Reducing the number of vocational qualifications available is a current or recent priority area of many VET [vocational education and training] systems internationally, but what is the best way to achieve this and is there anything that needs to be considered? Focusing on cases studies on New Zealand, England, Finland and the Netherlands, this…

Mixed methods research requires integration of qualitative and quantitative data. However, there is debate about how to define integration and what is required for integration to occur. This paper describes a mixed methods research project which revisits datasets from different eras, which were originally instigated for different purposes and had…

The message of physical education (PE) has been one of a 'contested ground' with regular debate around its purpose, alongside conceptual confusions. A major channel of communication that strongly influences public perceptions is through mainstream media, yet how media platforms have reported on the PE profession has received a scarcity of research…

At the end of the nineteenth century, music was an accomplishment that many women were encouraged to pursue. For some, this was merely an additional "ornament" to enhance marriage prospects, but a growing number took the opportunity to turn musical ability into a career option. A small group of musically educated women in New Zealand at…

Student achievement varies widely across developed countries, but the source of these differences is not well understood. One obvious candidate, and a major focus of research and policy discussions both in the United States and abroad, is teacher quality. Research and common sense tell that good teachers can have a tremendous impact on their…

In the world's richest countries, some children do worse at school than others because of circumstances beyond their control, such as where they were born, the language they speak or their parents' occupations. These children enter the education system at a disadvantage and can drop further behind if educational policies and practices reinforce,…

Despite increased emphasis on the role of inclusive practices and materials in post-COVID-19 classrooms and warnings about implicit biases against disadvantaged groups, the textbook problem has rarely been approached with equity measures in mind. This multimethod study aimed to investigate to what extent L2 reading materials, locally produced and…

This paper examines the associations between attendance at early childhood education (ECE) and longer-term academic attainment and socioeconomic wellbeing in a New Zealand birth cohort studied to age 30. Nearly 95% of the cohort had attended ECE by age 5. After adjustment for family background and child characteristics, results showed…

Digital technologies offer immense potential for transforming teacher learning and the delivery of professional development activities throughout teachers' careers. As the COVID-19 pandemic has made face-to­-face professional learning challenging or impossible for teachers to attend in many contexts, online professional learning options for…

iTunes U has become the main worldwide provider of educational podcasts but, despite its popularity, little is known about the type of user who downloads iTunes U language resources, or how those resources are used. This paper presents the results of the first major survey (1891 responses) of users of one of the most successful iTunes U content…

In a period of student loan scandals and U.S. financial market instability impacting on the cost and availability of student loans, this paper looks at alternative models of higher education funding. In this context, it also considers the level of financial support that the government should provide to higher education.

Surveys Polish emigration up to World War II and examines current age structure and occupational composition of Polish migrants in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada. (Author/GC)

School science textbooks and reference books used in New Zealand were examined to investigate the types and number of roles assigned to males and females and the place of men and women in the world as implied in science textbooks. Data recorded included the number of different types of roles and activities assigned to each sex, number of times…

Investigates the impact of social and economic changes in New Zealand on the identity-formation process of late adolescents over six years of economic reforms. Results from 140 and 131 undergraduate students in 1984 and 1990, respectively, indicate that most students continue to find occupation of primary importance to self-definition. (SLD)