Art Education in Initial Teacher Education: A Negotiated Education

In this article we aim to highlight the issues we have encountered in teaching art curriculum courses on the primary BAEd degree programme. The main issues addressed are student self-confidence and the conditions which form barriers to active engagement in art activities. These we have addressed in the context of the wide changes taking place since the Education Reform Act of 1988. Our concern is that students develop the confidence to implement change in accord with their own convictions. We describe how we support them in their developing autonomy through the various strategies we have developed including the recognition and transfer of prior knowledge and reflection on the process of their own learning.     

Achieving Quality in the Short Cycle Sector of Higher Engineering Education in Europe: The UK Scenario

The formation process in the UK for a professional engineer is a combination of academic learning, a period of training and experience, and a peer review. This paper sets out the minimum standards required by the Engineering Council and describes in detail the Routes to Membership of the Institution of Civil Engineers. In particular it concentrates on how the educational base is satisfied by the accreditation of individual degree courses that meet the academic requirements, and the procedures adopted. It reviews the current thinking and possible changes to ensure the maintenance of standards.     

Improving the transfer to secondary school: how every child's voice can matter

Children in their final year of primary school (Year 6) were asked about their experiences of transition to high school so far. This multi‐method study included questionnaires, discussion, drawing and writing. The children raised a range of issues including mixed feelings; friends; bullying; getting lost; race; being the only child from their primary school; teachers; growing up; and school choice. Learning issues were rarely raised, suggesting that the social aspects of the move are most important for children at the end of Year 6. Most students wanted as much experience of their new school as possible, before they start attending there as a pupil. A key finding from this study is that children can be a very valuable resource in improving transition. Given accessible opportunities, which need not take up large amounts of time or resources, all children can inform the transition process and contribute to ongoing improvement.