Annette Scheunpflug

Global education and education for sustainability

This article focuses on the relationship between development education/global education and education for sustainability. A short introduction describes the current use of the term ‘global education’ and the different groups working and competing within this area in the development field. In the first part, the history of the concept of ‘global education’ is outlined. The authors describe the conceptual shifts from Third World pedagogy to development education to global education. In the second part, the current conceptual debate within the global‐education discourse itself is described. The relationship between the concepts of global education and education for sustainability is reflected on in the third part. Finally, the current challenges for the implementation in practice, for the conceptual debate, and for the research agenda in the field of global education are outlined.

Judgment Confidence and Judgment Accuracy of Teachers in Judging Self-Concepts of Students

ABSTRACT Accurate teacher judgments of student characteristics are considered to be important prerequisites for adaptive instruction. A theoretically important condition for putting these judgments into operation is judgment confidence. Using a German sample of 96 teachers and 1,388 students, the authors examined how confident teachers are in their judgments of students’ mathematic and verbal self-concepts, and whether judgment confidence is related to judgment accuracy. Judgment confidence was largely student specific, and the majority of teachers were overconfident of their judgments. Moreover, teacher confidence was higher for extreme judgments. In the subject of mathematics, judgment confidence was moderately associated with judgment accuracy. The findings challenge the efficacy of adapting instruction to student characteristics, as it is obvious that many teachers are not aware of their judgment inaccuracy.

Global education and cross-cultural learning: A challenge for a research-based approach to international teacher education

This article discusses teaching competencies for global education, beginning with an outline of some of the challenges for orientation and learning which are the result of rapid globalisation. An example of a situation in a recent class is used to illustrate the kinds of professional challenges that teachers encounter, including those related to dealing with paternalism, complexity and insecurity. The consequences of these challenges for teacher education are then outlined. Finally, the discussion highlights a number of areas of research which are needed in the future and suggest a framework for research-based teacher education in global learning.

Non-governmental religious schools in Germany – increasing demand by decreasing religiosity?

This paper addresses the situation of non-governmental religious schools in Germany. The available empirical data demonstrate an increasing demand for these schools in recent decades. In this paper, possible causes of this development are discussed. First, the given constitutional framework for religion in governmental and non-governmental schools is presented. The particularity of the German school system comes into view: not only the churches but also the state – as an expression of its neutrality towards religion – maintains religious schools; furthermore, denominational religious instruction is also given in governmental non-religious schools. Second, the phenomenon of religious school selection will be considered: in which educational domains are non-governmental religious schools increasing? Where are they decreasing? Third, hypotheses explaining these developments – such as the special educational profiles of non-governmental religious schools, the wish for social distinction, avoiding problems of governmental schools, and better performance – are discussed.

Schulen in evangelischer Trägerschaft

Schulen in evangelischer Tragerschaft stellen in Deutschland eine sehr heterogene Gruppe dar (vgl. zu Osterreich Politt u.a. 2007). Es gibt Schulen in Tragerschaft von Kirchengemeinden oder Landeskirchen, Schulen in der Tragerschaft von Elternvereinigungen, die sich als evangelisch bezeichnen oder Schulen in der Tragerschaft von diakonischen Einrichtungen. Von daher sind Schulen in evangelischer Tragerschaft sowohl in der Tragerschaft von nicht-staatlichen Korperschaften des offentlichen Rechts, von gemeinnutzigen oder gewinnorientierten Gesellschaften als auch in Tragerschaft von lokalen Elternvereinen als „Freie evangelische Schulen“ zu finden. Entsprechend vielfaltig sind die Zusammenschlusse von Schulen evangelischer Tragerschaft, deren Finanzierungsmodelle, rechtliche Absicherungen in Stiftungen und lokale Auspragungen, die einerseits den landeskirchlichen Strukturen, aber auch den foderalen Strukturen Rechnung tragen. Dieses kann im vorliegenden Beitrag nur ansatzweise abgebildet werden. Es ware aber falsch, Schulen in evangelischer Tragerschaft eine gleichformige Organisationsstruktur in der Hand der evangelischen Landeskirchen zu unterstellen oder gar eine direkte Einwirkung der Kirchenstrukturen auf die Schulen anzunehmen. Dies ist auch aus theologischen und bildungspolitischen Grunden nicht gewollt.

