Education In Scotland Research Articles

Doświadczenia nieciągłości a refleksyjne uczenie się na podstawie dylematów moralnych. Studium jakościowe w ramach badania ETiK-International Edynburg

W związku z realizacją projektu ETiK, które miało miejsce na Uniwersytecie Humboldtów w Berlinie, opracowano Test Komeptencji Moralno-Etycznej Piętnastolatków (TKM-EP). Jego podstawą jest koncepcja, zgodnie z którą w kompetencji moralno-etycznej da się wyodrębnić trzy podkategorie: podstawową wiedzę etyczną, kompetencję sądzenia moralno-etycznego i zdolność projektowania działań w zakresie moralności. Dzięki przeprowadzonym badaniom empirycznym w każdej z wymienionych podkategorii wyróżniono od trzech do czterach poziomów. Planowane w Edynburgu badanie ETiK-International będzie miało na celu dalszą optymalizację TKM-EP. Dokona się to na dwa sposoby: po pierwsze, przy pomocy szkockiego planu nauczania (Curriculum for Excellence) zostaną zweryfikowane hipotezy zawarte w projekcie ETiK, po drugie zaś, do części empirycznej zostanie dodane studium jakościowe, które umożliwi określenie roli, jaką odgrywa doświadczanie nieciągłości występujące u uczniów podczas przechodzenia z jednego poziom kompetencji moralnej na kolejny. Pojęcie „nieciągłość” odnosi się do tych momentów doświadczania, w których nowa idea, inny punkt widzenia czy nieznany do tej pory przedmiot niejako stają przed uczącym się jako wyzwanie, na które początkowo nie ma on gotowej odpowiedzi i musi podjąć się jej poszukiwania.W prezentowanym artykule pierwszy rozdział przedstawia rolę, jaką odgrywa wychowanie etyczno-moralne w Wielkiej Brytanii, ze szczególnym jednak uwzględnieniem kontekstu szkockiego. Rozdział drugi zawiera analizę zbieżności zachodzących między pułapem osiągnięć w zakresie przedmiotu Religious and Moral Education (kształcenie religijne i moralne) wyznaczonym przez szkocki plan nauczania (Curriculum for Excellence) i oczekiwaniami ustalnonymi w berlińskim projekcie ETiK dla najwyższych poziomów kompetencji moralno-etycznej w każdym z jej zakresów. W kolejnym rozdziale omówiono autorski projekt studium jakościowego, które ma na celu wykorzystanie przy kreowaniu rozumowania moralno-etycznego uczniów doświadczenia nieciągłości wywołanego przez konfrontację z dylematycznymi sytuacjami moralnymi. W ostatnim rozdziale szczególna uwaga została zwrócona na możliwość wykorzystania wyników badań ilościowych i jakościowych, uzyskanych w badaniu ETiK-International do projektowaniu szkoleń i kursów dokształających dla nauczycieli religii i wychowania moralnego ze szkół podstawowych i średnich.

Contribution analysis as an approach to enable public managers to demonstrate public value

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, the paper considers the level of congruence between contribution analysis and public value. Second, based on the Scottish context, the paper examines how contribution analysis can be used as a method to support public managers to demonstrate value within partnership contexts in times of acute governance challenges (including in times of austerity). Design/methodology/approach The empirical underpinning of the paper emerges from strands of applied public sector experience and consultancy with national agencies. The author was a public manager (up to 2013) within a national government agency – NHS Health Scotland. The research is also informed by data gathered as an academic consultant in contribution analysis with national partnership-based agencies (Healthcare Improvement Scotland and Education Scotland, 2013-present) through a series of workshops as part of consultancy activity on capacity building in relation to evaluation methodology and practice. Findings Based on research and experience with three national public sector agencies in Scotland, the paper demonstrates how public managers, despite difficult challenges, have adopted contribution analysis and how this has served to facilitate public value. Originality/value In a time when public managers are facing acute challenges in demonstrating the impact of their programmes and services due to the dynamics of complex governance systems coupled with the pressure of austerity, this research helps to equip public managers with strategies to enable the demonstration of public value in pragmatic terms.

