Education Policy Research Articles

Absenteeism and Achievement in Early Elementary Grades: A Multilevel Organizational Analysis

This paper presents empirical analyses illustrating the organizational relationship between chronic absenteeism and student achievement as estimated via a contextual model of school-level and student-level relationships. We conduct a series of descriptive analyses and multilevel hierarchical models (HLM) in which absenteeism is used to predict variation in student achievement for nearly 50,000 individual students in grades K-3 in 109 elementary schools in Delaware during the 2014–2015 through 2017–2019 school years. Results demonstrate that chronic absenteeism tends to be clustered in a subset of schools, and that the adverse contextual effects of absenteeism at the school level are many times larger than the negative effects at the individual level. Implications for education policy and interventions are discussed.

Enhancing Inclusion, Equity, and Access: An Analysis of Higher Education Policies in Nepal

Higher education is the backbone for the human resource development which are crucial for the economic and socio-cultural development of any country. Unlike other sector, higher education is imperative not only for the welfare of the human beings but also fundamental for nation building through innovation in areas that concern the society. The aim of this paper is to critically analyze the policy arrangements of higher education in Nepal and its impact on enhancing inclusion, equity and access. Adopting Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) research method which is combined with policy review, it is found that though commendable efforts by the government and the commission have been continuing, the issues of access, equity, and inclusion remain still lacking in some areas. Therefore, more policy and programmatic actions are necessary for improvement the situation. If the policy recommendations outlined above are seriously considered by the Government of Nepal, the commission, universities, and other relevant bodies, it is possible to further promote and improve the state of access, equity, and inclusion in Nepal’s higher education.

Exploring the ripple effect: learner psycho-social challenges, teacher emotional fatigue, and the role of school social work in South Africa—an interview-based qualitative study using Bronfenbrenner's framework

Guided by Bronfenbrenner's (1994) ecological systems theory Bronfenbrenner (Int Encycl Educ,3(2):37–43) , this study highlights the interplay between learner psycho-social challenges and teacher emotional fatigue, which affect classroom dynamics, and the critical role of systemic support—the role of school social workers (SSWs)—in South Africa. Using an exploratory-descriptive qualitative design, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 primary school teachers and 13 SSWs from various provinces. Our participants' diverse backgrounds and experiences provided comprehensive insights. Findings highlight the need for a holistic approach to addressing learner psycho-social challenges, emphasising comprehensive support systems for teachers, including training and early intervention. Additionally, the integration of full-time SSWs and the active involvement of psychologists, families, and communities is crucial. Insights can inform educational policies and practices, enhancing teachers' and learners' well-being and effectiveness.

Education Policy as Public Policy

This article examines the education policy currently implemented in Poland through the lens of understanding, characteristics, and functions of public policy. The analysis is framed within a metatheoretical perspective, referencing the concept of long duration. To illustrate the practice of education policy as a form of public policy, determinations have been made regarding the nature of public policy, its theoretical foundations, aims, and practical priorities. The conclusion highlights selected examples of actions and phenomena that illustrate how education policy deviates from public policy principles, along with research examples that provide theoretical foundations for the desired changes.

Neuroliberalism in global education policy: towards a critical framework of neuroliberal governance in education

ABSTRACT This paper takes on the recent surge of neuroscience in global education policy and argues that the concept of neuroliberalism provides an insightful perspective through which to understand and critically analyze the contemporary mobilization of neurosciences within education. In particular, the paper unpacks the notion of neuroliberal governance as a context for examining emerging forms of behavioral government in education, and proposes a critical framework to enhance a research agenda on the implications of neuroliberalism in education policy and practice. The discussion explores the challenges for education scholars engaged in research and analysis that aims to bring the consequences of neuroliberal governance into view. In its account of what a critical neuroliberal framework might offer, the paper suggests that analyzing the ethical and political implications of neuroliberal governance in education is essential for unpacking the policy enthusiasm for neuroscience and its global reach.

