Teacher Education in Germany

The concepts of idealism, individualism and pragmatism represented in the scenario-model of the ATEE-RDC19 are applied to teacher education in Germany. In respect to idealism the marked scholarly approach of the current German training system and its organisational problems are discussed. With regard to individualism and pragmatism the paper deals with the special psychological demands on students made by teacher training with an individualistic or pragmatic orientation. Finally, the relevance of the psychological problem is shown with regard to reform models that are currently debated in Germany.     

A NOTE ON ALLOCATING ITEMS TO SUBTESTS IN MULTIPLE MATRIX SAMPLING AND APPROXIMATING STANDARD ERRORS OF ESTIMATE WITH THE JACKKNIFE

Investigated empirically through post mortem item-examinee sampling were the relative merits of two alternative procedures for allocating items to subtests in multiple matrix sampling and the feasibility of using the jackknife in approximating standard errors of estimate. The results indicate clearly that a partially balanced incomplete block design is preferable to random sampling in allocating items to subtests. The jackknife was found to better approximate standard errors of estimate in the latter item allocation procedure than in the former.     

How Can We Measure the Success of National Science Policies in the Short or Medium Term?

As science and engineering are taking on an increasing political importance in a knowledge-driven economy, there is growing need for Governments, scientists, industrialists and voluntary groups to measure the degree to which national science policies are contributing effectively to economic and social wellbeing. However, the long-term and diffuse nature of their effects makes it difficult to ascertain with great confidence the likely benefits of particular science policies. As a pressure group concerned with the scientific strength of the UK, the Campaign for Science and Engineering has developed a series of five tests that must be met if politicians and others are to have a reasonable level of certainty that the country has robust policies in terms of public investment in research; the career structure of scientists and engineers; the system of science education; private sector investment in research; and the use of scientific advice by public bodies. These tests could be used or adapted by other nations or supranational bodies to give a broad picture of their strengths and weaknesses in science and technology policy. At present, the UK does not meet any of these simple criteria.     

Personal Computers in Laboratory Teaching of Control

This paper reports on the incorporation of personal computers in the laboratory program at UMIST's Control Systems Centre. Laboratory practice is an integral component of all our control course. The laboratory facilities provide a mechanism for testing and verifying theoretical and design approaches. Incorporating computers in all phases of the laboratory program makes possible the use of current techniques in the analysis and design of realistic control systems. The control systems laboratory at UMIST has been developed with the goal of providing real world analysis and design experience in a laboratory setting. A collection of scale model experiments representing the major categories of industrial control problems has been constructed. These working models are coupled with a standard instrumentation interface and analogue and digital computers to implement control strategies. In all cases, great care has been taken to retain realism and allow the student to concentrate on control issues rather than configuration or programming problems. The primary objective of using personal computers in the control laboratory is to provide an on-line link between the student and the laboratory model. This provides direct ‘hands on’ experience of digital control ideas, interactive digital control experimentation and use of the computer as a multi-function virtual instrument. In addition, the computer is used off-line to simulate model performance as various control strategies are tried. At this point in time, each laboratory model station has been equipped with a personal computer containing A/D and D/A converters, hard and floppy disk, and a real-time clock. The computers are networked to provide access to printing and file storage facilities. Originally the software packages were written primarily in BASIC, and ran on BBC computers. These versions are however in the process of being replaced by PC-based packages written in C. Both the original BASIC and the C-successors have been developed to provide interactive, real-time control of the model using a choice of digital control algorithms. Using the keyboard as a control panel, the student can observe model performance, vary controller parameters, choose display characteristics and record parametric and graphical data. Future developments will expand the choice of available control algorithms and enhance the off-line analysis and design tools.     

Book REVIEWS

Books Reviewed in this Article: Teaching Large Classes in Higher Education. Third World Guide 91/92. PM649 Supporting Primary Mathematics, The Open University. Exploring Statistics with Minitab. Ability, Partial information, Guessing: Statistical Modelling applied to Multiple-choice Tests. Mathematical Statistics. The Crest of the Peacock.     

Developing a Career Development Self-Efficacy Instrument for Chinese Adolescents in Hong Kong

A 24-item measure, the Career Development Self-Efficacy Inventory (CD-SEI), was developed to assess career development self-efficacy among adolescents in Hong Kong. The CD-SEI covered six domains representing competencies needed by high school students transiting from school to work in Hong Kong. The confirmatory factor analyses of the responses from 6776 Grades 10–13 students showed that the six primary factors with one higher order factor model was the best fit to the data, though the one general factor model yielded an adequate fit. Reliability analyses showed that the total scale and subscales were internally consistent. The data suggested that Hong Kong adolescents had some, but not strong confidence in their career development. Students with plans to study at a university had more confidence in their career development than those who did not have such plans. This is the first study to develop and validate a career development self-efficacy measure for Chinese adolescents. Issues related to comprehensive guidance programming and assessment instrument development from a cross-cultural perspective were discussed.

