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September 2005 |
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I am going to start by asking a purely rhetorical question – am I getting old? The reason I ask that is that I seem to spend a lot of "reading time" muttering into my non-existent beard, "I don't believe it!" I then realise that I am turning into a grumpy old woman – a female version of One Foot in the Grave. The worst this month was a quote from Tony Blair – "Adult learners are `an inspiration'" – which was, in Education & Training Parliamentary Monitor, immediately followed by a statement from John Brennan at the AoC about cuts to funding for adult learning.
Another thing which is an irritant when looking at lots of journals in hard copy is the non-standard presentation of articles. Emerald Group Publishing Ltd has now introduced a "standard" layout for abstracts in all its journals which I find rather less helpful. The format doesn't help me decide such questions as: Should I read this or skim it? Do I include it in Update or don't I? And the format appears to be designed for ease of use for the producer (i.e. copy fields from the master database) not the reader. For example:
Using e-books for knowledge management Philip Barber, School of Computing and Mathematics, University of Teesside
Purpose – Aims to introduce the articles in the special issue which demonstrate the many important uses to which electronic books are now being put.
Design/methodology/approach – The article combines narrative and analysis.
Findings – Knowledge is one of those important "commodities" which we (as individuals, groups and communities) accumulate during the process of living. There is likely to be a growing demand for highly portable, dynamic electronic books that are able to supply data, information and knowledge "on demand". The latest wireless, satellite and server technologies now make this possible.
Originality/Value – Provides a brief overview of the e-book environment (for knowledge management).
Keywords – Electronic books, knowledge management.
Paper type – Viewpoint [similar to an editorial or opinion piece]
The Electronic Library Volume 23 Number 1 (2005)
After this "abstract" the reader is then presented with the full article, in a small point size across a four-inch line length. I don't know about other readers but I gave up – it will have to be totally riveting to induce me to re-write the published fields into prose!
The Work Life Balance Centre is conducting a study into working life in an attempt to uncover to what extent work is dominating people's lives, and the effect this has. The 24-7 survey is seeking your "strictly confidential" views. Julie Hurst, Director of the Centre said: "We want to know as much as we can about how people feel about work, the role it plays in their lives, the things they enjoy and the problems it causes. We are interested in both the good and bad aspects of current working life and our experience of past surveys shows us that people have a great deal of valuable information to share."
To take part in the survey go to: www.24-7survey.co.uk
Many of the "fillers" in this issue aren't, in most cases, the usual uplifting quotes from the great and the good but the latest in playground jokes (the non-lavatorial ones) inspired by Dawn's children and the fact that Dawn has found yet another "silly jokes" site – aha.com
The adult education "funding shambles" was again the topic of a heated debate in the House of Commons, secured by South-West Bedfordshire Conservative MP Andrew Selous on 20 July. DfES Under Secretary Phil Hope said the government is committed to "transforming the lives of children and adults, whatever their background and wherever they live, and for the state to have a responsibility for providing and paying for high-quality initial education and training for young people".
Education & Training Parliamentary Monitor
August 2005 Number 125
Update comment: As an opening shot in replying to a question about the "funding shambles" of adult education it's about as much of a non-answer as we've heard.
Dr Vincent Cable, MP for Twickenham, promoted the debate on 21 June. Whilst it is too late to comment on the debate itself I'm fairly certain we didn't tell you that the special funding for child care and transport costs to help those on very low incomes and with disadvantages has been cut by a massive 24%.
Education & Training Parliamentary Monitor
July 2005 Number 124
Update comment: We've now found a source of this publication which does not circulate it – so we'll be up-to-date from now on!
In the September issue of Talisman, the newspaper published by the Adult Learning Inspectorate, some of the ALI's most prominent stakeholders speak out against DfES proposals to merge the inspectorate with OfSTED. The Association of Learning Providers, the Institute of Directors and NIACE all voice their opposition to the merger and call for the ALI's independence to be retained. Chief Inspector of Adult Learning David Sherlock urges all employers to make sure their voices are heard during the government's consultation on the future of the ALI. He said: "In suggesting there may be ways of making progress in adult learning and skills, other than by merging the ALI and OfSTED, the ALI is not moved by a spirit of opposition. We are, on the contrary, determined to work with the government and the learning and skills sector to find the best way forward to meet the challenges our country faces. Please join the debate."