Exploring the material-discursive relations in literacies and language instruction: A state-wide view of binary logics at work

ABSTRACT This article discusses the current Missouri (U.S.) socio-political landscape of literacies and language education pedagogies across PreK-12 settings. Specifically, our research focus explores the binaries that educators in schools experience which a/effects material-discursive relations of literacy teaching and learning. We understand how literacy education policies, initiatives, and practices as well as socio-political climate can produce unique conditions that shape schooling and how many of these can impact learning and teaching conditions as generative and/or paralysing spaces for educators and their students. We conceptualize pedagogies through material-discursive philosophies that shift away from humanist logics and present our research inquiry to foreground the conditions that produce our current U.S. literacy landscape. This paper draws on state-wide data from 1,550 surveys and 113 interviews with PreK-12 teachers. We employ two theoretical concepts as analytical tools: thresholding and eventicizing. These tools help us to explore how teaching and learning are dynamic constellations of material-discursive relations that put the current socio-political literacy education climate in conversation with the materials and texts teachers select and share. We discuss what is produced within these material-discursive binary conditions noticing how teachers resist and persist within the binaried worlds they find themselves in as educators.

Social Justice Imaginaries and Education Policy in Aotearoa New Zealand (2017–2024)

AbstractIn this article, we continue Martin Thrupp’s critical work in education policy in Aotearoa New Zealand by examining the policies of the Sixth Labour-led Government (2017–2023) and the Sixth National-led Government (2023-present). We consider their attempts to mitigate social injustice via education policy and the social imaginaries that underpin such efforts. Our conceptual framework draws on Nancy Fraser’s tripartite analysis (redistribution, recognition, participation), the contributions of education policy scholars who have built upon her work, and others who offer alternative framings of social justice. To contextualise our analysis, we provide a historical account of the discursive shift from equality to equity in New Zealand education policy and the recent transition by the Left from the ‘Third Way’ (Giddens, The third way: The renewal of social democracy, Polity Press, 1999) to ‘progressive neoliberalism’ (Fraser, American Affairs 1:46–64, 2017, Fraser, The old is dying and the new cannot be born: From progressive neoliberalism to Trump and beyond, Verso, 2019). Examination of selected education policies by the most recent Labour and National governments reveals that, despite equity infusing the rhetoric of both governments, their actual policies have consistently adopted affirmative responses aimed only at ameliorating inequality’s most visible effects. We conclude with a call for more intentionally transformative efforts in education based on holistic conceptions of social justice.

Quality in Norwegian Early Childhood Education and Care: Progress, Persistent Challenges, and Recommendations for the Future

AbstractIn Norway, children aged one to five years can attend subsidized and publicly regulated Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) centers. These centers focus on holistic child development through play, care, and learning. Therefore, Norway should be capable of providing young children with the best possible ECEC environment, thereby laying a solid foundation for their future school success. However, Norwegian 15-year-old students score at or below the average in mathematics, reading, and science compared to students in other OECD countries, and average scores are declining OECD (PISA 2022 Results (Volume I): The state of learning and equity in education, 2023). Several factors may contribute to Norwegian students’ average or below-average school performance, e.g., pedagogical weaknesses that were present even before school, in ECEC. An OECD report from 2015 pointed out several challenges in the Norwegian ECEC quality (Early childhood education and care policy review Norway, 2015), related to factors such as structural standards, monitoring of process quality, lack of independence of inspections, lack of understanding regarding monitoring, and insufficient monitoring practices. In this paper, we present: (1) Norwegian policy initiatives implemented in response to the OECD report, and (2) Research conducted after the OECD report on the quality levels of Norwegian ECEC, along with findings from interventions designed to improve quality. Based on this, we discuss the progress since the 2015 OECD report and highlight continuing challenges and important next steps to secure high ECEC quality in Norway for all children. We find that several policy initiatives have been implemented but observed ECEC quality levels after the 2015 report are still in the medium to low range.

Personality traits and foreign language anxiety: The mediating role of self-efficacy

We examined the mediating effect of self-efficacy on the relationship between personality traits and foreign language anxiety among university students of English as a foreign language. Using a cross-sectional study design, 524 Chinese undergraduate students completed the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS), the Big Five Inventory (BFI), and the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE). The PROCESS mediation analysis findings indicated that personality traits predicted foreign language learning anxiety. Self-efficacy significantly mediated the relationship between personality traits and foreign language anxiety, associated with lower foreign language anxiety. Openness and extroversion were associated with higher self-efficacy and lower foreign language anxiety. Neuroticism was associated with lower self-efficacy and higher foreign language anxiety. Educational programs, therapeutic interventions, and policy measures should be designed to enhance self-efficacy as an asset in foreign language learning experiences.

The Relevance of Kwame Nkrumah’s Education for Pan-Africanism in Decolonizing the Nigerian Educational System.

