Culture,Creativity, and Research

This article charts the increasing importance of the creative industries to the UK economy and to ways of meeting the information needs of those industries. The role of libraries is examined, particularly that of the British Library and its support services for business and enterprise. Related issues are discussed, such as those relating to the measurement of the value of services like the British Library, the preservation of digital documentation, and heritage and intellectual property rights.     

Whose context for what quality? Informing education strategies for the Caribbean

An enduring tenet of the comparative education tradition is the significance of cultural context, of the distinctive features that characterise a society or social group. The close link that has been established between culture and development has prompted Caribbean leaders to place more emphasis on an appreciation of the region's cultural assets, and to find ways of translating these into economic wealth in the international market place. This is particularly challenging in an increasingly globalised environment where knowledge is considered the primary resource. While the Caribbean's capacity for facing the dilemmas of difference is thought to give it some comparative advantage, one of the key challenges for its educational policy‐makers is how to provide a quality education that is sensitive to the ‘local’ context while remaining responsive to the demands of the ‘global’ market. To meet these challenges, the Caribbean is revisiting traditional concepts of ‘knowledge’ and initiating comprehensive reforms aimed at refashioning its education systems to prepare an internationally competitive labour force and to promote the region as a global partner in international policy‐making.     

Jean-Jacques Rousseau's views on adult education

Although Rousseau describes inÉmile only his scheme for childhood education, he presents us in this work with some direct statements which can be applied to explain more fully the nature of adult education. The author surveys Rousseau's ideas on the role of the general will in adult educational philosophy, subject matter, methodology and negative education, as well as the relationships between the family, student, teacher, community and the state. He concludes that the modern Rousseau would not limit education to males and would recognize that the four Rousseauian periods of educational development — infancy, childhood, youngster, adolescence — is followed by a fifth: adulthood. Adult education is the logical continuation of the four previous phases. Throughout each phase education must permit intellectual and moral growth and always allow for creativity and diversity. Only then can adults become positive contributors to their society.

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Zusammenfassung Obwohl Rousseau inÉmile nur seine eigene Vorstellung der Kindererziehung beschreibt, präsentiert er uns in dieser Arbeit Standpunkte, die auch auf Erwachsenenbildung zutreffen. Der Autor beleuchtet Rousseaus Ideen zur Rolle des generellen Willens sowohl in der Philosophie der Erwachsenenbildung als auch in Inhalten, in Methodologien und in negativer Erziehung, sowie zu den Beziehungen zwischen Familie, Schüler, Lehrer, Gemeinde und Staat. Er schließt, daß der moderne Rousseau Bildung nicht nur auf die männliche Bevölkerung beschränken würde und zudem erkennen würde, daß zu den vier Rousseauschen Phasen der erzieherischen Entwicklung — Kleinkindalter, Kindheit, Heranwachsender und Jugendlicher eine fünfte Phase hinzukommen muß: das Erwachsenenalter. Erwachsenenbildung ist die logische Folge der vier vorangegangenen Phasen. In jeder Phase muß Erziehung intellektuelles und moralisches Wachstum beinhalten und Kreativität und Vielfalt berücksichtigen. Nur dann können Erwachsene Positives zu ihrer Gesellschaft beitragen.

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Resumen Si bien enÉmile, Rousseau describe solamente su idea de la educación de la niñez, en este trabajo nos confronta con algunas afirmaciones directas que pueden aplicarse para explicar con mayor profundidad la naturaleza de la educación de adultos. El autor investiga las ideas de Rousseau relativas a la voluntad general en la filosofía de educación de adultos, en el objetivo, en la metodología y en la educación negativa, así como las relaciones existentes entre la familia, el estudiante, el docente, la comunidad y el Estado. Su conclusión es que el moderno Rousseau no limitaría la educación a los varones y que reconocería que los cuatro períodos que Rousseau ha establecido para el desarrollo educacional: infancia, niñez, pubertad, adolescencia, deben completarse con una quinta etapa: la adultez. La educación del adulto es la continuación lógica de las cuatro fases previas. Desde su comienzo hasta su final, cada una de estas fases de la educación debe permitir el crecimiento intelectual y moral y ofrecer el espacio necesario para la creatividad y la diversidad. Son condiciones indispensables para que los adultos puedan prestar un aporte positivo a la sociedad a la que pertenecen.

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Résumé Bien que Rousseau ne décrive dans l'Émile que son modèle d'éducation de l'enfant, il fait dans cette oeuvre quelques déclarations directes que l'on peut utiliser pour définir plus amplement la nature de l'éducation des adultes. L'auteur présente les idées de Rousseau sur le rôle de la volonté générale dans la philosophie de l'éducation des adultes, les sujets, la méthodologie et l'éducation négative, de même que dans les relations entre famille, apprenant, enseignant, communauté et État. Il en déduit qu'un Rousseau contemporain ne limiterait pas l'éducation aux seuls garçons et reconnaîtrait que ses quatre périodes du développement pédagogique — première enfance, enfance, jeunesse et adolescence — sont suivies d'une cinquième, l'âge adulte. L'éducation des adultes est la continuation logique des quatre phases précédentes. À l'intérieur de chaque phase, l'éducation doit permettre une croissance intellectuelle et morale, et toujours laisser une part à la créativité et la diversité. Ce n'est qu'à cette condition que les adultes peuvent devenir des citoyens qui contribuent de façon positive à leur société.

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Globalisation and Comparative Education: A Caribbean perspective

The phenomenon of globalisation argues for a broader view of the world than was hitherto necessary; one that takes into account the diversity of the human experience and consequently one that requires a deeper understanding of the particularities of each of the constituencies that make up that experience. Comparative education, which has always stressed the significance of context and circumstance, is ideally placed to foster awareness of these elements that differentiate us, thereby facilitating our 'reading of the global' and cultivating in us a deeper appreciation of the interdependence of today's global community. The small states of the Caribbean which risk being further marginalised by the processes of globalisation stand to benefit from comparative education initiatives which would give greater international exposure to their particular circumstances and their contribution to world culture and civilisation. The Caribbean region has had a history of learning to live and work with people from diverse backgrounds, and in this regard could make a contribution to the new perspective which increasing globalisation calls for. It is this experience that the region can offer through greater participation in, and closer engagement with, the field of comparative education.