Adult Learning Inspectorate press release 30 August
The consultation ends on 4 November. To download a copy of Talisman go to www.ali.gov.uk/htm/about_news_talisman.asp
Update comment: Is it worth being an adult today? No opportunity for learning unless you're below the magic threshold level or can afford to pay, ditto career guidance. Learning for adults under New Deal is suffering from lesser levels of funding and now, if the government has its way, the Adult Learning Inspectorate is to be merged into OfSTED.
This report uses the Adult Education Survey of the 2001 National Household Education Survey Program to examine the extent and nature of participation in work-related education among adults in the labor force. The report provides data on instructional providers, topics studied, employer support, and other employment-related inducements for participation. (Original abstract)
National Center for Education Statistics full report (PDF 157pp)
http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2005/2005048.pdf
Courses designed to help the unemployed get back to work are being axed due to a £125 million cut in the training budget for Jobcentre Plus. A spokesperson for the Association of Learning Providers described the cuts as "unbelievable". He said: "Jobcentre Plus … appears to be reverting to being a job placement agency instead of being an agency that offered training as well. These cuts raise some very serious concerns about JCP's commitment to providing learning to its clients which, in our view, provides the basis for sustainable employment."
Joe Clancy, The TES FE Focus 16 September
Plans to privatise tens of thousands of Whitehall staff in Jobcentres are being proposed by the government, according to a leaked letter obtained by the Public and Commercial Services Union. The letter, from Jonathan Portes, Director of Work and Welfare Strategy at the DWP, to Margaret Hodge, the Minister for Work, suggests that the government conduct feasibility studies into "outsourcing benefit processing centres, fraud investigation services and both jobseeker and employer contact centres". Mr Portes also indicated that, once bids had been received from the private and voluntary sector, the scheme could be extended to other Jobcentre functions. The PCS suggests that some 60,000 people will be affected by these changes. Mark Serwotka, General Secretary of PCS, said: "The proposals will create yet more uncertainty and distrust among a workforce already battered by job cuts."
David Hencke, Westminster Correspondent, The Guardian 12 September
Update comment: I thought that "axing the jobs" or, in spin-speak, "streamlining public service provision", was about saving money. If this government does not yet know that outsourcing costs more not less then it has yet to learn the lessons of history – and we, the general public, will have to live through it again.
Charities should play a central role in the government's drive to cut the number of people on long-term sickness benefits, because of their ability to reach out to marginal groups, the Work Minister, Margaret Hodge, has claimed. In an interview for The Financial Times, Ms Hodge explained the government's proposals to outsource almost half the posts in the Jobcentre Plus network of employment and benefit offices to the private and voluntary sectors. She said that they would form part of the welfare reforms which will be outlined in a government Green Paper next month.
Hélène Mulholland, The Guardian 15 September
Charities face a potential conflict of interest if they accept government plans to give them a central role in cutting the number of people on sickness benefit, the charity umbrella body has warned. The National Council for Voluntary Organisations said charities must "put the needs of their clients ahead of public service delivery", and see service delivery as a "means to an end, not an end in itself".
Hélène Mulholland, The Guardian 19 September
Professor Ian Sanderson, Yvette Fidler and Penny Wymer (Policy Research Institute)
DWP Research report 282
ISBN: 1-84123-881-3
September 2005
This report presents the results of the 2005 survey, which was undertaken by telephone between January and March 2005. The survey had three objectives: to provide data on customers' experience of, views on and satisfaction with services in order to assess changes; to identify customers' views on the new integrated service to be compared with the legacy service; and to provide information to drive the performance improvement agenda and help in setting customer service targets.
