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2. Intersectionality in Education: Rationale and Practices to Address the Needs of Students' Intersecting Identities. OECD Education Working Papers. No. 302
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France), Directorate for Education and Skills, Samo Varsik, and Julia Gorochovskij
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Intersectionality highlights that different aspects of individuals' identities are not independent of each other. Instead, they interact to create unique identities and experiences, which cannot be understood by analysing each identity dimension separately or in isolation from their social and historical contexts. Intersectional approaches in this way question the common classification of individuals into groups (male vs. female, immigrant vs. native etc.), which raises important implications for the policy-making process. In education, analyses with an intersectional lens have the potential to lead to better tailored and more effective policies and interventions related to participation, learning outcomes, students' attitudes towards the future, identification of needs, and socio-emotional well-being. Consequently, as elaborated in this paper, some countries have adjusted their policies in the areas of governance, resourcing, developing capacity, promoting school-level interventions and monitoring, to account for intersectionality. Gaps and challenges related to intersectional approaches are also highlighted.
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- 2023
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3. Indicators of Inclusion in Education: A Framework for Analysis. OECD Education Working Papers. No. 300
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France), Directorate for Education and Skills, Cecilia Mezzanotte, and Claire Calvel
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Calls for increased monitoring and evaluation of education policies and practices have not, so far, included widespread and consistent assessments of the inclusiveness of education settings. Measuring inclusion in education has proven to be a challenging exercise, due not only to the complexity and different uses of the concept, but also to its holistic nature. Indeed, measuring inclusion implies analysing a variety of policy areas within education systems, while also considering the different roles of the system, the school and the classroom. This paper discusses the application of the input-process-outcome model to the measurement of inclusion in education, and key indicators that can be adopted by education systems and schools to this end. It makes considerations relevant to policy makers when designing indicators to measure inclusion, such as the extent of their application, the constraints related to data disaggregation and the relevance of intersectional approaches to inclusion.
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- 2023
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4. A Half Century of Progress in U.S. Student Achievement: Ethnic and SES Differences; Agency and Flynn Effects. Program on Education Policy and Governance Working Papers Series. PEPG 21-01
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Harvard University, Program on Education Policy and Governance, Shakeel, M. Danish, and Peterson, Paul E.
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Principals (policy makers) have debated the progress in U.S. student performance for a half century or more. Informing these conversations, survey agents have administered seven million psychometrically linked tests in math and reading in 160 waves to national probability samples of selected cohorts born between 1954 and 2007. This study is the first to assess consistency of results by agency. We find results vary by agent, but consistent with Flynn effects, gains are larger in math than reading, except for the most recent period. Non-whites progress at a faster pace. Socio-economically disadvantaged white, black, and Hispanic students make greater progress when tested in elementary school, but that advantage attenuates and reverses itself as students age. We discuss potential moderators.
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- 2021
5. Holistic Refugee and Newcomer Education in Europe: Mapping, Upscaling and Institutionalising Promising Practices from Germany, Greece and the Netherlands. OECD Education Working Papers. No. 264
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France), Koehler, Claudia, Palaiologou, Nektaria, and Brussino, Ottavia
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Education is one of the most important fields to promote the integration of refugee and newcomer children and youths in host countries. However, holistic education for refugee and newcomers has so far not been established into mainstream education systems in European countries. Projects and pilot programmes have developed across Europe to test holistic approaches. Some of them have started very recently as a response to the arrival of high numbers of refugees and newcomers, while others have been established for a longer period and have started to expand. This paper first provides an overview of key research gaps in refugee education. It then provides a mapping of promising holistic education practices in Europe, with a focus on Germany, Greece and the Netherlands. Based on this, the paper explores key conditions to upscale and institutionalise promising practices of holistic refugee and newcomer education.
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- 2022
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6. The Changing Nature and Role of Vocational Education and Training in Europe. Volume 5: Education and Labour Market Outcomes for Graduates from Different Types of VET System in Europe. Cedefop Research Paper. No 69
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Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, Department for VET Systems and Institutions (DSI)
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This research paper is the fifth in a series produced as part of the Cedefop project The changing nature and role of VET (2016-18). Based on comparative analysis of labour force survey data from 2014, the report analyses the vocational effect on labour market and education outcomes, asking whether any advantages conferred by vocational qualifications in early career would be offset by disadvantages later in life. The report explores the functioning of the safety net and the diversion effects across countries, demonstrating how these vary considerably with the specific institutional structure of schooling and work-based training. The results indicate that VET graduates are potentially sacrificing the longer-term gains associated with further education in favour of short-term benefits. [This research was carried out by a consortium led by 3s Unternehmensberatung GmbH and including the Danish Technological Institute, the Institute of Employment Research (University of Warwick), the Institute of International and Social Studies (Tallinn University) and Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini. The Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) in Germany is supporting the project as a subcontractor.]
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- 2018
7. Globalisation Opportunities for VET: How European and International Initiatives Help in Renewing Vocational Education and Training in European Countries. Cedefop Research Paper. No 71
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Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, Department for VET Systems and Institutions (DSI)
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In a highly competitive global landscape, occupations are transformed, new jobs are created and the skills needed for the labour market are constantly changing. European countries are looking at redefining VET [vocational education and training] to respond promptly to such challenges and take advantage of the opportunities ahead. They are reforming to modernise their VET systems and strengthen the relevance of their national qualifications in an international context. This publication explores national responses to globalisation in 15 countries and five economic sectors. It aims to understand how European and international initiatives help VET renewal across Europe. It shows how countries' reactions are embedded in their national traditions but also depend on their interactions with European, sectoral and multinational players that provide training and award qualifications. [The research was carried out by a consortium led by IBE Educational research institute and 3s Unternehmensberatung GmbH.]
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- 2018
8. The Role of Labour Market Information in Guiding Educational and Occupational Choices. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 229
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France), Hofer, Andrea-Rosalinde, Zhivkovikj, Aleksandra, and Smyth, Roger
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Governments recognise that careers guidance, underpinned by accurate labour market information, can help learners make post-secondary education choices that match their interests, aptitudes and abilities, and lead to rewarding employment. For this reason, they have invested in building linked education/employment information systems and other information resources which are displayed on websites targeted to learners and their families. However, researchers and governments agree that these efforts are often ineffective in informing learners' decisions -- access to information is not sufficient to provide effective support to student choice. Drawing upon the insights of behavioural economics, this paper examines how learners access and use information, and what this implies for the design of public study and career choice websites that aim to effectively support student choice. The report also takes stock of the career guidance websites in use in the majority of OECD countries, and sets out to provide actionable advice for policy makers to guide the design of effective information policy levers that support student choice.
