Teachers ’ conversations about civic education: Policy and practice in Australian schools

Civic education has been a priority for many countries in the Asia Pacific region over the past decade. Governments of different persuasions have recognized the need to provide stability and cohesion in their societies. This has been particularly so at a time when globalization and other forces threaten to fragment the nation state and co-opt its citizens into broader realms of allegiance and commitment. Policy makers have not been slow to come up with new directions for civic education in the school curriculum and the literature now abounds with examples from different countries. Yet missing from this flurry of policy development has been recognition of the role that teachers play in constructing civic education programs at the school level. In the end, it is teachers in classrooms who determine how centralized polices are understood and implemented. Drawing on a sample of Australian teachers, the purpose of this paper is to highlight the role that teachers play in constructing and reconstructing civic education policy in schools and classrooms. Interviews conducted with teachers in four Australian States/Territories have revealed that teachers ’ personal views of civics are more likely to influence them than external policies, their focus is more on citizenship than formal civics programs and that they are reluctant to develop programs where civic knowledge is formalized and disciplined based. The research reported in this paper was funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC). The views expressed are those of the authors and not the ARC.     

The philosophy and services of non-formal education in Thailand

This paper begins as an historical outline of non-formal education in Thailand, from its inception as the Adult Education Division in 1940 to the present day. The philosophy and curricula of adult and non-formal education are examined, particularly in terms of the overall concept of khit-pen. The paper gives an overview of activities currently on offer by the Non-Formal Education Department and other involved agencies. There are programs designed to provide basic knowledge and skills, in particular General Adult Education and Functional Literacy Programs; there are programs designed to provide training in vocational and occupational skills; and there are programs designed to provide relevant knowledge and up-to-date information. An attempt is made to view these developments in terms of their relationship with the formal school system, and the paper concludes with some thoughts on future plans and initiatives.

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Zusammenfassung Dieser Bericht ist ein historischer Abriß der nicht-formalen Erziehung in Thailand von ihren Anfängen als Abteilung für Erwachsenenbildung im Jahre 1940 bis zum heutigen Tag. Der philosophische Grundgedanke und die Curricula der Erwachsenenbildung und der nicht-formalen Erziehung werden besonders in Hinblick auf ein Gesamtkonzepts des khit-pen untersucht. Der Bericht gibt einen Überblick über Aktivitäten, die derzeitig von der Abteilung für nichtformale Erziehung und von anderen beteiligten Einrichtungen angeboten werden. Hierzu zählen u.a. Programme, die Folgendes vermitteln sollen: 1) Grundkenntnisse und -fähigkeiten, insbesondere im Hinblick auf die allgemeine Erwachsenenbildung und die funktionale Alphabetisierungsprogramme, 2) eine Ausbildung in beruflichen und beschäftigungsbezogenen Fähigkeiten und ferner 3) allgemein wichtige Kenntnisse und aktuelle Informationen. Es wird versucht, diese Entwicklungen im Sinne ihrer Beziehung zum formalen Schulsystem zu sehen. Der Bericht schließt mit einigen Anmerkungen über zukünftige Pläne und Initiativen.

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Résumé Cet article commence par l'historique de l'Education non-formelle en Thailande depuis sa création en 1940 en tant que Division pour l'Education des Adultes jusqu'à nos jours. On y examine la philosophie et les contenus de l'éducation pour adultes et de l'éducation non-formelle en particulier en fonction du concept général de khit-pen. Cet article présente une vue d'ensemble des activités qu'offrent actuellement le Département de l'Education non-formelle et d'autres organismes concernés. Certains programmes sont destinés à fournir des connaissances et des compétences de base, il s'agit en particulier des programmes d'alphabétisation fonctionnelle et d'éducation générale pour adultes; d'autres sont destinés à fournir des cours de formation professionnelle ou ayant trait à une profession; il existe également des programmes destinés à transmettre des connaissances pertinentes et des informations récentes. Un effort est fait pour examiner ces développements en fonction de leur rapport avec le système éducatif formel et les auteurs concluent en exposant quelques réflexions sur les initiatives et projets futurs.

     

Class matters in the interview setting? Positionality,situatedness and class

In this article we argue that despite methodological and analytical advancements in the field of social class research, these developments have not led to a wholehearted discussion about class positionality and situatedness in relation to interviewer–participant dynamics. Despite—or perhaps due to—this methodological gap, there remains an unspoken expectation that class matching, particularly when investigating working‐class groups and practices, is desirable as it engenders empathy on the part of the interviewer which allows for openness on the part of the participant. The team of four interviewers reflect upon their varying experiences of conducting interviews about class with a group of middle‐ and working‐class students at university, arguing that even if class matching between participant and researcher were possible, shared class position does not necessarily equate with similar life experiences, or enable a strong rapport nor a more ethical analysis or understanding of working‐class people's lives. We explore some of the complexities regarding the class‐related positions of the researchers and the participants and consequently advocate that class researchers engage in reflexive practices in order to explore the myriad ways in which the researcher's own class history and current class position both advantage and disadvantage the research process, often in unpredictable ways.     

AD/HD: Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder or attention seeking? Ways of distinguishing two common childhood problems

Nigel Mellor recently retired from his work with the educational psychology service in North Tyneside. In this article, he proposes that attention-seeking behaviour may lead to major difficulties at home and school and indicates the ways in which recent research is beginning to clarify the area. Attention deficit disorders also cause great concern. However, the extremely widespread range of attention-seeking behaviours may easily lead to their being confused with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD). Nigel Mellor explores ways to distinguish these two behaviour problems. This, he argues, may help target interventions more efficiently. However, a great deal of further research is called for.     

Learning and the new growth theories: policy dilemma

This paper identifies and interprets the six essential steps in the development of neoclassical growth theory from the Solow–Swan model to the new growth theory models of sustained endogenous growth driven by learning (e.g., [Romer, P., 1990. Endogenous technological change. Journal of Political Economy, 98 (5): S71–S102]). The success of that modeling exercise is based on the specification of selected assumptions about learning in industry. The practical shortcomings of the exercise are highlighted by the various and conflicting policy implications arising from the selection of attributes. It is concluded that better policies may follow from basing assumptions of learning behavior on the understanding of the process and strategy of learning that is emerging from institutional and evolutionary work.     

The machine intelligence Hex project

Hex is a challenging strategy board game for two players. To enhance students’ progress in acquiring understanding and practical experience with complex machine intelligence and programming concepts we developed the Machine Intelligence Hex (MIHex) project. The associated undergraduate student assignment is about designing and implementing Hex players and evaluating them in an automated tournament of all programs developed by the class. This article surveys educational aspects of the MIHex project. Additionally, fundamental techniques for game programming as well as specific concepts for Hex board evaluation are reviewed. The MIHex game server and possibilities of tournament organisation are described. We summarise and discuss our experiences from running the MIHex project assignment over four consecutive years. The impact on student motivation and learning benefits are evaluated using questionnaires and interviews.