DWP press release 29 September
A hard copy of this report can be obtained by contacting
Paul Noakes at Social Research Division, Department for Work and Pensions, 4th
Floor, Adelphi, 1-11 John Adam Street, London WC2N 6HT
email:
Paul.Noakes@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
It is also at (PDF 112pp) http://tinyurl.com/aul6b
The Department of Work and Pensions has launched a DVD to promote Jobcentre Plus services to people with a disability or health problems. We Can Help follows one character as she goes from her first interview at a Jobcentre through to employment. Copies are available free of charge. To obtain a copy, contact the Disability Employment Adviser at any local Jobcentre Plus office.
E-Access Bulletin Issue 69 (September 2005)
This report will be of interest to the full range of individuals and organisations that are interested in, or involved with, voluntary and community sector engagement with adult learning. The evaluation was carried out by ERS, specialists in research and consultancy services with offices in Leicester and Newcastle upon Tyne. The Working Together strategy recognises that many voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations need to build their capacity to meet Learning and Skills Council (LSC) standards and work with LSC systems. This applies particularly to many organisations working with black and minority ethnic (BME) groups.
LSC email update 27 August
Full document (PDF 7pp): http://tinyurl.com/clx8d
Lecturers' union NATFHE has accused the government of losing its way on the road to achieving its vision of lifelong learning for all. In a composite motion about learning and skills discussed at the TUC Congress, NATFHE calls for:
Speaking for the motion, Barry Lovejoy, Head of NATFHE's Colleges Department, said: "The government has lost its way on the road to its own vision for lifelong learning. It has lost opportunities for radical reform and failed to keep momentum by providing necessary further investment. This now threatens to undermine progress made so far. … It beggars belief that a government that is committed to lifelong learning and skills development can preside over a situation where courses including IT, accountancy, Return to Learn, English for Speakers of Other Languages, British Sign Language and Access to Higher Education, are being axed. We share the view of college employers, the AoC, that in the 21st century we should not have to choose between adults and young people."
HRLook Daily News 21 September
Over 60% of benefit leavers go on to work a minimum of 16 hours a week, according to a report from the DWP. Destination of Benefit Leavers 2004 showed that 62% went into work, 11% moved on to another benefit, 8% went into full-time education, 5% had their benefit withdrawn and the remainder went "elsewhere".
Working Brief Number 167 (September 2005)
Full report (PDF 108pp): http://tinyurl.com/9tr6f
Edited by Lynne Chisholm, Bryony Hoskins with Christian Glahn
ISBN: 9-28715-765-0
Price: 17 Euros
Understanding, explicating, recognising and evaluating the quality of non-formal learning in the youth sector are issues for which researchers, policymakers and those working with young people are now trying to find solutions. Developing productive relations between non-formal learning in schooling, higher, continuing and vocational education and employment is a more recent concern. The European Commission and Council of Europe Partnership Programme on Youth Research 2003-2005 held a seminar in April 2004 to debate these issues, starting with the view that learning is important wherever it takes place, in so far as it contributes towards fostering personal development, active citizenship, employability and social inclusion. This publication supports current efforts at European and national levels to improve the quality and recognition of non-formal learning not only in the youth sector, but also in other education and training contexts.
Published by Council of Europe Publishing, Palais de
l'Europe, 67075 Strasbourg Cedex, France
tel: +33 (0)3 88 41 25 81
email: publishing@coe.int
Council of Europe email update 22 September
Employment Minister Margaret Hodge has welcomed figures showing strong employment growth. Ms Hodge said that the increase in the number of people in employment has benefited disadvantaged people the most. She said: "For the first time ever there are now more than one million lone parents in work and there are now more than a million people above state pension age who are still working. … More detailed figures for Spring 2005 show that since 1997 the overall employment rate has risen by 2% whereas the lone parent rate has risen by 11%; older workers by 6% and disabled people by 7%."
HRLook Daily News 19 September
A report commissioned by the Department of Trade and Industry has found that Europe is losing out to America and Asia in the use of new technologies to raise productivity. The report, by Indepen, concludes: "The puzzle, given that ICT is more or less available to all globally, is why Europe as a whole has invested less in ICT and gained still less in terms of productivity and growth relative to other economies."
