Browse Our Social Sciences Journals
In the broadest sense, social sciences encompass society, human behavior, and its influence on the world. Social sciences help understand how society works, ranging from the causes of unemployment, economic growth, what makes people happy, and so on. The information it provides is vital for governments and policymakers, non-governmental organizations, and local authorities.
Social Sciences and Law
A közfoglalkoztatottaknak szóló képzések vizsgálata hazánkban (2016–2020)
Study of Trainings for Public Employees in Hungary (2016–2020)
A tanulmány az elsődleges munkaerőpiacról kikerült közfoglalkoztatottaknak szóló képzések főbb jellemzőit vizsgálja a 2016–2020 közötti időszakban, kitérve a résztvevők számának nem, korcsoport, iskolai végzettség szerinti megoszlására, valamint a későbbi sikeres munkaerőpiaci elhelyezkedésre is. A közfoglalkoztatás egy átmeneti állapot, amely arra hivatott, hogy a munka világából kiszorulókat visszasegítse a munka világába. A közfoglalkoztatottaknak szóló képzések ugyanezen cél mentén jöttek létre, hogy egy új szakma elsajátításával minél hamarabb munkához jussanak a képzéseken részt vevők. Az eredmények nagy területi, térségi különbségeket mutatnak, és kijelenthető, hogy azokba a térségekbe (főként a keleti régiókba) csoportosultak a képzések, ahol a legnagyobb szükség van rá. Ugyanakkor összességében elmondható, hogy a képzések nem érték el a kívánt eredményt, hiszen a képzést sikeresen elvégző közfoglalkoztatottak a képzés elvégzése után 6 hónappal vagy munkanélkülivé váltak, vagy csak a másodlagos munkaerőpiacon, azaz közfoglalkoztatottként tudtak csak újra elhelyezkedni.
A publikálás szerepe a társadalmi folyamatok megértésében
The Role of Writing in Understanding Social Processes
Publikálok, tehát létezem?!
Fiatal oktató-kutatók fenntartható válaszai a publikációs elvárásokra
I Publish, So I Exist?!
Sustainable Responses to Publication Expectations from Early Career Academics
A fiatal oktató-kutatókat a szabadság reménye, az értelemteli munka és a folyamatos tanulás lehetősége vonzza az egyetemi pályára. Az eltérő nemzeti és szakmai kontextusban felvázolt tapasztalatok nyomán a publikációs teljesítményelvárás központi elemként körvonalazódik, melyre az ellenállás nem lehetséges válasz, ugyanakkor az alkalmazkodás sem jelent egyszerű megoldást azon motivációk tükrében, amelyek miatt ezt a pályát választották.
A cikkben arra keresünk választ, hogy megvalósítható-e, s ha igen, akkor milyen formában egy fenntartható kutatási és publikációs gyakorlat a fiatal oktató-kutatók részéről, és ezek közül melyek azok, amelyeket a szervezet is sikeresként ismer el. Kutatásunk során sikerült megfogalmazni olyan kutatási és publikációs stratégiákat, amelyek túlmutatnak az ellenállás vagy alkalmazkodás leegyszerűsített kettőségén, ugyanakkor az egyén szintjén maradva ezek nem fenntarthatóak, szervezeti kultúra változást igényelnek.
Science fiction, avagy a tévedhetetlen tudomány csupán fikció
Science Fiction: The Infallibility of Science Is a Fiction
A tudomány expanziója – Absztraktok angolul
The expansion of science – Abstracts in English
A nemzeti tudományos rendszerek beágyazódtak a globális tudományba, és az országok mindent megtesznek azért, hogy a globális tudást a nemzetgazdasági szükségletek érdekében használják fel. A globális tudás gazdagsága azonban csak a tudósokon keresztül férhető hozzá és használható fel. Ebből adódóan a nemzetek kutatási ereje az egyes tudósok kutatási erején és nemzetközi együttműködési képességén múlik. A globális tudomány folyamatosan fejlődő, alulról felfelé irányuló, autonóm és önszabályozó természete mélyebb megértést igényel. Empirikus szempontból a tudomány globalizációját a 2000–2020 közötti időszak válogatott publikációs, együttműködési és idézettségi adatainak felhasználásával írjuk le. A tudomány globalizációja a két különböző rendszertípusban különböző folyamatot takar. A tudomány növekedése a nyugati világban szinte teljes egészében a nemzetközi társszerzős publikációkban megy végbe. A fejlődő világban ezzel szemben a növekedés a nemzetközi társszerzős és a hazai publikációk körében egyaránt zajlik.
