Education Policy Agenda Research Articles

Working with constructs of inclusion for understanding teachers’ literacy practices and their impact on student learning

ABSTRACT The paper explores teachers’ language literacy practices in underprivileged, inner-city schools in Athens, Greece, and their implications for student learning and educational inclusion. The current developments of global/European and national education policy agendas on literacy and inclusion inform the research questions of the study. Bernstein’s theory of pedagogic discourse frames our analysis on the reproduction of social inequalities through schooling and informs our discussion on the discursive means and the pedagogic practices for their interruption. Findings, based on interview data and classroom observations, indicate that global discourses on inclusion, (re)articulated in the disadvantaged school settings of the study, invest the notion of inclusion with three different meanings: a. inclusion as assimilation and absorption into the dominant culture and society; b. inclusion as therapy for students’ emotional ‘traumas’; and c. inclusion as recognition of difference. We argue that these constructs of inclusion shape teaching practices that either promote or undermine student learning and empowerment.

Revisiting Rancière’s ‘radical democracy’ for contemporary education policy analysis

Just over a decade on from a spike of interest in Jacques Rancière’s writing within educational philosophy and theory, I revisit his interventions on democracy and education to make the case for (re)engaging with Rancière’s writing now to address important questions about contemporary education policy, the role of schools in democratic societies and public debate over the curriculum. Specifically, I argue that Rancière’s interventions on the Platonism that characterises both ‘progressive’ and ‘traditional’ arguments about school curricula in such contexts offer a vital tool for understanding the shifts in education policy and educational debate that animate our current political moment. Building on work that has applied Rancière’s writing to analyse neoliberal education policy, I argue that Rancière’s writing provides a distinctive analytical lens for interpreting a recent shift towards neo-conservative education policy agendas, and the imbrication of schools within the ‘culture-wars’ that characterise the contemporary political landscape in several national settings. Taking recent policies concerned with the teaching of values in England as an example, I argue that a Rancierian perspective on such policy is helpful for revitalising research concerned with education and the role of public schooling in societies that wish to maintain some claim to democracy.

Transformation of extracurricular education in post-Soviet countries: from universal access to inequality

Broad access to educational services and a universal enrolment policy were declared crucial elements of the Soviet extracurricular education model. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the process of transforming the Soviet model of extracurricular education began. This process included changes in management and financing mechanisms, the structure and scope of the network, and content and ideas. These changes have had a significant negative impact on the equality of opportunities for children in terms of participating in extracurricular activities.The main purpose of this paper is to analyse the above-mentioned inequality in different aspects: territorial, gender and socio-economic. We are also interested in the representation of this problem in the educational policy agendas of post-Soviet countries. We use three data sources: regulation documents, national and departmental statistics, and semi-structured interviews with leading experts and heads of national organisations of extracurricular education in all 15 countries of the former Soviet Union. In addition, we identify common and specific features in the structure and factors of inequality in extracurricular education in post-Soviet countries. Despite the general increase in inequality, we observed increased client orientation and inclusivity in the extracurricular sector. We also note the trend of expanding access opportunities in some countries. We discuss the role of extracurricular educational inequality as a part of broader educational and socio-economic formation and development of inequality in the post-Soviet space.

Why inclusive education falters: a Bernsteinian analysis

ABSTRACT The inclusive education policy agenda has not made a significant impact on the global problem of educational exclusion. Explanations for this lack of impact include inadequate teacher education, lack of resources, negative attitudes, and a policy-practice gap. This paper takes a different turn and, using the concept of classification, argues that the challenge to achieve more inclusive education is more fundamental than has been previously articulated. Key tenets of the inclusive education agenda demand a weakening of the insulation between categories that are sustained and advanced by current marketised and standards-driven education systems. Inclusive schooling weakens spatial insulation, collaboration weakens professional insulation, transformability weakens ability insulation, intersectionality weakens identity insulation, and inclusive pedagogy weakens pedagogical insulation. When inclusive education is mapped onto strongly classified education systems, limited instantiations of inclusive education are inevitable, and difference and exclusion are re-inscribed. Change is possible if 1. Those advancing the inclusive education agenda acknowledge the identities and defences that classification constructs. 2. The workings of power that sustain insulation between categories in education are identified. 3. Counter-hegemonic action that weakens insulation and blurs boundaries is encouraged.