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- 2020
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9. The Economic Impacts of Learning Losses. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 225
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France), Hanushek, Eric A., and Woessmann, Ludger
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The worldwide school closures in early 2020 led to losses in learning that will not easily be made up for even if schools quickly return to their prior performance levels. These losses will have lasting economic impacts both on the affected students and on each nation unless they are effectively remediated. While the precise learning losses are not yet known, existing research suggests that the students in grades 1-12 affected by the closures might expect some 3 percent lower income over their entire lifetimes. For nations, the lower long-term growth related to such losses might yield an average of 1.5 percent lower annual GDP for the remainder of the century. These economic losses would grow if schools are unable to re-start quickly. The economic losses will be more deeply felt by disadvantaged students. All indications are that students whose families are less able to support out-of-school learning will face larger learning losses than their more advantaged peers, which in turn will translate into deeper losses of lifetime earnings. The present value of the economic losses to nations reach huge proportions. Just returning schools to where they were in 2019 will not avoid such losses. Only making them better can. While a variety of approaches might be attempted, existing research indicates that close attention to the modified re-opening of schools offers strategies that could ameliorate the losses. Specifically, with the expected increase in video-based instruction, matching the skills of the teaching force to the new range of tasks and activities could quickly move schools to heightened performance. Additionally, because the prior disruptions are likely to increase the variations in learning levels within individual classrooms, pivoting to more individualised instruction could leave all students better off as schools resume. As schools move to re-establish their programmes even as the pandemic continues, it is natural to focus considerable attention on the mechanics and logistics of safe re-opening. But the long-term economic impacts also require serious attention, because the losses already suffered demand more than the best of currently considered re-opening approaches.
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- 2020
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10. 'High' Achievers? Cannabis Access and Student Performance. CEP Discussion Paper No. 1340
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London School of Economics and Political Science (United Kingdom), Centre for Economic Performance (CEP), Marie, Olivier, and Zölitz, Ulf
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This paper investigates how legal cannabis access affects student performance. Identification comes from an exceptional policy introduced in the city of Maastricht which discriminated legal access based on individuals' nationality. We apply a difference-in-difference approach using administrative panel data on over 54,000 course grades of local students enrolled at Maastricht University before and during the partial cannabis prohibition. We find that the academic performance of students who are no longer legally permitted to buy cannabis increases substantially. Grade improvements are driven by younger students, and the effects are stronger for women and low performers. In line with how THC consumption affects cognitive functioning, we find that performance gains are larger for courses that require more numerical/mathematical skills. We investigate the underlying channels using students' course evaluations and present suggestive evidence that performance gains are driven by improved understanding of material rather than changes in students' study effort. [This paper was produced as part of the Centre's Education Programme. The Centre for Economic Performance is financed by the Economic and Social Research Council.]
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- 2015
11. The Relevance of General Pedagogical Knowledge for Successful Teaching: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the International Evidence from Primary to Tertiary Education. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 212
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France) and Ulferts, Hannah
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This systematic review investigates the relevance of general pedagogical knowledge for successful teaching. It synthesises the empirical evidence of 10 769 teaching professionals and 853 452 students from primary to tertiary education in 21 countries. The meta-analysis of 20 quantitative studies revealed significant effects for teaching quality and student outcomes (Cohen's d = 0.64 and 0.26), indicating that more knowledgeable teachers achieve a three-month additional progress for students. The three themes emerging from 31 qualitative studies underline that general pedagogical knowledge is a crucial resource for teaching. Results also show that teaching requires knowledge about a range of topics, specific skills and other competences to transform knowledge into practice. Teachers need training and practical experience to acquire knowledge, which they apply according to the pedagogical situation at hand. The results allow for important conclusions for policy, practice and research.
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- 2019
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12. Refugee Education: Integration Models and Practices in OECD Countries. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 203
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France) and Cerna, Lucie
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The recent refugee crisis has put many Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries under considerable pressure to accommodate and integrate large numbers of refugees. Refugee students are a particularly vulnerable group due to their forced displacement, but their needs are not always met by education systems, which can hinder the integration potential of these students. This poses considerable challenges as the integration of refugee students in education systems is important for their academic outcomes as well as their social and emotional well-being. The success (or lack of) integration in schools can also affect the future labour market and social integration potential of these children and youth. While there is a growing body of research on the integration of immigrants, policy-relevant research on refugee children and youth from an educational perspective is rather limited, fragmented and case specific. Detailed surveys and research projects focusing on the current wave of refugees that allow for cross-country comparisons are not yet available. Drawing on research from previous refugee waves, the paper examines key needs of refugee students and factors that promote their integration. It proposes a holistic model of integration in education that responds to the learning, social and emotional needs of refugee students. Furthermore, the paper examines what type of policies and practices are in place in OECD countries that support the integration of refugee students. Nonetheless, evaluations of practices and policies are often missing, which makes it difficult to assess whether they are successful. The paper finishes with some policy pointers on how to promote the integration of refugee students.
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- 2019
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13. Interviewers, Test-Taking Conditions and the Quality of the PIAAC Assessment. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 191
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France) and Keslair, François
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This paper explores the impact of test-taking conditions on the quality of the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) assessment. Interviewers record information about the room of assessment and interruptions that occurred during each interview. These observations, along with information on interviewer assignment size and a careful look at interviewer effects, provide insights into the quality of the assessment. This working paper first describes the variations in test-taking conditions among participating countries. Second, it examines interviewer assignment sizes and the frequency of interruptions, finding that both vary markedly among countries (contrary to the room of assessment). The paper then looks at the relationship between these variations and response rates and engagement measures. While neither the room of assessment nor the recorded interruptions impact quality differences among countries, interviewer assignment size and interviewer effects may have a mild impact on results.
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- 2018
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14. Making Skills Transparent: Recognising Vocational Skills Acquired through Workbased Learning. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 180
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France), Kis, Viktoria, and Windisch, Hendrickje Catriona
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This paper looks at the importance of mechanisms that give formal recognition to vocational skills acquired through work-based learning and how such mechanisms might be developed. It describes how skill recognition can benefit individuals, employers and society as a whole, and identifies in which contexts skill recognition has the highest potential to bring benefits. The focus is on three tools that are commonly used to shorten the path to a formal qualification: admission into a programme, reduced programme duration and qualification without a mandatory programme. For each of these tools, this paper sets out country approaches, discusses common challenges that arise in their implementation and advances policy messages to support policy design and implementation.
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- 2018
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15. The Evolution of Gender Gaps in Numeracy and Literacy between Childhood and Adulthood. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 184
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France), Borgonovi, Francesca, Choi, Álvaro, and Paccagnella, Marco
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Numeracy and literacy skills have become increasingly important in modern labour markets. The large gender differences that several studies have identified have therefore sparked considerable attention among researchers and policy makers. Little is known about the moment in which such gaps emerge, how they evolve and if their evolution differs across countries. We use data from large-scale international assessments to follow representative samples of birth-cohorts over time, and analyse how gender gaps in numeracy and literacy evolve from age 10 to age 27. Our results suggest that, across the countries examined, males' advantage in numeracy is smallest at age 10 and largest at age 27. The growth in magnitude of the gender gap is particularly pronounced between the age of 15 and 27. Such evolution stands in sharp contrast with the evolution of the gender gap in literacy, which is small at age 10, large and in favour of females at age 15, and negligible by age 27.
