Provision Of Education In Schools Research Articles

Financing adult learning and education (ALE) now and in future.

This article submits that while the world continues to view education as a human right, it also persists in depriving an important section of it – namely adult learning and education (ALE) – of adequate funding. Located within the lifelong learning domain, which facilitates both the resolution of challenges and adjustment to the vagaries of living throughout a lifetime, ALE is indispensable within the framework of the United Nations 2030 Agenda with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This article identifies four factors which are currently responsible for the poor funding of ALE. These factors are: (1) the world’s obsession with the provision of school education; (2) the lack of adequate instruments to work out ALE’s returns on investment; (3) the hope that employers will ultimately supply ALE; and (4) the assumption that an expansion of formal schooling will eventually lead to the establishment of literate societies free of inter-generational crises. Since ALE is generally framed as a broad literacy education project, the author undertakes a review of literacy education costing. This leads him to posit that quality literacy education can be supplied at a unit cost ranging between USD 150 and USD 250 annually within any Global Alliance for Literacy (GAL) country. Finally, the article offers four recommendations to increase ALE funding going forward.

Physical Education Provision in Schools. A Role for Dance

The purpose of this paper is to stimulate debate in relation to physical education provision in the school environment. The paper outlines the potential benefits of dance as a viable alternative/addition to the provision of traditional physical activities used currently in the school setting. Further to this, the paper also comments on the changing role of the physical education teacher in the delivery and structure of physical education classes. Finally, the paper discusses the usefulness of dance in relation to physiological and psychological benefits.

The Education (Scotland) Act 1872 and its significance for the Church of Scotland.

During the 1850’s and 60’s there was increasing discontent regarding the provision of school education as controlled and managed by the Church of Scotland. This led to a number of Parliamentary Bills being brought forward proposing a new national system. The Church opposed these mainly on the grounds that there was no guarantee that Religious Instruction would continue to have a place in the school curriculum. In February 1872 Lord Advocate George Young presented in the Commons an Education Bill ‘To extend and amend the provisions of the law of Scotland on the subject of education’ in order that ‘the means of procuring efficient education … may be furnished and made available to the whole people of Scotland.’ This was passed on 2nd August as The Education (Scotland) Act 1872 and transferred the full control of schools from church to state. The Act included a Preamble allowing for Religious Instruction to be taught according to ‘use and wont’. The removal of its management of school education may be seen as a major blow for the Church of Scotland, removing a historic contribution to national life. In actual fact, the consequence was the revitalising of the Church enabling it to concentrate its energy on strengthening its influence in the community and in outreach to its parishes with a new sense of social mission. Although the Church had lost its direct control of the school curriculum it continued to support Religious Instruction through its Teacher Training, its Sunday schools and its ministerial representation on school boards.

Determinants of Implementation of County Bursary Regulations in Kirinyaga County, Kenya

Kirinyaga County bursary scheme was introduced in the 2013/14 financial year. Bursary for secondary schools and higher level institutions being a National government function, the county sought advice from the then cabinet to offer state support to enhance access, ensure retention and reduce corruption in the provision of school education. Poor vetting criterion and compliance of guidelines have resulted in cronyism and nepotism which have plagued the bursary award process for decades. Poor monitoring & evaluation has piled up grievances with no follow up system. Lack of clear regulations on funding allocation has allowed political interference on budget cycles. The County bursary targets were students from poor households and the vulnerable. This study sought to examine the determinants of implementation of county bursary regulations in Kirinyaga County, Kenya. The study was guided by the following objectives; To establish the extent to which compliance of guidelines determines the implementation of County Bursary in Kirinyaga County, to explore the extent to which vetting criteria determines the implementation of County Bursary in Kirinyaga County, to examine the extent to which funding allocation determines the implementation of County Bursary in Kirinyaga County and to examine the extent to which monitoring of utilization of the bursary fund determines the implementation of County Bursary in Kirinyaga County. The new public administration theory that captures the concept of equity and fairness was adopted to explore the gaps during implementation of county bursary regulations in Kirinyaga County. The study sourced requisite data from 70 parents whose students benefited from bursary and 31 principals, both samples having been picked from the PTAs membership. The respondents were drawn using a combination of random and purposive sampling procedures. The study adopted descriptive design which was used to analyze primary data. Data was presented, interpreted and analyzed using frequency & percentage distributions, cross tabulations with STATA. Qualitative data in form of first hand experiences, informed opinions and suggestions, were analyzed using qualitative procedures and were used to strengthen quantitative findings. The results of the study indicated that majority of beneficiaries allocation by need were from poor households 51% followed by bright students at 29%. Similarly, orphans and special needs students both received 9.7%.

