Global gender discourses in education: evidence from post-genocide Rwanda

This paper investigates global gender policy discourses within the education realm in post-genocide Rwanda. Drawing on interview data from students in seven secondary schools and Unterhalter’s gender framework (Unterhalter, Elaine. 2007. Gender, Schooling and Global Social Justice. New York, NY: Routledge), I analyse the extent global discourses are integrated into national education documents and how students understand global discourses around ‘gender equality’. I find that in national education policies and texts, discourses around gender equality are framed as a means to development, as a human right, and in relation to the past conflict rather than for the transformation of patriarchal structures. Similarly, students draw on themes from global policy discourse around development and rights but at the same time ‘re-gender’ this for a local context, propagating a public/private divide and cultural and biological stereotypes. Consequently, gendered hierarchies and biases persist in student attitudes. Findings carry important implications for the limitations of global gender policy discourses and the challenges of changing gender norms in a post-conflict context.     

Good practices for transforming education

This text is a guide to the reading and interpretation of the good practices that are developing in the countries participating in this project and elsewhere. A systematic approach to the factors making up a good practice has enabled us to share our analyses in a more structured manner and to reflect on their potential for learning and change, their peculiarities and regular features, as well as their sustainability outside certain particular contexts and specific forms of support. What can we learn from these good practices? Can they influence educational policies on both the administrative and pedagogical levels? Can they become strong points in strategies aimed at improving school life and pupils’ results? Under what conditions? These are some of the questions that guide this text on good practices. The analysis of the answers to these questions has enabled us to identify a number of minimal conditions that are necessary for a good practice to have some effect on education policies. Moreover, it opened up new lines of questioning which can be pursued.     

外商直接投资对河南经济的影响及对策

改革开放以来,河南省积极利用外商直接投资,在一定程度上促进了河南经济的发展。但是河南省在利用外商直接投资中,存在着地区分布不平衡、产业结构不合理、技术水平偏低等问题,这对河南的经济发展产生不利的影响。     

Pedagogical renewal: Improving the quality of classroom interaction in Nigerian primary schools

This study reports on an investigation of classroom interaction and discourse practices in Nigerian primary schools. Its purpose was to identify key issues affecting patterns of teacher–pupil interaction and discourse as research suggests managing the quality of classroom interaction will play a central role in improving the quality of teaching and learning, particularly in contexts where learning resources and teacher training are limited. The study was based on the interaction and discourse analysis of video recordings of 42 lessons and 59 teacher questionnaires from 10 States, drawn mainly from the north of Nigeria. The findings revealed the prevalence of teacher explanation, recitation and rote in the classroom discourse with little attention being paid to securing pupil understanding. The wider implications of the findings for improving the quality of classroom interaction in Nigerian primary schools through more effective school-based training are considered.     

Corporal punishment and children's externalizing problems: A cross-sectional study of Tanzanian primary school aged children

The adverse effect of harsh corporal punishment on mental health and psychosocial functioning in children has been repeatedly suggested by studies in industrialized countries. Nevertheless, corporal punishment has remained common practice not only in many homes, but is also regularly practiced in schools, particularly in low-income countries, as a measure to maintain discipline. Proponents of corporal punishment have argued that the differences in culture and industrial development might also be reflected in a positive relationship between the use of corporal punishment and improving behavioral problems in low-income nations. In the present study we assessed the occurrence of corporal punishment at home and in school in Tanzanian primary school students. We also examined the association between corporal punishment and externalizing problems. The 409 children (52% boys) from grade 2 to 7 had a mean age of 10.49 (SD = 1.89) years. Nearly all children had experienced corporal punishment at some point during their lifetime both in family and school contexts. Half of the respondents reported having experienced corporal punishment within the last year from a family member. A multiple sequential regression analysis revealed that corporal punishment by parents or by caregivers was positively related to children's externalizing problems. The present study provides evidence that Tanzanian children of primary school age are frequently exposed to extreme levels of corporal punishment, with detrimental consequences for externalizing behavior. Our findings emphasize the need to inform parents, teachers and governmental organizations, especially in low-income countries, about the adverse consequences of using corporal punishment be it at home or at school.     

不同类型高校的内部效率--从范围经济的角度

范围经济是刻画高等教育内部效率的一个重要工具。本文运用鲍莫尔等人提供的多产出组织分析框架,对教育部直属高校的样本数据进行了实证分析。发现在考虑不同高校类型的情况下,在均值产出的各个水平上,不仅不同类型高校范围经济的变化各不相同,而且同总体样本比较也存在差异。说明在从范围经济的角度考察高等学校的内部效率时,高校的类型是需要考虑的重要因素之一。     

浅谈城市经济与区域经济的关系

一个城市的制导管理效果往往是通过这个城市是否正确处理了它自身经济发展与区域经济共同发展之间的关系,它对区域经济的牵动力、辐射力大小反映出来。研究城市经济与区域经济的关系,分析城市经济与区域经济的互动作用,可以解决城市经济管理的外延问题。     

高等教育的反经济周期现象在中国不适用的原因浅析

＂反经济周期现象＂是由德国的经济学家鲍尔·卫道夫提出的一种在欧美普遍存在的一种经济现象。然而这种经济现象在中国却失去了适用性,其原因在于：＂学而优则仕＂对高等教育入学的影响;经济体制转型中劳动力市场需求结构的变化;高等教育扩招政策实施的影响。     

The sustainability of functionality development of science and technology: Papers and patents of emerging economies

Recent development saw concerted efforts by emerging countries to transform their industrial-based economy to post-industrial knowledge-based economy. The growth of science and technology is necessary to support this economic transformation strategy. Based on the concept of functionality development of a growth model, this study attempts to analyze the dynamism and sustainability of growth in science and technology of selected Asian emerging economies. Using the number of published papers and patents as proxies, bi-logistic growth functions were fitted to examine the prolongation ability of science and technology, and the time at which each functionality development emerges. The perspective of a paradigm shift from industrial to knowledge-based economic development is taken into consideration in the analysis. The estimated prolongation ability of the newly industrialized economies (NIEs) including South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore suggests significant transformation of their innovation system that led to a higher degree of functionality, while developing economies such as China, Malaysia and Thailand show no significant change over the years. The results suggest that the NIEs have succeeded in developing new growth trajectories that are beneficial for the transformation towards a knowledge-based economy.     

A future of possibilities: Educating children living in HIV impacted households

Close to one and a half million Kenyans reportedly live with HIV/AIDS. Using qualitative in-depth interviews this study explores the ways in which parents living with HIV/AIDS navigate their social and economic environment to provide educational opportunities for their children. Barriers identified include the economic costs of a free primary education, and the emotional implications of living in an HIV affected household. Respondents demonstrate a persistent utilization of internal and external resources in navigating these barriers. These findings support family economic interventions that enable parents guarantee an educational future for their children.