As a policy-making elite, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), according to this author, is susceptible to one of the fatal weaknesses of all elites: an inclination to be inwardly self-referential in their views of the world and to seek confirmation of the positions to which they are already predisposed or committed.…

In this testimony, Quinton Roman Nose talks on behalf of the National Indian Education Association about the shocking disparity in the safety of Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) schools. NIEA advocates for the unique educational and culturally related academic needs of Native students, working to ensure that the federal government upholds its…

This paper reflects on experiences of working with schools in urban contexts as they have attempted to improve the quality of learning. Set within the context of the English education system during a period of intense national pressure to "raise standards", these experiences have been focused around issues of performance and leadership…

Theory and practice are an odd couple. There is little doubt that theory deserves a place within today's primary classrooms. Pring (2004) suggests that theory is perceived as having come adrift from common sense. It is easy to see how, swept along in the daily pressures of the job, busy classroom teachers may question the relevance of seemingly…

Whilst the past 35 years have seen numerous attempts at national curriculum collaboration in Australia, these have invariably failed largely due to the constitutional reality that the States have responsibility for curriculum. Federal government involvement in curriculum can only be achieved, therefore, with the consent of the States. To achieve…

We argue that the Federation of Worker Writers and Community Publishers, with its dual emphasis on literacy and occupational skills, can serve as a new model for writing classrooms and writing program administrators. We further contend that the "contact zone" classroom should be replaced with community-based "federations."…

The Major Contribution aimed at strengthening a prevention focus in psychology, so as to more effectively and equitably promote the well-being of all members of psychology communities. The 3 reactions (L. A. Bond & A. Carmola Hauf, 2007 [this issue]; L. Reese, 2007 [this issue]; E. Rivera-Mosquera, E. T. Dowd, & M. Mitchell-Blanks 2007 [this…

This paper argues that the current approach to educational quality formation in transnational higher education promotes educational imperialism, and that guidelines and practices should be altered to embrace context-sensitive measures of quality. The claims are sustained by findings from a study that investigated how academics understood and…

In early March, the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education was established under what is called the Bologna Process. The 46 countries involved in the process seek to improve the quality and assessment of higher education throughout Europe, thus facilitating students' mobility among institutions and countries and enhancing…

The main challenge facing internationalsation of higher education is retaining roots in a cultural setting while being open to new influences. Internationalsation affects every aspect of university life. An initial issue this raises is language. Universities must decide in which languages to teach and which languages will be offered, decisions…

Across the world, representatives of governments, non-governmental organisations, adult learning providers and learners have been preparing for CONFINTEA VI. The world adult education conference has been held every 12 years since the late 1940s and takes place this month in Brazil. Organised by UNESCO, CONFINTEA aims to provide a common vision for…

This article presents the different opinions of specialists on The Bologna Process. The Bologna Process was brought into being by society's transition to a new stage of development, in which education and knowledge are becoming the decisive engines of progress. With the aim of creating a unified educational space, the Bologna Process was begun in…

This policy brief discusses how the implementation of high quality preschool required by the expansion initiative can set the stage for a more expansive view of the first stage of children's education: the development of a preschool-through third-grade (PK3) system. By adopting a broader view of early childhood education as a period extending from…

New Jersey's early learning system is poised for change. The momentum for providing an aligned and coordinated system of early education is building. Yet, in order for such a system to successfully come to fruition, advocates the author, more work is needed. Collaboration between the state's Division of Early Childhood Education (DECE),…

This article concludes the issue, and reflects upon the main themes that unite the various contributions, namely the evolution of educational and legal competency; the complexity of European Union educational governance; the challenges of measuring and developing indicators for education; and the role of social justice agendas in EU education…