A tudomány tömegesedésének hatásai a felsőoktatás működésére
The Impact of the Massification of Science on Higher Education
Jelen tanulmányban arra a kérdésre keressük a választ, hogy a tudomány expanziója milyen következményekkel jár a felsőoktatás működésére. Ennek megfelelően a tanulmány első, bevezető szakasza bemutatja, hogy milyen mennyiségi és minőségi változásokon ment keresztül a tudomány, valamint, hogy ez mennyiben változtatta meg a tudományos szféra belső szerveződését. Ezt követően az expanzió két hatását tárgyaljuk bővebben. Egyfelől bemutatjuk a kutatás funkcióinak differenciálódását és feszültségeit. Ebben a fogalmi keretben a kutatás hat különböző társadalmi szerepét különböztethetjük meg. Az ezek között kialakuló potenciális feszültségek egyik legjobb példája, hogy hogyan kerül egymással szembe az a kutatásfelfogás, amely ezt a tevékenységet mint az egyetemi, akadémiai szakma közös jellemzőjét fogja fel, valamint az, amely a teljesítmény mérésére és a kutatók rangsorolására helyezi a hangsúlyt. Ehhez a feszültségforráshoz kapcsolódik az expanzió másik fontos hatása, a „publish or perish” kultúra elterjedése és intézményesülése. A tanulmány lezáró részében a kutatás jövőjével kapcsolatos trendeket mutatunk be.
A tudományos karrier rögös útja
The Bumpy Road to a Career in Science
Túl tényeken és igazságokon?
A „post-truth” jelenség okai és következményei
The Causes and Consequences of Post-truth
Abstract
The language features of the second language (L2) English academic texts written by Indonesian graduate students enrolled in Hungarian higher education are employed in the present study. The study focuses on the level of abstraction and informational density in student assignments in particular. Seven high-stakes essays were collected from seven Indonesian graduate students registered in the faculty of Social Sciences at three different Hungarian universities. Coh-Metrix, a corpus-based computational tool, was used in this study to examine indices of content words and abstraction. As for the comparison between higher and lower proficiency level students, parametric statistics were used to conduct a quantitative analysis of the selected linguistic features, including nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, and concreteness and abstraction. The results show that C1 English proficiency level students outnumber B2 students in terms of informational density. Their texts are more abstract than those of B2 students.
Abstract
This case study compared preservice primary school teachers' and primary school teachers' experiences with multi-grade teaching in the 2018–2019 academic year. The sample consisted of 17 fourth-year students in the department of primary school teaching education of a public university and 14 multi-grade teachers from 12 schools in Turkey. The preservice teachers and multi-grade primary school teachers developed similar lesson plans and executed similar learning processes. Although the multi-grade teachers claimed that they used different methods (brainstorming, drama, observation, etc.), the preservice teachers observed them mostly use Q&A and direct instruction techniques. The preservice teachers did not use multidisciplinary teaching activities but instead showed students videos and slides and designed textbook-based activities. They did not use different methods to plan a multi-grade lecture. Multi-grade teaching training offered by the faculties of education should be interdisciplinary and encourage collaboration among teachers from other branches (e.g., teacher agency).
The self-willed child - Basic needs and education in post-mythic times •
Outlines of a responsive pedagogy
Abstract
From the beginning of its existence, the child is articulating an unconditional claim to life. Even in the post-mythic era, or rather in the myth-critical world of the modern age, education is confronted with the difficult task of responding to this claim - but now without the possibility of being able to legitimise its interventions and actions by appealing to an unquestionably absolute authority. First of all, this means questioning the coercion that is primordially inscribed in education.
May parents, may teachers, may educators force the compliance of the self-willed child? All guardians of a supposedly true and unconditional social order will answer the question with “yes”. For even since antiquity, human beings have been granted free will, but this - according to the great Church teacher Augustine in the 5th century - is “not always good”. For this reason, education was, and to some extent still is, a project to replace the “bad” self-will with a will that was as fully “good” as possible, or an attempt to at least neutralise or tame the bad parts of the will. In the case of success, so the anxious hope of education, the child can protect itself as well as the community into which it is born from “evil” and from sinful misfortune.
Since the rebellious discourse of the dignity of man, one cannot avoid including the child, even the wayward one, in the circle of dignity. As in politics, so also in education, dealing with resistance and “deviants” shows the real meaning of values such as freedom, justice, codecision, public spirit and the protection of life. The question is how the values are anthropologically justified, normatively interpreted and practically concretised. In more recent times, i.e. in the modern age that is far removed from God and critical of myths, this poses a particular challenge. Now, the legitimisation of education in general, as well as its moments of coercion in particular, can no longer be justified with a “Higher Will” as it was centuries ago. Coercion inevitably emanates from the authoritative counterpart of the child, from the holder of the “educational power” - as a spontaneous action of responsible adults as well as in the form of a longer-term and planned effort on the part of socially legitimised authorities.
This study attempts to provide food for thought from historical, conceptual-systematic, various theoretical and practical perspectives regarding the “eternal” question of the inherently contradictory relationship between child and educator or between individual and community/society. In the post-mythic era, according to the thesis, there is a need for a constant dialogue effort based on agreement in the sense of an authentic culture of responsive communication. According to its intention, it establishes a creative space of claim and response in which every human being has a right to a voice and a hearing. In this endeavour, the child to be educated must be included as a relevant co-creator of his or her educational process, if he or she is not to be made a mere object of foreign ambitions and demands. For the possibility of an education that respects human dignity and is resolutely oriented towards universal values is ultimately dependent on the free consent of the child and the later adult.