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Résumé. Construction d’un instrument de mesure de l’auto-efficacité du développement vocationnel pour adolescents chinois de Hong Kong. On a construit une échelle de 24 items, appelée Career Development Self-Efficacy Inventory (CD-SEI) (Inventaire de l’Auto-efficacité de Développement Vocationnel (IAE-DV)) pour évaluer l’auto-efficacité du développement vocationnel chez des adolescents chinois de Hong Kong. La CD-SEI couvre six domaines, qui représentent les compétences dont ont besoin les étudiants des hautes écoles qui sortent de l’école pour entrer sur le marché du travail à Hong Kong. Les analyses factorielles confirmatoires des réponses de 6776 étudiants des niveaux 10–13 montrent que c’est un modèle à six facteurs primaires avec un facteur de premier ordre qui s’ajuste le mieux aux données, bien qu’un modèle à un seul facteur général procure un ajustement satisfaisant. Les analyses de fidélité attestent de la consistance interne de l’échelle totale et des sous-échelles. Les données suggèrent que les adolescents de Hong Kong n’ont qu’une confiance relative dans leurs possibilités de développement vocationnel. Les étudiants qui ont décidé d’étudier à l’université ont d’avantage confiance en leur développement vocationnel que ceux qui n’ont de tels desseins. Cette étude est la première tentative pour développer et valider une mesure de l’auto-efficacité du développement vocationnel chez des adolescents chinois. On discute les problèmes liés à un programme général d’orientation et à l’élaboration d’un instrument de mesure dans une perspective interculturelle.Zusammenfassung. Entwicklung eines Instruments zur Selbsteinschätzung eigener Kompetenzen zur Laufbahnplanung für chinesische Jugendliche in Hongkong.In Hongkong wurde der ,,Fragebogen zur Selbsteinschätzung eigener Kompetenzen für die Laufbahnplanung (Career Development Self-Efficacy Inventory – CD-SEI)“ eine Bewertungsskala mit 24 Kriterien entwickelt, mit der Jugendliche die eigenen Kompetenzen für die Laufbahnentwicklung bewerten können. Der Fragebogen deckt 6 Bereiche ab Laufbahnplanung, geschlechtsspezifische Aspekte der Berufswahl, Wahl der Ausbildung, Bewerbung, Methoden der Arbeitsuche, Entwicklung von beruflichen Zielen; damit werden diejenigen Kompetenzen erfasst, die in Hongkong von AbsolventInnen des Gymnasiums (High School) am Übergang in das Beschäftigungssystem benötigt werden. Die Validitätsanalyse auf der Grundlage der Antworten von 6776 SchülerInnen der Klassen 10–13 ergab, dass sich die genauesten Ergebnisse bei Anwendung eines Modells ergaben, dass alle 6 Bereiche unter Betonung eines dieser Faktoren einbezog, wobei allerdings ein Validitätsmodell, dass nur diesen einen herausragenden Faktor einbezog, bereits angemessene Näherungswerte ergab. Die Reliabilitätsanalyse ergab, dass der Gesamtfragebogen und die Teilfragebögen in sich konsistent sind. Die Ergebnisse führen zu der Vermutung, dass Jugendliche zwar ein gewisses, aber kein sehr ausgeprägtes Selbstvertrauen im Hinblick auf ihre Laufbahnentwicklung haben. Jugendliche, die ein Hochschulstudium planten, zeigten ein ausgeprägteres Selbstvertrauen als die anderen Jugendlichen, die kein Studium planten. Dies ist die erste Untersuchung mit dem Ziel, einen derartigen Selbsteinschätzungsfragebogen für chinesische Jugendliche zu entwickeln und zu evaluieren. Der Artikel diskutiert ebenfalls Aspekte einer interkulturellen Perspektive im Zusammenhang mit der Entwicklung von umfassenden Beratungsprogrammen sowie von Beurteilungsinstrumenten.Resumen. Elaboración de un Instrumento de Auto-Eficacia en el Desarrollo de la Carrera de Adolescentes Chinos en Hong Kong. Se ha desarrollado un instrumento de medida con 24 items, el Inventario de Auto-Eficacia en el Desarrollo de la Carrera (IAE-DC), para evaluar la auto-eficacia en el desarrollo de la carrera entre adolescentes de Hong Kong. El IAE-DC abarca seis dimensiones que representan las competencias que los alumnos de secundaria necesitan en su tránsito de la escuela al mundo del trabajo en Hong Kong. Los análisis factoriales realizados a partir de las respuestas de 6776 estudiantes de los cursos 10°–13° demostraron que lo que mejor se ajustaba a los datos eran seis factores primarios con un modelo factorial de orden superior, aunque sólo este modelo factorial general también se ajustaba adecuadamente. Los análisis de fiabilidad confirmaron la consistencia interna de las escalas y subescalas. Los resultados sugirieron que los adolescentes de Hong Kong sentían cierta seguridad, aunque no demasiada, respecto al desarrollo de su carrera. Los estudiantes que tienen decidido ir a la universidad mostraban mayor confianza en su desarrollo profesional que aquellos que no han planificado nada. Este es el primer estudio en el que se ha elaborado y validado un instrumento de medida de la auto-eficacia en el desarrollo de la carrera para adolescentes chinos. Se discuten aspectos relacionados con los programas comprensivos de orientación y con el desarrollo de instrumentos de diagnóstico desde una perspectiva cross-cultural.

     

Democracy,inclusive schooling and the politics of education

Drawing on a variety of social and political theories about the nature and future of democracy, this paper develops athesis about the politics of inclusive education. It concludes with a brief preliminary evaluation of the potential of the UK Labour Government's Education Action Zones policy for the development and governance of inclusive schools.     

The double‐dialectic and lifelong learning

This paper was provoked by Ted Bailey’s article, ‘Analogy, dialectics and lifelong learning’ which appeared in the March–April 2003 edition of this journal. Dr. Bailey argued that students can be enabled to learn the key concepts of the subjects they are studying through the dialectical operation of analogy which makes new knowledge accessible by comparing it to familiar experience. It is the aim of this paper to show that dialectics extend far beyond this particular application, and that indeed they may be said to underpin the very concept of lifelong learning itself. The paper begins by examining the concepts of the dialectic and the double‐dialectic, relating these to the writings of Giambattista Vico. The dialectical interplay of Nature and History is seen to be the foundation of human knowledge. This unitary view is then contrasted with specialism in the categorization of knowledge. The implications for lifelong education are considered, and illustrated through an example of a curriculum project.