Understanding Learning in World Society: Qualitative Reconstructive Research in Global Learning and Learning for Sustainability.

Global learning aims to change behaviour and attitudes. Changes in these areas are not easy to assess. This article discusses the documentary method, which belongs to the group of qualitative reconstructive research methods. The authors argue that this method allows reflection on collective orientations and tacit knowledge. The different steps of data analysis are introduced and explained using a research example from the field of global learning that focuses on orientations towards world society in youth encounters between youth groups in the northern and southern hemispheres.

Elterninvestment — eine Annäherung an für Erziehung relevantes Verhalten aus soziobiologischer Perspektive

Mit evolutionarer Theoriebildung wird seit einigen Jahren daran gearbeitet, Verhalten, das bisher eher in den Sozial- und Geisteswissenschaften reflektiert wurde, aufzuklaren. Es ist fraglich, ob dieser Zugang auch im interdisziplinaren Dialog zwischen Bio- und Erziehungswissenschaft Erklarungs- und Reflexionskraft entfalten konnte. An einem Beispiel, dem Investment von Eltern in ihre Kinder, werden der Theoriehintergrund und der Forschungsstand soziobiologischer Theoriebildung umrissen. Es zeigt sich, dass sich die aus biowissenschaftlicher Perspektive beschriebenen Zusammenhange auch in erziehungswissenschaftlich relevanten Kontexten wiederfinden lassen. Ob diese Theoriebildung aber damit auch zur erziehungswissenschaftlichen Erkenntnisgenerierung beitragen kann, bleibt offen.

A Systematic Perspective on Intergenerational Learning: Theoretical and Empirical Findings

Intergenerational learning is a growing field of practice across Europe. Against a background of demographic and social changes within European countries and the subsequently altering learning processes between different generations in families, communities, and workplaces, educational organizations face the challenge of providing learning opportunities for the different generations. This paper presents research related to the development of intergenerational learning programs in German adult education organizations. Within that project, adult educators from different organizations took part in a training module on intergenerational learning and subsequently created intergenerational learning programs in their own organizations. In this paper we provide insight into the training program of the participating adult educators, as well as into the results of our empirical study. First, we present the systematic framework of intergenerational learning that was used in the training module to initiate the development of practical intergenerational programs. We then present our research design and the results of the qualitative study. Finally, we discuss these results in terms of theory.

»Organisation« als Kategorie des Lernens über Globalisierung in Begegnungen im Nord-Süd-Kontext

In diesem Beitrag fragen wir danach, welche informellen Lerneffekte eine Organisation im Hinblick auf das Verstandnis von Weltgesellschaft induziert. Wie beeinflussen Organisationen (Schule, internationale Jugendverbande, Kirchen) interkulturelles bzw. weltgesellschaftliches Lernen und wie werden sie in diesem Sinne padagogisch? Wir bearbeiten diese Frage anhand von Daten aus unserem von der DFG geforderten Projekt, zum Lernen von Jugendlichen in Begegnungsreisen.

Building Public Awareness of Development

The Millennium Development Goals, the aid effectiveness agenda, and global interdependence have contributed to more demand and a sense of urgency for greater public awareness and learning about these promises, and challenges, in OECD countries. Donors and practitioners could make greater use of evaluations, and their findings, to increase the effectiveness and results of public communication, advocacy and education about global development. The first step is to understand the evaluation process and respect its rigours. The second is to acknowledge and learn how to deal with the political nature of evaluation, the third is to understand its limitations. DAC members, along with their partners, should work together to strengthen evaluation of public awareness and learning by creating a space (e.g. website) to share perspectives, experiences and results from evaluation; pooling resources for scientific research on the long-term impact of public awareness raising activities; building a stronger knowledge base for what works and what doesn’t work in this sector; and finally, working together to develop minimum standards for the evaluation of communication, advocacy and education about global development.