'institution scolaire pour appréhender les normes temporelles comme un modelage culturel et en saisir leur relativité.

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The difficulties of immigrant children at school have generally been studied with the emphasis either on their deficiencies or on the schemes which they devise to enable them to adapt. The study which is presented here, however, aims at a radically different approach by viewing the problem within the theoretical framework of transculturation and by examining the way in which the pupils themselves perceive the French school system.A study is made of the outcome of 101 interviews which were conducted in their mother tongue with Spanish- or Portuguese-speaking boys and girls aged between 10 and 17 years old.On the basis of statistical analysis by computer, indices were formulated with the intention of establishing (a) the relationship between the researcher and the subject during the interview; (b) the links between the subject as an individual and his/her peer-group (me — us); (c) his/her perception of others; and (d) the way in which he/she relates to his/her experience (as something to be positively accepted — or to be suffered; active or passive). Keywords illustrate and underline the difficulties encountered both by pupils and by the school to grasp the idea of time norms as a cultural shaping and to perceive how relative they are.

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Zusammenfassung Die schulischen Schwierigkeiten von Einwandererkindern sind allgemein entweder mit Schwerpunkt auf ihren Unzulänglichkeiten oder auf den von ihnen gewählten Anpassungsstrategien untersucht worden. In der vorliegenden Untersuchung jedoch wird ein radikal anderer Ansatz beabsichtigt, indem das Problem innerhalb eines theoretischen Bezugsrahmens der Transkulturation betrachtet und indem die Art und Weise geprüft wird, die die Schüler selbst dem französischen Schulsystem gegenüber empfinden.Die Studie wurde aufgrund von 101 Interviews von in ihrer Muttersprache spanisch- und portugiesisch-sprechenden Jungen und Mädchen im Alter von 10 bis 17 Jahren erstellt.Auf der Grundlage statistischer computergestützter Analyse, wurden Indices mit der Absicht formuliert, folgendes nachzuweisen: (a) die Beziehung zwischen dem wissenschaftlichen Befrager und dem Befragten während des Interviews; (b) die Verbindungen zwischen dem Befragten als einem Individuum zu seiner/ihrer Gruppe von Gleichaltrigen (ich — uns); (c) seine/ihre Wahrnehmung der Anderen; und (d) die Art und Weise auf der er/sie sich in Beziehung zu seiner/ihrer Erfahrung sieht (als etwas, das als positiv erleb wird, oder an dem man leitet; aktiv oder passiv). Schlüsselworte veranschaulichen und unterstreichen die Schwierigkeiten, auf die sowohl die Schüler als auch die Schule stossen, um die Vorstellung der Zeitnormen als Kulturform zu begreifen, und um ihre Relativität zu empfinden.

     

Contextualising change through a common strategy: Lecturers’ perceptions and key role in supporting academic reform

European universities are currently going through a process of change in order to meet the common goals set for higher education by the European Commission. They are revising their educational models to adjust them to the guidelines of the “Bologna Process” and are devising an institutional strategy for its implementation. In practical terms, this means aligning former national degrees and diplomas to standard European Bachelor and Masters degrees and PhD doctorates, by creating acknowledged professional qualification benchmarks that also include adjusted course lengths and contents. This process, in the end, mostly affects academic staff members who have a fundamental role to play in carrying out the pedagogical reforms on the teaching front. Besides presenting a commentary on the institutional approach of one particular technical university in Spain, the purpose of this paper is to propose, from the authors’ point of view as lecturers, a strategy which has the potential to create a favourable atmosphere for carrying out such a reform. The article’s main objective is to highlight a series of action points which may serve to reinforce and advance the main institutional strategy by relying on the powerful influence of its academic staff members.     

Exploring the participation and agency of students with special education needs in a Macau-Chinese secondary school

The research explores the perceptions of five secondary school students with special education needs (SEN) about their participation in learning, group membership, and agency within an inclusive school in Macau SAR. This goal is achieved by using students' voices documented in open-ended interviews and is underpinned by the conceptual framework of heutagogy. The aim is to shed light on students' perceptions on school effectiveness in supporting their needs through successful participation and agentic possibilities. Findings showed that students were more prone to social rejection and being isolated or bullied than their peers. They were struggling to feel included or participate, their needs were only partially being met, and they had few opportunities to exert influence on their educational trajectories. Recommendations are provided to assist educators and schools in enhancing students with SEN to connect to the learning process and community, with the provision of appropriate learning adjustments and more active approaches to ensure their acceptance by mainstream students, including the formation of coaching peers to assist in developing social and academic skills under teacher's scaffolding practices. This study highlights the contribution of the heutagogical perspective to advance research on the participation and agency of students with SEN in mainstream schools.     

A multi-level modeling approach to investigating students’ critical thinking at higher education institutions

Twenty-first century and higher-learning skills such as critical thinking are highly desired for new college graduates entering the workplace, especially with rapid changing technology and a more globalized economy. As a result, the importance of critical thinking development at higher education institutions has increased. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of student and institutional variables on the difference in critical thinking scores between first-year and third/fourth-year students at higher education institutions. We examined the extent to which institutional variables moderate the relationship between student variables and the critical thinking score difference. We used a multi-level modeling approach to account for the clustering of students in institutions. Results of this study showed that: (a) institutional variability accounted for 15% of the variance in estimated critical thinking scores, (b) third/fourth-year students had higher critical thinking scores as compared to their first-year peers even when controlling for college admissions score, and (c) in the final model, the main effects of college admission scores, student-faculty ratio, and percent Black/African American were statistically significant; however, retention was the only significant moderator of the relationship between critical thinking scores and class level. Implications and future research are discussed.