Martin Waller, The Times Online 5 September
The latest quarterly Labour Market Outlook from the CIPD reveals that more than 60% of employers exclude groups with certain characteristics from the recruitment process. UK employers are most likely to exclude those with a criminal record, those with a history of drug or alcohol problems and those with a history of long-term sickness/incapacity. The report suggests that, with fewer recruitment opportunities in a slightly cooler labour market, the government's task of moving people from these "core jobless" groups up the job queue, off welfare benefits and into work looks set to get harder. The report offers some hope to the government's welfare to work drive, finding that employers would be more likely to recruit the core jobless if more was done to improve their employability. But the report also suggests that employability measures must be matched by greater efforts to overcome the often unfair negative attitudes of employers toward the core jobless. John Philpott, the CIPD's Chief Economist, comments: "The extent of exclusion of the core jobless is not in every case justified on the basis of their potential. For example, of employers with experience of employing ex-offenders 87% consider them at least as productive as other workers and 75% consider them at least as reliable. This would suggest that people with criminal records and individuals from other core jobless groups are in many cases being unfairly excluded from the recruitment process. More must be done by policy-makers, working with employers, to address negative stereotypes."
Marchmont Webflash
Volume 9 Number 5 (September 2005)
e-skills UK, the Sector Skills Council for IT, telecommunications and contact centres industries has published its quarterly labour market review. Key findings include:
SSDA INvolve Issue 103 (27 September)
The full bulletin (PDF 12pp) is at
www.e-skills.com/Research/bulletin/1056
Martin Jephcote (Cardiff University) and Ian Abbott (Warwick University)
The last 30 years have witnessed ongoing calls for the reform of post-14 education, to make it more responsive to the needs of employers and the economy, and overcome the academic-vocational divide. This article maps out recent proposals and changes in 14-19 education to remind us that they are rooted in a complex past, and while they might appear to be a solution to current problems, they often give rise to other issues. The publication of the most recent White Paper 14-19 Education and Skills marks no more than another episode in the development of this crucial phase, and the failure to address wholesale reform simply adds to the complexities of the inherent incrementalism. (Original abstract)
Journal of Vocational Education and Training
Volume 57 Number 2/2005
The government has confirmed that it is to launch a national trial of aptitude tests for university entry. Sixth-form pupils will sit the US-style scholastic aptitude tests (SATs) in advance of their A-levels as part of their university applications. The first tests will be taken this autumn, and the pilot will be carried out over five years. The use of the SATs was recommended by the Schwartz inquiry into university admissions earlier this year.
Richard Garner, Education Editor, The Independent 20 September
Update comment: Just as the USA is investigating the applicability of SATs the UK (or is it just England and Wales) decides to trial them. Where is this government leading us?
Alma Harris and Stewart Ranson (Institute of Education, University of Warwick)
In England, New Labour's Five Year Strategy for Children and Learners is presented as the most radical for a generation, addressing systemic weaknesses and enabling a new social democratic settlement to secure education in the public sphere. In this article the authors test these claims against proposals in the Strategy that acknowledge and seek to address the failure of the policy to "break the link between class and achievement". The article highlights a number of inherent contradictions in the Strategy and argues that the central proposals of choice and diversity are unlikely to reduce the gap between disadvantage and achievement. The article concludes that until the principles of justice and democracy are restored to a constitutive settlement of education as a public service then the bond of class and inequality will simply be reproduced rather than challenged by education policy. (Original abstract)
British Educational Research Journal
Volume 31 Number 5 (1 October)
The latest Education at a Glance report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) shows that more pupils leave school at 16 in the United Kingdom than in most other industrialised countries. The report argues that this failure to continue in education leaves young people "economically disadvantaged for life". Ministers said the report was a clear signal that they must improve the vocational education on offer to pupils to encourage more to stay on. The report also found that the UK is falling behind other countries regarding the proportion of people taking university degrees. In 1998, 48% of people in the UK had a degree – well above the 40% average. However, over the last seven years, the proportion of people with degrees in the UK remained the same, while the OECD average rose to 53%.