Abstract
The leveraging of market power by digital ecosystems and self-preferencing have become fashionable topics nowadays at national, European, and international levels. However, they are not novel issues. This paper argues that we can find the underlying concepts in a number of practices previously identified as abusive, such as tying and bundling, margin squeeze, and refusal to deal. This paper points out that these abuses have certain similarities with self-preferencing. This supports the claim that self-preferencing is likely to be conceivable under EU competition law as a new abuse. The investigations launched by the Commission after the adoption of the Google Shopping decision – such as against Amazon and Apple, the Amazon case of the Italian Competition Authority, as well as the various expert reports, and the legislative proposals that have been put forward in this regard also point in this direction. However, many questions remain when it comes to the legal standards that are applicable to the assessment of whether self-preferencing is abusive in a given situation.
Abstract
The task of higher education is twofold: (1) to prepare students to meet the expectations of the labor market and (2) to create a learning environment and conditions so that as many students can meet the subject requirements as possible, the dropout rate should be the lowest possible. Input and continuous monitoring of students' transversal competencies can be a suitable method to meet this dual requirement. The range of these competencies is very diverse. In our present study, we focused on inductive thinking, which plays an important role in problem-solving. The research involved 212 first-grade BSc technical students. Our measurement tool is widely used in the selection of the workforce, which the students had to fill in online. The gained results were evaluated using IBM SPSS Statistics. The analysis included a comparison of inductive thinking and its two subcomponents, abstract reasoning, and diagrammatic cognition, in terms of background variables, as well as time consumption, and the definition of specific performance. We found a functional relationship between time consumption and the performance achieved in the test. Students have advanced analogical cognition in terms of abstract thinking; however, their diagrammatic thinking shows very different levels of development, which can cause difficulties in solving technical problems.
Abstract
Adults learn when they actively engage in meaningful activities. Meaningfulness is an extremely subjective factor, which depends on experiences, values, attitudes and much more. “The ways in which adults learn in and through the workplace are rooted in educational trajectories and their complex intertwining with social institutions (of labour market, workplace, community) and social roles (of employee, citizen, family member) at different stages of the life-course” (Kersh et al., 2011, 355). The interplay between work, studies and lifeworld is the focus of this study, conducted at the University College Copenhagen in 2020–2021. At the College, and in teacher training in particular, we are asking two important questions these days: How can we establish an engaging learning culture in our educational program? How can we create space for all students to find the relevant content to engage with? How can this be done when our students are so diverse according to age, life and work experiences, life situation and life interests? In this article, I analyse my own workplace learning and professional development during my first 2 years at University College, where I have been working on transforming my experience from the university to a new context – a professional teacher education program at University College.
Abstract
The significance of equipping higher education graduates with both practical skills and theoretical knowledge relevant to their future workplace has been identified as one of the priorities in the higher education sector. Specifically, the issues, such as the preparation of young people for the world of work, facilitating the links between academic studies and practical experiences, and situating practice-based education have become central to the higher education landscape. This article discusses the extent to which practically-based higher education learning spaces can be constructed and co-constructed, involving the cooperation and collaboration of different stakeholders: employers, university lecturers and students. The article will particularly draw on the perspectives from a case study of practically-based higher education in the hospitality sector in England. Drawing on this case study the article will address the following research questions: (1) How can practically-based learning spaces be constructed and co-constructed within the context of higher education? and (2) What is the role of different stakeholders in this process? The article argues that the development of a practically-based higher education learning space is much more complex than simply bringing together academic and practical learning, and involves both institutional affordances, industry engagement and collaboration of key stakeholders.
Abstract
Work practices and learning are entangled processes that operate differently in each workplace. Central factors producing this diversity are the informal, social and affective cultures facilitated and supported in each workplace. Recent research findings further suggest that these informal modes of workplace practice are critical for how people in these organisations learn, and for their capacity to innovate and adapt to changes in their business environment. Lockdowns implemented because of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which many organisations and individuals have had to embrace remote working using digital devices, software and broadband, have significantly reduced opportunities for these important informal and social dimensions of workplace practice. Given the likelihood that diverse forms and degrees of remote working will become part of the post-pandemic ‘new normal’, we discuss in this paper approaches to researching the extent to which, and in what forms, the benefits of informal interactions can be enabled and replicated in situations of partially or wholly remote working. The paper contributes to the literature on workplace learning by critically discussing the effects of the pandemic, and especially remote working, on the modern workplace, and discussing possible future directions for research.
Abstract
This study investigates occurrences and tools of informal and non-formal learning at work, focusing on the Hungarian IT sector. The aim is to demonstrate that learning at work mainly manifests informally and to identify its patterns. Companies shifting towards teleworking during the pandemic further increased the importance of informal learning. The empirical research uses complex methodology of three pillars: A questionnaire about workplace learning conducted among employees in the IT sector (N = 162). Case studies of three Hungarian IT companies using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Learning activity logging of work-related learning events were recorded by participating employees (N = 19). According to the main conclusions there is a positive correlation between the number of available workplace learning opportunities and opinions on the efficacy of informal learning. Informal learning dominates the learning patterns of employees in a knowledge-intensive industry. In supporting employees’ learning the average number of informal learning opportunities are significantly higher than those of formal learning and both employees and employers agree that this mode of learning is more effective.
