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Linking between schools in the United Kingdom and schools in sub-Saharan Africa has been a feature of the educational landscape for more than twenty years, but became a government priority between 2000 and 2010. Whilst the interest in Ireland was less, both countries resourced linking programmes primarily as a means of raising awareness of development issues. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) also became involved in school linking during the first decade of the twenty-first century with Plan UK and Link Community Development (Link) being the leading organisations in this field. However, due to funding constraints and change in United Kingdom government policy post 2010, both of these NGOs ended their linking programmes in 2011 and 2012 respectively. Link's involvement in school linking came from a development perspective; links were primarily seen as a mechanism for improving schools in sub-Saharan Africa. Development education only became a main feature of their linking programme with their European Union funded project, Partners in Development (PiD), which ran from 2010 to 2012. This project was funded from a development awareness budget line, but the NGO's proposal included development goals within the project. This became a major source of tension that was unresolved throughout the life of the project. This report is an evaluation of the "Partners in Development" project that was based on linking schools in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland, with schools in Ghana, Malawi, Uganda, and South Africa. The evidence gathered was based on a combination of quantitative-based questionnaires, interviews with key staff within Link, and in-depth data gathered from a number of schools in Scotland. The main findings of the evaluation are as follows: (1) The Link Schools Programme (LSP) was clearly valued, but its impact was different in the United Kingdom and Ireland from that in South Africa, Ghana, Malawi, and Uganda; (2) The breadth of schools involved, particularly in the United Kingdom, suggests that the programme reached different schools from those which have been involved in other linking programmes; (3) The project suffered from funding criteria that continually focused on a target-driven approach; (4) Link staff became too heavily involved in administration and support; (5) As a consequence, many of the issues that often emerge in linking activities were not fully addressed; (6) The website was popular and the Solar Connect component that provided internet access to some of the schools in Africa was highly valued; and (7) Supported links developed by the Link model clearly have value. The following appendices are included: (1) Breakdown of schools participating in the Teacher Survey; (2) Rating of the Link Programme services. UK & Ireland schools; (3) Rating of the Link Programme services. African schools; (4) Profile of activities by school characteristics; (5) Evaluation Questionnaire; and (6) Focus Group Questions for Teachers in Scottish Link Schools--June 2012.

This paper presents composite indicators of the institutional and policy characteristics of educational systems, collated from the questionnaire responses of 26 Member countries. These indicators provide an overview of the institutional framework in the primary and secondary education sector and are constructed so as to be used for the analysis of international differences in spending efficiency. The key features of the institutional setting in the non-tertiary education sector are grouped under three headings: (1) the ability to prioritise and allocate resources efficiently (through decentralisation and mechanisms matching resources to specific needs); (2) the efficiency in managing spending at the local level (through outcome-focused policies and managerial autonomy), and (3) the efficiency in service provision (through benchmarking and user choice). For each country, an intermediate indicator is computed for each of these six institutional properties. Composite indicators then combine the six intermediate indicators of spending efficiency into a single, aggregate measure. Results are presented and some of their implications are discussed. Overall, the characteristics of the institutional framework in the non-tertiary public education sector seem to be very favourable, compared to OECD average, in the United Kingdom, Australia, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands, whereas results are less favourable for the Czech Republic, Greece, Luxembourg, Japan, Turkey, Hungary, Belgium (French speaking community), Switzerland and Austria. (Contains 3 tables, 15 figures and 14 endnotes.) (Abstract altered to meet ERIC guidelines.)