Factors influencing the likelihood of choice of Gaelic-medium primary education in Scotland: results from a national public survey

ABSTRACTThis paper investigates the factors influencing the likelihood of choice of Gaelic-medium primary education in Scotland by means of the analysis of a national survey of public attitudes conducted in 2012. Binary logistic regression is used to investigate the association of five dimensions found in previous literature to be associated with the choice of Scottish Gaelic-medium education: (i) demographic characteristics, (ii) exposure to Gaelic, (iii) cultural and national identities, (iv) views on the future of Gaelic and (v) views on Gaelic in education. The present research found views about Gaelic in education and views on the future of Gaelic to have the greatest explanatory power in predicting likelihood of choice of Gaelic-medium education, for demographic characteristics and ‘cultural and national identities’ to have substantial explanatory power, and for exposure to Gaelic to have low explanatory power. The paper uses Baker’s three contexts for the growth of bilingual education in Wales – bilingual education as language planning, as pedagogy and as politics – as its explanatory framework, and shows that these three contexts also underpin the potential growth of Gaelic-medium education in Scotland. Potential implications for policy and for methodological approaches to studying choice of bilingual education are presented.

Education in Scotland

Education in Scotland

Over sea and glen: NHS Highland/Highland Health Sciences Library/NHS Education Scotland remote and rural support project

Over sea and glen: NHS Highland/Highland Health Sciences Library/NHS Education Scotland remote and rural support project

Past, Present and to Come. Some Reflections on Teacher Education in Scotland

Past, Present and to Come. Some Reflections on Teacher Education in Scotland

Conscientious withdrawal from religious education in Scotland: anachronism or necessary right?

This paper considers the right of parental withdrawal from the statutory subject Religious Education (RE) in Scottish primary and secondary schools. The background, history and current legislative situation relating to this right are considered, as well as current discussions and debates about this issue. The intentions are to establish how often and for what reasons parents opt to withdraw their children, as well as to investigate how schools and local authorities respond to requests for withdrawal. This research is informed by a survey of primary and secondary schools within two local authorities in particular. It emerges that there are relatively few cases of withdrawal. A majority of participating schools argued for the abolition of this right.

Scottish higher education and social justice: tensions between data and discourse

This paper considers the extent to which higher education in Scotland may be seen as a socially just system. The paper begins with a discussion of recent literature on the nature of social justice, drawing on the writing of Fraser (2005), Phillips (2004) and Sen (1992). Phillips’ argument that social justice must be understood in terms of equality of group outcomes, and not just equality of opportunity, is noted. Administrative data are used to explore social differences in higher education participation rates, which are linked to social differences in school attainment. The social priorities implicit in the allocation of the education budget by sector are discussed. The paper then explores policy makers’ understanding of fairness and their views of Scottish Government policy. Key informants in the most selective institutions were strongly supportive of universal free tuition, whilst those in colleges and post-92 universities were more critical, suggesting that budgetary priorities should be reviewed in order to channel more funds to schools and colleges. The paper concludes by suggesting that there is a need for a more critical and nuanced debate on the type of social justice which is sought within higher education, the ways in which progress should be measured and the initiatives which are likely to foster a more socially just system of higher education in Scotland.

Understanding professional issues in physical education - a Scottish insight

Key to the effective enactment of policy and high quality learning and teaching in schools is a contemporary understanding of teachers’ beliefs, and an awareness of the professional issues which are particularly important to them. Despite a surge in academic and policy interest in physical education in Scotland, only two studies have examined teachers’ views on a range of professional issues in the last 25 years. To address this limitation, researchers at the University of Edinburgh designed the ‘Professional Issues in Physical Education Survey’ (PIPES) which aims to inform and support professional learning and research in physical education in future years. The article reports on the systematic development and piloting of PIPES, and how this reflected in the high degree of consensus the teachers reported for the professional issues identified. Findings indicated that concerns over pupil engagement, subject aims, curriculum time, resources and workload took precedence over more generic curriculum ambitions such as interdisciplinary learning and transitions. In addition, it is anticipated that the methodological groundwork undertaken in PIPES will be helpful in supporting other Anglophone countries to develop similar survey instruments particular to their own contexts.

