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Abstract: This open access book examines the triangle between family, gender, and health in Europe from a demographic perspective. It helps to understand patterns and trends in each of the three components separately, as well as their interdependencies. It overcomes the widely observable specialization in demographic research, which usually involves researchers studying either family or fertility processes or focusing on health and mortality.

Abstract: Ageism is a social construct of old age that portrays ageing and older people in a stereotypical, often negative, way. We are convinced that ageism is harmful both to the individuals affected and to society as a whole. Hence, this book provides a thorough overview of insights into the origins of ageism and descriptions of the mani-festations and consequences of ageism in different domains and also presents interventions which might curtail and reduce ageism.

Abstract: With contributions from world-renowned experts with years of collective experience in "across-border" education, this volume focuses on the implications of globalization in higher education. In particular, it looks at relations between states and institutions that do not normally attract attention. The chapters analyze the interactions between the South and the North, consider the challenges for "non-elite" institutions, and examine the potential for knowledge flow and creation in acro ...; [Read more...] With contributions from world-renowned experts with years of collective experience in "across-border" education, this volume focuses on the implications of globalization in higher education. In particular, it looks at relations between states and institutions that do not normally attract attention. The chapters analyze the interactions between the South and the North, consider the challenges for "non-elite" institutions, and examine the potential for knowledge flow and creation in across-border partnerships.

Abstract: Pushing ‘social’ responsibilities on schools is a process that has been underway for a long time. This phenomenon has been studied more in Europe than in North America and the U.K. and has been labelled Pädagogisierung. The editors have chosen to use ‘Educationalization’ to identify the overall orientation or trend toward thinking about education as the focal point for addressing or solving larger human problems. The term describes these phenomena as a sub-process of the ‘modernization ...; [Read more...] Pushing ‘social’ responsibilities on schools is a process that has been underway for a long time. This phenomenon has been studied more in Europe than in North America and the U.K. and has been labelled Pädagogisierung. The editors have chosen to use ‘Educationalization’ to identify the overall orientation or trend toward thinking about education as the focal point for addressing or solving larger human problems. The term describes these phenomena as a sub-process of the ‘modernization’ of society, but it also has negative connotations, such as increased dependence, patronization, and pampering. In this book distinguished philosophers and historians of education focus on ‘educationalization’ to expand its meaning through an engagement with educational theory. Topics discussed are the family and the child, the ‘learning society’, citizenship education, widening participation in higher education, progressive education, and schooling movements.

Abstract: This book provides an empirical and theoretical examination of the short- and medium run impacts of technological advances on the employment and wages of workers which differ in their earned educational degree. Furthermore, by introducing labor market frictions and wage setting institutions the author shows the importance of such imperfections in order to replicate empirical facts. Due to the introduction of employment protection mechanisms and minimum wages the analysis accounts for k ...; [Read more...] This book provides an empirical and theoretical examination of the short- and medium run impacts of technological advances on the employment and wages of workers which differ in their earned educational degree. Furthermore, by introducing labor market frictions and wage setting institutions the author shows the importance of such imperfections in order to replicate empirical facts. Due to the introduction of employment protection mechanisms and minimum wages the analysis accounts for key facts of continental European labor markets.

Abstract: Many resources are invested in the development and introduction of Quality Assurance Systems in educational institutions all over the world. Our assumption is that, as a result of quality assurance activities, practitioners obtain information about their own functioning and institutional performance which is new and valuable to them and which therefore will form a basis for them to improve performance. This assumption proves to be naïve; too often performance feedback is under-utilized ...; [Read more...] Many resources are invested in the development and introduction of Quality Assurance Systems in educational institutions all over the world. Our assumption is that, as a result of quality assurance activities, practitioners obtain information about their own functioning and institutional performance which is new and valuable to them and which therefore will form a basis for them to improve performance. This assumption proves to be naïve; too often performance feedback is under-utilized, and evaluations become void, legitimizing rites instead of a basis for organizational learning and the improvement of institutions. The aim of this book was to find out when educational institutions do transform Quality Assurance data into actions to improve performance, and how the use of such data can be promoted. This volume reports on the study of Quality Assurance structures and activities in 36 educational institutes in six European Countries and presents guidelines for Quality Assurance.

Abstract: Contributing to the international discussion on higher education globalization and worldwide rankings of higher education institutions, this volume criticizes the existing one-dimensional and aggregated international ranking models and suggests an interesting and exciting new approach of multi-dimensional mapping of higher education institutions. The text gives readers a window on the unique process of developing a new approach to creating effective transparency in the diversity of hig ...; [Read more...] Contributing to the international discussion on higher education globalization and worldwide rankings of higher education institutions, this volume criticizes the existing one-dimensional and aggregated international ranking models and suggests an interesting and exciting new approach of multi-dimensional mapping of higher education institutions. The text gives readers a window on the unique process of developing a new approach to creating effective transparency in the diversity of higher education systems. It describes the conceptual, practical and methodological frameworks relevant to this new approach, whose development was based on theoretical and empirical literature on diversity in higher education. The authors report on the design methodology and research that were applied to develop the new instrument and also place it in the context of current supranational and national higher education policies. The new system emerged from a top-level EU project to design the first European classification of higher education institutions as a tool for mapping the diversity of the higher education landscape. The editor and chapter authors are all international leaders in the field who took part in the multi-year project. They also explore the potential application of the classification in the contexts of the Bologna Process and the European Higher Education and Research Areas (EHEA and ERA). The book analyzes, too, how the system can be used at the level of individual higher education institutions, where the classification is shown to be a useful instrument for strategic institutional profiling.

Abstract: This book presents policy debate and analysis of educational reform context, process, and capacity - mainly in Southeast Asian countries - and calls for a new political economy of educational reforms and capacity development. The conceptual/analytical framework addresses both the efficiency and equity dimensions of educational reforms; encompasses all the stakeholders in the process of educational reforms; and suggests whose capacity needs to be developed. Country cases, targeting Camb ...; [Read more...] This book presents policy debate and analysis of educational reform context, process, and capacity - mainly in Southeast Asian countries - and calls for a new political economy of educational reforms and capacity development. The conceptual/analytical framework addresses both the efficiency and equity dimensions of educational reforms; encompasses all the stakeholders in the process of educational reforms; and suggests whose capacity needs to be developed. Country cases, targeting Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam and featuring Southeast Asia/country experts as contributors, offer in-depth analyses of the dynamics of educational reform context, process and capacity, and examine efficiency, equity, and quality issues in basic and higher education.

Abstract: This book addresses implications for "Gold Standards" of education research, especially in science education and literacy. These standards are meant to provide evidence-based educational outcomes found effective in randomized controlled trials, following patterns of evidence used in medical research. Similar expectations have emerged in other countries, from education ministries, for researchers working with U.S. colleagues, and for researchers with multinational and non-profit support ...; [Read more...] This book addresses implications for "Gold Standards" of education research, especially in science education and literacy. These standards are meant to provide evidence-based educational outcomes found effective in randomized controlled trials, following patterns of evidence used in medical research. Similar expectations have emerged in other countries, from education ministries, for researchers working with U.S. colleagues, and for researchers with multinational and non-profit support. The current "Gold Standard" policy, developed in the United States through the 2001 "No Child Left Behind" [NCLB] Act and the 2002 Education Sciences Reform Act, attempts to improve the effects of schooling and enhance educational research. The contributions to this book explore perspectives on how best to implement multiple standards of education research.