Laura C. Engel

From the local to the supranational: curriculum reform and the production of the ideal citizen in two federal systems, Germany and Spain

This paper examines the Europeanization of citizenship education policy through a comparative analysis of two European states, Germany and Spain, with strong traditions of regional control of education policy. While previous studies have tended to focus on national responses to and implementation of EU initiatives, they often disregarded the complex relationship regional actors have with national state and supranational actors. Using evidence from interviews and a detailed framing analysis of citizenship education curricula, textbooks, and policy documents, this paper looks specifically at Catalonia and Bavaria to explore the conception of the ‘ideal citizen’ within and across local education practice(s), regional policy imperatives, central state‐level citizenship education policy, German and Spanish federal policy related to citizenship and immigration, and EU educational initiatives.

Competitive comparison and PISA bragging rights: sub-national uses of the OECD's PISA in Canada and the USA

Participation in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Developments (OECD) Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) has continuously expanded: from 43 systems in 2000 to 65 systems in the 2012 cycle, with 71 signed up for PISA 2015. There also has been a growth in sub-national participation, expanding PISAs reach beyond the nation-state. This paper explores sub-national PISA participation in Canada and the USA, asking how PISA is being used within sub-national education policy spaces. We draw on analysis of documents and data from interviews with officials at sub-national, national, and international levels. Findings illustrate some of the diverse motivations and uses of PISA, providing insights into the effects of PISA at the sub-national scale. As such, we argue that competitive comparison in education has deepened through the enhanced granularity of international large-scale assessment data to new scales beyond the nation-state.

Lifelong learning through SMEs: exploring workplace learning in the UK

Purpose – The primary objective in this paper is to examine the role of small‐ to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in promoting and/or hindering educational opportunities to adult employees in the UK.Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on 12 case studies of SMEs in England and Scotland, which form part of a larger European Sixth Framework Programme research project. Interviews were conducted with employers, line managers and employees participating in formal educational programmes, and were contextualized with policy documents and literature on lifelong learning and workplace education.Findings – This paper highlights and explores findings related to human resource management (HRM) and the participation of employees in formal education, and the experiences of companies in providing educational opportunities to employees in England and Scotland. The paper argues that employers have a key role to play in driving and investing in employee training and development. However, the current focus of emplo...

Global citizenship and national (re)formations: Analysis of citizenship education reform in Spain

In recent years, many European education systems have embarked on a process of education policy and curriculum reform related to citizenship education. This article explores citizenship education reform in the context of Spain. It considers how and to what extent Spain’s 2006 citizenship education addressed issues of national and global citizenship, as well as cultural diversity and immigration. Against a typology of four distinct approaches to national and global citizenship education, including traditional, skills-based, values-based, and reflexive approaches, the article draws on qualitative content analysis of Spain’s recent Education for Citizenship and Human Rights curriculum and associated textbooks. Findings focus on themes of human rights, national and global citizenship, and cultural diversity and co-existence.

Breaking the Centre-Periphery Mould: Exploring Globalisation and Educational Governance in Catalonia.

This paper examines educational policy production through an exploration of the shifting policies of educational decentralisation in Catalonia, Spain. It seeks to illuminate how in the era of globalisation, policy is produced through multiscalar processes involving a range of intersecting factors. This analysis shows that policy concepts surrounding educational decentralisation are not only formed in relation to national–regional dynamics but are influenced more broadly by a more complex set of supranational and global considerations. This article thus maps how decentralisation policies in Catalonia are in a constant state of flux, rearticulated through contrasting pressures on state arrangements and educational governance structures.

Soft Power and Hard Measures: large-scale assessment, citizenship and the European Union

This article explores the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS) with particular emphasis on the European Unions (EUs) involvement in the regional portion. Using the ICCS, the EU actively combines hard measures with soft power, allowing the EU to define and steer cross-national rankings of values of EU citizenship. The authors contend that once hard measures of citizenship are produced, they become an efficient ‘truth’ that can be legitimated through evaluation and ranking. As measures are represented in comparative tables, the conversation shifts to ‘Why are we ranked here?’ rather than ‘How/why were we ranked?’ This shift requires critical discussion, one which is often difficult, given the politics of agreement and funding patterns underlying assessment.

How Do Other Countries Evaluate Teachers

Countries known to outpace the U.S. in student achievement use a variety of educational and organizational methods, but rarely use the approaches to education reform that we are promoting.

International Perspectives on Educational Diversity and Inclusion : Studies from America, Europe and India

Chapter Synopses and Specimen Chapter. Introduction: Educations New Era and the Dynamics of Inclusion and Equality I. Globalization and Multicultural Issues in Education 1. Equality and the Politics of Globalization in Education II. Diversity, Equality and Education in the United States 2. Diversity and Inclusion in the United States: The Dual Structures that Prevent Equality 3. Reconceptualization of Multiculturalism in American Urban Education III. Diversity and Educational Equality in Europe 4. Diversity. Inclusion and Education: The Educational Needs of Children from Severely Disadvantaged Socio-Cultural Groups in Europe 5. Multicultural Education: A European Perspective 6. The Greek Common School System: Bridges and Barriers IV. Diversity and Educational Equality in Britain 7. The Impact of Culture in Creating Differential Learning Styles 8. Achievement and Failure of Disadvantaged Pupils in Britain: Policy Challenges and Initiatives 9. Inclusive Education for Ethic Minorities in Britain V. Diversity and Educational Equality in India 10. The Common Schooling System and Educational Inclusion in India 11. Education for All: The Role of Low Fee Payment Schools in Uttar Pradesh 12. Inclusive Education for Working and Street Children in India 13. Dalit and Religious Minority Group Children: Challenges for Education and Inclusiveness 14. The Disappeared: Educational and Welfare Challenges of Nepalese Girls in Indian Brothels

Effectiveness, inequality and ethos in three English schools

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the nature of effective schools serving socially disadvantaged communities, and to point to an overlooked feature in the literature on school effectiveness in relation to social inclusion.Design/methodology/approach – As part of a trans‐European project, three English schools are investigated. A qualitative case study approach is utilised. The schools selected have high proportions of ethnic minority students with low socio‐economic status backgrounds, yet demonstrate successful results.Findings – The data show the importance of high expectations, and the development of classroom and school‐wide systems to translate these into practice. This reflects areas highlighted by earlier research on schools in disadvantaged communities. The data also point to important conclusions about school ethos.Research limitations/implications – The findings are based on a sample of three schools. Though purposively selected (as successful in challenging circumstances), further research i...

Sharp Contrasts at the Boundaries: School Violence and Educational Outcomes Internationally

We examine the impact of school violence on immigrant populations internationally. To do so we apply three-level models to 2007 TIMSS data to investigate the extent to which immigrant students are affected by school violence, and whether school- and educational-system levels of immigration and violence are related to achievement. We find that, despite some variability across education systems around the world, a persistent pattern emerged: immigrant students are differentially affected by violence. School climate is associated with immigrants’ outcomes in most educational systems. We discuss policy-relevant implications for academic achievement in an increasingly globalized world.