The results highlight that reinterpreting workplace learning is necessary due to economic, social and technological trends not to mention employer flexibility becoming more and more inevitable. Thus, the importance of informal learning is unquestionable.
Abstract
The development of AI has been an explosive process, permeating almost all areas of life. During this rapid evolution, the legal profession has been slow to catch up. This is especially true for international law, which seemingly remains indecisive regarding whether it has a role to play at all. This article aims at mapping out converging points between AI and international law. Through separating key elements of the definition and nature of AI, the possibility of its legal personality and the means by which AI may become a subject of international law are analysed. Utilizing various modalities regarding legal personality, such as that of inanimate objects, corporations and natural persons, the paper presents avenues for if and when decision-makers want to regulate the field. Last, the advantages and problems with bestowing legal personality and the potential future directions of international regulation are observed.
Abstract
The article uses a multi-faceted approach to present the major challenges to vocational education and training (VET) that Hungary and Poland have been facing during the transformation of their economic systems in 1989 and integration into the EU in 2004. The evolution of VET is examined according to historical traditions, its declining prestige, the introduction of dual training, governance, and the involvement of social partners. We also look at recent changes in the two countries as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and discuss the current situation in the light of VET scenarios recently developed by Cedefop.
Abstract
Social problem-solving skills are the individual's way for better social adaptation. Therefore, the study aimed to investigate the characteristics of Palestinian adolescents' social problem-solving (Positive orientation, negative orientation, rational style, impulsive style, and avoidance style) in connection to some demographic variables (i.e. gender, age, family composition, father's education, and mother's education). As an instrument, Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised (SPSI-R) was applied to 410 Palestinian adolescents whose ages (12, 15, and 18 years old). The results showed that the Palestinian adolescents had the highest level of positive orientation and the least level of negative problem orientation towards solving social-problems. In addition, the finding showed that there were no differences between girls and boys in positive orientation, rational style and impulsive style, while females had a tendency towards negative orientation and avoidance style. There were no differences attributed to age in negative orientation, rational style, impulsive style, and avoidance style. However, it was found that positive orientation was prominent in 18 years old. There was no difference in adolescents' family composition in their dealing with social problems. Also, there was no difference in solving social problems attributed to the father's education. However, there was no difference in negative orientation, positive orientation, rational style, and impulsive style attributed to mother's education. However, there was a relationship between the mother who has elementary school and avoidance style.
Abstract
This study is part of a larger research study that seeks to understand how employee-driven innovation (EDI) is initiated, enacted and sustained in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore. To date, most of the EDI studies are conducted in the Nordic context where management, employees and public authorities work closely with each other. In more hierarchical societies, such as those in Asia, employees may be given less discretion in exercising initiative to improve work processes and conditions. This study seeks to provide insights on factors that support employees initiating, enacting and sustaining innovations in Singapore SMEs through case studies. Besides interviews, data gathering was also undertaken through observations of the employees, supervisors/managers and owners at work and their interactions where possible. It is found that employees’ engagement in workplace learning contribute to initiation, enactment and sustenance of EDI in Singapore SMEs. The findings underline the significance of workplace learning in developing and strengthening employees’ innovation capacity.
Abstract
New Public Management (NPM)-inspired higher education (HE) governance has become increasingly topical in recent years. However, while existing research provides an overall understanding of relevant changes, it does not offer a complete analysis of complex governance and falls prey to deterministic and relatively narrow ideological impositions. Scholars are overwhelmingly oriented toward governance models or modes and the ideas of efficiency, effectiveness, and competition in NPM. They either promote these aspects as an approach to organizing HE governance or criticize them in addition to evaluating or comparing their outcomes. Therefore, based on a literature review and drawing on Foucauldian ideas of political rationality, this paper proposes a shift from the ideology-based problem-solving paradigm to a renewed approach. By calling for an increased focus on bottom–up initiatives that stem from below while studying NPM-inspired HE governance, this paper recommends conducting a discourse analysis of technical policy papers together with empirical-analytical studies to identify interpretive political rationalities and histories. Overall, the approach proposed in this paper would limit the deterministic mode of policy analysis and lead to more refined ways of understanding HE governance in certain fields, clarifying problematic situations, and effectively estimating future directions.
Abstract
Building on the findings of Cedefop’s research project ‘The changing nature and role of VET in Europe’ (2015–18), this article outlines the development and transformation of European VET over the last two decades. Exploring change from epistemological-pedagogical, institutional and socio-economic perspectives, the research not only illustrates the stability and path dependence of national VET systems (and how this sustains overall VET-diversity in Europe), it also demonstrates how the combination of incremental change and major societal and economic shocks shift the orientation of VET. This mapping and analysis of the past is used to outline possible scenarios for the future of vocational education and training in Europe. Three main scenarios - pluralistic, distinctive and special-purpose VET - illustrate the different directions VET can take in the next two decades and the challenges and opportunities involved in this. The final part of the article discusses the potential use of the scenario-approach and how this is taken forward in Cedefop’s follow-up project on the Future of VET (2019–2022).