Teacher assessment literacy: a systematic review

Teacher assessment literacy, generally defined as a set of knowledge and skills a teacher needs to effectively enact assessment in the classroom, has been a priority in the educational policy and educational research agenda for decades. For a long time, it has been identified with standardized measurement and classroom testing. The interest in this topic is related not only to the accountability pressures and the identification of assessment as a lever for school and system reform but also to the need for teachers to support student learning by developing and implementing responsive assessments within their classrooms. Considerable efforts have been made to prepare novice and expert teachers in understanding how to deal with aspects of assessment practice and how to use the assessment results. Although the research on teacher assessment literacy is quite wide, it continues to demonstrate how teachers struggle with assessment, especially when they are required to transfer new approaches and theories into the actual classroom context. This systematic review synthetizes the literature on teacher assessment literacy considering how it has been defined and studied over the last 10 years (2013–2022). Documenting and comparing the different expressions and definitions of assessment literacy used in the 42 selected studies, this systematic review offers a detailed overview of the changes that occurred in the conceptualizations of assessment literacy. Along with the analysis of the theoretical/conceptual frameworks and research methods used to investigate teacher assessment literacy, the scrutiny of its foundational components represents a useful base to orient pre- and in-service teacher education. Against the backdrop of strengths and weaknesses of this review, research priorities and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

Shrewd marketization: the impact of internationalization policies on curricula practices in a Singaporean and an Australian school

ABSTRACT This paper focuses on a comparative analysis of two schools – an international school in Singapore and an independent school in Australia – and their engagement with and processes of internationalization with a focus on Global Citizenship Education (GCE). These schools have adopted international education models, the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) and the International Baccalaureate Programme (IB) blended with the local curricula to generate hybridized internationally minded education programmes that forward the global agenda. This paper specifically explores the shrewd marketization of the respective schools’ curricula, looking at how a distinct market ideology had shaped the key curricula in the two case study schools, which were situated within varied contexts and different school markets. Results from the study highlighted the prominent role of the neo-liberal market agenda and its effects on each school’s curricula and practices. The evidence illustrates the schools as market players in their respective schooling markets. The analysis in this paper provides a comparative illustration of “cosmopolitan nationalism” enacted at school levels, as each school seeks to “promote internationalization and a global gaze”, while responding to their locally defined markets and national education policy agendas (Maxwell et al., 2020).

Framing neoliberalism: A content analysis of Ley de Reforma Educativa de Puerto Rico

The American educational policy agenda has been fraught with neoliberal laws that center educational improvement and innovation (Barros, 2012). Neoliberalism operates on the premise that market competition will spur excellence in educational opportunities and decrease the education debt in marginalized communities (Fejes & Salling Olesen, 2016). Moreover, in the case of urban education systemic reforms, researchers need to endeavor how marginalized communities relay their concerns or endorsements in the media. News articles are one appropriate unit of analysis for investigating this problem. In this paper, I examine how an education reform law in Puerto Rico, Ley de Reforma Educativa de Puerto Rico (LREPR), was reported on in the four most popular newspapers on the Island. Conducting content analysis of newspaper articles produced findings that contribute to the policy literature by describing three central frames found in the media coverage of LREPR: (a) rhetoric on the “Free Selection of Schools” school voucher program, (b) the effects of mass school closures on municipalities, and (c) rhetoric on Alianza Schools—Puerto Rico’s Charter Schools Initiative. I close with how the frames depart from the Republican-leaning political affiliation of the newspapers and present a collective resistance to the neoliberal education reform policy.

Educational policy agenda, ideological transformation and radical right populism: the case of the education-identity nexus of the Northern League in Italy, 1994-2018

ABSTRACT The study of the relationship between parties and education policies has so far largely disregarded populist parties. Despite the success of this party family, little attention has been paid to their proposals in terms of education and interpretation of the role of schools and higher education in society. The central research question of the paper concerns the development of the educational agenda of the Northern League party in Italy, from 1994 to 2018. If the general framework suggests that political parties are losing power and influence in education matters, Italy can be considered an interesting deviant case. Education policy is politically divisive, with multiple stakeholders, different ideological preferences and vested interests. It should therefore come as no surprise that a party, as deeply rooted in the Italian party and political system as the Northern League, has invested in positioning itself in education policies both in terms of identity and argumentative strategies associated with the use of political symbols. Against this background, the purpose of the paper is to study how the Northern League’s education agenda is shaped by symbolic frames and rhetorical narratives that illustrate and reflect the ideological tenets and evolution of the party over the last decades.

