Educationalfutures August 2008

Educationalfutures Journal Volume 1 Issue 1 Front Cover August 2008

Educationalfutures Volume 1(1) Editorial

This article argues that one of the effects of a globalisation of difference forces is upon the conceptualisation and functioning of education. One of the ways of examining such transformations is to ask educational leaders if they feel that the challenges they are having to deal with are changing, and in what ways. This article then does four things. First, it provides definitions of leadership and culture before describing a number of globalising forces which are having significant effects upon educational systems. Second, it reviews empirical research being conducted in and Hong Kong on the challenges that School Principals believe affect them at the present time and argues that this globalising background provides part of the reason for these Principals’ perceptions of their challenges. Third, it provides conceptual and practical links between these globalising tendencies and Principals’ practice. Finally it argues that these forces may well be having a ‘flattening’ tendency, leading to a reduced influence of cultural factors on leadership challenges.

State-directed curriculum and teaching methods, together with the competency-led compliance model which permeates teacher-training courses in and , have led to the demise of critical theory in teacher education. Non-teacher training undergraduate Education Studies, however, is a rapidly growing subject in universities today and offers the opportunity for the development of theory and a critical analysis of policy and practice. The nature of the subject is not yet well defined and a wide range of curricula live under the title of ‘Education Studies’. There is also variation in the extent to which courses claim to prepare students for initial teacher training. This paper explores the possibilities for Education Studies courses offered in and and examines their potential relationship to teacher training. A theoretical framework for Education Studies is proposed and it is suggested that a background in critical theory of education is an essential attribute for future teachers in enabling them to become thoughtful decision-makers and to resist the compliance culture of current teacher training. The work draws upon initial findings from the research carried out on undergraduate Education Studies courses in and . Particular curriculum examples are drawn from the Education Studies programme at Bath Spa University College.

This article provides an introduction to a reform in undergraduate teacher education at Moray House School of Education, University of Edinburgh. The reformed courses are based on principles of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and other student-centred methods, and involve a restructuring of teaching and learning, and new forms of assessment. The article draws on an early stage of evaluation, based on student comments and a sample of final assessments, in order to compare the reformed course with its predecessor.

Foundation Degrees are work-based programmes of higher education situated at intermediate level within the higher education qualifications framework and introduced in and in 2001. This paper investigates the emerging principles, practice and pedagogy of Foundation Degrees. It briefly reviews the historical and political development of the Foundation Degree and views the qualification through the lens of ‘the new vocationalism’ (Symes and McIntyre, 2000). The paper continues by scrutinising key features of the Foundation Degree format. Finally, pedagogical models aligned with work-based learning are considered and applied to the Foundation Degree model. In conclusion, the paper suggests that Foundation Degrees are emerging as a re-engineered form of work-based learning, with specific features that give the degree its uniqueness and with the potential for the development of a pedagogical framework unique to the Foundation Degree, thus underlining the qualification’s growing legitimisation within the higher education sector.

Spiritual education and spiritual development are both hotly debated. This conceptual discussion presents spiritual education as referring to personal understanding at its deepest level. It examines and critiques the broad definitions of spiritual education currently proposed, including such aspects as awe and wonder, emotional intelligence, creativity and spiritual intelligence. The article raises concerns about the imposition of doctrinal ‘certainties’ in an education system aspiring to ethical rational inquiry. A new secular model of rational spiritual education is described in which deep personal growth is viewed as the core process of not only spiritual education, but also of general education at its finest.

This paper considers the results of an investigation into the factors influencing students’ participation in AS-Level (Advanced Subsidiary) mathematics in . National statistics for Wales illustrate that considerably fewer females choose to study mathematics at AS-Level. This is despite a similar proportion of females and males achieving A*-C grades at GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) mathematics. This paper considers evidence from pupils which helps to identify some of the main influences on students’, and in particular girls’, mathematical participation. Supported by considerable statistical data, this paper suggests that anxiety about, confidence in and enjoyment of mathematics are all significant factors on students’ mathematics AS-Level choices, with gender stereotypical career aspirations also being a determining influence on students’ subject preferences.

The rapid increase in the use of ICT in education and the changing demands of the labour force requiring transferable skills provided by educational studies is an emerging reality. Even though in recent years there has been a upsurge of interest in the use of new technologies in higher education, there is as yet relatively little research on the ICT skills of undergraduate students in educational studies courses or how educational studies degrees can offer ICT skills to their students as a part of their study programme. Thus this research project was two fold. Firstly, it was intended to identify the ICT skills of Level 5 undergraduate students. The aim was to investigate students’ self perception of their ICT skills over a period of three months. Secondly, it aimed to investigate how students’ self perception changed over a module created to improve their ICT skills. The research project attempted to assess students’ self perception of their ICT skills using an ICT Audit test prior to and after the module had finished. The statistical nominal analysis of the ICT audit revealed that the Level 5 students with computer anxiety or less preparation for using computers are most at risk of not taking advantage of the wide range of universities ICT resources. However, the qualitative data revealed that these students overcame their computer anxiety when ICT is purposeful and contextualised.

Learning styles is arguably the most talked about phenomenon in schools at the present time. Here, we explore learning styles popularised as VAK and begin to interrogate some of the more unusual claims used to lend support to its credibility. Concerns are raised over the apparent rush to adopt VAK in an evidence-based profession which prides itself on critical reflection and analysis.