By Elspeth McCartney, University of Strathclyde, Scotland, UK, and Joan Forbes, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK This brief comment is prompted by discussion at a recent seminar on Distributed Leadership: Theory, Principle, and Practice by Professor Jim Spillane, Northwestern University Chicago, hosted by the Robert Owen Centre for Educational Change, University of Glasgow, and the… Continue reading
Post by Michele Schweisfurth. Over the past year a team of researchers has been investigating the relationship between education (especially higher education) and the formation of developmental leadership in the Philippines. Since the Education for All agreements of the 1990s and the Millennium Development Goals, the emphasis for investment in education in low-income countries has been… Continue reading
By Kristinn Hermannsson According to Audit Scotland, resources of Further Education Colleges in Scotland have shrunk in real terms, with staffing reduced by 9.3% between 2011 and 2014. FECs in England are bracing for further cuts (see: http://fefunding.org.uk/background/), which in turn put additional pressure on the sector in Scotland. From an economic perspective this is… Continue reading
By Sarah St. John– In the news this month, we read of UCAS opening up to European universities so that students can also apply overseas via the online system alongside their UK applications. This news will have pulled opinions in two directions, with some fearing a brain drain as students are attracted to the lower tuition fees… Continue reading
By Chris Chapman Traditionally, we have focused on change within schools. This has delivered some returns: at worst – tactically ratcheting up test scores at the expense of capacity building and at best – increasing schools’ capacity to manage change for the longer term. In addition, improving the learning level is crucial and within-school approaches… Continue reading
By Jacqueline Baxter– The summary of the education policy proposals policies of the five main political parties reveals the weighting each places on social justice and the importance of creating a democratic, equitable education system. But on closer investigation, are the proposals new or are we seeing same old, same old wheeled out for 2015 and will… Continue reading
By Dr. Elspeth McCartney- ‘Setting’, grouping children with others of similar attainment, perhaps changing groups across curriculum areas, is widely-used in classrooms. This post is not about the de/merits of setting, but the forms of evidence used to justify and contest it. In September The Guardian (3.11.14) announced the English Education Secretary’s intention of making setting virtually… Continue reading
By Paul Stanistreet- It won’t grab many headlines, even in the specialist education press, but there is a growing crisis in adult participation in education and training, with stark implications both for our economy and our democracy. If the trend continues it will soon be necessary to reinvent from scratch a part of the… Continue reading
By Cristina Costa – Literacy was, still is and will continue to be a core mission of education. The ‘popular’ meaning of ‘being literate’ has usually been associated with the notion of being able to read and write; a fundamental skill to prevail in a society in which the written word has a massive impact… Continue reading
By Oscar Odena and Richard Race. There is a prevailing sense that the term ‘race’, used in the past to highlight difference based on perceived ability and temperament, is no longer acceptable. ‘Race’ issues appear to be currently off the policy agenda, subsumed into ‘social justice’, ‘inclusion’ and ‘ethnicity’ topics. However ‘race’ is still a… Continue reading