Initial teacher education in the university ‘My little ship, how ill-laden you are’

Initial teacher education programmes in universities must meet the needs of varying constituencies. Politicians, school leaders and academics, for example, understandably seek to influence how these programmes should look. Given the importance of well-qualified teachers for the building of effective schools, it is right that a range of stakeholders should have their say. The Donaldson Report on teacher education in Scotland (2011) has much to say regarding the academic content of teacher education programmes. It offers food for thought for those wedded to the ‘craft’ model of teacher education. Academic rigour and breadth of experience cannot be seen as inimical to the need to ensure that newly qualified teachers are, indeed, ready to teach. The rediscovery of liberal approaches to education studies and the value of the liberal arts can be key components of a reimagined teacher education process.

Advanced and higher vocational education in Scotland: recontextualising the provision of HE in FE

This article explores the nature of provision of higher education (HE) within the further education (FE) context and discusses the prevalent cultures of delivery. Attention is drawn to the skills and pedagogic methods prevalent within FE that could offer significant benefits to the delivery of advanced-level apprenticeships and applied vocationally based higher education. Discussion turns to the recontextualisation of the HE provision in FE and the possible economic and social benefits of widening access to skills focussed higher-level training courses.

Spaces of Not Belonging: Inclusive Nationalism and Education in Scotland

This study addresses the issue of the role of national identity-making through education and how this positions migrants in the national discourse in Scotland. The issue has been highlighted by the arrival of European Union migrants post-enlargement, whose children are being schooled in Scotland. The study discusses the tensions, particularly in relation to migrant populations, between the policy discourse of inclusive nationalism and emphasis on performance that promotes standardization processes and individual accountability. Giving particular attention to the language regulations and practices in education, this article notes the fact that language creates a barrier to the fair benefits of education for migrant populations. Rather than facilitating migrants' inclusion, language has become a vehicle for assimilating migrants into the dominant social and cultural norms of the host society. The study concludes by reflecting on the notion of inclusive citizenship and the implications of social responsibility to balance the economic benefits of people's mobility with cultural recognition and protection.

Undergraduate medical education: looking back, looking forward.

This commentary briefly looks at some history of Medical Education in Scotland with a focus on the last two decades since the publication of 'Tomorrow's Doctors' by the General Medical Council in 1993. The current influences on Scottish Medical Education are discussed, and some of the advantages provided by technology are described. The piece concludes by emphasising the current strengths of Scottish Medical Education, which are learning from contact with patients and good clinical role models, to help students make sense of their clinical experience.

Framing the experiences of BME social work students within a narrative of Educating for a Culturally Diverse Workforce

The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) has noted that a higher percentage of black and minority ethnic (BME) students fail or take longer to complete their social work degrees, compared with the white majority student population. In response to this and related evidence, a national study was carried out in 2013 to explore this phenomenon and ways to support BME students in social work education in Scotland. BME students from five Scottish universities were interviewed, along with lecturers from six Scottish Universities, and practice educators from around Scotland. The background to the study is discussed and a review of the literature on race, whiteness, diversity and a strengths-based perspective is provided. The methodology of the study is explained, followed by a presentation of some of the key findings covering the themes of cultural difference, discrimination and valuing student strengths. To prepare social work students to practice in a culturally diverse and culturally aware workforce the paper argues for framing of social work education within a strengths-based perspective, of valuing diversity and other knowledges and for this approach to be embedded within a critique of both race and whiteness.

Progress in addressing FASD in Scotland

In Scotland, despite high levels of alcohol use by women, public awareness and professional knowledge of the risks of drinking while pregnant are low and there has been very little research into foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and their effects. Recently, however, the Scottish Government has shown leadership with the commissioning of an FASD e-learning resource from NHS Education Scotland, the development of a toolkit for FASD Awareness Day and the planned institution of two two-day intensive training courses for health and social care professionals in the recognition, assessment, diagnosis and support of children affected by foetal alcohol harm. This article charts some of these developments.