A study examined how the third version of a questionnaire on readers' backgrounds (developed for the "Folktale project", which explores similarities and dissimilarities in the response to literature from and in different cultures) fared internationally under field conditions which would not immediately be controlled by members of the project. Subjects, 20 Indian readers, 50 readers in the United Kingdom and 28 Nigerian readers, completed the questionnaire. The subjects' answers were examined to make sure that the questions elicited the "same information" cross culturally--that specific answers (and the phenomena they probed) were comparable between cultures, and yet independent of the significance attached to them in specific cultures. Results indicated that the questionnaire developed was sufficiently effective for sound statistical analyses in the final data collection round in the Folktale project. (Instructions to subjects, the third and fourth versions of the questionnaire, and an overview of the Folktale project as of March, 1989 are attached.) (RS)

The nature of adult economics education provided in the United Kingdom is outlined, and a framework within which it might be investigated is suggested. Androgogical learning principles are critically appraised and are compared and contrasted to pedagogical principles. An adult economics course model is developed, against which actual courses may be compared. A conclusion reviews procedures and makes suggestions for improvement. A survey on the extent of adult economics education is reported that pertains to adult education institutes, places of work, prisons, and informal settings. Suggestions are given for improvement in the teaching of economics classes for adults. A list of 80 references is appended. (APG)

In the context of distance language learning, speaking is frequently perceived as the most challenging skill; this paper reports on a 12 week summer language exchange programme providing students with new ways of practising their oral abilities. Students who completed an undergraduate beginners' language module took part in regular online, synchronous language exchange sessions with a partner. This paper analyses the impact of taking part in a language exchange task on the students' motivation. The mixed methods research included an activity perception questionnaire (based on Deci, Eghrari, Patrick, & Leone, 1994) to investigate the motivation of participants whilst undertaking a specific language exchange session, as well as qualitative data from both the questionnaire and the project discussion forum. The language exchange programme provides the opportunity for learners to take ownership of their learning and personalise it, and functions as a bridge between formal and informal learning. However, despite the enjoyment and interest provided by this type of experience, it is not without stress, and requires self-determination and autonomy to result in a positive and sustainable learning experience. [For the complete volume, "Beyond the Language Classroom: Researching MOOCs and Other Innovations," see ED574781.]

The Relevance of Science Education project (ROSE, 2009 and 2004) has indicated a lack of motivation towards schools science. Unfortunately, the questionnaire ROSE used did not include questions on History and Philosophy of Science (HPS). The History and Philosophy in Science Teaching (HIPST) project is dedicated to inserting that perspective into science teaching in schools, museums and other non-formal centres. This paper gives the theoretical background and some material from the UK Case Study.

The concept of physical and chemical change is far from being the clearest and most self-explanatory concept in the world. If a number of chemists are asked to define physical and chemical change, there may well appear to be a fair degree of uniformity in their answers, until a few examples are suggested. When chemists are asked to place a variety of changes into the category of physical or chemical change, then differences inevitably arise. It is not difficult to demonstrate this by viewing school textbooks and articles about the topic. In spite of this, physical and chemical change is still taught in most in most secondary school courses. The problem arises from the definition and the historical layers of meaning that have grown around the concept, almost by accretion, without teachers being aware of their significance. The purpose of this paper is to describe the answers given by experienced educators to a questionnaire, which attempted to find out what the views of science educators/chemists worldwide about physical and chemical change now are. Four appendixes present: (1) List of Respondents; (2) List of Questionnaires Returned; (3) Physical and Chemical Change: An Information Sheet; and (4) Full Questionnaire: Interview Protocol or Basis for Written Response.

This paper explores the unique contribution of content modules towards the development of criticality (Barnett, 1997) and intercultural competence (Byram, 1997) in Modern Languages (ML). It draws upon the findings of a PhD study investigating the implications of the division between language and content, as experienced by German Studies students in two American and two British universities. Findings from this study echo to an extent Brumfit et al. (2005), who found that in language modules "the focus on criticality development itself is less central than in other areas of the ML curriculum, especially the 'content' courses" (p. 159). In interviews, both staff and students across all four universities referred to upper-level or content modules as the area which contributed the most to students' development of intercultural competence and criticality, yet content-based language courses were also cited. Implications of these findings are discussed and recommendations are made for the future of ML in Higher Education (HE). [For the complete volume, "Innovative Language Teaching and Learning at University: Enhancing Employability," see ED574244.]