NON EUROPEAN CULTURAL HERITAGES IN POETRY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE (IN AND OUT OF SCHOOL)

The provision of education in schools can play an important role in managing social change brought about by the varied cultural legacies of migration. Poetry can be especially well-suited to encouraging awareness, reflection and debate about cultural difference. This article reflects on ideas that could be impeding such acknowledgement in school poetry selections and teaching strategies and highlights poetry’s overlooked suitability to engage young people in the expression of cultural difference in a progressively globalized world where cultivating cross-cultural understanding and tolerance needs to be at the top of our agendas

HARNESSING ICT TO ENHANCE PROVISION OF SCHOOL EDUCATION: THE POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

The decision on harnessing ICT in school education can pursue as a primary objective the acquaintance of students with ICT, the reduction of the costs of the education or the improvement of the educational results. Governments should consider ICT policies and programs on the Harnessing ICT in education as policies and programs for the school transformation. The focus areas include learning with ICT when suitable; teaching with ICT when suitable; developing a culture of ICT-promoted educational changes; building digital infrastructure to promote learning and teaching. The main issues and recommendations for each area are presented.

Legal problems of ensuring equal conditions for realization the constitutional right to education

The subject of the paper is legal conditions for realization the constitutional right to education.The purpose of the paper is to confirm or disprove the hypothesis that legal measures of realization of the right to education that are used in developed foreign countries can be used in Russia to improve Russian educational legislation.The methodology. General scientific methods as analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, comparison were used. The author also uses the formal legal interpretation of Russian judicial decisions as well as comparative legal method.The main results and scope of their application. The court decisions supporting the principle of territorial consolidation of schools indicate that this principle does not exclude the possibility of citizens not residing in the fixed territory to enter the school of their choice. However, the implementation of this feature, due to the lack of legislative regulations of the procedure, can cause bias, corruption and other abuses of constitutional right to education. Inequality children’s opportunities to enter the school due to their place of residence persists in the individual selection process. Situations where there are no clear and consistent rules for the provision school education inevitably generates numerous violations of citi-zens' rights and inequality based on the financial situation of parents. In Russia, there is no "waiting list", when children wishing to enroll in a particular school, would be taken to the vacant place. Accordingly, the adoption of such decisions by school administrations also lies in the plane of subjective discretion and causes corruption risks. China's experience is interesting because there are transparent, equal conditions for legal attraction of extra-budgetary funds to the school system, which do not turn access to education in the best schools into a corruption scheme or competition of parents ' incomes and do not infringe the rights of those who seek to enter them on the basis of their own achievements and knowledge. Speaking about the British experience, it is interesting to note that the lack of vacancies in the school itself can not be a reason for refusing to enroll a child in school.Conclusions. The legal experience of developed countries, such as the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Japan, China, in regulating the grounds and procedures for the provision of school education can be successfully applied in order to improve the Russian legislation, which establishes the legal mechanisms for the implementation of the constitutional right to education.

Professionality of Junior High School (SMP) Science Teacher in Preparing Instructional Design of Earth and Space Sciences (IPBA)

The teacher is one important factor in the provision of education in schools. Therefore, improving the quality of education means we need to enhance the quality and the professionalism of teachers. We offer a solution through education and training of junior high school science teachers in developing the instructional design of Earth and Space Sciences (IPBA). IPBA is part of the science subjects which is given to students from elementary school to college. This research is a preliminary study of junior high school science teacher professionalism in creating instructional design IPBA. Mixed method design is used to design the research. Preliminary studies conducted on junior high school science teacher in one MGMPs in South Sumatera, and the respondent are 18 teachers from 13 schools. The educational background of science teachers who teach IPBA not only from physical education but also biology and agriculture. The result of preliminary study showed that the ratio of teachers who teach IPBA are 56% from physic education, 39% from biology, and 5% from agriculture. The subjects of IPBA that considered difficult by teachers are the distribution of sun, moon, and satellite motion; specific processes in lithosphere and atmosphere; and the correlation between lithosphere and atmosphere with the environment. The teachers also face difficulty in preparing media, choosing the right methods in teaching IPBA.