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- 2018
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16. Education Systems, Education Reforms, and Adult Skills in the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). OECD Education Working Papers, No. 182
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France) and Liu, Huacong
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This study uses the PIAAC data to examine the relationships between education system characteristics (e.g. early tracking and vocational education orientation) and distributions of adult numeracy skills. It also investigates the effects of postponing the tracking age and easing university access for students on a vocational track on the average skills and different percentiles of the skills distribution. Correlational analysis suggests that education systems with more students enrolled in vocational tracks have on average higher levels of numeracy skills and more compressed skills distributions between the 50th and 90th percentiles. Further analysis suggests that postponing the tracking age among 14 European countries does not have a significant effect on the average skills of the population. However, it increases skills for individuals at the 10th, 20th, and 30th percentiles of the skill distribution. Expanding university access is associated with an increase in numeracy skills, particularly for individuals at the bottom three deciles of the distribution.
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- 2018
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17. Can We Close Gaps in Literacy by Social Background over the Life Course? Evidence from Synthetic 1950-1980 Birth Cohorts. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 178
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France) and Chmielewski, Anna K.
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It is well-known that there are large disparities in academic achievement between children of different socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds. This study examines the evolution of disparities in literacy skills between adults of different SES backgrounds. It compares countries' patterns in the evolution of disparities in literacy by SES background as cohorts age and asks which patterns of educational and labour force participation predict a narrowing rather than a widening of these disparities. Since there is no international longitudinal study of skills across the entire adult life span, this study uses three cross-sectional international adult studies (International Adult Literacy Survey, Adult Literacy and Lifeskills and Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies) and matches birth years to create synthetic cohorts. Results indicate that there is large cross-national variation in the evolution of skills disparities associated with SES background. Disparities in literacy proficiency tend to widen when SES disparities in high school completion, professional and blue-collar employment increase. Disparities narrow when workers exit the labour force, a finding that is explained by the large inequalities in the employment experiences of individuals from different SES backgrounds, measured by differences in use of literacy skills at work. These results help to explain cross-national variation in the evolution of skills disparities by SES background, which has implications for policies aimed at closing skills gaps over the life course. [Funding from the OECD Thomas J. Alexander Fellowship Programme.]
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- 2018
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18. Academic Resilience: What Schools and Countries Do to Help Disadvantaged Students Succeed in PISA. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 167
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France), Agasisti, Tommaso, Avvisati, Francesco, Borgonovi, Francesca, and Longobardi, Sergio
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Resilience refers to the capacity of individuals to prosper despite encountering adverse circumstances. This paper defines academic resilience as the ability of 15-year-old students from disadvantaged backgrounds to perform at a certain level in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) in reading, mathematics and science that enables them to play an active role in their communities and prepares them to make the most of lifelong-learning opportunities. Using data from the most recent PISA cycles, this paper explores changes in the share of resilient students over time (2006-2015); highlights the importance of school environments and resources in mitigating the risk of low achievement for disadvantaged students; and identifies school-level factors that are associated with the likelihood of academic resilience among socio-economically disadvantaged students. Analyses reveal that several countries were able to increase the share of resilient students over time, reflecting improvements in the average performance of students, or a weaker relationship between socio-economic status and performance. In the vast majority of education systems examined, the likelihood of academic resilience among disadvantaged students is lower in schools where students report a negative classroom climate. The paper concludes by exploring school policies and practices that are associated with a positive classroom climate. [This work was supported by a contribution to the PISA programme of work from Vodafone Germany Foundation.]
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- 2018
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19. Birthplace Diversity, Income Inequality and Education Gradients in Generalised Trust: The Relevance of Cognitive Skills in 29 Countries. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 164
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France), Borgonovi, Francesca, and Pokropek, Artur
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The paper examines between-country differences in the mechanisms through which education could promote generalised trust using data from 29 countries participating in the OECD's Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). Results indicate that education is strongly associated with generalised trust and that a large part of this association is mediated by individuals' literacy skills, income and occupational prestige. However, education gradients in levels of generalised trust and in the extent to which they are due to social stratification mechanisms or cognitive skills mechanisms vary across countries. Differences across countries in birthplace diversity and income inequality are correlated with how strongly education is associated with trust in different countries, as well as in the relative magnitude of direct and indirect associations. In particular, the relationship between literacy skills and generalised trust is stronger in the presence of greater birthplace diversity but is weaker in the presence of greater income inequality.
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- 2017
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20. Association between Literacy and Self-Rated Poor Health in 33 High- and Upper-Middle-Income Countries. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 165
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France), Kakarmath, Sujay, Denis, Vanessa, Encinas-Martin, Marta, Borgonovi, Francesca, and Subramanian, S. V.
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We assess the relationship between general literacy skills and health status by analysing data from the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), an international survey of about 250,000 adults aged 16-65 years conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) from 2011-15 in 33 countries/national sub-regions. Across countries, there seems to be a strong and consistent association between general literacy proficiency and self-rated poor health, independent of prior socio-economic status and income. General literacy proficiency also appears to be a mediator of the association between self-education and self-rated poor health. While the literacy-health association is robust over time, it varies in magnitude across countries. It is strongest for those with a tertiary or higher degree and does not appear to exist among young adults (ages 25 to 34 years). Future studies are required to understand the contextual factors that modify the general literacy proficiency-health association.
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- 2018
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21. Working and Learning: A Diversity of Patterns. OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Papers, No. 169
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France) and Quintini, Glenda
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The combination of work and study has been hailed as crucial to ensure that youth develop the skills required on the labour market so that transitions from school to work are shorter and smoother. This paper fills an important gap in availability of internationally-comparable data. Using the 2012 Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC), it draws a comprehensive picture of work and study in 23 countries/regions. Crucially, it decomposes the total share of working students by the context in which they work (VET [vocational education and training], apprenticeships or private arrangements) and assesses the link between field of study and students' work. The paper also assesses how the skills of students are used in the workplace compared to other workers and identifies the socio-demographic factors and the labour market institutions that increase the likelihood of work and study. Finally, while it is not possible to examine the relationship between work and study and future labour market outcomes at the individual level, some aggregate correlations are unveiled.
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- 2015
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22. Age, Ageing and Skills: Results from the Survey of Adult Skills. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 132
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France) and Paccagnella, Marco
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This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the link between age and proficiency in information-processing skills, based on information drawn from the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). The data reveal significant age-related differences in proficiencies, strongly suggesting that proficiency tends to "naturally" decline with age. Age differences in proficiency are, at first sight, substantial. On average across the OECD countries participating in PIAAC, adults aged 55 to 65 score some 30 points less than adults aged 25 to 34 on the PIAAC literacy scale, which is only slightly smaller than the score point difference between tertiary educated and less-than-upper-secondary educated individuals. However, despite their lower levels of proficiency, older individuals do not seem to suffer in terms of labour market outcomes. In particular, they generally earn higher wages, and much of the available empirical evidence suggests that they are not less productive than younger workers. Older and more experienced individuals seem therefore able to compensate the decline in information processing skills with the development of other skills, generally much more difficult to measure. On the other hand, proficiency in information-processing skills remain a strong determinant of important outcomes at all ages: this makes it important to better understand which factors are the most effective in preventing such age-related decline in proficiency, which does not occur to the same extent in all countries and for all individuals. Two broad interventions seem to be particularly promising in this respect. First, it is important to ensure that there is adequate and effective investment in skills development early in the life-cycle: as skills beget skills, starting off with a higher stock of human capital seems also to ensure smaller rates of proficiency decline. Second, it is equally important that policies are in place that provide incentives to individuals (and firms) to invest in skills across the entire working life. In this respect, changes in retirement policies can not only have the short-term effect of providing some reliefs to public finance, but have the potential to radically reshape incentives to stay active, to practice their skills and to invest more in training, thus helping to maintain high levels of proficiency. One table, Age Differences and Age Effects, is appended.
