The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development's (OECD) Programme of International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) is put forward as a landmark development in the lifelong monitoring and international comparison of education. The first round of PIAAC's Survey of Adult Skills compared performance in literacy, numeracy and…

The history of sex education enables us to gain valuable insights into the cultural constructions of what different societies have defined as 'normal' sexuality and sexual health. Yet, the history of sex education has only recently attracted the full attention of historians of modern sexuality. "Shaping Sexual Knowledge: A Cultural History of…

Here, at "FORUM's" invitation, is the text of the 2014 Godfrey Thomson Trust public lecture at the University of Edinburgh. Its backdrop is the centralisation of educational decision-making in England since 1988 and the power and patronage exercised by the Secretary of State. Taking as examples recent policies on childhood, curriculum…

The past several centuries have presented well-documented cases of prodigious youth. Many represented extreme examples of children who had burned brightly and then faded into obscurity, succumbed to a mental illness or an early death, or entered into a career deemed below their mental capacity. These very public displays of mental prowess caused…

Newspapers are recognised as a major source of factual information. The media representation of issues related to teenage pregnancy is important to policy makers and those delivering related interventions. This is particularly so in relation to issues which may be seen as sensitive by the public, such as sex and relationship education (SRE).…

Reporting on a conference concerning the future of broadcasting in Britain, this paper addresses the two issues that dominated the conference: the future of the British Broadcasting Corporation, and the likely effects of technological change on broadcasting. The paper discusses: (1) what has changed in the broadcasting industry in England since…

School reform involves the public: its expectation of participation and its support for a reform agenda. In theory, the press influences both. To explore this link, we compare education coverage in four press outlets, two each in Chicago and Cleveland. Articles and editors are interrogated for (1) style of journalism and (2) assumptions about the…

Analyzes the mass media's role in creating a more competitive environment for schools following England's Education Reform Act. The media were supposed to help increase parental expectations and disseminate consumer information. Commercial motivations proved equally important. Schools received unprecedented attention, and the media became an…

This paper presents evidence for the positive impact of television on 1,500 children, aged 6 to 16 years old, specifically concerning their conceptions of beauty. The role of television was repeatedly mentioned by the subjects although it was not the primary research goal of the researcher. Examples of children's descriptions of beauty as derived…

In this article, the author explores the issues surrounding modern foreign language learning focusing largely on the French language. The structure of this article is as follows. First, the author briefly examines the links between Britain and France from an historical perspective, following an examination of current official policy in both…

Examines the contribution of British television viewing to viewers' politics. Finds an association between heavy television viewing and political centrism. Finds also that television constructs a mainstream around its fictional output while preserving pluralism through current affairs, and that political leaning does not occur through repetition…

Proposes that book series, geared to the general reader, can provide a readily available source of scientific information to the public. Portrays the possibilities for the effective marketing of such book series through the experience of the authors in editing and merchandising a science book series, which has been sold through direct marketing…

This paper presents findings of a study that conceptualized how the mass media in England are involved in the education policy process, and identified major influences on media production and its link with education policy. The project is being conducted by the National Development Centre for Educational Management and Policy from October 1993 to…

Describes the influences of early childhood experiences, family, and education on the development of environmental concern and pro-environmental behaviors in environmental educators. Childhood experiences were more influential for older respondents while media had a greater influence on younger respondents. Also describes the nature of…