Abstract
There is a general consensus in mainstream education sciences and sociology that the Hungarian educational system has long been highly selective. 1 Although the majority of Hungarian society has high hopes that the educational system promotes social mobility, empirical studies show that the problem of selectivity has not been handled effectively, regardless of the multitude of changes in education policy in past decades. 2 It has become a very fashionable theme in the past few years to denounce the detrimental effects of neoliberalism on the educational system for this failing. 3 We, however, argue that neoliberalism has only played a secondary role in the controversial evolution of educational policy, while its chief causes may rather be found in ambiguous education legislation.
As a result of the aforementioned controversy, the impact of neoliberal economic policy on the institutional selectivity of education needs to be clarified. Accordingly, this paper aims to highlight the main patterns of how the neoliberal idea has affected education, as well as its side effects on social mobility.
Abstract
A common feature of the present-day constitutions of the Western Balkans is the effort to solve conflicts of ethnic character using predominantly legal tools, mostly in a parliamentarian way. However, the practice shows that most legal regimes based on instruments that give preference to the interests of one or more equally strong ethnic groups can be built mostly to the detriment of democratic states. Effective and functional state institutions and ethnic power-sharing in multi-ethnic states seem to be in conflict with each other. Rule-of-law-based models can only function properly if parties have mutual trust and can solve their internal conflicts through compromises among themselves. Political agreements based on mutual trust are more effective in the long term as legal instruments. There are examples of such arrangements in multi-ethnic states of Western Europe (Belgium, Northern Ireland, and Switzerland). Analysis of the solutions of the Western Balkans countries and their comparison with these Western examples shows clearly that hard legal tools (vetoes) do not soften but sharpen conflicts, while informal arrangements based on mutual trust are more productive.
Abstract
As the role that publicly owned and private think tanks play in evidence-based governance grows, several parameters that have a bearing on the agenda, schedule and timetable of the think tanks have already been studied. Here we look at the interplay between the funding model (public vs. private) and the analysis intention (the temporal outlook; ex-ante vs. ex-post approach), choosing Lithuanian education policy, system and agents as the study domain. Among other findings, we see that the funding model correlates with the temporal outlook: the investigated representative of private think tanks tends to engage in ex-ante work more intensively, while the publicly funded equivalent is exhibitive of both ex-ante (preparatory) and ex-post (evaluative) research tactic in almost equal measure. We conclude that the private sector may afford the luxury of being more focused and efficient in its information behavior mostly due to the clear and non-debatable ideological commitment. In a deliberative democracy this is rarely possible. It would be of great interest to check whether the same generalizations hold for jurisdictions that are free from the post-Soviet administrative tradition.
Abstract
The aim of the present study is to identify teachers' reading strategy use in L1 (mother tongue) and L2 (foreign language), and also to examine whether background variables such as gender, qualification, teaching experience, platform of teaching, reading habits, majors, L2 level and the number of L2s known make a difference in teachers' reading strategy use. Reading has been widely researched yet examining L1 and L2 reading strategy use simultaneously yielded contradicting results. Furthermore, there is little research on teachers' reading strategy use although their role in students' reading is vital. An online, anonymous questionnaire including background variables and items from MARSI was used, which was filled in by 256 teachers. Data analysis found that teachers use more reading strategies in L1 than in L2. No background variable had any significant relationship with L1 reading strategy use. Reading habits, L2 level, majors and L2s known, however, did make a difference in teachers' L2 reading strategy use. Thus it seems that L2 metalinguistic knowledge and reading habits might be important to consider when examining reading strategies.
Abstract
In today's globalized, multicultural and multilingual world, diverse social processes and macrocontextual factors are influencing people's motivation to learn a new language. According to OECD, the students' mobility to study abroad has increased more than two times during the past 2 decades, which plays a significant role in the world's future development. This paper aims to obtain a deeper understanding of international students' motivation for learning Hungarian in Budapest, Hungary. To achieve this aim, in-depth interviews were conducted with 17 international students who were awarded the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship and have achieved between A1 and B1 level in Hungarian as a foreign language. The interview guide was adapted from Dörney's L2 Motivational Self System and Taguchi, Magid, and Papi scales. The collected data was analyzed through thematic analysis. The findings revealed that international students have integrative and instrumental motivation for learning Hungarian. However, their integrative motivation purposes are more common than their instrumental motivation.
Abstract
This article intends to show that while the strong VET-labour market link has a long tradition in the Netherlands and likely maintains strong in the future, the dynamics that substantiate this link, especially in terms of institutional arrangement have seen a radical shift in the last decades. To explore the shifts we make use of Rageth and Renold (2020) model of three ideal types of linkages between education and employment system and the ideas concerning vocational and academic drift (Hippach-Schneider, 2014; Cedefop, 2017, 2020). This article is based on a literature review and case studies conducted in recent years on the Dutch system in the context of various (European) research projects. The article concludes that while the ownership for VET of the employment system decreased, the VET schools, due to the high level of autonomy and institutional capacities, were effectively able to install cooperation mechanism, joint delivery mechanisms in VET programmes and effective feedback mechanisms. The article shows that powerbalancing on VET content and supporting vocational drift does not necessarily require powerbalancing institutionally. In doing so, the article offers reflections to other countries’ VET systems on how to balance education and labour market systems in the determination of the VET content and the governance of the VET system.
