This article comprises some critical reflections on the teaching of a second year undergraduate module called "Children's Cultural Worlds" in which students are required to engage with original studies which are then used to stimulate self-reflection and engagement with wider issues relating to our understanding of children's place in…

In this article I seek to reconsider the social and economic purposes of higher education. It begins with the premise that there appears to be a general trend towards governments positioning higher education primarily in terms of the economic role that it can fulfil. Such a trend, however, has attracted considerable criticism. In this article I…

In the face of what has been characterised by some as a "crisis" in curriculum--an apparent decline of some aspects of curriculum studies combined with the emergence of new types of national curricula which downgrade knowledge--some writers have been arguing for the use of realist theory to address these issues. This article offers a…

A 21-hour working week is a long way from today's standard of 40 hours or more, but not so far-fetched when people consider the infinitely varied ways in which they actually spend their time. On average, people of working age spend 19.6 hours a week in paid employment and 20.4 hours in unpaid housework and childcare. These averages mask huge…

The past 20 years or so have seen ongoing concern for the nature of science education in the Anglophone developed world. A particular focus of this concern has been the need to find new ways to frame science curricula that will engage students, yet it is proving difficult to achieve this goal. In this article I argue that the impact on science…

September 11, 2001 generated diverse responses from around the world, but for many subjects located in "the West," an enduring perception surfaced in the aftermath of the attacks: that 9/11 revealed the fragility of the "Western Self" as a secure identity. In a move towards self-scrutiny post 9/11, it is not only the presence…

In this article, the author talks about UK Government's informal learning consultation by considering the role of the workplace. As John Denham set out at the launch of this consultation process in January, trade unions have been at the heart of such learning throughout their history; campaigning for education for all and for public libraries,…

The author argues that faith schools serve to exacerbate existing divisions in society and are therefore a threat to social cohesion. In many parts of Britain where segregation is already a reality, "faith" has now become another word for "race". Ethnic groups are not evenly spread between the religions, creating a situation…

The interface between education research and education policy in the UK has been discussed, explored and redefined over nearly two decades since the "Education Reform Act" of 1988. This contribution analyses how one group of researchers, in the field of assessment, has attempted to exploit the potential for evidence from research to…

In the UK, the discourse of innocence currently prevails as a major way of understanding children. This article argues that the strength of this discourse lies in its prevalence, its resistance to challenges and the ways in which it connects ideas of innocence and vulnerability. The moral quality of the discourse of innocence works in conjunction…

Describes college geography curriculum in the United Kingdom as the core at the center of interacting forces which is influenced by, and is capable of influencing, six major sectors of society. The balance between these forces and their susceptibility to change is examined. (Author/AM)

This paper describes the findings of an OECD project examining ICT impact measurement and analyses based on official statistics. Both economic and social impacts are covered and some results are presented. It attempts to place ICT impacts measurement into an Information Society conceptual framework, provides some suggestions for standardising…

Raising aspirations has been identified as a key strategy for widening educational participation in lifelong learning policy. This article deconstructs the hegemonic discourse of raising aspirations through Economic and Social Research Council-funded research on men, masculinities and higher educational access and participation.The article…

Discusses the development of Conductive Education (CE) in the United Kingdom in the context of social models of disability. It argues that CE can provide the basis for an educational model of disability in which disability is seen to result from a complex interaction between the environment and the individual. The model is seen as particularly…

There is strong evidence of the correlation between educational under-achievement and social exclusion. Those who do not participate in or benefit from education are more likely to experience early parenthood, homelessness, poor health, involvement with the youth and adult justice systems, poverty and unemployment. In this paper, the author…