Monthly Archives: May 2012

A Quick Scan of Ed News Over the Past Few Weeks

Students’ roles in education policy and the costs of higher education are the subject of debates and protest in Austria, Canada, and South America  (“Student group demands direct ballot for student representation”; “Protesters clash with police as Quebec students’ grievances grow”; “60,000 Chileans protest in the year’s first authorized student march”).

Control of education, the autonomy of schools and public and private education have been in the news in Germany, Japan, India, and New Zealand (“Cost explosion in education administration: Court of Auditors urges centralization under Federal Government of all education matters”; “Governor and Prefectural Board of Education in Shimane Agreed on Joint Determination of Educational Goals”; “Who picks up the tab?; Charter school trials to take place across the country”).

A host of issues related to teachers and teaching quality including teacher evaluation and merit pay, student-teacher relations, and stress and burnout have also been subjects of discussion in England, Australia, Austria, South Korea, and Germany (“Great teachers: Attracting, training and retaining the best”; “Annual appraisal plan includes observing teachers in classroom”; “Demand for reduction in teachers‘ holidays”; “More teachers insulted by students, parents”; “Pupils overstrain their teachers”).

Austria

Integrative vocational education has positive impact (in German)
Dornmayr, H.  Institut für Bildungsforschung der Wirtschaft (Institute for Research on Qualifications and Training of the Austrian Economy) (April 2012)

In 2003, the Austrian Government introduced a measure called “integrative vocational education” to allow students with disabilities or any other kind of disadvantage to choose adapted forms of apprenticeships. A recent study shows that the measure is having a positive impact for the students concerned and is promoting their integration into the job market. According to the report, 52% of students remained in their jobs following their integrative vocational education, and a further 10% changed to another apprenticeship. Although 22% of students are unemployed and 8% are engaged in job center skills development, 23% of the drop-outs found a new integrative apprenticeship opportunity shortly after dropping out. The study also reveals that business apprenticeships have been more effective than inter-company vocational training.

England

Great Teachers: attracting, training and retaining the best
United Kingdom Parliament (1 May 2012)

The Education Select Committee has released its ninth report with a set of recommendations on teacher training and retention. The committee recommends that Performance Related Pay be introduced in England as a way of increasing the attainment of students by rewarding and retaining the most ‘effective’ teachers in the profession.  Other studies, including this one conducted by the RAND Corporation in New York City, have called into question the effectiveness of teacher merit pay for improving student academic achievement.

Germany

Kindergarten in Germany not well in early childhood education (in German)
Zeit Online (26 April 2012)

The initial results of the NUBEKK (Nationale Untersuchung zur Bildung, Betreuung und Erziehung in der frühen Kindheit) study funded by the Ministry for Families, the Jacobs Foundation, the Robert Bosch Foundation, and some federal states show that early childhood education is improvable in Germany. The study has explored 600 childcare facilities over two years. 2000 children and their parents have been observed in this period. In a quality test especially related to reading, math, science and intercultural learning, 80% of the childcare facilities only reached a score in the middle range. But results also show that mothers notice increased communication skills after early entrance into kindergarten. The complete research report will be published in Autumn 2012.

Australia

Annual appraisal plan includes observing teachers in classroom
Arlington, K.  Sydney Morning Herald (27 April 2012)

Australia is implementing its first national guidelines for performance assessments of teachers, giving them a clear understanding of 1) what they will be expected to achieve each year and 2) how their performance will be measured.  Every teacher will set goals for the year, have their performance reviewed, and provide evidence in support of their performance.  (Evidence will include improved student results and feedback from students, parents, peers or supervisors on goal attainment.)  Classroom observations will also be carried out.  In return, teachers will receive constructive feedback and may be eligible for performance bonuses. National consultations of the document, developed by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL), will be held before it is implemented next year.  Anthony Mackay, the chair of the AITSL, argues for “recognizing and supporting the best” teachers here.

In addition, below is a video from AITSL about the desired outcomes of teaching standards: