Exploring the Cultural Context of School Improvement in Thailand

As education becomes a global enterprise, policies and practices derived from a particular cultural context are finding their way into educational systems that differ significantly from their land of origin. The article explores the cultural context of school improvement in Thailand, a developing Asian nation. Although Thailand is rapidly integrating into the global culture, it retains a strongly traditional set of cultural values and norms. Drawing upon literature review and case study data, we examine the changing nature of successful school improvement in Thailand during this period of rapid cultural transition. We also discuss implications for school improvement more generally.     

Scientific arguments as learning artifacts: designing for learning from the web with KIE

We designed Knowledge Integration Environment (KIE) debate projects to take advantage of internet resources and promote student understanding of science. Design decisions were guided by the Scaffolded Knowledge Integration instructional framework. We report on design studies that test and elaborate on our instructional framework. Our learning studies assess the arguments students construct using the Knowledge Integration Environment debate project about light propagation and, explore the relationship between students' views of the nature of science and argument construction. We examine how students use evidence, determine when they add further ideas and claims and measure progress in understanding light propagation. To a modeate degree, students' views of the nature of science align with the quality of the arguments.     

Curriculum document update

ABSTRACT

This paper explores the revolutionary and counter-revolutionary influences that are impacting on Polish schools and Polish planning for the curriculum. The paper looks, in particular, at the issue of school textbooks, the changing focus of state control and the impending impact of computer technology in transforming the politics of control.