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- 2016
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23. Work, Train, Win: Work-Based Learning Design and Management for Productivity Gains. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 135
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France) and Kis, Viktoria
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Realising the potential of work-based learning schemes as a driver of productivity requires careful design and support. The length of work-based learning schemes should be adapted to the profile of productivity gains. A scheme that is too long for a given skill set might be unattractive for learners and waste public resources, but a scheme that is too short will fail to attract employer interest. Ensuring that the design of work-based learning schemes balances the interests of both employer and trainee is key to successful implementation. Carefully organising what trainees do while in the workplace and integrating learning into productive work can yield higher benefits for firms, while maintaining the quality of learning. Strengthening capacity within firms to effectively manage work-based learning can help achieve this. Enhancing that capacity, for example through training for trainee supervisors can help employers reap more benefits from work-based learning schemes while meeting quality requirements. Two tables are appended.
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- 2016
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24. Test-Taking Engagement in PIAAC. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 133
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France), Goldhammer, Frank, Martens, Thomas, Christoph, Gabriela, and Lüdtke, Oliver
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In this study, we investigated how empirical indicators of test-taking engagement can be defined, empirically validated, and used to describe group differences in the context of the Programme of International Assessment of Adult Competences (PIAAC). The approach was to distinguish between disengaged and engaged response behavior by means of response time thresholds. Constant thresholds of 3000 ms and 5000 ms were considered, as well as item-specific thresholds based on the visual inspection of (bimodal) response time distributions (VI method) and the proportion correct conditional on response time (P+>0% method). Overall, the validity checks comparing the proportion correct of engaged and disengaged response behavior by domain and by item showed that the P+>0% method performed slightly better than the VI method and the methods assuming constant thresholds. The results for Literacy and Numeracy by module revealed that there was an increase from Module 1 to Module 2 in the proportion of disengaged responses, suggesting a drop in test-taking engagement. The investigation of country differences in test-taking engagement by domain using the P+>0% method showed that the proportion of responses classified as disengaged was quite low. For Literacy, the proportion was well below 5% for the majority of countries; in Numeracy, the proportion was even smaller than 1% for almost all countries; while for Problem solving, the proportion of disengaged responses was more than 5% but usually well below 10%. There were significant differences in test-taking engagement between countries; the obtained effect sizes were small to medium. Population differences in test-taking engagement were highly correlated between the three domains, suggesting that test-taking engagement can be conceived as a consistent characteristic. Furthermore, there was a clear negative association between test-taking disengagement and proficiency in Literacy, Numeracy and Problem solving, respectively. Finally, subgroup differences for gender, age, educational attainment, and language proved to be insignificant or very small. Results suggest that males tend to be more disengaged, that disengagement increases with age in Problem solving, with lower educational attainment and when the test language is not the same as a testee's native language. Appended are: (1) Country differences in test-taking engagement; and (2) Subgroup differences in test-taking engagement.
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- 2016
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25. The Impact of Literacy, Numeracy and Computer Skills on Earnings and Employment Outcomes. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 129
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Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France), Lane, Marguerita, and Conlon, Gavan
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Using the 2012 PIAAC data, our analysis confirms that there are significantly higher earnings and employment returns to "both" increasing levels of formally recognised education, and to increasing levels of numeracy, literacy and information and communication technologies (ICT) skills proficiencies controlling for the level of education. Unsurprisingly, the labour market returns to changes in formally recognised levels of education in general exceed the labour market returns associated with increasing levels of skills proficiency. In the case of literacy and numeracy proficiencies, improved literacy and numeracy skills narrow the labour market outcomes gap between individuals with different levels of formally recognised education, but do not close it completely. The analysis demonstrates more substantial returns to ICT skills. Furthermore, possession of higher levels of ICT skills and lower levels of formally recognised qualification are often associated with higher returns compared to individuals with higher levels of formally recognised education but lower ICT proficiency levels. In other words, ICT skills proficiencies often entirely compensate for lower formally recognised qualifications in the labour market. Contains the following annexes: (1) Country Literacy and Numeracy Profiles; and (2) Demographic Control Variables.
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- 2016
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26. Conflict and salience as drivers of corporate lobbying? An elite survey experiment.
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Aizenberg, Ellis
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LOBBYING ,COMMUNITIES ,TRADE associations - Abstract
This paper argues that a high degree of conflict and a low degree of salience on a policy issue drives corporations to lobby alone rather than via a business association. Previous research has addressed drivers at organizational, sector and structural level. This paper adds an issue perspective. These arguments are important as democracies thrive when business employs its power in a responsible manner. When corporations lobby alone, it can be a challenge to do so as they tend to overlook long‐term interests of the broader business community and society. The arguments are tested for the first time in a corporatist context through an original survey experiment among corporate lobbyists in Germany and the Netherlands. The study finds support for the expectation on conflict, which is striking as it indicates that corporations prefer to lobby alone due to conflict even in contexts in which they are not incentivized to do so. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2023
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27. Intersecting where? The multi-scalar contextual embeddedness of intersectional entrepreneurs.
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Yamamura, S., Lassalle, P., and Shaw, E.
