New publications

This review examines primary and secondary mathematics and science provision in Britain, and recommends ways to challenge able students and encourage them to pursue further study. Five specific areas for improvement were defined: the science and mathematics education workforce in schools and colleges; curriculum, qualifications and assessment; coherent STEM programs, pathways and enrichment; pull mechanisms; and school and college ethos. Recommendations include extending learning and remuneration for STEM practitioners; involving higher education providers in curriculum design and assessment and ensuring assessment focuses on deep knowledge and skills; providing students with more information about science careers and offering career guidance; and building school capacity to allow excellence in STEM teaching. Adapted from the Executive Summary. The full report is available online. 

Current literature on school evaluation within OECD countries is reviewed in this report. It examines existing systems of school evaluation, including how these evaluations are carried out, as well as those involved in their design and implementation. The paper also addresses the ways in which school evaluation is related to other evaluation practices, such as teacher and system evaluation, and outlines the pros and cons of the various approaches taken to school evaluation, as well as barriers to implementation. Finally, it reviews current evidence in terms of the impact of different school evaluation schemes on school performance, student learning and the teaching staff. Adapted from the paper's abstract. The full report is available online.

This report examines VET practices and policy in Australia and Scotland and considers whether it is desirable to align academic research investment with short- or long-term policy priorities. It notes that VET research is varied and diverse, posing a challenge for collaborative planning and policy prioritisation, and that different stakeholders have different needs in terms of research areas and the duration of relevant research. Longer term and priority areas of research should be aligned with policy, while shorter term research could be met by individual sponsors. Research agendas should be multi-agency and cross-disciplinary. Neutral facilitating organisations are key to promoting collaborative research planning. The full report is available online.

This volume aims to cover what leaders need to know in order to implement more effective professional learning in schools. Its chapters cover topics such as changing school culture, scheduling time, planning, using data, designs for professional learning, facilitating collaborative professional learning teams and evaluating learning. The roles of the administration, the principal, and the coach in creating effective learning teams are outlined. Also included is an Innovation Configuration map to help teams assess where they stand in reaching critical objectives for effective learning, and a CD containing approximately 500 pages of related tools. Adapted from publisher's description.

This document reports on data collected from a study of Time to Talk, a campaign in Britain designed to help parents discuss with their children issues relating to sexuality and safe sex. The campaign targeted families with teens considered at high risk of teen pregnancy. However, a number of barriers to implementation were found. These included ineffective training and consultation, leading to delays in implementation and difficulties in engaging parents and families. Successful engagement took place through community inclusion approaches and through other learning approaches, and when coordinators were familiar with the local context. In these instances, parents who became involved appreciated the program, and reported wanting to be more open with their children in relation to sex and sexuality issues. The full report is available online.

The relationship between globalisation, Europeanisation and education is examined in this book. It is divided into two parts, the first of which focuses on how the discourses of a Knowledge Economy and Lifelong Learning, and an emerging functional division of the labour of educational governance, became central to the development of a European education. The second part looks at the emergence of a new social model for Europe from the point of view of how it relates to the development of individual capacities and citizenship, and the role of intellectuals in this process. Adapted from publisher's description.