The funding of early care and education programmes in Sweden, 1845–1943

What significance did donations, bequests, tuition fees and fund‐raising events have for early care and education programmes during the nineteenth and early twentieth century? Through an examination of 24 Swedish infant schools, day nurseries and free kindergartens, this article verifies that donations and bequests were essential for the economy of these programmes. Revenues from fundraisers were, however, not as important as previous research suggests. Balls, concerts and coffee parties were arranged quite frequently, but their function was to create publicity rather than to raise revenues. Instead, fees and interest revenues played a larger part in the economy of these programmes than previous research has suggested. Thus, this article raises a series of questions regarding the funding of such programmes, national differences in this respect and the development of fund‐raising strategies over time, opening up the field for further studies in this area of research.     

How ID models help with game-based learning: an examination of the gentry model in a participatory design project

Game-based learning has been a popular development and recommended as an effective pedagogy in educating new generations of learners. Few studies, however, have demonstrated the efficacy of game-based learning on learners’ academic performance with empirical data. The described learning outcomes of game-based pedagogy within the limited available research are diverse. One prominent explanation is the lack of established guidelines. This paper addresses the issues of game design guidelines through a qualitative phenomenographic perspective of the experience of a group of students designing an educational game utilizing an adapted instructional design (ID) model – the gentry model. The results revealed the participants benefited from the process primarily in two capacities: a significant growth in their knowledge of game design and content knowledge; and great enjoyment and high motivation in the learning process. We conclude ID models with proper adaption and adjustment are effective to provide guidance and improve the efficacy of game-based learning if more ID models will be examined.     

Constructivist mathematics education for students with mild mental retardation

This study examined the effects of a constructivist mathematics intervention for students with mild mental retardation, as compared to direct instruction, which is often recommended for these children. A total of 69 students from elementary schools for special education participated in the study, which focused on multiplication learning. They received one of two kinds of mathematics intervention, guided or directed instruction. Multiplication automaticity and ability tests were administered before and after the four-month training period. The results show that students in both conditions improved significantly during the training period. However, students who received directed instruction showed greater improvement than students who had received guided instruction. These results show that students with MMR can profit from constructivist instruction, although direct instruction seems more effective.     

Sind Modelle der Item-Response-Theorie (IRT) das „Mittel der Wahl“ für die Modellierung von Kompetenzen?

Item response theory (IRT) models can be subsumed under the larger class of statistical models with latent variables. IRT models are increasingly used for the scaling of the responses derived from standardized assessments of competencies. The paper summarizes the strengths of IRT in contrast to more traditional techniques as well as in contrast to alternative models with latent variables (e. g. structural equation modeling). Subsequently, specific limitations of IRT and cases where other methods might be preferable are lined out.     

Erfassung und Struktur berufswahlrelevanter Faktoren für die Lehrerausbildung und den Lehrerberuf in Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz

The career choice motivations of potential teachers, their interests and other factors relevant to their choice of career are studied in order to achieve the best possible recruitment of new entrants to the teaching profession. However, the research and findings which are already available in this field are inadequate. The article is the first study which aims to analyse the structure and applicability of the internationally accessible FIT-Choice instrument to detect the relevant factors for teaching as a career choice in Germany, Austria and Switzerland on the basis of representative samples (n = 6,601) in order to create a data basis which will enable the previously unconnected research initiatives in German-speaking countries to be combined. In addition, teaching experience is taken into account and used to check how valid the career choice motives stated by the students are. The overall objective is to explore the extent to which measurements of career choice motives and teaching experience and analysis of two areas can be generalised across different institutions and countries and can go beyond the limited significance of the previously available findings, and eventually to formulate generalisable assumptions about the ideas which influence teaching as a career choice, and especially the motivation which leads to this career choice.     

Knowledge production from an African perspective: International information flows and intellectual property⋆

This paper investigates current trends in knowledge production and the impact that they have on the international flow of information. Three directions of information flow (North–South, South–North and South–South) are investigated from an African perspective. A moral rather than a legal view is taken of intellectual property. The authors’ concern is that the balance between the public good and private interests has been disturbed. It is premised that there are general moral principles that can serve as a basis for decisions on North–South, South–North and South–South information flows. Three ethical pillars serve as a basis for reflection on current information flows. These are: social justice, human rights, and the concept of the common good. Current developments in scholarly publishing and intellectual property rights that affect the North–South information flow are examined, and responses to the growing imbalance between rights holders and authors, such as the open access movement, are considered. These developments also affect South–North information flows, where both exploitation and neglect of Africa's knowledge resources need to be countered. Lastly, South–South information flows between African countries are considered.     

The culture of learning from mistakes: How employees handle mistakes in everyday work

Workplace learning circumscribes processes leading to the development of competencies and skills through daily work. It is of increasing importance for many modern enterprises, which consider themselves as being learning organisations, to make use of the potential of their employees in order to be competitive within global markets. Dealing with mistakes is a particular strategic source of workplace learning for such organisations, because contemporary work often is so complex that mistakes cannot be avoided. A workplace culture of learning from mistakes stands to maximise them as effective learning experiences. Two empirical studies were conducted in order to investigate conditions of learning from mistakes in everyday work in modern enterprises. Study 1 assessed the role of individual mistake orientation using a questionnaire. Through the comparison of 52 managers and 108 working staff members the variability of learning from mistakes was investigated. Study 2 assessed how communities of practice deal with mistakes and what is done to prevent them occurring in future. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 subjects, 14 managers and 14 working staff members. Study 1 revealed a greater appraisal of mistakes as opportunities for learning by managers, but no differences in related strategies and emotions. Study 2 revealed that mistakes are constructively dealt with, and that they are appraised as learning opportunities. Both studies indicate the presence of a culture of learning from mistakes in everyday work. Conclusions are drawn about organisational and personal prerequisites for this kind of workplace learning.