Long-term Educational Development Research Articles

Link and Match Policy to Increase Labor Absorption in Aceh: An Evaluation of Educational Policy

Education is crucial to national growth. Hence, a Link and Match program to provide work-oriented education is needed. This study uses the CIPP Model to assess the link and match policy between vocational high schools (SMK) and business and industry (DUDI). Four vocational schools located in Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar were studied. Data was acquired through expert-validated questionnaires and observation interviews. Quantitative descriptive analysis was used. The research results show that the link and match policy between SMK and DUDI has been appropriate, with an average score of four categories with appropriate criteria for each aspect. However, the implementation process is still hampered because the Aceh Government has not yet prepared a planned and measurable plan in the Strategic Plan for developing vocational education in Aceh to link and match to a vocational education master plan for long-term educational development. As a relevant stakeholder, the Aceh Education Service should clearly state the concept and measurable targets for developing links and matches in vocational schools, including what programs must be prepared to address the strategic issue of strengthening links and matches, especially in vocational schools with DUDI, to meet needs.

Study on the Educational Model of the Individual Activities in the Second Class of College Students

To achieve the objective requirements of long-term education development plan in China, the second classroom, which as been playing a vital role in the implement of personalizing stratified education of college students, can promote the cultivation of innovative talents and benefit the quality of higher education. Through the constructing of an educational model of the individual activities in the second class of college students, this paper aims at enhance comprehensively the personalized stratified ability of college education to satisfy the demands of the students.

The Quality Rating System of Chinese Preschool Education: Prospects and Challenges

In China, the Central People's Government (2010) recently promulgated the Compendium for China's Mid- and Long-Term Education Development, which declared that 95% of Chinese children should receive...

Bilingual Education Theater: Behind the scenes of Latvian minority education reform

Focusing on the political nature of education policy making in the post-Soviet context, this paper questions whether, how and to what extent the bilingual education reform under way in Latvia contributes to social integration among different ethnolinguistic groups. The paper begins by tracing the emergence and institutionalization of bilingual education reform in light of long-term education development trends prevalent during the 1990s. Based on press analysis, document review, and in-depth interviews with major education stakeholders in Latvia, it reveals that there exists a growing disjunction between 'policy-talk', 'policy action' and 'policy implementation', resulting in the legitimization of education spaces that once were and continue to be functional, hierarchical and divisive.

African Americans' Educational Expectations: Longitudinal Causal Models for Women and Men

The long‐term educational development of African American adolescents was investigated using a national longitudinal sample. The dependent variable was the highest level of education that participants ever expected to achieve. These expectations were assessed when participants were 2 years beyond high school. Background variables and family variables were assessed when students were in the 8th grade. High school behavior variables were assessed when students were high school seniors. Path models revealed differing processes for women and men. Overall, effects of early academic performance variables were strongest, followed by effects of family variables and high school behavior variables. Implications for theory and practice are included.

The M.S. In Electronics and Computer Control Systems: A Strategic Educational Partnership Between Wayne State University and the Ford Motor Company

EXTENDED ABSTRACT The 1993–1994 academic year commemorates the tenth anniversary of the M. S. in Electronics and Computer Control Systems (ECCS) program. This program is part of an extraordinary strategic partnership between Ford and Wayne State University which was originally established to deal with a severe shortage of microprocessor control system skills among Ford engine designers. These designers, for the most part holders of a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, faced major challenges in dealing with the pervasive impact of computer control systems to replace mechanical and electro-mechanical systems on gasoline engines. Microprocessor systems were found to be necessary for engine emission control coupled with enhanced performance and fuel economy. The ECCS program was planned to go beyond providing application knowledge for implementation of the EEC chip; the intent was to provide a fundamental knowledge base to provide Ford Engineers with advanced design tools to deal with the pervasive integration of electronic control into virtually every automotive subsystem. The subject material in the course sequence has evolved along with the technology, but the basic structure of the interdisciplinary program, with participation from the departments of Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Computer Science at WSU, has not changed from when the program was introduced in 1983. The program is continuously scrutinized for prospective improvements not only by WSU faculty, but by a dedicated group of Ford technical managers who serve on both the ECCS Steering Committee and the Curriculum Subcommittee. Currently, most students in the ECCS program come to it from Computer and Electrical Engineering backgrounds, a change from ten years ago. This program provides a leadership role in the development of industry-sited University-based educational activities. Two examples include the introduction of sophisticated interactive Distance Learning techniques for the entire four subject program core, and the parallel introduction of this program for Ford technical staff in England and Germany. The USA program currently enrolls 150 Ford employees in a typical semester, in six subjects, two of which are in the Distance Learning mode of instruction. For 1993–1994, 40 degree recipients are anticipated in the USA, with an additional 20 graduates in Europe. There have been well over 300 graduates in the ECCS program to date, and further moderate growth is likely. In addition to providing a focus on long-term educational development, the program has short-term relevance in enhancing Ford employee productivity. For example, out of seven student group software development projects undertaken in ECE 660, Engineering Software Design (Fall 1992), five projects have been successfully incorporated into the Ford production, management and design procedure. The increased emphasis in the program on project assignments as an instructional tool provides students with real-life opportunities to learn in an industrial environment, as opposed to an academic environment. At the same time, regular WSU faculty see this program as providing them with new learning experiences which are particularly relevant in their attempts to deal with the real-world engineering environment. This experience also allows them to bring to their classes particularly pertinent teaching examples. In order to enhance the educational process, Ford currently arranges to provide over $250,000. each year to regular WSU faculty teaching at Ford sites as part of their normal teaching load. This competitive award activity, which provides from $20,000. to $40,000. for each faculty awardee, gives direct and productive involvement in ongoing Ford research and development activities. This leads to a better faculty appreciation for the technical challenges facing Ford, better classroom examples during instruction, and a superb basis for communication between WSU faculty and Ford students and their technical managers. At the present time the ECCS degree sequence is a thesis optional program, but only a few graduates have pursued this option. One future challenge is a transition to a higher level of M. S. thesis involvement, thereby allowing students to contribute their expertise earlier to Ford specific projects and problems. This will also optimize the communication and learning links between faculty, students and technical staff, further breaking down the barriers between industry and the University.