- Subjects
BUSINESSWOMEN ,BUSINESSPEOPLE ,INTERSECTIONALITY ,REGIONAL development ,MINORITIES ,CONSUMERS ,GEOGRAPHY education - Abstract
We explore the experiences of LGBT* ethnic minority entrepreneurs, their changing locations and their entrepreneurial activities. Using a unique mixed-method approach which collected empirical data from Germany and the Netherlands, the paper combines an ethnographic fieldwork of intersectional entrepreneurs, community activists and policy-makers with an original survey with LGBT* customers. Our findings contribute to understanding of intersectionality by revealing the role played by the contextualized embeddedness of intersectional entrepreneurs at the different geographic scales of supranational, national, regional and inter and intra-urban. While such embeddedness frames the challenges they face, it also provides opportunities for intersectional entrepreneurs. Using a multi-scalar perspective, this paper delivers a spatially contextual perspective of entrepreneurial diversity and provides a framework to analyse the complex issues and contexts with which intersectional entrepreneurs are both confronted and embedded within. This paper contributes to refining the spatial context of entrepreneurship which has gained attention in recent studies of entrepreneurship and regional development. The paper responds to a call for gender entrepreneurship scholars to contribute to understanding of intersectional entrepreneurship. Finally, this study goes beyond the binary view of female migrant entrepreneurship by adopting a more gender diverse lens which considers the experiences of LGBT* entrepreneurs from ethnic minorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
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28. When International Avatars Meet -- Intercultural Language Learning in Virtual Reality Exchange
- Author
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Jauregi Ondarra, Kristi, Gruber, Alice, and Canto, Silvia
- Abstract
Virtual exchange projects have become an effective pedagogical method to support students' development of intercultural language competence. High-immersion experiences in Virtual Reality (VR) may offer an environment which is conducive to developing such competence. This paper reports on a pilot study carried out with two groups of university students (N=30) in the Netherlands and Germany. The students, involved in a virtual exchange using VR headsets, completed three tasks collaboratively. The aim of the study was to investigate participants' perception regarding (1) their collaboration with foreign peers within the VR setting and (2) the perceived usefulness of the tool. The researchers employed questionnaires and conducted interviews and focus groups. The audio recording transcripts from the VR encounters and students' reflective journals provide further data to triangulate the results. This pilot study provides first results with regard to virtual exchanges carried out in high-immersion VR. [For the complete volume, "CALL for Widening Participation: Short Papers from EUROCALL 2020 (28th, Online, August 20-21, 2020)," see ED610330.]
- Published
- 2020
29. Have cycling-friendly cities achieved cycling equity? Analyses of the educational gradient in cycling in Dutch and German cities.
- Author
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Hudde, Ansgar
- Subjects
CITIES & towns ,CYCLING ,INTERGENERATIONAL mobility ,MULTILEVEL models ,SOCIAL groups ,REGRESSION analysis - Abstract
Copyright of Urban Studies (Sage Publications, Ltd.) is the property of Sage Publications, Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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- 2024
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30. Pedagogical Experiences in a Virtual Exchange Project Using High-Immersion Virtual Reality for Intercultural Language Learning
- Author
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Jauregi-Ondarra, Kristi, Gruber, Alice, and Canto, Silvia
- Abstract
Social Virtual Reality (VR) applications enable real-time interpersonal conversation and allow users to perform activities together. They have the potential of changing the ways learners practise speaking a foreign language. Following a previous study (Jauregi Ondarra, Gruber, & Canto, 2020), we designed the present study to explore how presence, immersion, and interactivity affect overall social experience. Students from Germany and the Netherlands engaged in High-immersion VR (HiVR) virtual exchange sessions, using Spanish as a lingua franca at A2 level. International dyads carried out four interaction tasks in AltspaceVR, using head-mounted devices. To examine students' HiVR virtual exchange experiences, different sources of data were gathered: questionnaires, reflection diaries, recordings, and focus group interviews. The preliminary results, based on the surveys and reflection journals, show that students liked to use a social VR app to communicate in the target language with peers from other countries, as they felt completely immersed and co-present in the social interactive VR space. This might enhance engagement and lower anxiety levels. [For the complete volume, "CALL and Professionalisation: Short Papers from EUROCALL 2021 (29th, Online, August 26-27, 2021)," see ED616972.]
- Published
- 2021
31. Implementation of Data-Based Decision-Making: Linking Research From the Special Series to Practice.
- Author
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Kearns, Devin M., Feinberg, Natasha J., and Anderson, Leslie J.
- Subjects
OCCUPATIONAL roles ,PROFESSIONAL employee training ,HEALTH outcome assessment ,COLLEGE teacher attitudes ,DECISION support systems ,HUMAN services programs ,LEARNING disabilities ,EDUCATORS ,EDUCATIONAL outcomes - Abstract
The papers in the special series describe the role of data-based decision-making (DBDM) in improving the outcomes of students with learning disabilities based on research across Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States. The articles address multiple aspects of a model of DBDM that includes the role of teacher knowledge, skills, beliefs, and sources of professional learning and the role of systems-level factors in improving student achievement. In this article, the conclusions of each paper are described in terms of that model. The papers illustrate that DBDM can improve achievement for students with learning disabilities through a DBDM process called data-based individualization (DBI)—especially if teachers have innovative supports (e.g., new technologies). For teachers, DBDM professional development (PD) can improve DBDM knowledge and implementation, but PD may not be adequate in all cases, with practical experience playing a central role. In addition, classroom-level DBDM may not translate to success for students with learning disabilities. Finally, the articles reveal a need to focus more on systems-level factors in successful DBDM systems like DBI—especially when implemented outside the experimental context. These findings provide a contemporary lens on DBDM as it related to students with learning disabilities and establish foci for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
32. Similar yet not the Same: Right-Wing Populist Parties' Stances on Religion in Germany and the Netherlands.
- Author
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Beuter, Christopher and Kortmann, Matthias
- Subjects
POPULISM ,RELIGION ,MASS mobilization - Abstract
Applying a qualitative framing analysis, this paper examines narratives of the right-wing populist parties Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the Party for Freedom (PVV) in the Netherlands on religion. The paper argues that references of these populist parties to religion can be interpreted against the background of specific national context factors such as the respective history of nation building, the traditional role of religion in society and secularization processes. A rigorous examination of parliamentary documents published between 2017 and 2019 shows that whereas the PVV clearly defines Christianity in civilizational and not religious terms, the AfD takes a less clear-cut stance toward the religion framing it both as culture and faith. We contend that this difference can be explained by the lower degree of secularization and the greater role of Christianity as a collective identity marker in post-war Germany. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
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33. Diverse books for diverse children: Building an early childhood diverse booklist for social and emotional learning.
- Author
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Garces-Bacsal, Rhoda Myra
- Subjects
CULTURE ,CHILD development ,SELF-management (Psychology) ,SELF-consciousness (Awareness) ,BOOKS ,EMOTIONS ,SOCIAL skills ,SOCIAL attitudes - Abstract
Research has indicated how diverse books contribute to a more culturally responsive pedagogy, allowing children to identify themselves in the stories they read and gain an appreciation for others whose lives are different from theirs. Moreover, a sensitive discussion of and critical responses to diverse picturebooks is found to positively influence a child's social and emotional learning competecies, apart from increasing a child's cultural knowledge and serving as a catalyst for social justice. This paper is meant to broaden early childhood educators' repertoire of picturebooks that can be used in the classroom to also include international titles (translated into English from their original languages) and multicultural titles to facilitate affective engagement with these narratives and introduce social and emotional learning skills (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship management and responsible decision-making). This paper provides a list of diverse books (from the Netherlands, Japan, Lithuania, Spain, Germany, France, Argentina – among others) for students in early childhood (from preschool to third grade) thematically organized across the five social and emotional learning competencies. Strategies such as book-bonding and literacy bags for family engagement will be shared while using the framework of culturally responsive teaching in an early childhood setting. Recommendations for how family members can be more involved are included, along with critical literacy strategies that include conversations, multiple perspectives and the sharing of authentic experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
