The author asserts that educational research in Britain has historically acted largely to ease implementation of policies already determined on political grounds and that this concern for "obvious relevance" resulted in a severe narrowing of research initiatives. He suggests that educational researchers take a more formative role in…

This book focuses on the notion of "transition to adulthood" for students with special educational needs, exploring it in terms of class, race, gender, and disability differences and relating it to social, economic, and political influences. Chapter 1 sets the stage, arguing that the special needs area has largely developed in British…

Responds to Andrew S. Hughes' preceding article in this issue of "Educational Leadership." Notes past American debates over basic and general education and warns that trends toward educational retrenchment in the U.S. and Great Britain may lead schools to limit the mass of students to basic literacy education. (RW)

Explores ways that the study of special educational needs have changed in the last decade and a half of educational policy-making. Focuses on key theoretical changes and shifts of emphasis in substantive concerns. Notes tendencies to allow social and political values to guide educational provision instead of psychological or sociological…

The history of access to secondary education and movements toward sexual equality in education in Great Britain between World Wars I and II are covered. The major questions raised in this period were: "Who is capable of, or eligible for, secondary education?" and "What secondary education system is most desirable?" (IS)

This paper challenges British proposals to concentrate research funding in select universities. Such a policy would reinforce social inequalities of opportunity thus frustrating the purpose of widening student access. Quality teaching, especially in the social sciences, requires teacher engagement in research. Universities should reappraise the…

This book analyzes Great Britain's higher education system in a state of sustained and extensive transition. It is based on interviews with 80 academic staff members and 55 graduate students across six disciplines (economics, history, physics, sociology, modern languages, and biochemistry) in 16 institutions of higher education. Over the 6 years…

Asserts that educational research always has suffered from severe underfunding by comparison with research in the natural sciences. Argues that educational researchers have an obligation to raise the "educational literacy" of the general public. Discusses the need to improve the quality of educational research. (CFR)

This paper examines current official discourses on school discipline in Britain. It analyses New Labour's recent documents in education, such as the party's manifestos, Green and White papers, and official guidelines, to understand which particular understandings of discipline are being promoted. In spite of a political commitment to social…

The contents of this book--32 extracts from research, political, and official publications plus introductory material--are organized into three sections. Part 1, "Secondary education for all? 1922-47," is comprised of 10 extracts, including: "Secondary education for all," R. H. Tawney; "The education of the…

A speech addressed to British foreign language teachers concerning the state of foreign language instruction in Great Britain stressed the importance of maintaining high quality second language instruction at all educational levels for the purpose of securing the future of the United Kingdom in commercial, social, cultural, and political domains.…

This document presents the British government's response to the report "Learning Works," which was written by a committee charged with identifying ways of engaging individuals who have traditionally not taken advantage of educational opportunities. Chapter 1 outlines the following steps that the government proposes to take to promote…

Intended for staff working within British further, higher, and adult education, this document provides practical examples of how colleges have increased learning opportunities for students with special education needs through flexible practices. The document is organized into the following five sections: (1) an introduction, which explains four…

The objectives of physical science teaching and research projects in higher education in Britain are reviewed as a means of stimulating debate. It is noted that in recent years, concern has been expressed over the quality of these efforts, and as resources stabilize or decline allocations must be made more carefully. A statistical profile is given…

This volume contains papers submitted to the 12th Annual International Conference of the Bulgarian Comparative Education Society (BCES), held in Sofia and Nessebar, Bulgaria, in June 2014, and papers submitted to the 2nd International Partner Conference, organized by the International Research Centre 'Scientific Cooperation,' Rostov-on-Don,…