Abstract
The paper discusses the options for a conceptual framework to describe how the knowledge created and acquired in VET is changing due to technological innovation and the shift towards a knowledge economy. The discussion sets out from the question how vocational or professional knowledge may be distinguished from other forms of knowledge and what philosophical and epistemological traits may underpin this distinction. Building on an analysis of ‘intrinsic’ and ‘extrinsic’ conceptions of knowledge, the paper explores how appropriate descriptors for the classification of theoretical or propositional knowledge as well as practical knowledge may be identified. As a result, a proposal for structuring vocational knowledge is presented. The concluding part addresses the question how the proposed categories may serve to characterise changes in vocational knowledge and explores the requirements for applying the conceptual framework in empirical studies on the effects of technological innovation and societal developments.
Abstract
Vocational education and training is more complex than academic education. It is also subject to important differences among countries due to at least two factors: a) the particular fabric of the productive system of the country and b) the involvement of social actors (employers and unions) as well as the labor market relations and the balance between capital and work.
Historical and comparative vocational education and training has deployed a series of analytical tools which have contributed to identify different patterns of existing vocational education systems. Some institutions have also worked in order to help vocational education advance in the past decades: among these, the European Center for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) has twice devised future scenarios in Vocational education, at the turn of the 20th century and right before the Covid-19 pandemics.
The combination of current VET systems and suggested scenarios indicate that transformations are subject to negotiation among actors within countries (administration, employers, unions, teachers) and across countries; as well as subject to legitimation of decisions before the wider society. The sociology of conventions is a useful approach to analyse processes of negotiation and legitimation behind historical developments in VET systems; we suggest applying it to tackle current VET scenarios.
Abstract
The role of the parents is crucial in the children's effective functioning, having a long-term effect on the physical, mental and social health of the individuals. Sense of coherence is one of the most important elements of mental health, having a significant effect on the various aspects of life. So do parental goal emphasis by setting the main directions for the children. The current survey aimed to study the impact of sense of coherence and the perceived parental goal emphasis for teenagers' anxiety disorder. 80 of these students (40 suffering from anxiety disorder and 40 normal individuals) were selected due to a questionnaire about anxiety and sampling method, considering the goal of the research. The sense of coherence questionnaire was filled by students' mothers, and to understand parents', the perceived parental goal emphasis questionnaire was filled by the students themselves. The results were calculated and analysed by a statistical program called SPSS (V.20) with MANOVA on the Dependent variables test. The results indicate that the sense of coherence was different in two groups of mothers and students than anxiety disorder and normal individuals. It shows that sense of coherence had a higher rate in normal students' mothers. Also, the orientation senses of parents and its component had a huge superiority over students with an anxiety disorder than normal.
Abstract
Professional learning is complex and is the result of a mix of experiences made in academic and workplace settings. An interesting step in the learning trajectories of professionals is represented by internship. Interns have to engage in boundary crossing when connecting academic learning with professional practices. An interesting issue to explore concerns the experiences of undergraduate interns when they encounter challenges in workplaces. Drawing upon Dewey’s notion of experience to examine internship learning, this article focuses on the role of sociomateriality when neophytes—interns—enter the workplace. Analysing semi-structured interviews with undergraduates (N = 38) performing their internship at the public relations and communication industry where internship is not an established practice, we present three findings. First, materiality of work activity plays a central role in organizing learning for interns at the workplace. Second, interns report networking at the workplace for convergence of work objectives which in turn provides opportunities and constraints for learning about the logic of workplace activities. Finally, interns report balancing between different identities during internship practice in order to direct their participatory efforts within the complex workplace organization. The value of internship learning calls for agency from the learners while considering the implications for the workplace organisations where learning experiences are located. Finally, we bring attention to the role of the workplace supervisors and faculty members in the development of professional learning in such complex professional learning settings.
Abstract
The aim of this article is to explore methodological issues related to scenarios on vocational education and training (VET). In particular, we examine the extent to which VET scenarios depend or build on generalizable future expectations (“myths of the future”) or archetypes of the future. The analysis builds on a review of recent methodological literature on scenario building applied to three international scenario studies on VET carried out by the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop), in which the authors were partly involved.
We argue that neither scenarios on a particular issue (“issue-based”) nor on the future of a particular society (“area-based”) do justice to diverse VET systems but that scenarios in VET need to be “institution-based”. Hence, both the relative independence of VET systems and their path dependency – especially in transnational projects – need to be taken into account. In conclusion, we propose that the regular application of the scenario approach could be a useful complement to various other prospective approaches used to guide European employment and vocational training policies.
Abstract
The development of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programs for vocational teachers in Africa has been hampered by a lack of relevant research on their CPD practices and learning needs. This study therefore investigated the learning needs of vocational teachers in Kenya based on the professional competencies vocational teachers identify as essential for their work and their self-perception of competence.