The development of e-literacies and e-skills is of primary importance in gaining transferable aptitudes for the job market. Students in higher education need to take part in shared intercultural experiences which allow them to understand and cope with their peers in preparation for their futures. Furthermore, virtual exchange of information, development of language skills and interpersonal relationships can allow these future employees to respond better to demands of the job market. This paper describes a case study involving a virtual project developed between the University of Warwick (UK) and the University of Castilla-La Mancha (Spain) aimed at increasing exposure to the foreign language (English/Spanish), and to raise cultural awareness among British and Spanish university students, hence making them more employable in the future. [For the complete volume, "Innovative Language Teaching and Learning at University: Enhancing Employability," see ED574244.]

This paper reports the steps taken to develop the conceptual framework of the MAGICC project (2013), which aimed to provide action-oriented descriptions of multilingual and multicultural academic and professional communication competence, instructional designs to promote these in higher education language teaching, and multidimensional forms of assessment aligned with the learning outcomes established--all presented in an academic ePortfolio that expands the features of the existing European Language Portfolio (ELP) to the higher education level. "Starting with systematic desk research into the existing conceptualisations of multi/plurilingual and multi/ intercultural competences as well as lifelong learning and employability skills, the next step was to collect and analyse the data gathered from all partner institutions and existing national and European projects on descriptors already in place for academic level competences, practices and assessment. […] To ensure the social relevance of the framework, the third step was to develop questionnaires for students, faculty, and employers and ask them to rank the synthesised skill and competence descriptors in terms of their importance for the academic and professional competences graduates would need for study purposes as well as for the global labour market. The first draft of the conceptual framework was revised on the basis of this stakeholder consultation and led to the version presented to a new group of selected stakeholders in a consultation seminar" (Räsänen 2014: 66-67). [For the complete volume "Voices of Pedagogical Development--Expanding, Enhancing and Exploring Higher Education Language Learning," see ED565013.]

M-learning will play an increasingly significant role in the development of teaching and learning methods for higher education. However, the successful implementation of m-learning in higher education will be based on users' acceptance of this technology. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to study the factors that affect university students' intentions to accept m-learning. Based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) (Venkatesh et al., 2003), this study proposes a model to identify the factors that influence the acceptance of m-learning in higher education and to investigate if prior experience of mobile devices affects the acceptance of m-learning. A structural equation model was used to analyse the data collected from 174 participants. The results indicate that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, influence of lecturers, quality of service, and personal innovativeness were all significant factors that affect behavioural intention to use m-learning. Prior experience of mobile devices was also found to moderate the effect of these constructs on behavioural intention. The results of this research extend the UTAUT in the context of m-learning acceptance by adding quality of service and personal innovativeness to the structure of UTAUT and provide practitioners and educators with useful guidelines for designing a successful m-learning system.

This paper identifies and critiques literature on the experience of transition between primary and secondary school; how and why it is seen as critical and in what ways it can be supported. The aim of this literature review is to remind readers of this important period on the lives of young people and the diverse range of issues which they face. There is general consensus in the literature that well-designed and implemented transition approaches can assist in the process of supporting students, their families and school staff. Teachers are crucial in supporting children and young people moving in, between and out of school and making these transitions positive experiences. Therefore, pre-service teacher education needs to include awareness and understanding of the main issues in relation to transition. Teacher educators need to consider how they can incorporate transition programs and strategies in their courses to ensure that graduate teachers have the skills and knowledge to mediate some of the pressures that their students are facing when dealing with transitions. (Contains 1 figure.)

This study investigates motivation that influences heritage and non-heritage students' learning of Chinese, and its relationship with Chinese language learning strategies (LLS). The study uses Deci and Ryan's typology--"Intrinsic Motivation" and "Extrinsic Motivation", for the investigation, examining issues such as: (1) What are Chinese students' motivations in studying Chinese?; (2) What are Chinese students' perceptions of learning strategies in studying Chinese?; and (3) What is the relationship between students' motivation and their perceptions of LLS use? The study addresses questions of both theoretical and pedagogical significance, and makes specific proposals regarding pedagogies and teaching Chinese as a Second/Foreign Language. The following are appended: (1) Background Questionnaire; (2) How do I Learn Mandarin Chinese?; (3) Factor Analysis--SILL for the Heritage Students Group; and (4) Factor Analysis--SILL for the Non-Heritage Chinese Students Group. (Contains 9 tables.)

