Obituary

It is with great regret that we announce the death of Gregory Buckland-Smith known to so many of us in ICEM simply as ‘Buck’. He was educated at London University and the Royal Military College of Science. After qualifying he contributed to many journals, particularly in the educational field. On the outbreak of war he joined the army and spent much of his time working on radar. When the war ended he worked with the Foreign Office in Germany as Head of the Films Division. As early as 1945 he was reorganising schools radio in Germany and playing a leading role in the re-establishment of the Institut fur Film und Bild. These were early days in film making also, with films such as ‘A School in Cologne’ and ‘Berlin Looks to the West’. ‘Buck’ also made many friends during this period in Germany and in other countries and was involved with ICEM virtually from the beginning. He was one of our very few honorary members.     

Chronicling educator practices and experiences in the context of democratic schooling and quality education in South Africa

An interview-based qualitative study was undertaken to explore the experiences and practices of educators in providing democratic schooling as a way of delivering quality education for learners in schools. The exploration looked at educators’ understandings of the concept of democracy in schools, their understanding of the concept quality education and whether there is any link between democratic schooling and quality education. The findings suggest that there is a perceived link between democracy in schools and the delivery of quality education for learners, even though there are tensions and contradictions in democratising schools.     

First- and second-generation design and engineering students: experience,attainment and factors influencing them to attend university

Challenges for students who are ‘first-in-family’ to attend university have been discussed within widening participation discourse. However, in the UK, ‘first-in-family’ or first-generation students have frequently been conflated with those experiencing poverty or from lower socio-economic groups. This research integrated survey data with assessment data from final-year design and engineering students in a UK university to examine students’ attainment, the influences on why students decide to attend university and students’ experiences during their degree programmes. Analysis of the data showed variations in the reasons for first- and second-generation students wanting to go to university, particularly a significant difference in the influence of parents. First-generation students described significantly less parental influence on the decision to attend university than second- or subsequent-generation students. Smaller differences in students’ experiences and attainment in university were also noted. Whilst first-generation students reported differences in study habits, their attainment was, on average, marginally higher than that of their peers. Building on others’ theoretical work, which suggests the importance of social capital within higher education (HE), this research highlights the difference in social influences on both university application and expectations of university for those with and without a family history of tertiary education. Further research is needed to explore, in larger samples, whether the social influences on individuals’ perception of HE are in turn shaped by whether or not their parents attended university, and further, what impact this may have, not only on degree outcomes but also on the broader benefits typically associated with graduate experience.     

Using a Post‐Experience Questionnaire to Measure the Quality of Student Learning in a Computer Conferencing Environment

A class of second year (age group 19–20), university students used computer conferencing as an alternative to face‐to‐face seminars. A questionnaire based on Garrison's critical thinking model tested their conferencing versus face‐to‐face experiences. Factor analysis using SPSS produced five factors for face‐to‐face seminars and four factors for computer conferencing consistent with deep approaches to learning. One negative factor emerged for computer conferencing which indicated a problem with student use of the technology. The results show that computer conferencing can be a valuable learning environment on campus.     

The Concept of British Education Policy in the Colonies 1850–1960

It is common in the literature to refer to British colonial education policy as if it were ‘a settled course adopted and purposefully carried into action’, but in reality it was never like that. Contrary to popular belief, the size and diversity of the empire meant that no one really ruled it in any direct sense. Clearly some kind of authority had to be exercised from London but as Arthur Mayhew said of education policy in the Colonial Empire in 1938: ‘No Secretary of State for the Colonies … [is] anxious to adopt too definite a policy. He will be content with a few assumptions and a statement of general principles. And he will not be surprised if these principles in their local application are adapted with the utmost elasticity to local conditions.’ In the absence of any strong direction from the centre, this paper examines the factors that shaped twentieth century education policy in the 47 crown colonies, protectorates and mandates under the aegis of the Colonial Office in Whitehall. They included the all‐important attitudes of the governor and his senior administrative officers towards education; the status of the director of education; the influence of the Christian missions both in London and in the colonies; denominational rivalry; long‐standing British educational traditions based on social class; the state of the local economy; the attitudes of the European settlers; the advice and status of the London‐based Advisory Committee on Education in the Colonies; the influence of the Secretary of State for the Colonies on the government of the day; the attitudes of key senior Colonial Office officials towards education; indigenous pressure groups; special reports and recommendations; war; national rivalry; the so‐called Cold War; post‐war constitutional changes, and the pressure of world opinion as reflected in the League of Nations after 1918 and the United Nations after 1945. Clearly there was great diversity in the ways in which education was developed from one territory to another but only detailed case studies can generate the data for broader and more historically accurate hypotheses about the development of British colonial education as a whole.