34. Spatial mobility and the perception of career development for social sciences and humanities doctoral candidates.
- Author
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Schäfer, Gregor
- Subjects
SPACE perception ,STUDENT mobility ,CAREER development ,LEARNING ,VOCATIONAL guidance ,NONFORMAL education ,HIGHER education - Abstract
The spatial mobility of students and academics as part of the internationalisation of higher education is becoming increasingly relevant in securing top-tier positions, especially within academia. While the number of doctoral candidates is rising, new positions are not created at the same rate, leading to scarcer career opportunities in academia and the need to develop alternative career paths. Previous studies have much focused on the connection between mobility and career development among junior academics in the STEM fields, but the significance of mobility for SSH PhD candidates and their career development remains unanswered. Does spatial mobility have any effects there, and if so, which? For this reason, this paper studied doctoral SSH candidates from Germany with mobility experiences in the Netherlands. The findings show that spatial mobility affects the perception of the PhD candidate's career in several, sometimes ambivalent ways. It shows that the experience of mobility narrows the planning to a career in academia, contributes to the informal learning process of the candidate, and expands the horizon for possible opportunities in academia. The perceived asset of mobility varies alongside the internationalisation of disciplines and whether the candidate plans to return to Germany or pursue an international career. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
35. Motivation of Students for English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) and Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL): Current Research Foci in Different Countries
- Author
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Vonkova, Hana and Moore, Angie
- Abstract
Content and language integrated learning (CLIL) and English as a medium of instruction (EMI) are emerging as the preferred contexts of language learning. CLIL and EMI classes continue to proliferate in schools around the globe. The aim of this paper is to investigate the current research trends in studies of motivation to learn within EMI and CLIL settings. We sought to identify the current countries of research, educational levels, and themes that prevail in EMI and CLIL motivation research. We performed a topic search of the keywords "CLIL" or "EMI" and the keyword "motivation" in the "Web of Science" database for Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) articles published in 2020. We analyzed 17 articles related to motivation within EMI or CLIL contexts. The results showed that European countries produced the most research, with Spain being the most prolific. A majority of the studies took place at the secondary and tertiary levels of education. Comparative studies of CLIL or EMI contexts with that of traditional classrooms emerged as the prevailing theme. Future research could include more studies regarding the impact of CLIL on students at the primary level of education, in addition to studies of students from varied socio-economic backgrounds. [For the complete Volume 19 proceedings, see ED613922.]
- Published
- 2021
36. Immigrant Minority Languages and Multilingual Education in Europe: A Literature Review
- Author
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Elizabeth Pérez-Izaguirre, Gorka Roman, and María Orcasitas-Vicandi
- Abstract
Immigrant minority (IM) languages have a significant presence in certain European regions. Nonetheless, these languages are not usually included in the school curriculum. This paper aims to analyse the studies published between 2010 and 2020 considering IM languages in multilingual European education contexts. The method included a search of academic papers published in the databases ERIC, Web of Science and Scopus, which yielded 42 studies. The studies were analysed by considering: (1) the demographic characteristics of the countries where the studies were conducted, (2) the sociolinguistic or psycholinguistic focus of the papers in relation to the European country, and (3) the characteristics of the bi-multilingual education programme including IM languages. The results indicate that: (1) the demographic characteristics of the country are not strictly related to the number of studies published, (2) most studies have a sociolinguistic approach even though many studies analyse both sociolinguistic and psycholinguistic factors, and (3) only seven multilingual education programmes including IM languages were described in these papers. We conclude that there is a lack of research focusing on IM languages in educational settings and discuss how addressing these gaps could create opportunities for building equitable multilingual communities in Europe.
- Published
- 2024
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- View/download PDF
37. The Development of a Multi-Dimensional Coding System to Categorise Negative Online Experiences Including Cyberbullying Behaviors among Adolescents with Lower Socioeconomic Status
- Author
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Noel Purdy, Herbert Scheithauer, Jonathan Harris, Roy A. Willems, Consuelo Mameli, Annalisa Guarini, Antonella Brighi, Damiano Menin, Catherine Culbert, Jayne Hamilton, Trijntje Völlink, Mark Ballentine, Nora Fiedler, and Peter K. Smith
- Abstract
This original paper, based on data from the Erasmus+Blurred Lives Project, presents a new multi-dimensional categorisation model to describe negative online experiences, including forms of cyberbullying, based on a study of internet usage among over N = 2,500 adolescents with lower socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds across five European countries. The paper first sets out the rationale for the development of a new coding system, before describing the current study and nature of the survey data collected. There follows a description of the development of the new system and the series of reliability checks undertaken by the research team (N= 11, from 5 countries) and of the refinements made to the categories and codes. The resulting coding system is presented with consideration of the strengths and limitations, and description of two early pilot studies which have successfully adopted the new system.
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
38. Secular–Religious Competition and the Exclusion of Islam from the Public Sphere: Islamic Welfare in Western Europe.
- Author
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Kortmann, Matthias
- Subjects
ISLAM & society ,SECULARISM ,WELFARE state ,PUBLIC welfare ,SOCIAL services ,RELIGION - Abstract
This paper deals in a qualitative discourse analysis with the role of Islamic organizations in welfare delivery in Germany and the Netherlands. Referring to Jonathan Fox's "secular–religious competition perspective", the paper argues that similar trends of exclusion of Islamic organizations from public social service delivery can be explained with discourses on Islam in these two countries. The analysis, first, shows that in the national competitions between religious and secular ideologies on the public role of religion, different views are dominant (i.e., the support for the Christian majority in Germany and equal treatment of all religions in the Netherlands) which can be traced back to the respective regimes of religious governance. However, and second, when it comes to Islam in particular, in the Netherlands, the perspective of restricting all religions from public sphere prevails which leads to the rather exclusivist view on Islamic welfare that dominates in Germany, too. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
39. Developing an IT Course for Emerging Technologies Using a Framework -- An Example of an IoT Course V1.0
- Author
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van Wyk, Norman, Johnston, Kevin, Möller, Klaus, and Haas, Florian
- Abstract
Aim/Purpose: Academics are often requested to create and teach courses for emerging technologies with perhaps no experience or guidance on how to do so. Background: A Framework to develop IT courses for emerging technologies was created and tested to assist academics; the framework was then tested by developing an IoT course. Methodology: A literature review was conducted to discover theories, models and methods that could be used in the creation of IT courses, followed by interviews with academics who had created many courses. The interviews were analysed using a thematic analysis process, and a Course Development Framework was created. Contribution: The framework was tested by using it to build and deliver an IoT course. The Framework could be used to support academics who have to create and develop courses for emerging technologies. Findings: By combining a learning theory such as constructivism, the ADDIE Instructional design model, ARCS-V Motivational model, and Bloom's Taxonomy, a Course Development Framework was constructed, which could be used to support academics who have to create courses for emerging technologies. Recommendations for Practitioners: The Course Development Framework could be used to develop other IT courses including online courses. Recommendations for Researchers: Future research could be conducted in the effectiveness of using the Course Development Framework to develop other courses including online courses. Impact on Society: Support academics to develop better IT courses for emerging technologies. Future Research: Research in the field of Brain Compatible Learning Principles and combining or using it with the Framework could provide further insights into advancements in course design and development. [This paper was published in: M. Jones (Ed.), "Proceedings of InSITE 2020: Informing Science and Information Technology Education Conference" (pp. 15-45). Informing Science Institute.]