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe research into the requirements, practice and prospects for the field of learning design and provide the findings of this study to date alongside early recommendations for furthering the profession in the UK. Design/methodology/approach: The paper describes the findings of a review of the literature on learning design and the study's research methodology, which comprises focus groups, an online questionnaire deployed for use in the UK, North America, Australia, telephone interviews, and surveys of higher education programmes. Findings: Initial analysis of the data indicates that learning design professionalisation and training in the UK are behind those found in other areas of the world. Research limitations/implications: The research was of an exploratory nature and thus limited. However, it shows that additional research into distinct aspects of learning design is required to explore further phenomena described in this paper. Practical implications: The findings suggest that more and appropriate training opportunities are required for UK learning designers. This could be supplemented by further professionalisation of the field. Originality/value: Key aspects are revealed in the paper of the learning design field in the UK where development is required in order to place learning design on a par with the field in other countries. These findings should be of interest to learning designers, the institutions that train them, their employers and those that use their services. (Contains 5 figures.)

Using English as a global communicating tool makes Taiwanese people have to speak in English in diverse international situations. However, consonants and vowels in English are not all effortless for them to articulate. This phonological reduction study explores concepts about phonological (articulating system) approximation. From Taiwanese folks' perspectives, it analyzes phonological type, rate, and their associations with 2 genders. This quantitative research discovers Taiwanese people's vocalization problems and their facilitating solutions by articulating lessening. In other words, this study explains how English emerging as a global language can be adapted and fluently articulated by Taiwanese. It was conducted at National Changhwa University of Education from 2010 fall to 2011 spring, investigating Taiwanese university students' phonological lessening systems. It reveals how they face the phonetics challenges during interactions and give speeches by ways of phonological lessening. Taiwanese folks' lessening patterns belong to simplified pronouncing methods, being evolved through Mandarin, Hakka, and Holo phonetic patterns. This genre of facilitated articulation can be also titled as transformed or approximate methods of articulating formula. In this investigation, 59 students according to their individual articulating experiences provided their perceptions, based on their observations in their own English articulation systems. Statistics graphs analyzed by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) display 4 consonants and 4 vowels that have been reduced and adapted. Moreover, the gender factor was taken into consideration, revealing male's and female's dissimilar difficulties in pronunciation. More specifically, this empirical study investigated the correlation between elements of gender and phonological reduction. Through statistical analysis, 8 intricate vowels and consonants are compared and contrasted based on Taiwanese students' perfections and difficulty-confessions in articulating them. Simplified phonetic patterns with Taiwanese accents involved into the articulating lessening system in Taiwanese students' English utterances were provided by the instructor. Based on 2 variables of female gender and male gender, the study discovered the lessening sequences in 8 phonetics. The significance of this study is its contribution to giving confidence to English speakers in Taiwan. Although they are non-native speakers, they still can resolve the pronunciation difficulty and talk with fluency by their created phonological reduction system. Appended are: (1) Survey (Instrument); and (2) Vowel diversities. (Contains 1 table and 2 graphs.

There are many different approaches to the concept of "quality," which focus on both "what" defines the quality of a service and "who" defines quality. A study funded by the British Library (England) sought to define an approach to quality appropriate for the delivery and effective management of public library services. The study was concerned with quality management as a specific system or technique for securing a high quality library service and focused on organizational, client, and policy issues. A questionnaire sent to all public library authorities in the United Kingdom yielded an 81% response rate. Of the authorities surveyed, 62% do not have a quality program, 19% have a quality program, and 19% are developing a quality program. The three most important quality features identified were: skilled, courteous employees (62%); an appropriate range and quality of resources (57%); and a welcoming environment (32%). Areas felt to be in need of greatest improvement included: employee knowledge to answer client questions or make referrals; convenient opening hours; clear guides for clients to navigate the library; a good book stock; and making clients aware of the standards of service they can expect. Service quality can be judged by the users, professional librarians, and other stakeholders, including local politicians and library suppliers. (Contains 28 references.) (SWC)

