The use of experimentation in educational reform: The case of the finnish polytechnic experiment 1992–1999

Abstract

The building up of a non‐university sector of higher education in Finland was realised in a form of educational experiment. Polytechnic (ammattikorkeakoulu) reform contained at the outset several elements of a genuine social experiment. Quite soon the experimental set up was transformed into a reform in which experimental elements were minimal. The article explores the factors which hindered the realisation of experimental method and raises general questions about the possibilities and limits of social experiments.     

英国高等教育场域与科研评估制度(RAE)

从社会学的场域分析视角,可以将英国高等教育视为一种场域。分析该场域中的行为主体如大学、学系和学术人员与科研评估制度(RAE)之间复杂的客观关系网络,可以发现英国高等教育场域不同于政治场域和经济场域,其惯习也与政治、经济场域的惯习不同。因此,从政治场域与经济场域借鉴而来的注重绩效评估和充分竞争的科研评估制度改变了高等教育场域中的客观关系,在取得较大成功的同时,其负面影响也不容忽视。     

英国RAE大学科研评估制度及其对大学科研拨款的影响

随着英国高等教育规模的不断扩张以及政府财政压力的日益增长,为了加强科研拨款的选择性和透明度,提高政府科研拨款的使用效率,英国自1986年开始推行RAE大学科研评估制度。该制度对促进英国大学的科研水平、学科的调整等,起到了积极的作用。我国可考虑建立权威的半官方性质的中介评估机构,加强对科研拨款制度的研究,寻找评估与拨款结合的生长点。     

The effect of the research assessment exercise on organisational culture in English universities: collegiality versus managerialism

The purpose of the study is to identify the effect of the research assessment exercise (RAE) on the balance between collegiality and managerialism in English universities. The article examines the institutional strategies for the 2001 RAE and its effect on organisational culture, identifying change in governance, management and leadership in English universities. The study is based upon case studies of four selected English universities.Website: Higher Education and Research Opportunities in the United Kingdom     

英国高等教育科研评估对工商业及社会发展的促进

英国高等教育科研评估对科研质量的促进是不争事实,但随着社会的进步,科研评估对工商业及整个知识经济社会发展作出的贡献却“养在深闺人未识”。文章从宏观角度分析政府在科研评估中对科研与工商业合作促进的政策导向;从微观的计算机学科案例角度,以历次RAE评估为脉络梳理分析该评估中逐渐融入的对工商业及社会发展起促进作用的信息。通过对RAE评估潜在功能的宏微观研究,以期为更好地发展我国高等教育评估提供新启示。     

REF与科研评价趋向

通过分析英国高等教育评估体系从基于同行评议的RAE到基于文献计量的REF的变革,以REF为例探讨计量方法在科研评价中的应用,解读科学评价中两种主要方法之关系以及科研评价的趋向。指出：随着量化份额的增加,文献计量方法的正确应用将成为关键环节,以质量为导向的、同行评议与文献计量相结合的方法将成为未来科研评价的主流。     

Relative age effect and performance in the U16, U18 and U20 European Basketball Championships

This study sought to determine the association of relative age and performance of young elite basketball players. The distribution of the birth dates, heights, positions, classification and performance of the male and female participants (n = 2395) of the U16, U18 and U20 European Basketball Championships were analysed. We found an over-representation of players born during the initial months of the year in all groups, with the relative age effect being more evident in players of the U16 and U18 groups, than of the U20 teams, particularly in male squads. Nevertheless, in the U20 championships, those teams that had the oldest players performed the best. In all championships, the oldest participants played more minutes. In addition, relatively older male players scored better in total points and in performance index rating when results were normalised to played time. This effect was not found for female players. Regarding playing position, different distributions of birth dates were observed due to each position’s physical requirements. Thus, basketball coaches and managers should keep these results in mind when they select players because if not, they might subject players who are born towards the end of the year to a negative selection bias.     

基于 RAE+Dropout 相结合的微博情感分析

文本情感分析是近年自然语言处理领域的研究热点之一,其中微博情感分析受到了学术界和企业界的广泛关注。微博情感分析是指对用户针对某一事件发表的言论进行正向、负向和中性情感的判定。本文在分析了标准RAE 模型缺点的基础上,提出了一种基于RAE+Dropout 的联合模型。该模型利用Dropout 技术有效地预防过拟合问题的发生,同时也提高了模型训练速度。RAE+Dropout 模型与RAE+ 词性选择模型、标准RAE 模型以及SVM 模型的对比实验结果表明：RAE+Dropout 模型的准确率和F1 值属于最优,比标准RAE 模型的准确值和F1 值高出0.82% 和0.64%,尤其是在高维词语向量中RAE+Dropout 模型的效果更加明显。     

The UK and Italian research assessment exercises face to face

In the UK the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) is being replaced by the Research Excellence Framework (REF); similarly, in Italy the former Research Evaluation Exercise (VTR 2001–2003) has been revised and extended and a new cycle of assessment was activated in Autumn 2011 (VQR 2004–2010). The analysis of the development and the consequences of both British and Italian assessment exercises is carried out on the basis of three theoretical frameworks – new public management (NPM), neo-institutional sociology (NIS), and organisational control theory (OCT). This last framework is crucial because the control systems have an effective sense-making capacity and it also exposes a different awareness about control systems in the British and Italian experiences.     

Evolving regimes of multi-university research evaluation

Since 1980, national university departmental ranking exercises have developed in several countries. This paper reviews exercises in the U.S., U.K. and Australia to assess the state-of-the-art and to identify common themes and trends. The findings are that the exercises are becoming more elaborate, even unwieldy, and that there is some retreat from complexity. There seems to be a movement towards bibliometric measures. The exercises also seem to be effective in enhancing university focus on research strategy.