- Published
- 2020
40. Constructing Discourses on (Un)truthfulness: Attributions of Reality, Misinformation, and Disinformation by Politicians in a Comparative Social Media Setting.
- Author
-
Hameleers, Michael and Minihold, Sophie
- Subjects
DIGITAL communications ,DISINFORMATION ,PRESS criticism ,POPULISM - Abstract
In the setting of increasingly more fragmented digital communication settings, the accuracy and honesty of (political) information has become subject of fierce debates and partisan attacks. Hence, the challenge of mis- and disinformation not only pertains to the truthfulness of information itself, but also to the discursive construction of supporting information as truthful and dissonant information as untrue or deliberately false. This paper inductively analyzes discourses of (un)truthfulness (Study 1, N = 1,777) and uses an Automated Content Analysis (Study 2, N = 56,666) to assess how reality, mis-, and disinformation are constructed by politicians in Austria, Germany, and the Netherlands. The findings point to an affinity between populism and disinformation: Right-wing populist politicians take issue ownership in discrediting established knowledge and attempt to create momentum for alternative realities that resonate with populist worldviews. Such discourses of (un)truthfulness may have an important impact on defining reality for voters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
41. COVID-19 policy analysis for 10 European countries.
- Author
-
Takefuji, Yoshiyasu
- Subjects
HEALTH policy ,COVID-19 ,POLICY analysis ,HERD immunity ,PUBLIC health ,TIME series analysis ,SOCIAL distancing ,POLICY sciences ,COVID-19 testing - Abstract
Aim: The goal of this paper is to analyze the COVID-19 policies of 10 European countries, including Sweden, Finland, Norway, Italy, France, Germany, Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Hungary, with a time-series policy analysis tool. Subject and methods: The results of the COVID-19 policy analysis are based on a single time-series indicator, or daily population mortality rate: the number of COVID-19 daily cumulative deaths divided by the population in millions. The lower the score, the better the policy. Although many experts believe that the COVID-19 policy outcome analysis is premature, time series analysis is an excellent analysis that can provide information on the progress and transition of policy outcomes. In other words, the proposed time series analysis tool allows policymakers to identify and quantify when mistakes were made during the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. Results: The COVID-19 policy analysis discovered many useful facts. Sweden failed due to the herd immunity approach. Hungary made a fundamental mistake in COVID-19 tactics. Countries such as Sweden, Hungary, Belgium, and Poland showed time-series changes that differed from the others. Conclusion: Public health interventions can play a key role in mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposed policy analysis tool, hiscovid demonstrated the effectiveness of the time-series score behavior for discovering when policymakers made mistakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
42. Potato Production in Northwestern Europe (Germany, France, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Belgium): Characteristics, Issues, Challenges and Opportunities.
- Author
-
Goffart, Jean-Pierre, Haverkort, Anton, Storey, Michael, Haase, Norbert, Martin, Michel, Lebrun, Pierre, Ryckmans, Daniel, Florins, Dominique, and Demeulemeester, Kürt
- Subjects
POTATO products ,PLANT protection ,POTATOES ,PLANT products ,STARCH ,WASTE minimization ,AGRICULTURAL productivity - Abstract
In Northwestern Europe, Germany, France, the Netherlands, the UK and Belgium constitute the biggest five potato producers, with total potato crop production around 60% of EU-28 production before Brexit. Soil and climate conditions are highly favourable for potato growth in this region. Production is under driving forces of (i) the potato processing industry, particularly in Belgium; (ii) the innovation for fresh potato in the UK, France and Germany; (iii) the leadership of Germany and the Netherlands for starch potato; and (iv) the dominance of the Netherlands for seed production. Based on an industrial agri-food production system, the region has the highest potato yield levels worldwide and developed relevant trade networks for export of seed, fresh and processed potato products in and outside Europe. Conventional and intensive potato production is widespread over the region, whilst organic production started to develop in Germany and France. Whether the coming decades will be as successful as the last ones for sustainable potato production will depend on how the sector and stakeholders of the whole potato value-chain will overcome new issues and challenges. These are mainly soil quality and health conservation, consequences of climate change, increasing bans on the use of plant protection products, tightening environmental standards, food waste reduction and increasing trade tensions hampering the flow of potatoes around the world. After a detailed description of the potato production in the region, this paper contains a SWOT analysis aiming to identify potential solutions to overcome environmental, technical, economic, political and societal issues in the region for sustainable potato production in the coming years and decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
43. Multi-Level Classification of Literacy of Educators Using PIAAC Data
- Author
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Yalcin, Seher
- Abstract
This study aims to identify the literacy skills of individuals whose highest level of education was in the field 'teacher training and educational sciences'. The study sample comprised 10,618 individuals in the field of teacher training and educational sciences, selected from 31 countries (participating in the International Adult Skills Assessment Programme during the 2014-2015 survey) using a multi-stage sampling method. The study employed multi-level latent class analysis and three-step analysis in order to determine both the number of multi-level latent classes of educators' literacy scores as well as the selected independent variables' success in predicting those latent classes. The analysis revealed that educators in Germany constituted the group with the highest literacy skills while educators from Singapore comprised the group with the lowest literacy skills. [This study was presented at the 9th International Congress of Educational Research. Ordu University, Ordu, Turkey.]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
44. On the Widespread Impact of the Most Prolific Countries in Special Education Research: A Bibliometric Analysis
- Author
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Sezgin, Aslihan, Orbay, Keziban, and Orbay, Metin
- Abstract
The aim of this study is to identify the most prolific countries in the field of special education and to discuss the widespread impact of their papers by taking into account the country's h-index. Through a bibliometric analysis, the data were collected in the Web of Science Core Collection category "Education, Special" in the Social Science Citation Index during 2011-2020. The 25 most prolific countries in the field of special education were determined in terms of paper productivity, and it was seen that the leading country was undisputedly the USA (54.42%). Meanwhile, a strong positive correlation was found between the h-index and the number of papers published by the countries (r=0.864). On the other hand, when the ranking in terms of the number of papers was reconfigured by the h-index, it was relatively changed. The possible reasons for this change for the countries with the most changing rankings were discussed by considering some definitive criteria such as the journal quartiles, the percentage of international and domestic, and the percentage of open access papers. This study reports a positive correlation between the quality and quantity in the field of special education for the publications of countries. It has been shown that where the positive correlation deviates, then especially, the journal quartiles, the percentage of international collaboration and the percentage of open access papers have a significant effect. The bibliometric findings may be useful to enrich the discussion about the widespread impact of papers and debate whether the use of h-index is acceptable for cross-national comparisons.
