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This paper draws on three research projects (undertaken in 1997–99, 2002 and 2004–05) that have examined innovation in learning and teaching methods in UK higher education. The first two of these focused on such matters as departmental and institutional cultures and the factors that have either enabled or inhibited change. The third has begun to monitor the impact of the process of establishing Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. The prospects for introducing innovations in teaching and learning in higher education are considered in relation to these wider contexts in terms of policies, structures and cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reflects a fairly pessimistic view of Hungarian higher education (HE). The reason for this is not the quality of Hungarian HE or the prevailing processes in it, but the contrast between the present situation, achievements and trends, and the unique opportunities for development and the introduction of new paradigms offered by the restructuring of society, the prominent role of HE in the preparation of the integration processes as well as by outside assistance and international cooperation. Comparing the position of HE with other sectors of society or of the academic sphere (e.g. the research institutes of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences) HE can be seen to have a considerable comparative advantage: due to the relatively favourable government policy of the past years which has protected the sphere from devastating budget cuts, the universities and colleges are more or less intact and can operate without greater restrictions. Furthermore substantial developments have been carried out mainly on the basis of outside assistance and cooperation. The main problem lies in the fact that, unfortunately, these developments have not considerably altered the structure, the 'philosophy' of the system, the main frameworks, the activities at grassroots level and the way staff and students think. Comparing the main characteristics of Hungarian HE with those of Western European HE systems, a set of consistent differences can be listed. Consequently the restructuring of Hungarian HE would require a change of paradigms, i.e. introduction of a set of consistent and coherent measures, the transition from the present system of operation to another harmonising with the HE systems of Western European democracies. There seems to be no other possibility: experience of implementing excellent ideas has shown that changing only some parts of a consistent system is unsuccessful. This paper was prepared before the favourable changes at the Ministry of Education and Culture in the... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Scientific collaboratories hold the promise of providing students access to specialized scientific instruments, data and experts, enabling learning opportunities perhaps otherwise not available. However, evaluation of scientific collaboratories in higher education has lagged behind their development. We conducted a repeated-measures study that provided data regarding social interaction learning styles and perceptions of a scientific collaboratory system from 40 university science students working face-to-face and remotely. Students with a strong competitive learning style preference or who worked with a student with a strong competitive learning style reported a slightly more positive perception of the relative advantage, compatibility and complexity of the collaboratory system. Students with a strong individualistic learning style preference or who worked with a student with a strong individualistic learning style reported a more negative perception of the observability of the system. No relationships were found between students’ cooperative learning style preference and their perceptions of the system after using it face-to-face or remotely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2001-02, the Nuffield Foundation funded research into the impact of government policy upon the management of sixth form colleges since 1992. National and regional questionnaire surveys were carried out among senior managers at sixth form colleges, further education colleges and schools. Case studies were undertaken at five sixth form colleges in the North-West and South-East of England, and in the East Midlands. This article reports on the findings in relation to the following factors: the prevailing ethos of sixth form colleges, the changing context within which that ethos is maintained, and the role of leaders at all levels of the colleges in maintaining it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing body of literature suggests that when schools become professional communities there are expected benefits in terms of teacher learning, school improvement and student achievement. In this article the concept of professional communities is examined for certain subject departments in Dutch secondary schools. The authors report on research into the extent to which mathematics departments operate as professional communities. At the same time, it was investigated whether the level at which departments operate as professional communities is related to student achievement. The results indicate that departments are cohesive bodies regulating teacher behaviour in several respects. However, as professional communities they do not focus on improving the quality of their teachers and instruction. Some characteristics of professional communities prove to be beneficial for student achievement, while others are not. The authors offer recommendations on how departments can develop into more professionally organised communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School Effectiveness (SE), as a research paradigm and, more widely, as a set of political practices in school management and development, is examined in terms of the concept of 'reductionism'. The article serves to systematise an ongoing critique of Effectiveness by