It is often contended that the system of education which the colonial masters brought to Nigeria was not entirely for the good of the citizens. It was a system of education that was meant to serve the colonialists without adding any meaning to the individual. The formulators of Nigerian Educational system, instead of formulating a unique policy of education that integrates our indigenous African educational system with essential elements from colonial education system, still continued with the structures of colonial elements which are not of great benefits to the Nigerian educational system like, the use of the English language as mode of communication in schools, the acceptance and inclusion of the Colonizers’ cultures and religion in the curriculum with the neglect of the indigenous cultures and religions, the too much emphasis on theoretical academic certification rather than merging both the theoretical and practical technical knowledge together for better development. This article presupposes the relevance of Kwame Nkrumah’s Education for Pan-Africanism in Decolonizing the Nigerian Educational System. It acknowledges the legacy of Nkrumah’s education for Pan-Africanism and contends that it can be used as a paradigm in recommending ways of decolonizing the Nigerian educational system. The article contends that with Nkrumah’s education for Pan-Africanism we can remove the colonial educational elements in the Nigerian Educational system that neither edify the indigenous educational system nor efficiently address the needs and problems of the people of Nigeria.

National Education Policy and Financial Literacy: A Study in the Light of Financial Inclusion

National Education Policy and Financial Literacy: A Study in the Light of Financial Inclusion

Widening access to higher education: a comparative historical review of first-generation students in England and the USA

ABSTRACT It is widely understood that access to a university education is a critical component in improving one’s position in life. Many countries have sought to widen access to higher education through policies and programmes. Still, first-generation students account for 22% of university graduates across the world (Bell and Santamaria [2018]. Understanding Experiences of First Generation University Students: Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Methodologies. London: Bloomsbury Academic). Both England and the USA have seen growing numbers of first-generation students enter their colleges and universities in recent years. Through a neoinstitutional lens, this article explores the educational policy trajectories of two countries, specifically England and the USA, to better understand the landscape of higher education for first-generation students.

An argument for open education policy

While many historically contingent barriers to individual liberty have been deconstructed, I argue that current education policy continues to maintain a discriminatory educational milieu that constitutes individuals as dis/abled. I describe this current government formulation of educational spaces as Closed Policy. Various contingent environmental barriers, dynamically intersecting with, for example, gender, class, ethnicity, physiology, and neurodiversity; inhibit individuals due to constructed notions of ability and disability. I draw upon the principles of Open Futures, Open Society, piecemeal social engineering, and prioritarianism to call for a deconstruction of Closed Policy and movement towards Open Policy. I argue that current educational policy is unjust and should be deconstructed to free individuals from coercion, prejudice, and harm. I argue for a shift towards Open Policy so that difference can be celebrated and the potential for Open Futures is maximised.

Strategi Melestarikan Budaya Indonesia di Era Modern

Indonesia, known for its diverse traditions and cultures, provides an interesting example of unity amidst diversity. This research explores the profound impact of culture on individual identity and societal development. By analyzing the evolution of Indonesian culture, from traditional practices to modern influences, we uncover the challenges faced due to globalization and the importance of cultural preservation. The research emphasizes the need for collaboration in protecting Indonesia's cultural heritage, highlighting the role of education, awareness, and government policy in keeping valuable traditions alive.

Using Unintended Consequences to Produce Intended Results: The Governance of Education in Sweden 1991-2020

This paper explores the linkages between institutional reform and performance management, and presents a previously unexplored new purpose of performance management. It argues that institutional reform relocating formal authority across institutional levels provides a context where indirect or unintended consequences of performance management can help compensate for a loss of formal authority. By using measurements of performance, central institutions could maintain some degree of control over areas where decentralization has deprived them of formal authority. The paper focuses the governance of education in Sweden where New Public Management and decentralization were concurrent reform campaigns in the 1990s. It analyzes Swedish central government’s use of performance management tools 1991-2020 based on a mapping of educational sector reform, regulations and policy documents, interviews with senior political and administrative officials, and performance statistics. The paper shows that the Swedish central government in the wake of an extensive decentralization reform turned to performance measurement as an instrument to control local authorities’ and schools’ delivery of public education. It increased the performance measurement of executive agencies and programs, developed instruments to measure the performances of local governments and schools, and tools to assess student results.