This study analysed the expectations and experiences of students on a five-year undergraduate ("n"?=?91) and four-year graduate entry ("n"?=?47) veterinary medicine degree programme relating to academic feedback. Qualitative and quantitative methodologies were used to explore new students' expectations and prior experiences of feedback and capture experiences across one academic year. The majority of the students expect no less feedback at university than at school. Students' experiences of the course highlighted themes of not knowing what was expected of them, a perceived need for more guidance and the importance of timely feedback. The impact of the staff-student relationship on how students obtain and perceive feedback and the emotional impact of positive and negative feedback were also highlighted. In addition, a recurring theme was the social context of veterinary medicine with issues relating to high academic achievers, competition between students and the need to gain professional and clinical skills. This study confirms a mismatch in student expectations versus experience. The paper draws on a rich data-set based on both quantitative and qualitative methods and is the first study of this type to be carried out in the context of students of veterinary medicine. (Contains 3 tables and 1 figure.)

This paper explores how educational psychologists working in a training/consultative way can enable teachers to manage challenging pupil behaviour more effectively. It sets out a rationale which encourages schools to embrace a group based teacher peer-support system as part of regular school development. It then explores the usefulness of the Staff Sharing Scheme as an exemplar of such an approach from the perspective of school based participants. Through a case-study approach, the current findings suggest that group based peer-support programmes help teachers reflect on the causes of disruptive behaviour holistically and subsequently to problem solve in a more coherent manner. This leads to changes in teacher behaviour within the classroom. Issues of time and trust were identified as important obstacles to the potential development of such a scheme within the school.

Group projects form a large and possibly growing component of the work undertaken for assessing students for postgraduate degrees in business. Yet the assessments sources, methods and purposes result in an array of combinations that the literature on assessment fails to capture in its full complexity. This paper builds on a new framework for discussing the assessment of group projects and reports on an exploratory piece of empirical research to examine the questions posed in the title: Is there more learning? The answer is a solid, if less than emphatic yes. Is it less fair? Probably, but what is the alternative? (Contains 2 tables and 5 figures.)

The link between formal education and the formation of national attachment is widely acknowledged. Yet, research on teachers' national attachment is still relatively rare. Based on a comparative analysis of survey data obtained from 281 Berlin and London state secondary school head teachers, this paper proposes a multivariate model in which notions of national identity, levels of national pride and levels of supranational attachment represent predictors of national attachment. The respective statistical analyses reveal striking cross-national similarities in terms of the individual and joint explanatory impact of these predictors. Other findings concern correlations between different notions of Britishness/Germanness and levels of national attachment, the relationship between national and supranational attachment, and associations between national pride and national attachment. (Contains 9 notes, 5 tables, and 1 figure.)

This paper provides both a preliminary analysis of a survey on media education in India, and reviews of the research on media education in the western world, the limited media education research already done in India, and the more extensive research that has been done on the sociology of Indian youth and the media. The purpose of the survey was to investigate the extent of media access and exposure, the place of exposure, content preferences, and the views of secondary school students (N=1,000), teachers (N=150), and parents (N=60) on media and computer education. Students were from three distinct types of schools, as well as from different castes and religious and socioeconomic backgrounds. Preliminary analyses of responses to completed questionnaires indicated that the majority of all students favored certain Hindi programs, but that they differed in the kind of television serial or film they liked, and the newspapers, magazines, and comics they preferred. A model of media education for India should take into account: (1) the striking similarities and differences among Indian children from different types of schools; (2) the mix of the traditional and modern in Indian society; (3) the diversity of regional, linguistic, and religious groups; (4) theories of communication developed from Indian thought and experience; and (5) the Latin American 'liberation' approach to media education which seeks to promote a dialogic and participative communication system as opposed to a top-down hierarchical communication structure. (46 references) (CGD)