School-based drug education and prevention: the impact of inspection and curriculum provision

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the links between school inspection requirements as represented by Ofsted and the provision of drug education programmes in schools. Design/methodology/approach – An examination of relevant guidance from the Department of Education and the school inspection agency Ofsted; and reference to the research literature and evidence base around drug education. Findings – The provision of drug education programmes in schools is influenced by the requirements of the national curriculum; and the frameworks used by Ofsted in its inspections. Recent reduction in emphasis on drug education in both sources has reduced the extent and quality of drug education in schools. Research limitations/implications – The paper looks at national documentation and conclusions. It is not a quantitative study of school provision – some indication of this is provided by Ofsted reports. Practical implications – The paper indicates that reports and conclusions from Ofsted and other bodies, e.g. House of Commons select committees and the ACMD, have in the recent past reported on rather than informed governmental action. Social implications – The paper concludes that central government support and professional training and development are essential ingredients in the provision of universal drug education in schools. Originality/value – The paper illustrates some of the factors involved in the provision of drug education; the contribution this can make to drug prevention, including harm reduction; and the seeming lack of understanding of education and prevention in the wider professional and political discussions about drugs and their use.

Democratic citizenship and the limits to immigrants' multicultural exercise of fundamental rights in public spaces: the case of Spain

The following paper deals with the well-known issues of citizenship and multiculturalism from the point of view of democratic constitutional law. It is argued that democratic citizenship plays a role as a promoter of and at the same time as a source of limitations on the development of multiculturalism. On the one hand, the democratisation of citizenship makes it the proper constitutional tool for enhancing multiculturalism through its culturally open safeguarding of fundamental rights. But on the other hand, the need to preserve the democratic (but still mostly national) character of citizenship implies a certain limitation of the scope of multiculturalism in four different ways: the liberal democratic understanding of fundamental rights that flows from constitutional texts; the provision of compulsory civic-democratic education in schools; the political and cultural requirements established for naturalisation; and finally the definition of the fundamental rights agenda by the cultural majority that is embodied in a democratic framework of government.

“We don’t get taught enough”: an assessment of drug education provision in schools in England

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the provision of drug education in schools in England by exploring the views of young people and teachers. The study synthesises the commonalities between experiences of teaching and learning and, in doing so, offers insight on policy and practice. Design/methodology/approach – The paper incorporates two pieces of research: a survey of 590 secondary school pupils in London that generated insight on the collective experience of drug education; and a survey of 288 teachers in primary and secondary schools throughout England, supplemented by 20 in-depth interviews. The paper also draws on learning from the practical implementation of the Alcohol and Drug Education and Prevention Information Service (ADEPIS). Findings – The research provides insight into the current status of drug education provision and outlines key constraints to effective delivery. The paper also presents ADEPIS as a potential framework for supporting schools. Research limitations/implications – The research incorporated a relatively small number of schools and only accessed the views of young people in London; the results therefore require further substantiation. There is also a need for further evaluation of ADEPIS, including comparison with schools that develop drug education practice independent of external guidance. Practical implications – The paper highlights the need for improvement in drug education, with implications for national policy, particularly in relation to subject-specific teacher training, increased central guidance, and the statutory status of PSHE. Originality/value – The research fulfils the need to represent the voices of young people in discussions on drug education, as well as contributing to wider debates around improving the quality of drug education.

A Study of Elementary and Secondary Teacher Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Aging and the Implementation of Aging Education in Taiwan

This study surveys elementary and secondary teachers in Taiwan and compares the findings with other studies conducted in America and Japan. The objective is to explore differences among teachers in Taiwan, Japan, and the United States in terms of their knowledge of, and attitudes toward, aging and the implementation of aging education in schools. Multistage sampling was adopted, with a total of 1038 Taiwanese elementary and secondary teachers sampled. It was found that while knowledge of aging among Taiwanese teachers appears lower in comparison with American teachers, their attitudes toward aging are largely consistent with their American counterparts. In addition, Taiwanese teachers seem to offer just as little aging education in schools as their American and Japanese counterparts. Lastly, Taiwanese teacher attitudes toward aging, rather than their knowledge of aging, correlate closely to their provision of aging education in schools. Educational authorities should, therefore, offer teachers pre- and in-service education on aging or gerontology so as to equip them with the right knowledge on, and positive attitudes toward, aging. By so doing, teachers will be more likely to teach the subject of aging in schools.

The sex factor—listening and responding to young people's sexual health needs

Background: Young people's Sexual Health in Scotland is undeniably poor with high rates of teenage pregnancy and increasing levels of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). Method: Bringing together young people from across Scotland to gather ideas and identify real issues for young people NHS Education for Scotland (NES) Young Peoples Public Partnership Forum (PPF) organised a national event. This was attended by over 150 school pupils aged IIIS and accompanying teachers from throughout the country, accommodating a wide and diverse geographical, cultural and social spread. The event hosted facilitated workshops on contraception and pregnancy, STIs and the media and relationships. Results: Key issues from the day highlighted an inequality in sexual health education provision in schools and limited access to youth friendly services, alongside the recognition of the influence of the media in relation to this agenda. Conclusion: Overwhelmingly the young people at this event stressed that these were big ongoing issues for them as teenagers that sexual health is an important part of adolescence and on the whole they felt ill-equipped to make informed decisions. Outcomes from these discussions will inform the development of a NES Education resource toolkit for educators and health professionals.