The challenges and opportunities in medical education for digital ‘natives’ and ‘immigrants’ in Scotland and abroad

Although the digital revolution only started towards the end of the twentieth century, it has already dramatically shifted our world away from traditional industries and ushered in a new age of information. Virtually every aspect of our modern lives has either been transformed or challenged, including medical education. This article describes three of the important factors that are causing seismic changes in medical education in Scotland and abroad. The first is the new generation of 'digital natives' that are arriving in medical schools. In response, faculty members have had to become 'digital immigrants' and adapt their pedagogies. Second, the rise of social media has allowed the creation of virtual learning environments and communities that augment but also compete with traditional brick-and-mortar institutions. Finally, an ever-increasing range of e-learning resources promise freely accessible and up-to-date evidence, but their sheer volume and lack of standardisation will require careful curation.

The hidden influence on the Shape of Training

Medical education and postgraduate medical training in the United Kingdom have undergone much government reorganisation in recent years. The most recent structural upheavals came in the form of Modernising Medical Careers and the Medical Training Application Service, whose rushed introduction in 2007 led to a protest march by doctors, national news headlines, professorial resignations, and ministerial apologies. This personal perspective on the Shape of Training review sits in the context of this history, showing how these past events have quickly been forgotten and important lessons ignored.1 The independent Shape of Training review aimed to look at the current and future healthcare needs of patients in the United Kingdom and how medical training can match these needs. The Shape of Training review steering group (including the four UK health departments, Health Education England, National Education Scotland, and other major professional medical organisations) appointed David Greenaway, professor of economics at the University of Nottingham, as chair in February 2012. The review’s recommendations were published at the end of 2013 and included proposals to train more generalist doctors, introduce shorter training programmes, and change the point of full General Medical Council (GMC) …

Interprofessional student-run primary health care clinics: Implications for pharmacy education in Scotland.

Interprofessional student-run primary health care clinics have been a flagship model of health professional education in Canada for many years. The purpose of this study was to determine if there is support for implementing this educational model in the United Kingdom and to highlight the implications for pharmacy education in Scotland. A cross-sectional postal survey of 3000 randomly selected citizens of Aberdeen city and shire, Scotland, aged 18 years and older. Of the 824 questionnaires that were returned (response rate 27.5%), more than half of the respondents (62.4%; n = 514) would consider accessing health care from a student-led, walk-in service. The range of services they expect to see includes general health checks (60%; n = 494), help for sexually transmitted diseases (57.5%; n = 474), weight management (56.8%; n = 468), smoking cessation (54.4%; n = 448) and drug misuse services (47.2%; n = 387). Concerns raised pertained to student ability, suitability for children and accessibility. Many comments pertained to the improvement of the current system by offering after-hours care. The positive response from the general public towards an interprofessional student-run primary health care clinic in Aberdeen suggests that this Canadian model of interdisciplinary health professional education would likely be a successful addition to the pharmacy curriculum in Scotland.

The spectre of poverty in distant futures without university: reflecting on aspirations for their pre-adolescent children among parents from deprived neighbourhoods in Glasgow

This research note argues that emerging research on poverty and education in Scotland needs to adopt a longer-term focus. Drawing on the work of Glasgow Caledonian University’s Caledonian Club, it reflects on evidence that one-third of parents who consider that their primary and nursery school children will not attend university when they are older also perceive that the cost of a university education will be a barrier to participation.

Do advanced qualifications equate to better mathematical knowledge for primary teaching?

This study tests the hypothesis that raising the entry requirement to programmes of Initial Teacher Education in Scotland to Higher Mathematics, would enhance students’ subject content knowledge as required for primary teaching. A sample of 149 students entering initial teacher education was investigated using an assessment that measured competence in aspects of numeracy. Students holding Higher Mathematics scored better (Median [interquartile range]) (69.6% [58.7 – 78.3]) than those holding an Intermediate Two scoring (54.3% [41.3 – 63.0]) and a Standard Grade Credit (64.1% [50.0 – 73.9]). However, further analysis shows no statistical difference in the marks of students holding a Higher compared to those holding a Credit Standard Grade (p=0.079), but that those holding an Intermediate two performed significantly poorly compared to those holding a Higher (p<0.0001). Therefore these findings affirm concerns raised by Donaldson (2010) that current requirements relating to qualifications in mathematics do not seem to provide a sufficient guarantee of competence required for teaching.