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.     

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.

     

A review of traditional Ghanaian and Western philosophies of adult education

The primary objective of this article is to critically examine some aspects of the traditional Ghanaian and Western philosophies of adult education. It is a well-attested fact that many of the pre-colonial and early colonial writers about Africa portrayed Africa as a dark continent devoid of advanced centres of learning worthy of emulation by others. The old West African civilizations of Ghana, Mali and Songhai with advanced centres of learning at Timbuktu and Djenne in the 11th century seemed to have been completely ignored by these writers (Boahen 1967: 20, Davidson 1966b: 50). Even though many other writers including several missionaries, anthropologists and historians, depicted Africa in a rather positive and scientific manner (Davidson 1966b, Goody 1966), much of the negative image created long ago still exists and needs to be examined and corrected. The formal Western system of school education was introduced in Ghana more than a century ago. Despite this, about 60% of the adult population today makes its living as illiterate farmers, workers, apprentices or master craftsmen in the various traditional art and craft production centres. Consequently, traditional adult education continues to play an important role in the social and economic development of the country. Like the Western system of adult education the Ghanaian traditional education has sound philosophical foundations, which have helped to maintain political stability and social cohesion in the country over the years. Much is written about Western and eastern philosophies but there is a dearth of literature on philosophies of adult education from Africa. Given that Africa is the second largest continent on the globe and that adult education proliferates throughout the continent, the authors felt their investigation would make a significant contribution to a global understanding of the field. Additionally, there is an increasing need for African students to appreciate and re-establish confidence in their own culture. This review cannot cover all of Africa so the focus is on Ghana, one country in West Africa.     

Mood responses to athletic performance in extreme environments

Competition at elite level can require athletes to perform optimally in extreme environmental conditions. This review focuses on mood responses in such conditions and proposes practical guidelines for those working with athletes. Different environments are considered, including altitude and extreme heat and cold. Performing in extreme heat, cold or at altitude can produce a stress response characterized by increased negative mood and relatively poor performance. Positive adaptations to extreme conditions can be accelerated, but the rate of adaptation appears to be highly individualized. Monitoring mood responses to training under normal conditions provides a basis for identifying the psychological effects of extreme conditions. It is suggested that practitioners carefully monitor the interplay between vigour, fatigue and depressed mood. Reductions in vigour and increases in fatigue are normal responses to hard training, but other aspects of mood disturbance, especially symptoms of depressed mood - however small - may be indicative of a maladaptive response, and practitioners should consider intervening when such symptoms first appear.     

Use of the Support Group Method to Tackle Bullying, and Evaluation From Schools and Local Authorities in England

The Support Group Method (SGM), formerly the No Blame Approach, is widely used as an anti-bullying intervention in schools, but has aroused some controversy. There is little evidence from users regarding its effectiveness. We aimed to ascertain the use of and support for the SGM in Local Authorities (LAs) and schools; and obtain ratings of satisfaction with its use; sources of evidence for such ratings; and comments on how it is used in practice. Questionnaires were sent to LAs and schools in England, and were available on a website; useful replies were obtained from 57 LAs and 59 schools. Some two-thirds of LAs were supportive of the SGM in general terms, although fewer said they had sufficient evidence to judge effectiveness. The modal rating when given was 'satisfactory'. Most schools had used SGM for 1–5 years, often across the whole school. Two-thirds received direct training in the method. Over one-half of schools gave a rating of effectiveness, based on teachers, pupils and parents; the modal rating was 'very satisfactory'. Responses and open-ended comments revealed that details of use varied considerably and that some schools had substantially modified the method. In summary, a majority of LAs and schools that responded were satisfied or very satisfied with SGM. However, some confusion about the ways of implementing SGM was evident; this might explain some hostile comments reported elsewhere. Issues of parental involvement, and backup availability of sanctions, were commonly mentioned. Further research based directly on pupils and parents would supplement the findings of this survey.     

Governing the Stressed Self: Teacher 'health and well-being' and 'effective schools'

In diverse arenas there is much discussion about the dangerousness of contemporary lifestyles, including the stressful nature of work. These stresses associated with contemporary lifestyles and work are dangerous in so far as they are conceived as placing at risk the emotional, physical and psychic health and well-being of large populations. In this paper we engage with debates about the stressful nature of teachers' work, and the ways in which teacher health and well-being are constructed as being central to the task of delivering more effective schools. In this article we are not so much concerned with the nature of teacher stress as an indication of individual physical, emotional or psychic health and well-being, as with understanding how it is that at this particular historical juncture the self can be so widely conceived in terms of stress. Moreover, what processes make it possible at this moment to link the success or otherwise of a massive institutional process of state-regulated schooling to the health and well-being of teachers and the management of this health and well-being by school managers? We argue that in a policy context that devolves various responsibilities to self-managing schools, the government of the stressed self emerges as an ethical concern for teachers and those who manage them (Foucault, The Use of Pleasure , New York, Pantheon, 1985). Our purpose is to problematise these processes so that responsibilities for delivering on the promise of effective schools might be differently framed and debated.