Seizing the Moment: improving curriculum and pedagogy prospects for physical education in Scotland

This article points out that recent government pronouncements clearly envisage an enhanced status for the provision of physical education in schools in Scotland. This being the case, it is essential that policy makers, researchers and teachers examine many of the contested aims and conflicting agendas now in existence so that outcomes can match investment.

How teachers value and practise professional learning

If teachers are to sustain engagement with the challenges involved in promoting Learning How to Learn in classrooms they need to continue learning, and to be supported to do so by their schools. This article addresses the research question, ‘How do teachers value and practise professional learning?’ Data are reported from the ESRC TLRP Learning How to Learn project’s Staff Questionnaire in 2002; 1018 Questionnaire returns were obtained from primary and secondary teachers and managers at 32 schools: a return of 73%. Theoretical and empirical insights that influenced the construction of Questionnaire items are discussed. Four hypotheses about teacher learning were developed on the basis of a review of over 30 years of research into teachers’ learning: (1) teachers’ learning is an embedded feature of teachers’ classroom practice and reflection; (2) teachers’ learning is extended through consulting different sources of knowledge; (3) teachers’ learning is expanded through collaborative activity; (4) teachers’ learning is deepened through talking about and valuing learning. Item specific analysis, and factor and cluster analysis were carried out. The strong factor structure provides support for the hypotheses. Our main findings are: (1) teachers appear to differentiate between learning that takes place in the classroom and learning that takes place outside the classroom; (2) teachers tend to value a wide range of individual and social learning as important for creating opportunities for pupils to learn; (3) levels of practice for classroom‐based learning tend to be lower than for out‐of‐class learning. This was particularly marked for learning that involves engaging with research and pupil ideas and feedback. We conclude by arguing that, despite the risks involved, teachers’ classroom‐based learning and the institutional support for it are indispensable to the sustained provision of high quality education in schools.

The ethical climate of public schooling under new public management

The movement of public services into direct competition with their private enterprise counterparts is a common feature of public sector policy throughout the developed world. The publicly funded provision of school education has not been exempt from this trend. The creation of a competitive climate is placing public school leaders and teachers under pressure to improve performance in an environment where parents-as-consumers choose the schools to which they send their children. Drawing on data from two recent studies involving principals, a description is given of some of the difficult ethical situations encountered in schools and the professional values that are put under stress as a result of the new competitive climate. Some implications are outlined for the design of professional development programmes for school principals and teachers.

Policy influences on the implementation of vocational education and training in Australian Secondary Schools1

The provision of vocational education in Australian secondary schools has a long history. This article traces policy influences on the provision of vocational education since Federation, but with a particular emphasis on the 1980s and 1990s. Since 1901 vocational education provision in schools has shifted from a state prerogative with economic objectives to a 1999 position of shared responsibility with the Federal government and attendant Federal and state post-school vocational training authorities. During the 1990s a school-based model of vocationalism emerged that encompassed economic, educational and social objectives not always present in the prescribed post-school model. Consequently a process of accommodation emerged as school-based vocational programs developed regional partnerships with enterprises but within the various national qualifications and standards frameworks of the post-school VET sector. The rise of these two models of vocationalism is having an impact on national policy development as the concept of structural integration between school and post-school, education and work, and vocational and academic activities now takes hold.

Prompting teachers’ constructive reflection: pupils’ questions as critical incidents

Constructive reflection is seen as an important ingredient in the professional development of teachers, in order to stimulate significant change in approaches to classroom practice and the general provision of science education in schools. This paper explores the use of pupils’ questions in provoking ‘critical incidents’ in the professional lives of teachers. It is suggested that pupils’ questions can be both indicative of their own conceptual change as well as being sophisticated prompts for teachers to examine their own thinking. Case studies of two teachers ‐‐ one primary and one secondary ‐‐ are used to illuminate how such critical incidents can lead to changes in teacher thinking, resulting then in changes in classroom practice in science. Suggestions are made for the use of pupils’ questions as critical incidents in the professional development of teachers.

Music with Emotionally Disturbed Children

The writers highlights the difficulties relating to the provision of music education in schools for the emotionally and behaviourally disturbed – formerly labelled maladjusted. Often considered un-teachable within junior and secondary schools, such children are assigned to EBD schools or units where, musically speaking, they seem to fall between the two stools of mainstream and special education, unable to reap the benefits of either. The case is argued for the inclusion of music within a programme of therapeutic education based on the writers research within these schools, and recommendations are made as to how music may be made more accessible within this context.