This paper reports the findings of a survey to determine the effects, if any, that experience in playgroups had upon children of varying social class backgrounds in differing areas within the United Kingdom. The project aimed at answering two major questions: (1) Did teachers perceive differences in first year infant school children that they could attribute to previous attendance at playgroups, and, (2) If the teachers did see differences, what, according to their views, was the nature of the differences? A questionnaire dealing with observable differences in children who had/had not attended playgroups was constructed. Investigated were the effects of playgroups on socialization, motivation, language development, playing, intellectual and emotional development, motor skills, communicative skills, creative skills, pre-reading skills, aggressiveness, organizational ability, discipline, and other characteristics. Factors considered in choosing the sample were location of the schools (inner cities, urban areas, country districts), nature of housing, and estimated social class of the children. Questionnaires were sent to the selected schools, and upon return 92% were followed up by personal interviews. Results are listed for each questionnaire item. A conclusion briefly discusses the relationships between the region, housing, and social class of children and the varying responses of teachers. (SB)

The purposes of this survey of television viewers were to investigate their personal experiences with crime and perceived competence to deal with it, and to study their perceptions of the likelihood of crime and fears of personal victimization. Members of a London Panel maintained by the Independent Broadcasting Authority's Research Department for the purpose of routine program appreciation measurement were surveyed through the use of television viewing diaries and questionnaires. A total of 448 usable diaries and questionnaires (47% response rate) were returned. Major findings included: (1) the perceived likelihood of victimization for others and for self, and fear of victimization for self, varied with location, demographic characteristics of respondents, their direct experience with crime, and confidence in their personal ability to defend themselves in the face of an assault, while television viewing patterns were only weak and inconsistent indicators of judgments about crime; (2) no evidence emerged here that perceived risks for others were more strongly linked to media experiences than were perceived risks for self; (3) in the presence of demographic controls only, soap opera viewing emerged more often than any other program type as linked significantly to judgments about crime; and (4) viewing of particular categories of programs seemed to be less relevant to fear of crime than how much television was consumed overall. Seventeen tables, six with multiple classification or multiple regression analyses, summarize study results. (16 references) (CGD)

Presents the experience of 151 survey respondents from 49 developing countries with information studies programs in the United Kingdom. Data are also presented on the subject areas and materials of respondents' future educational needs. Approaches to future programing and areas for further study are covered, and a copy of the survey is included. (three references) (KRN)

Delegates to the 1991 Aspects of Educational and Training Technology Conference responded to questions concerning pre-conference and conference arrangements, facilities, program, and content. Based on the analysis of the questionnaires, recommendations for future conferences concerning conference planning, pre-conference contacting, registration, program, content, accommodations, and catering are outlined. Includes specific suggestions for conference improvement. (PEN)

This project, funded by the Centre for Distance Education, University of London (2008-2010), investigated both student and staff perspectives on e-learning tasks. This allowed a critical comparison of the pedagogic intentions of staff (how staff intend to teach/facilitate learning), and the rationale behind these, with student experiences. The project utilised modules from courses in three different universities and disciplines (medicine, education and business) where e-learning had become established. This brief paper outlines the project methodology and findings.

In the United Kingdom in 1977 a national questionnaire survey was conducted by the University of Sheffield (England) under the direction of Frank Whitehead with children ages 10-14 years old to discover the kind and extent of children's voluntary reading. In 1994/95, Whitehead's study was replicated in the context of the 1990s. This report summarizes the findings of that project the W.H. Smith Children's Reading Choices Project at the University of Nottingham. A national questionnaire postal survey was conducted with 7,976 children 10, 12, and 14 years old in 110 primary (5-11 years) and 59 secondary (11-16/18 years) schools in 1994. To supplement the questionnaire, follow-up interviews were conducted in 1995 with just over 1% of the sample in different schools throughout the country. There were 24 main findings, of which the first six were: (1) over the last two decades book reading has increased for 10 year olds of both sexes, and for 12 year old girls; it has remained at the same level for 12 year old boys and 14 year old girls, but it has declined for 14 year old boys; (2) the average number of books read by children in the four weeks prior to the survey was 2.52; (3) most children read regularly, but there is a tendency towards fewer books read as children get older; (4) more girls than boys read books regularly; (5) there is a clear pattern of decline in the amount of book reading from higher to lower socioeconomic groups; and (6) children have very eclectic reading tastes. (NKA)