Framing Theoretical/Conceptual Frameworks and Research Processes in African Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Everyday Experiences

This article shows how indigenous knowledge systems and everyday experiences can be used to scaffold theoretical and analytical frameworks as well as to teach aspects of research processes and procedures in a non-intimidating way. We use everyday African experiences and proverbs to show that production of new knowledge does not have to be in English and associated exogenous culture; rather it will be more expedient and have lifelong impact on students if expressed in familiar language practices and knowledge systems. Eurocentric-based epistemologies and knowledge systems will only have profound meaning in Africa if framed in and expressed through local indigenous knowledge systems. We conclude that there is need for research protocols and theoretical/analytical frameworks to be filtered through African socio-cultural contexts and knowledge systems for comprehensive and culturally-relevant meaning making. This would dispel the current obsession with ritualized research, the mysticism associated with Eurocentric research, and perceptions that only formally-educated people are eligible to do research.

Social Justice and Equity in the UK Education System

This article is a review of educational justice in the United Kingdom. Historical roots are investigated. The main existing problems are: (1) the dual system, (2) the equality of university admissions, and (3) remedial education opportunities for disadvantaged pupils. There are recommendations from parliament and nongovernmental organizations, which are considered in this article. A summary of their suggestions include (1) reduce economic inequality, (2) eliminate the distinction between independent and state-funded schools, (3) promote adequate market mechanisms, and (4) offer more remedial education.

Social Justice and Equity in the Japanese Education System

The purpose of this study was to investigate how Japanese educational institutions realize social justice and enhance Japanese students’ capacity for individual self-development in the education system, particularly in upper secondary education. This study involved historical investigation based on analyzing documents, field studies, and in-depth interviews. However, due to the particular social and cultural context of Japan, the preliminary analysis conducted in this study indicated that, despite equal opportunity in education often being emphasized and discussed, social justice is rarely involved in educational policy and research. We conducted in-depth interviews with Japanese scholars to confirm and clarify this issue. Therefore, in this paper, concepts related to social justice (including factors such as educational equity, equality, and fairness) in education are explored first in the Japanese social and cultural context. Second, this paper concentrates on the relationship between social justice (including factors such as educational equity, equality, and fairness) and the capacity for self-development, and comprehensively analyzes Japan’s overall education system. Third, in the educational policies, Japanese ideas of realizing social justice and strategies for enhancing students’ capacity for individual self-development are clarified. Finally, relevant recommendations are provided in the conclusion.

Implications of Policy and Legal Frameworks on Higher Education in Zambia

Policy and legal frameworks are enablers for the delivery of appropriate higher education (HE) in a country. Zambia is currently implementing reforms in the HE sub-sector within the context of the policy and legal frameworks. These frameworks have implications on the provision of HE. The objectives of the paper are to: identify the policy and legal frameworks for the HE sub-sector; and determine the implications of these frameworks on HE. A document analysis method was used for the study in order to determine the relevant policy and legal frameworks on HE. In particular, the analysis used qualitative data purposively collected from the following documents: (1) Educating Our Future: National Policy on Education of 1996; (2) Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Policy of 1996; (3) Higher Education Act No. 4 of 2013 and Zambia Qualifications Authority Act No. 13 of 2011; (5) Higher Education Loans and Scholarships Act No. 31 of 2016; (6) Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training (TEVET) Act No. 13 of 1998 as amended by the TEVET Act No. 11 of 2005; and (7) selected Government Gazette notices. The study findings are that the higher education policy and legal frameworks implications are liberalization, quality assurance, appropriate responses to the national needs, flexibility in training programs, financing, partnerships, accountability, and relevance of training programs offered. The paper concludes that there are multiple policy and legal frameworks implications on HE in Zambia but key among these are registration and accreditation of learning programs, and development of quality assurance systems to address the multitude of the twenty-first century challenges and demands of excellence in HE.

Establishing a National Higher Education Accreditation Framework: Challenges and Opportunities in Zambia

This paper addresses the context in which a national accreditation framework is being established in Zambia. It also outlines the role the Higher Education Authority plays in coordinating this national effort. This paper is informed by two primary data sources. The first is a review of current literature, policy documentation, and other publication outlets online. A second source examines optimal accreditation agency examples in-depth. Challenges and opportunities are discussed within the Zambian context, including recommendations on how to help overcome each challenge and capitalize opportunities.