Using a concurrent mixed methods approach, data was collected from 170 questionnaire respondents and sixteen interview participants from six Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions in Kenya.
Despite TVET teachers perceiving themselves as highly competent, they were found to express a relatively high need for CPD. The need was most strongly expressed by teachers who had received Initial Teacher Education (ITE), which suggested that ITE has a positive influence in sensitising teachers on the need for CPD. New teachers were however found to have a lower perception of competence. Mentorship for new teachers is thus recommended.
An unexpected finding was that while TVET teachers in Kenya identify good teaching skills as an essential competency for vocational teachers, they assume mastery of content translates to good teaching skills. It is thus recommended that the curriculum for TVET teachers in Kenya be reviewed to help teachers appreciate, identify, and develop subject-specific teaching skills.
Abstract
This article examines the unemployment policy of Central-East-European countries applying mixed methods. First, fuzzy set analysis is used to determine the efficiency of unemployment measures for reducing the poverty gap. Three causal conditions are measured: the net replacement rate of unemployment benefits, labour law regulations related to job security, and public spending on labour-market programs. This analysis reveals two possible pathways: governments may either provide a high level of job security, or spend on active and passive labour-market measures. Second, the fuzzy set analysis was completed with a comparative legal analysis covering the Visegrad countries that examined the policy choices the Visegrad countries made after the economic crisis. The paper argues that due to the different approaches to the welfare state, any potential EU initiatives for regulating unemployment benefits under the European Pillar of Social Rights might put divergent adaptation pressure on the V4 states. The differences are significant, as they would not only challenge effective social integration but also hamper the envisioned political cooperation of the V4 countries in this policy area. Building on previous literature, this paper is written to contribute to research on the European Social Model and social integration within the European Union.
Abstract
Vocational education and training (VET) systems around the world serve many aims, the most important of which can be grouped into three main aims: economic, social and educational aims. These different aims find their roots in different socio-cultural and economic contexts and their importance in the functioning of the systems evolves according to the times. Our contribution proposes a reflection on the centrality of the notion of aims in order to better understand and describe the functioning of VET systems. By adopting an exploratory approach based on discourse analysis, we will show the interest in using this notion to build a theoretical framework that facilitates international comparisons between VET systems and also the description of their evolution from the past to the future. To exemplify the relevance of this exploratory approach, the contribution will propose a description of the evolution of the Swiss VET system from 1880 up to 2030, based on the articulation of economic, social and educational aims.
Abstract
Since the mid 1990s vocational and education and training systems across Europe have had to respond to a number of external factors which have transformed the demand for skills. This paper examines the way in which VET systems have responded to the external factors and increase their resilience in the face of external shocks of one kind or another. The paper also reveals the way in which VET increasing established itself as a mainstream option for young people over the same period because of its capacity to deliver skills which the labour market demands.
Az eredményesség és a tanári fluktuáció összefüggései a szakképzésben
Relationship between Effectiveness and Teacher Fluctuation in Vocational Training
Összefoglaló. Kutatásunkban a 2017. és 2019. évi Országos kompetenciamérés érettségit nem adó szakképző iskolákban tanuló diákok adatait vizsgáltuk (N matematika: 11 776; N szövegértés: 11 582). Az iskola eredményességét tekintve az egyik legfontosabb tényező maga a pedagógus, hogy milyen munkát végez, továbbá kiemelkedően fontos az is, hogy mennyire állandó egy iskolában a tanári kar, másként fogalmazva, mekkora a tanári fluktuáció. Eredményeink ezt nem teljesen igazolták, hiszen a magasabb tanári fluktuáció esetén magasabb eredményességet tapasztaltunk. Ugyanakkor vannak eredmények, amelyek alátámasztják a korábbi kutatások eredményeit: a pályakezdő, az iskolát, illetve a pályát elhagyó pedagógusok magasabb aránya alacsonyabb tanulói eredményességgel jár együtt, de ez kizárólag a matematika képességterület kapcsán mondható el. Az olvasás-szövegértés mérési területen ezzel ellentétes tendencia érvényesül.
Summary. In our research, we examined the data of students studying in non-baccalaureate vocational schools the National Assessment of Basic Competencies in 2017 and 2019 (N mathematics: 11 776; N reading: 11 582). In terms of the effectiveness of the school, one of the most important factors is the kind of work the teacher does, and it is also extremely important how constant the teaching staff is in a school, in other words, how much the teacher fluctuates. Our results did not fully confirm this, as we experienced higher efficiency in the case of higher teacher turnover. At the same time, there are results that support the results of previous research: a higher proportion of beginning, out-of-school and out-of-school teachers is associated with lower student achievement, but this can only be said in relation to the mathematics skill area. In the field of reading comprehension, the opposite trend prevails.
