A World of Difference?

by Osborn, Marilyn; Broadfoot, Patricia; McNess, Elizabeth; Ravn, Birte; Planel, Claire; Triggs, Pat

• ISBN13: 9780335211029
• ISBN10: 033521102X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-10-01
• Publisher: Open University Press

Summary

This fascinating volume compares the experience of young learners in England, France and Denmark in order to examine the relationship between national educational cultures, individual biographies and classroom practices in creating the context for learning. It explores how secondary schools in three very different education systems work to develop the aptitudes and attitudes conducive to lifelong learning in conditions of complexity, uncertainty and multiple change. By drawing upon a rich data-set including questionnaires, individual and group interviews and classroom observation, the book gives a voice to young learners in the three countries. Through detailed case studies and quotations it examines their concerns with schooling, with teachers, with motivation and achievement and explores the very different social contexts which influence their engagement with learning. This book will be an essential resource for researchers, practitioners, students and policy-makers and all those committed to understanding the relationship between culture and learning and to improving secondary education.

Author Biography

Birte Ravn is based at the Danish University of Education, Copenhagen and is founder member of the European Research Network about Parents in Education.

Table of Contents

List of figures and tables	xi
Acknowledgements	xiii
PART 1 Introduction and Methodology	1	(32)
1 Education for a changing world	3	(16)
Introduction	3	(3)
The comparative perspective: past, present and future	6	(3)
Learning and culture	9	(3)
The ENCOMPASS study	12	(7)
2 New methodologies for comparative research? The research designs of the ENCOMPASS study	19	(14)
Introduction	19	(1)
Particular issues in comparative research	20	(3)
Some solutions to the problems of cross-national comparison?	23	(2)
Building a cross-national research team	25	(1)
The ENCOMPASS programme of research	26	(1)
Research design and methods of data collection	26	(4)
Conclusion	30	(3)
PART 2 National Cultural Contexts: Schools, Teachers and Classrooms	33	(92)
3 Culture, context and policy	35	(15)
Introduction	35	(1)
The historical origins of the three systems	35	(4)
National policy discourse and the aims of schooling	39	(4)
Current schooling structures	43	(5)
Summary	48	(2)
4 School organization	50	(23)
Introduction	50	(1)
The 'outsider' perspective	50	(3)
The school as a unit	53	(4)
Power and responsibility between partners	57	(1)
The school as a unit of control	57	(2)
The role and power of the headteacher	59	(1)
The management role of teachers	60	(1)
Parent power	61	(1)
Pupil power	61	(2)
Differing structures for the academic and the affective	63	(4)
The concept of the 'class'	67	(4)
Summary	71	(2)
5 Teacher perspectives	73	(28)
Introduction	73	(1)
Initial teacher education	74	(1)
Differing constructs of the 'class teacher'	75	(5)
Teaching aims and priorities	80	(4)
Aspects of the 'academic' and the 'affective'	84	(4)
Pedagogy and assessment	88	(5)
Teacher collaboration	93	(1)
Extent of the teacher's responsibility	94	(2)
Pupil and parent influence	96	(2)
Summary	98	(3)
6 Classroom contexts as a reflection of national values	101	(24)
Introduction	101	(1)
Lesson observation and the classroom environment	101	(3)
The 'class'	104	(2)
Classroom interiors	106	(1)
Approaches to pedagogy and pupil groupings	107	(3)
Teacher control	110	(2)
Pupil autonomy in the classroom	112	(3)
Teacher-pupil relationships	115	(1)
Methods of assessment	116	(2)
Definitions of learning	118	(3)
The role of adolescent culture	121	(1)
Summary	122	(3)
PART 3 Pupil Experience and the Development of Learner Identity	125	(78)
7 Constants and contexts in pupil experience: young learners' views of schooling, teaching and learning	127	(20)
Introduction	127	(1)
International differences In pupil experience	128	(1)
Difference in perceived functions of school	129	(5)
Key factors in pupil responses	134	(2)
Concerns of European pupils	136	(1)
The teacher-pupil relationship	136	(4)
Social identity and class solidarity	140	(2)
Attitudes to learning	142	(2)
Conclusion	144	(3)
8 Constructing identities	147	(29)
Introduction	147	(1)
Contextual factors	147	(2)
What do we mean by Identity?	149	(1)
Case studies	150	(13)
Typologies	163	(8)
Assessment, the affective domain, teacher-pupil relationships	171	(3)
Conclusions	174	(2)
9 Young learners: what makes a difference? The influence of socio-economic status, gender and ethnicity	176	(27)
Introduction	176	(1)
Disadvantage and educational policy in England, France and Denmark	177	(3)
The case study schools in areas of disadvantage	180	(1)
School aims and school policies In the three countries	181	(2)
Teacher perceptions of social equality issues	183	(2)
Issues of equality and inequality within the school: pupil perceptions	185	(4)
Intra-national differences in perceptions of schooling: what makes a difference?	189	(7)
Profiles of young learners	196	(5)
Conclusions	201	(2)
PART 4 Conclusions: Culture, Context and Policy	203	(26)
10 Conclusions: culture, context and policy	205	(24)
Introduction	205	(8)
Constants and contexts in pupil experience	213	(1)
Overview of findings	214	(2)
Towards a new perspective on learning	216	(1)
The socio-historic: national culture and the implications of globalization	216	(5)
The interpersonal: the influence of peers and local cultural settings	221	(3)
The intra-individual: influences in a 'learning career'	224	(1)
Implications for policy and practice	225	(4)
Appendices	229	(40)
1 Pupil questionnaire	231	(16)
2 Pupil interview schedule	247	(18)
3 Group interview schedule	265	(4)
Bibliography	269	(8)
Index	277