School improvement and school efficiency: reflections and evidences in the liquid society (Mejora de la escuela y eficacia escolar: reflexiones y evidencias en la sociedad líquida)

ABSTRACTDiscussions on the improvement and effectiveness of schools are high on the national and international education policy agendas. Despite the social and cultural complexity that frames educational processes, there is now sufficient research available on how to correctly orient theory and practice. The aim of the study is to reflect on the change and improvement of schools in the compulsory stage, based on the accumulated knowledge of the School Improvement and School Effectiveness Movements. The methodology used was that of documentary analysis of scientific production, based on the review, analysis and critical reflection of texts. The results show that in the current context of a liquid society, it is essential to have a management team that supports improvement processes, that the school as a whole is committed to renewal and, finally, that there is a participatory school culture. The conclusions reflect on and outline possible measures for improvement and innovation in schools, mainly related to the change of cultural imaginary.

Attaining Quality Road Map in St. Paul University Surigao Graduate School Program

This study aimed to assist and measure the extent of the implementation of the key areas of the Graduate School Program at St. Paul University Surigao. Examining the level of its attainment was the basis for coming up with a quality road map for sustainable development of the Graduate School Program. This study was based on the extent of implementation of the key areas rating result as perceived by the university administrators, graduate school faculty members, and staff and the criteria set by the PACUCOA in each program rating result. This study used a quantitative approach and descriptive methods of research. The data of this study were sourced from the respondents, which investigated the correlation between the quality education perceived rating by the university and the PACUCOA accreditation rating. It further investigated the quality of education in the SPUS Graduate School program offerings based on PACUCOA accreditation rating. The findings of this study revealed that St. Paul University-Graduate School was consistent in rating the key area on the Philosophy and Objectives as the highest and followed by the Administration across all programs. The PACUCOA and SPUS both rated the key areas of, Philosophy & Objectives and Administrators as the highest rating across all programs, although they differed in the number of percentages which meant they both believed that administrators or school leadership had become a priority in education policy agenda both local and international. There was a significant difference between the university's rating for quality education and the university’s PACUCOA accreditation rating. The self-performance rating of the SPUS Graduate School from the different programs on the PACUCOA standards was the same. PACUCOA rated the key area on “Curriculum and Instruction” as the highest rating across all programs except for the MPA program compared to the University rating. Although, the University rated “Curriculum and Instruction” as the lowest rating in all programs except for the MPA program, which was interpreted as “Very Good.”

Organizational preparedness domains and indicators of educational organizations for students with disabilities in pandemic times: A scoping review

BackgroundThe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on educational systems has caused a profound shift in the organization and delivery of education worldwide. The effects of the pandemic crisis on educational systems proved to be detrimental for students with disabilities, highlighting not only the looming social and educational inequalities but also the huge gap in organizational preparedness for education, including identifying the main areas (domains) of preparedness that guide the process of organizational preparedness and the sub-themes (indicators) per domain that help educational organizations to evaluate their level of preparedness and to identify potential gaps and set priorities for preparedness planning.MethodsScoping review with thematic analysis was performed on literature published from 2010 to 2022. Six scientific databases (PsycInfo, Web of Science, Eric, Scopus, Proquest, JSTOR) and one academic search engine (Google Scholar) were examined in order to identify publications (peer-reviewed and preprint) in English. The search strategy and robust eligibility criteria were defined by the authors, who also performed screening of the papers, eligibility decisions, and key data extractions. A thematic analysis was applied to define the organizational preparedness domains and indicators per domain, informed by a system thinking approach for educational organizations. Conflicts were collaboratively resolved after each step. All members of the research team were involved in the data synthesis.ResultsFrom 1,564 publications identified, 216 were included in the final analysis. Six domains and 14 indicators were identified.ConclusionThe organizational preparedness in educational organizations in pandemic crisis times needs to be prioritized in the educational policy agenda, drawing special attention on students with disabilities. The identified preparedness domains and indicators may guide the policy dialogue and inform accordingly a system thinking change approach in education and disability.