International Comparison of Education Research Policies

This is a comparative study of the education research policies in several countries and international organizations. The purpose of the comparison is to discover the trends in this field. Four dimensions are used for education research policy: the aims of education research, the promoted research methods, the priority areas in education research, and databases for education research. These dimensions need direction and support from government. The findings are that public interest is pursued by education research institutes. However, any research result that runs counter to current policies will be suppressed. Stakeholders, such as sponsors, researchers and journals, do not take public interest as their main concern. The most promoted method in education research is evidence-based research because it is thought to be more useful and reproducible. The priority area for education research, however, is not so evident. But basic research and new areas, like neuroscience and popular culture, are more common. There are databases for education research in many countries. PISA of OECD is the most conspicuous one in recent years. Education research and educational policy is interwoven together. Education research can contribute to educational policy, while educational policy many direct the orientation of education research. Each should have the other in mind.

An International Comparison of Official Educational Research Institutes: Research Roles and Types

In this paper, the research roles, research types, and effectiveness evaluations of official educational research institutes were investigated to understand the positioning of official educational research institutes in the academic community by employing documentary analysis and comparative method. Official education research institutes established with government resources conduct educational research with roles that emphasize the investigation and resolving of various educational problems in response to social change in the academic community. The types of research conducted by official education research institutes indicate specific bases for action in education policy, provide solutions to educational problems, or compile and disseminate information on education throughout their countries by conducting applied research. Assessments of the effectiveness of the research conducted by official educational research institutes should be considered rigorous, relevant, and utility.

An International Comparison on the Cultivation of Next-Generation Academics in Education Research

This paper is comprised of an international comparative study on the cultivation of next-generation academics in education research. The purpose of the comparison was to determine international trends in this field, which will be used to evaluate the status quo in Taiwan. Two periods were used for analyzing the process of cultivation: graduate school and postdoctoral research. The research methods employed include a literature review, stakeholder interviews, and comparative analysis. Because of the emphasis on research universities, the cultivation of next-generation academics has received attention worldwide, but very little has been published on this topic. Although several related policies and strategies have been promoted and implemented in many countries, analyses on academic cultivation lack profound investigation and further discussion, specifically regarding education. Consequently, an empirical study on this field is necessary. Therefore, through a comparative analysis with a focus on Japan, this paper provides a summary of the recent international trends regarding the cultivation of next-generation academics. Moreover, I explore the current issues regarding this topic further by applying Bourdieu’s forms of capital theory.

Challenges in Education Research in Taiwan: Research Institutes and Organizations, Research Policies, and Problems

Since the 1990s, many education researchers and policy makers worldwide have reviewed education research to attempt to provide strategies to improve the quality of such research in their countries. Taiwan’s government has launched policies and funded support to set the benchmark for Taiwan’s leading universities in international academic competition. The external environment of global competition based on research policy influences the ecosystem of social science research production. To assure the quality of education policy, peer review from within the education community is one approach to supplementing the government’s governance, including the establishment of research institutes, promotion, rewards, and research value. This study tracked the mode of academic research and provides an overview of the status of academic education research in Taiwan. Because education research is part of the humanities and social sciences fields, this study identified the challenges in educational research by examining the trend of social science research and by analyzing research organizations, policy, and the evaluation of research performance. Due to the environment of education research in Taiwan is not friendly to education researcher to accumulate papers in SSCI or international journal, additional concerns entail how education research communities can develop and agree on its quality.

An International Comparison of Nongovernmental Education Research Agencies

Since the beginning of 1990s, nations like the United Kingdom and the United States and multilateral organizations like UNESCO and OECD were looking forward to promoting the quality of education research and linking bridges among education research, education policies, and schooling. The principal investigator focuses on the issues associated with nongovernmental education research agencies with a goal to improve the construction of nongovernmental education research agencies in Taiwan. To overcome the research purposes we mentioned in the beginning, the researcher collects an extensive literature review related to education research agencies, education research policies, education research quality indicators, and schooling first. Moreover, the author aims at the issue related to nongovernmental education research agencies in eight case countries or international organizations to analyze the problems and struggles along with education research policies, education research quality indicators, and education practice via field study and in-depth interview data collection methods in each case country. Finally, the researcher juxtaposes and compares the development and models of nongovernmental research agencies in the world along with current issues in Taiwan. By conducting a series of focus group discussion panels on the issues of nongovernmental research agencies, the researcher reflects on the recent situation of nongovernmental research agencies with the interaction among education research, education research policies, education research quality indicators, and education practices, and provide some suggestions for future strategic plans on the development of nongovernmental research agencies and education research in Taiwan.