Ball, Morley, Fielding, Slee, etc. Building upon studies by the biologist Steven Rose and colleagues of reductionism from psychology to biology, the reductionism of the Effectiveness discourse is analysed in its methodological, contextual, historical and moral aspects. Finally, the article explores the impact of SE upon the dominant model of School Improvement in England in particular, and the need for transformation within that paradigm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is concerned with values education in schools in the light of the requirement for schools to provide for the spiritual, moral, cultural and social development of children and in the light of wider discussions regarding 'spirituality' in (post)modern society. The authors focus on Living Values, a programme developed as a way of introducing values-based education to schools as well as to the wider community. They examine both the contents of the programme and the way it reaches schools and is utilized. The authors report on their recent field research carried out in schools and evaluate textual sources. Emerging issues and perspectives, among them the provenance and sponsorship of the programme, are raised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research often focuses on disaffection in the mathematics classroom as evident in disruptive behaviour, absenteeism or special needs: thus, it ignores a group of students whose disaffection is expressed in a tacit, non-disruptive manner, namely as disengagement and invisibility. Ignoring this often large group implies that the mathematical potential of these learners may remain defunct. This article reports on a one-year study of quiet disaffection conducted in three Year 9 mathematics classrooms in Norfolk. Through extensive observation and interviewing of seventy 13/14 year-old pupils, a profile of quiet disaffection from secondary school mathematics was constructed. It is proposed that its characteristics include: Tedium, Isolation, Rote learning (rule-and-cue following), Elitism and Depersonalisation. The proposed characteristics are described and exemplified. Finally, the themes that emerged from the students' statements about their images of effective mathematics teaching (Nature of Classroom Activities -- the notion of 'Fun', Teaching Styles; Role of the Teacher; Role of Stratification Structures such as Setting) are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In her recent contribution to the British Educational Research Journal, Pauline McClenaghan identified the link between social capital and community development, particularly community development education, as a core area where scholarly and policy interests overlap. She concluded that the concept of social capital is unable to grapple with the complex social divisions that characterise contemporary Europe. The authors of this article question her account on three main grounds: the definition of social capital, which they hold is overly narrow, and does not deal with what Woolcock calls the 'linking' role of social networks; the presentation of the theoretical foundations of community development, which they believe is flawed in certain key respects; and a lack of clarity in the relationship between the research and the findings reported. The authors then present their own theoretically informed account of social capital as a means of understanding the role of community development, the challenges that it can face and the role of adult education for community development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the surprising lack of critique in the pedagogical literatures of higher education in relation to the use of ideas surrounding deep and surface approaches to learning. The article explores problems with the assumed relationships between 'conceptions of learning', 'perceptions of the learning environment', 'approaches to learning' and 'learning outcomes', and suggests that whilst the model may be successful in creating a generalised description of the 'elite' goals and values of academic culture, it says surprisingly little about the majority of students in a mass system. After exploring research in the area of academic literacies as an alternative approach to understanding student learning, it is suggested that higher education is going to have to find new ways of conceptualising its core values and activities if it is to become truly accessible to the widest possible range of 'lifelong learners'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Validity coefficients for a single assessment center implemented in multiple locations are presented. Correction for range restriction, criterion unreliability, and sampling error did not account for a Large portion of the variability in these validity coefficients. The type of assessor used, the center's administrative arrangement, and prior assessor-assessed contact moderated these validities, it is suggested that the quality of the implementation of a selection procedure when there is local latitude in its implementation is an important factor in determining the procedure's effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the composition and operation of the management team and its relation to the issue of school effectiveness. Concept of management teams; Level of interest in effectiveness among investigators, educators, policy-makers and the general public; Implementation of a participative mode in the decision-making process; Impact of teachers' strategies and inputs on pupils outcomes.

One emergent issue in relation to research on Indigenous epistemologies and education concerns the extent to which Indigenous epistemologies lead to new kinds of educational experiences and outcomes and pose new research questions. This commentary responds to the sense of limits and possibilities for Indigenous education that are raised by the research in this theme issue, and suggests that there are indeed new questions to be asked and answered through research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]