The State Innovation Exchange and educational policy

Especially since 2010, conservative interests’ dominance at advancing their preferred policies across U.S. states has been clear, with large and escalating impacts in education. Although adversaries on the political left remain in catch-up mode, there have been auspicious developments. This study focuses on one of these, seeking to understand a uniquely positioned progressively state-focused policy organization called State Innovation Exchange (SiX). It was aimed to a) provide a valuable case study of perhaps the leading organization in this space, focusing on understanding its education policy footprint; b) further understandings of conflicts, tensions, and responses on the political left relative to education policy; and c) generate insights into contemporary sub-national policy mobility. We interviewed nine key stakeholders and analyzed electronic materials to address two research questions. Findings demonstrate SiX fulfills four main purposes: 1) building and sustaining cross-state progressive power; 2) acting as a counter; 3) fostering progressive leader development; and 4) advancing progressive policies/ideas. SiX shows an economics-focused agenda emphasizing working- and middle-class families, and education policy has not been a major, consistent area of emphasis. SiX does, however, play unique roles in education (as in other areas) by connecting state legislators and supporting their work. Specific to education, we surfaced some challenges SiX has faced in building alignment around a shared vision. We suggest, if SiX or a similarly situated organization can develop a clear education philosophy and policy agenda, it will be more effective at advancing its preferred policies, and in countering those being advanced by adversaries. Absent such shifts, we project continued conservative dominance of education policy at the state level.

CONTINUIDAD EDUCATIVA DURANTE LA PANDEMIA EN ARGENTINA POLÍTICAS, PEDAGOGÍAS Y PLATAFORMAS

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed the urgent need to sustain the pedagogical bond without classroom attendance on the world educational policy agenda. The analysis presented in this article attempts to shed light on the response to educational continuity in Argentina during the COVID-19 pandemic addressing three dimensions: policies, pedagogical strategies and technopedagogical trends involved. The article concludes that most of the experiences were polarised in two strategies, being one the reproduction of face-to-face attendance by videoconference and the other, mostly, tasks by email or WhatsApp. The multiple digital divides and the political controversy over "attendance" left little room for the stability of online or hybrid forms of teaching.

Will–Skill–Tool Components as Key Factors for Digital Media Implementation in Education: Austrian Teachers’ Experiences with Digital Forms of Instruction during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Although comprehensive digitalization (e.g., the provision of skills and resources) had already been placed on Austria’s education policy agenda prior to the emergence of COVID-19, there is evidence that educators had some difficulty ensuring digital learning opportunities for their students when schools closed in early 2020. Against this backdrop, the present study, which drew on qualitative data from the large-scale INCL-LEA (Inclusive Home Learning) study, aimed to determine whether secondary school teachers (n = 17) from Viennese schools met the prerequisites for successfully implementing digital instruction, formulated in the Will–Skill–Tool model developed by Christensen and Kzenek (2008). Findings reveal that teachers primarily associated their sufficient digital skills with three factors: (1) basic interest and competence, (2) recently attended training, and/or (3) a positive attitude toward changing teaching practices. Interestingly, some educators recognized that digitization offers great potential for implementing individualized teaching approaches. However, the findings point to the didactic necessity of digital socialization in terms of social communication and inclusion when establishing emergency digital education.

Neoliberal student activism in Brazilian higher education

This article discusses the growth of neoliberal student activism in Brazilian higher education, considering the role of organisations called neoliberal think tanks. The following questions are addressed: why and how do these think tanks operate in the field of higher education? How do they articulate and promote student activism? The study provides a historical and contextual review of the origin and performance of the neoliberal think tanks in Brazil, identifying organisations that significantly operate in the higher education field. The case of Students For Liberty Brasil is examined in detail. The results of our study indicate that these think tanks seek to challenge hegemony in the teaching, research and higher education policy agendas and consider students as an important source of neoliberal political leaders.

Nursing, psychotherapy and advanced cancer: A scoping review.