- Published
- 2022
45. "Making sense of rural identities in future horizons of Dutch and German students living in rural areas".
- Author
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Hofstede, Henk
- Subjects
YOUNG adults ,RURAL geography - Abstract
This paper presents insight into how rural young adults in the rural areas of Oost-Groningen, The Netherlands, and Südharz, Germany, deal with their rural identity with regard to different future horizons. This paper applies future horizons instead of intended future plans to emphasize the open and uncertain nature of young adults' aspired future. Based on 15 biographical interviews and a survey to geographically contextualize these interviews, the results show how rural young adults can have parallel future horizons to maintain several options open in which they all aim to preserve a rural identity. This paper illustrates how rural young adults compromise a rural identity with aspirations elsewhere in a staying or rural horizon elsewhere. In addition, the results show how they deal with rural identities by further internalizing and externalizing their rural identities with variations of embracing aspects of a rural identity with regard to different future horizons. The paper concludes that young adults can be considered, however also out of uncertainty about the future, as active participants of their future who apply parallel and temporal horizons and still preserve a rural identity. • Future horizons capture the open nature of young adults' futures. • Young adults apply parallel and temporal horizons to preserve a rural identity. • Rural young adults refocus their rural identity to align it with parallel aspirations. • Regional contexts matter in how rural identities are changed for future horizons. • Young adults can be considered as active participants in shaping their futures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
46. The mental maps of Italian, German and Dutch entrepreneurs: a comparative perspective.
- Author
-
Musolino, Dario, Meester, Wim, and Pellenbarg, Piet
- Subjects
GEOGRAPHICAL perception ,BUSINESSPEOPLE ,ORGANIZED crime ,QUANTITATIVE research - Abstract
This paper compares and discusses the results of the research on mental maps of entrepreneurs conducted in three countries: Italy, Germany and the Netherlands. The stated locational preferences of Italian, German and Dutch entrepreneurs and their underlying explanatory factors are analysed and compared, using both qualitative and quantitative methods. The analysis points out that the three countries have some common characteristics regarding the patterns and the explanatory factors of the mental maps of their entrepreneurs. Examples are the centre–periphery dichotomy and the relevance of accessibility. One of the differences between the countries is the preference for large agglomerations that appears in the map image for Germany, a pattern that is less clear in the map image for Italy and the Netherlands. In some important respects, the results for Italy are different from those for the other two countries, as the North–South divide and organised crime apparently play an important role in the mental maps of entrepreneurs in this country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
47. LIABILITY OF COMPANY DIRECTORS: THE BUSINESS JUDGMENT RULE AS DEVELOPED IN THE US AND ADOPTED BY GERMANY COMPARED TO THE NETHERLANDS' APPROACH.
- Author
-
Seenacherry, Mellisa K.
- Subjects
BURDEN of proof ,LEGAL procedure ,JUDICIAL review ,DECISION making ,CHIEF financial officers - Abstract
This paper compares the business judgment rule as developed in the US (specifically the state of Delaware) and adapted by Germany, with the Netherlands' regime for directors' liability. In the Netherlands, judicial review of directors is considered marginal, because courts will only intervene where it is sufficiently clear by objective measures that a director has used their administrative freedom in such a way that it does not deserve to be respected. The burden of proof, which is considered to be high, rests on the plaintiff, pursuant to general procedural law. Regarding the US business judgment rule, the threshold of proof is lower. The rule is both a 'shield' for directors (since plaintiffs must initially rebut a presumption in the director's favor) and a 'sword' for plaintiffs (since the burden of proof then moves to the director, who must show the decision made was fair). This paper proposes that the Netherlands make an exception to the general rule that the burden of proof rests upon the plaintiff suing a large company, considering the special responsibility that larger companies, particularly in the finance sector, should have towards society as a whole. This is supported by an analysis of Dutch directors' internal liability cases, which shows that, had the Delaware business judgment rule been applied, it is the threshold of proof factor that would have prompted a different outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
48. Unit labour costs and the dynamics of output and unemployment in the southern European crisis countries.
- Author
-
Cuestas, Juan Carlos, Ordóñez, Javier, and Staehr, Karsten
- Subjects
LABOR ,AUTOREGRESSIVE models ,UNEMPLOYMENT ,EMPLOYMENT statistics ,FINANCIAL crises - Abstract
The GIPS countries, the southern European crisis countries, have seen depressed output dynamics and high unemployment rates during the great recession following the 2007–2008 financial crisis. This paper considers the effects of measures that seek to improve competitiveness by reducing real unit labour costs. The results are derived in structural vector autoregressive models for each of the GIPS counties as well as two reference countries, Germany and the Netherlands. The responses of output and unemployment to innovations in real unit labour costs are economically and statistically significant for Germany and the Netherlands, whereas the responses are typically muted and imprecise estimated for the GIPS countries. The small and uncertain effects raise doubts regarding the efficacy of measures that seek to lower real unit labour costs in the GIPS countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
49. Motivational Factors in Telecollaborative Exchanges among Teenagers
- Author
-
Jauregi, Kristi and Melchor-Couto, Sabela
- Abstract
Motivational factors play an important role in (language) learning processes and research indicates that this is also true for telecollaboration exchanges (Jauregi, de Graaff, van den Bergh, & Kriz, 2012; Melchor-Couto, 2017; in press). This short paper will introduce a study into how motivational factors play a role in telecollaboration exchanges by teenagers depending on the interaction constellation, the tools being used, and the telecollaborative experience. A total of 202 foreign language learners from different European countries took part in telecollaboration activities. All participants carried out an average of four telecollaborative sessions either by written chat or by video communication. Data from a survey measuring motivational factors, including self-efficacy beliefs, motivation, and anxiety, was gathered after every session. A small number of pupils were also interviewed on aspects related to motivation and anxiety. The results show: (1) a significant decrease in anxiety across conditions as sessions progress, especially for those communicating in Lingua Franca (LF) constellations using chat; (2) that pupils interacting with Native Speakers (NSs) seem to be the most confident concerning their perception of competence; and (3) that those communicating with NSs were significantly more positive about the learning potential of communicating with NSs. [For the complete volume, see ED578177.]
- Published
- 2017
50. The TeCoLa Project: Pedagogical Differentiation through Telecollaboration and Gaming for Intercultural and Content Integrated Language Teaching
- Author
-
Jauregi, Kristi and Melchor-Couto, Sabela
- Abstract
The Erasmus+ TeCoLa project (2016-2019) aims to develop and test innovative gamified telecollaboration approaches for secondary schools that address issues of learning diversity in intercultural and Content Integrated Language Learning (CLIL) and teaching. Authentic task-based transnational interactions among peers from different socio-cultural, educational and language backgrounds are at the very heart of the learning process, using telecollaboration as a way to communicate and collaborate. In this paper we will shortly describe the project's foci and will elaborate on the teacher training programme that has been designed on the basis of the teachers' needs and on a sound conceptualisation of telecollaboration tasks that are useful, enjoyable, and meaningful. [For the complete volume, see ED578177.]
- Published
- 2017
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