A beilleszkedési, tanulási és magatartási nehézséggel küzdő tanulók eredményessége
Effectiveness of Children with Integral, Learning, and Behavioral Difficulties
Összefoglaló. A hazai és nemzetközi szakirodalomban részletesen kutatott téma a tanulók iskolai teljesítménye és ennek befolyásoló tényezői, mint például családi háttér, iskolai jellemzők, de ezek a kutatások ritkán térnek ki a tipikustól eltérő tanulókra. Vizsgálatunkban arra vállalkoztunk, hogy a beilleszkedési, tanulási és magatartási nehézséggel (BTMN) küzdő tanulók teljesítményét elemezzük fenntartó és nem szerint. A kutatásunkban a 2017 májusában felvett 6. osztályos tanulók matematika- és szövegértés-eredményeit elemeztük az Országos kompetenciamérés adatai alapján. Eredményeink szerint azt nem lehet egyértelműen meghatározni, hogy a tanulók melyik fenntartónál teljesítenek jobban. A nemek szerinti vizsgálat azt mutatja, hogy a fiúgyermekek jobbak ugyan a matematikai feladatokban, de ha a gyermeknél fennáll a matematikai nehézség, akkor kisebb a fiúk és a lányok teljesítménye közötti különbség.
Summary. A well-researched topic is in the international and domestic literature the school performance of students and its influencing factors, such as family background, school characteristics, etc., but most of these examinations and research were aimed at students with typical development. In our study, we undertook to examine the learning performance of students with integration, learning, and behavioural difficulties (ILBD) based on several aspects (maintainer, gender). In our study, we analysed the mathematics and reading results of 6th-grade students enrolled in May 2017 based on data from the National Assessment of Basic Competencies. It is not possible to determine clearly in which maintained school the examined children perform better. Boys with ILBD are also better at math tasks, but if the child has math difficulty, the difference in performance between boys and girls is lower.
Bölcsődei és óvodai pedagógusok mentális állapota
The Mental Health of Nursery and Kindergarten Teachers
Összefoglaló. Jelen szakirodalmi elemzés a bölcsődei és óvodai pedagógusok mentális állapotával foglalkozik, a stresszel, kiégéssel és munkahelyi pszichoterrorral kapcsolatos kutatások és elemzések megállapításainak összefoglalására törekszik. Célunk, hogy a szakirodalom megállapításai alapján felmérjük a kisgyermeknevelők és óvodapedagógusok mentálhigiénés állapotát, valamint az azt befolyásoló tényezőket, továbbá, hogy összefüggéseket keressünk a stressz, a kiégés és a fluktuáció között, és ezeken alapulva megoldási javaslatokat és lehetőségek tárjunk fel. Az összefüggések elemzése nemcsak jövőbeli kvalitatív kutatások megalapozásához nyújthat segítséget, hanem azoknak a pedagógusoknak, intézményvezetőknek is, akik a korai gyermekkor pedagógiájával foglalkoznak.
Summary. This literature review focuses on the mental health of nursery and kindergarten teachers and tend to summarize the findings of research and analysis related to stress, burnout, and mobbing. Our aim is to assess the mental health status of early childhood educators and kindergarten teachers and the factors that influence it, based on the relevant literature, to explore correlations between stress, burnout, and fluctuation, and to highlight possible solutions based on these findings. The analysis of the connections can help not only to support future qualitative research but also for teachers and leaders who deal with early childhood pedagogy.
A doktori képzés nemzetközi és hazai átalakulása
The International and Domestic Transformation of Doctoral Education
Összefoglaló. A doktori képzés területén jelentős nemzetközi átrendeződés történt a 2000-es évektől. Magyarország a doktori képzés rendszerváltás utáni kialakításakor a stabilabb képzési környezetet teremtő programmodell mellett döntött, azonban a globális kihívások (hosszú képzési idő, tanulói státusz) a magyarországi doktori képzést is érintik. Ez indokolta a doktori képzés struktúraváltását 2016-ban. Tanulmányunkban áttekintjük a nemzetközi és hazai változásokat a képzésben, s képet adunk a hazai beiskolázási adatokról is, melyekhez a Központi Statisztikai Hivatal, az Országos Doktori Tanács, a Diplomás Pályakövetési Rendszer (N = 509) és a Persist (N = 1020) létszámadatait és adatbázisait használtuk. Eredményeinkből egy lassan növekvő és tudományterületileg erősen tagolt doktorandusz-társadalom képe bontakozik ki. Tanulmányunk fontos megállapítása, hogy a doktori képzés vonzását a felsőoktatás korábbi szintjein szerzett kedvező tapasztalatokkal lehet növelni.
Summary. There has been a significant international reorganization in the field of doctoral training since the 2000s. After the change of regime, Hungary opted for a program model that created a more stable training environment, but global challenges (e.g. long training time, student status) also affect doctoral training in Hungary. These problems led to a structural change in doctoral training in 2016. In our study, we review international and domestic changes in education, and provide an overview of domestic enrollment data, for which we analyze the headcount data and databases of the Central Statistical Office, the National Doctoral Council, the Graduate Career Tracking System (N = 509) and Persist (N = 1020). In our results, we present an expanding, but highly divided doctoral student society. An important finding of our study is that the attractiveness of doctoral training can be increased by the positive experience gained at previous levels of higher education.