Many individuals with advanced cancer have unmet psychological needs and often lack access to supportive care. Psychotherapy for adults with advanced cancer is a promising way to address some of the challenges in meeting these care needs. Nurses are the largest cohort of healthcare workers who can practice as psychotherapists and are positioned ideally to integrate these interventions as part of routine care. The purpose of this scoping review is to map the literature on psychotherapeutic interventions among adults with advanced cancer and to explore the nursing role in this body of evidence. We conducted a scoping review for relevant quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies. The content of included studies was analyzed and grouped based on two broad categories that describe how nursing's role was mentioned, described, and utilized: 1. Nurses are not the interventionist/psychotherapist and, 2. Nurses are mentioned as the interventionist/psychotherapist. Eighty-six studies were included. Overall, majority of studies did not mention a role for nursing in any capacity. Some studies mentioned a non-interventionist role for nursing in the research study. Fourteen studies mentioned nurses as interventionists/psychotherapists. These studies focused on feasibility, acceptability and patient related outcomes of brief psychotherapies. Dignity therapy was the most common psychotherapy in studies where nurses were utilized as interventionists, followed by life review and supportive expressive therapies. Very few studies discussed nursing's role in this area and nursing's capacity to deliver this form of care. There is paucity in nursing research focused on psychotherapy for adults with advanced cancer. It is feasible and acceptable for nurses to deliver brief psychotherapies to adults with advanced cancer, and the integration of these techniques in everyday practice has great potential that must be explored. The development of this knowledge base is needed to support future education, research, and practice policy agendas.

Dominant Discourses and Teachers’ Comparative Sensemaking through Internationally Sited Professional Development Experience

The United Arab Emirates’ education policy agenda is focused on a singular goal: to be one of the top 20 countries in PISA 2022. The focus on PISA has become so robust in the UAE that it is now a central component of teachers’ professional development. This article explores teachers’ sensemaking of dominant education policy discourses through their experience in an internationally sited professional development program in Vietnam – a country whose 2015 PISA performance inspired the education policy reform in the UAE. The findings presented in this article highlight teachers’ deficit framing of difference and their performative adoption of STREAM-focused practices to replicate Vietnam’s 2015 PISA scores. This article concludes with recommendations for future research to better understand the ways in which dominant discourses inform teachers’ professional development, and opportunities to expand teachers’ roles in the policymaking process.

“Marrying the Monster”: World Bank Loans and English Language Projects in Sri Lankan Universities

A large portion of the World Bank’s loans for universities in Sri Lanka is provided for English language learning programs. The justification has been the necessity of English language proficiency for creating an employable graduate, and in so doing, to advance the economic prospects of the country. This is in line with the World Bank’s global education policy agenda. Even though the Bank has provided Sri Lanka loans for the development of higher education for two decades, there is little independent research on their impact. There is also a gap in our knowledge of its policy on language education. This article aims to contribute to these areas, drawing on a qualitative study of the English language component in World Bank funded projects in Sri Lankan universities from 2003-2016. It uses data from semi-structured interviews with academics who were involved in the projects and selected documents from the bank’s projects. Three principal themes are discussed: a) the coercive conditionalities that accompany these loan projects, b) participants’ queries on whether the real needs of the student population were met, and c) changes to academic practices. The article ends with recommendations and a call for further research.

Citizenship-as-competence, what else? Why European citizenship education policy threatens to fall short of its aims

The topic of citizenship education and the promotion of democratic citizenship in schools has risen to the top of educational policy agendas in Europe over the past three decades. This rise in attention, however, appears to be accompanied by an apparent lack of attention to the specific manner in which citizenship, education and the assumed relationship between both are currently conceptualised and understood in this policy context. The currently dominant notions of citizenship education centre around a concept of citizenship-as-competence, illustrating a certain assumption of equivalence between citizenship and formal education in schools, without further elaborating on this assumption. By means of a critical re-reading of key European educational policy texts referring to citizenship education, and their use of the key concepts of citizenship and education, our analysis shows how the competence-based approach to citizenship education in European educational policymaking entails tensions with its own assumptions, therefore falling short of its own proclaimed purpose of emancipating young people in Europe to become autonomous, engaged and critical democratic citizens.

Role of Head Teacher in School Management: A Case of High School in China

Head teachers (HTs) have a crucial role in school leadership as well as in education policy agendas internationally. School leadership plays a key role in improving school outcomes as well as the school environment by motivating teachers. This study was carried out considering the major roles of the HT in making school programmes effective in Chinese context. Data were collected through interviews with students and teachers; review of books, reports, journals, and various publications with a view to explore the role of HT. The school website (in Chinese language translated to English) was also studied for information. The study revealed that HT is the most senior teacher and leader of a school, responsible for the education of all pupils, management of staff, and for school policy making. There is a positive moderate relationship between the leadership style and students’ academic performance in high school. This study has also established that the leadership that is instrumental towards school improvement is of ‘distributed’ kind of leadership; and the coordinated and collaborative efforts of the HT, teachers, students, parents, community leaders, district administrator and others becomes instrumental in ensuring the quality of education in school.