Development of an artificial intelligence curriculum design for children in Taiwan and its impact on learning outcomes

In the digital age, the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become an irreversible trend, with its potential in the field of education being particularly noteworthy. However, there are currently few AI education programs for children in Taiwan, and there is a lack of systematic teaching resources and methods, which poses a major challenge to the promotion of AI education. To address this challenge, this study designed a tailor-made AI curriculum for children in Taiwan, aimed at enhancing their foundational knowledge in the AI field and skills in using generative AI. This study was conducted in Taiwan, involving 30 elementary school students from grades 3 and 4, employing a single-group pre-test and post-test research design. Data were collected and analyzed through pre-and post-tests on AI knowledge quizzes and AI knowledge self-assessment, as well as the expert consensual assessment technique and the pupils’ attitude toward technology survey questionnaire. Research shows that students who participated in the AI course significantly improved their test scores on AI knowledge before and after the course. The students AI knowledge increased by 62.75%, demonstrating the course’s effectiveness and showing a positive attitude towards AI technology. Additionally, the student’s project outcomes demonstrated a high level of creativity. The students exhibited an enhanced interest and positive attitude towards learning AI, expressing a willingness to participate in more AI educational courses. This work provides valuable experience and guidance for the future integration of AI technology in children’s education, offering practical guidelines for teachers and researchers on how to effectively teach AI knowledge, as well as serving as a robust reference for educational policy makers in formulating strategies to promote AI education.

Canadian College of Medical Geneticists: clinical practice advisory document – responsibility to recontact for reinterpretation of clinical genetic testing

BackgroundAdvances in technology and knowledge have facilitated both an increase in the number of patient variants reported and variants reclassified. While there is currently no duty to recontact for reclassified...

The Educational Policy of Julian the Apostate

Julian the Apostate, the last pagan ruler of the Roman Empire has left a rich correspondence, the content of which is extremely varied. The epistles, most of which are authentic, form a separate volume in the editions and can be divided into four groups. The first group consists of the so-called Gallic letters, the second group includes the letters of Illyria and Constantinople, the letters from Asia Minor form the third group. Finally, the letters written from Antioch complete the list. In the following, we will discuss the School Edict and more particularly the letter that accompanies it (Ep. 61 Bidez – second group of letters). The decree of the Codex Theodosianus, dated 17 June 362, was rather short-lived, being in force only from July 362 to 11 January 364, but it is nevertheless an outstanding document of ancient educational history since no other emperor had previously issued similar regulations on the operation of teachers. Alongside this decree we may place the edict associated with Justinian (Cod. Just. I,5,18,4; I,11,10,2), which, conversely, forbids the pagan rhetors from education, but in the sixth century no one attempted to criticise it.

Divergent Pathways in North–South Education Policy Development in Ireland in the 1920s: Exploring the Influence of the First Ministers for Education on Both Sides of the Border

ABSTRACT A long tradition of both State and religious interest and support characterised provision for education on the island of Ireland from the 1700s. Following the partition of Ireland in the 1920s, the newly created political entities of the Irish Free State and Northern Ireland forged separate and distinct education policy trajectories that largely reinforced and propagated the dominant identity in each jurisdiction. This article explores and assesses the contributions of the first Ministers for Education in the Irish Free State and in Northern Ireland in the 1920s, Eoin MacNeill and Lord Londonderry, respectively. A particular emphasis is placed on their influence, impact and legacy on primary education policy development and enactment. Ultimately it could be argued that both Ministers can be characterised to a certain extent as political failures in terms of introducing and embedding education policy that aligned with their personal or political ambition and ideology.

Institutional policies and practices to improve access and success in higher education: the students’ proposals

ABSTRACT Ensuring equal conditions of access and success for all higher education students is a challenging task for educational systems and institutions. Understanding the students’ perspectives and needs regarding educational policies and institutional practices in higher education can be an important contribution to improving the quality of education. This paper aims to identify the main obstacles faced by students and their proposals for the improvement of policies and institutional practices in the Portuguese higher education system to promote access and success for all students. By using a mixed-methods approach, we gathered responses from 1,292 students enrolled in 56 HEIs. Data was analysed through content analysis with a pre-existing grid comprising three dimensions: socio-economic, educational and institutional. Descriptive statistics were carried out for the quantitative data. The results revealed socio-economic factors were the most frequently mentioned as needing improvement, followed by the educational and institutional factors. The results allow concluding that institutional practices and educational policies are directly related. Thus, the institutional and political improvement actions should be seen in a holistic and integrative way, integrating actions to enhance the students’ socio-economic, educational and institutional conditions.