A World Of Difference Comparing Learners Across Europe

This fascinating volume compares the experience of young learners in England, France and Denmark in order to examine the relationship between national educational cultures, individual biographies and classroom practices in creating the context for learning. It explores how secondary schools in three very different education systems work to develop the aptitudes and attitudes conducive to lifelong learning in conditions of complexity, uncertainty and multiple change. By drawing upon a rich data-set including questionnaires, individual and group interviews and classroom observation, the book gives a voice to young learners in the three countries. Through detailed case studies and quotations it examines their concerns with schooling, with teachers, with motivation and achievement and explores the very different social contexts which influence their engagement with learning. This book will be an essential resource for researchers, practitioners, students and policy-makers and all those committed to understanding the relationship between culture and learning and to improving secondary education.

This fascinating volume compares the experience of young learners in England, France and Denmark in order to examine the relationship between national educational cultures, individual biographies and classroom practices in creating the context for learning. It explores how secondary schools in three very different education systems work to develop the aptitudes and attitudes conducive to lifelong learning in conditions of complexity, uncertainty and multiple change.

"This book provides an authoritative, ‘state of the art’ introduction to the key disciplines of education studies. It provides useful study activities and concise introductory notes on key texts, key figures, key centres and key journals in each discipline. A valuable and highly readable addition to the education studies literature." Clive Harber, Professor of International Education, University of Birmingham, UK This book is a comprehensive, student-friendly text, introducing you to the main education disciplines in one handy volume. In a lively and accessible manner, it examines the academic disciplines that underpin our understanding of education and the contexts within which learning takes place. The book covers the seven main subject disciplines that contribute to education as a broad field of study - history of education, politics of education, philosophy of education, economics of education, sociology of education, psychology of education and comparative education. Key features include: Seven extended chapters all written by specialist and experienced academics in their field A brief overview and history at the beginning of each chapter, followed by a selection of key themes and topics within the discipline Boxed summaries of key theorists and researchers throughout each chapter Tasks for the reader, along with extensive referencing and suggestions for further reading and research Studying Education is essential reading for students on Education Studies or PGCE courses, as well as all of those interested in or involved with education or schooling. Contributors: Rebecca Allen, Clyde Chitty, Will Curtis, Barry Dufour, Diahann Gallard, Angie S. Garden, Debbie Le Play, Richard Waller

In the World Library of Educationalists series, international experts themselves compile career-long collections of what they judge to be their finest pieces – extracts from books, key articles, salient research findings, major theoretical and practical contributions – so the world can read them in a single manageable volume. Readers will be able to follow the themes and strands and see how their work contributes to the development of the field. In a collection of her most influential work spanning nearly four decades, Patricia Broadfoot applies her trademark sociological and comparative perspective to empirical studies at every level of the educational system. From her classic long-term study of the impact of changing national assessment policies on pupils and teachers in the classrooms of England and France to her sustained championship of the need for a better understanding of the impact of assessment on learning, Broadfoot has consistently championed the need for a more developed sociological understanding of assessment. Broadfoot’s accessible writing offers insights that are as novel as they are important for the education of future generations. This book allows readers to follow themes and strands across Patricia Broadfoot’s career and will be of interest to all followers of her work and any reader interested in the development of teaching, learning and assessment.

An Introduction to Education Studies presents a concise overview for students who are new to this area of academic study. Part 1 introduces the reader to the main themes they will encounter in their study of education such as the sociology of education, the philosophy of education, comparative education, and ethics for educators. Part 2 explores the contexts within which education takes place in order to stimulate further thinking about education in action. Issues such as disaffection, pupil voice and breaking barriers to learning are introduced to give the reader a feel for such issues and how they might approach them. Through discussions of relevant literature and research, and the use of case studies and exploratory activities, students are encouraged to actively engage with their learning about theories and disciplines within the study of education and the contexts in which learners live and work. Each chapter is written in an accessible style and provides the reader with start points for further study. This book serves as a true course companion to meet the needs of students and lecturers working on Education Studies programmes. Prospective teachers may also find the book of interest as the subject matter is discussed in terms of theory and practical applications in a range of educational contexts.

This volume recognises how many researchers across the social sciences, and in comparative and international education in particular, see themselves as insiders or outsiders or, more pertinently, shifting combinations of both, in the research process. The book revisits and problematises these concepts in an era where the global mobility of researchers and ideas has increased dramatically, and when advances in comparative, qualitative research methodologies seek to be more inclusive, collaborative, participatory, reflexive and nuanced. Collectively, the chapters argue that, in the context of such change, it has become more difficult to categorise and label groups and individuals as being ‘inside’ or ‘outside’ systems, professional communities, or research environments. In doing so, it is recognised that individual and group identities can be multiple, flexible and changing such that the boundary between the inside and the outside is permeable, less stable and less easy to draw. The book draws upon an exciting collection of original research carried out in a diversity of educational systems from British, European, Latin American, Indian Ocean, South Asian, African and Chinese contexts and cultures. This develops a deep and innovative reconsideration of key issues that must be faced by all researchers involved in the planning and conduct of in-depth field research. This is a challenging and stimulating methodological contribution, designed to advance critical and reflective thinking while providing practical and accessible guidance, insights and support for new and experienced researchers within and beyond the field of comparative and international education.

Learning beyond Cognition goes beyond a merely cognitive understanding of learning. The concept denotes the ideological and mental formation of the individual as well as the individual's own shaping of an identity. Learning beyond Cognition expands on the notion of 'Building' and the current debate about citizenship education. The book outlines contemporary educational policies and practices in Europe and other Western countries. The authors analyse dominating discourses and learning practices to identify their social and cultural 'grounding' and potentials. The authors are experienced international scholars. This book is aimed to become an essential resource for researchers, teachers, students and policy-makers who address the current challenges to learning.

This two-volume compendium brings together leading scholars from around the world who provide authoritative studies of the old and new epistemic motifs and theoretical strands that have characterized the interdisciplinary field of comparative and international education in the last 50 years. It analyses the shifting agendas of scholarly research, the different intellectual and ideological perspectives and the changing methodological approaches used to examine and interpret education and pedagogy across different political formations, societies and cultures.