Polly Curtis, Education Correspondent, The Guardian 13 September
Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators - 2005
Edition
Price: £40
ISNB: 9-26401-190-0
Responding to the Education at a Glance 2005 - OECD Indicators 2005, Minister for Lifelong Learning Bill Rammell welcomed the OECD's confirmation that overall the UK education system is performing strongly and has continued to improve in recent years. He said: "As confirmed by the OECD, the overall UK education picture is a positive one. We are demonstrating strong performance, ongoing progress and there is much in this report to be proud of."
Government News Network 13 September
Full press release: http://tinyurl.com/77u82
Update comment: Eh? Has he been reading the same report as everyone else? You know, the one that slates the UK for the proportion of children who leave school with no qualifications and its low post-compulsory participation rates? This press release is very long, but the bulk of it seems to focus on how much money has been spent on education. Oh yes, and that standards "have never been higher". Well, throwing money at things isn't always the answer and, just because standards "have never been higher", that doesn't necessarily mean that they are "high", does it?
Children's services departments will be asked to identify 1,000 vulnerable children who would benefit from going to a state boarding school, under plans to be announced later this year. The plans, which have been drawn up by the Specialist Schools Trust and the State Boarding Association, will see children placed in existing boarding schools. However, ministers are believed to be considering giving successful and popular schools the option to build in boarding capacity.
David Singleton, Children Now 27 September
Three sets of new figures have dealt the government and its educational policies "a triple blow". They show that:
Richard Garner, Education Editor, The Independent 22 September
Update comment: So that's £300 million spent on a widening participation drive which hasn't widened participation, and £885 million spent on measures to improve behaviour and attendance at schools which haven't improved attendance and behaviour at schools. What else? Dawn
Training provider Computeach warns that SMEs may be putting their operations at risk by requiring staff who do not have adequate skills, qualifications or expertise to maintain and repair IT equipment. John Plaster, Group Managing Director, argues that too many employers simply "add on" the IT maintenance role to existing employees without making sure that they are properly trained. He said that employers should consider the cost incurred as a result of IT failures. In response to this problem, Computeach has launched the CompTIA A+ course. The A+ qualification is a blended learning course aimed at anyone who needs to improve their skills in IT troubleshooting and building PCs.
For more information, contact the Computeach advisory team on tel: 0800 955 5304
E-learning Age September 2005
Plans to revive democracy by replacing ballot boxes with online e-elections have been abandoned by the government. Constitutional Affairs Minister Harriet Harman told parliament that trials of e-voting had shown the system to be "expensive, unreliable and open to abuse".
Julian Glover and Tania Branigan, The Guardian 7 September
More people with learning difficulties and/or physical disabilities could be denied access to education if a Learning and Skills Council proposal to stop funding care in specialist colleges is adopted. The proposal recommends passing the costs of personal care funding to primary care trusts and councils. It is being mooted in response to concerns that funding for education and training is being used to pay for care and health provision for disabled students. Campaigners believe that the proposal will leave disabled students in a grey area, without assured access to care support funding. They also question the ability and willingness of local authorities to assume these costs. Andy Lusk, Director of Education and Early Years at Scope, commented: "If young people with complex needs are not supported through post-compulsory education, this is essentially disablist. Funding needs to be made available to meet their care costs, regardless of where it comes from."
Maria Ahmed, Community Care 22-28 September
Thousands of disabled students now have new rights to better access on university and further education campuses under new laws which came into force on 1 September 2005. Under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), universities and colleges must make reasonable changes to their premises to make them more user-friendly for disabled students in Britain. A failure to do so could result in disabled students taking court action. Campuses will have to ensure that lecture halls, libraries, ICT suites and halls of residence are more user-friendly. This includes altering steps, providing lifts, dropping kerbs, and making sure better lighting and clear signage are provided where it is reasonable to do so. This is the final part of provisions for post-16 education under the DDA. Since 2003 universities and colleges have had a duty to provide extra equipment such as note takers and British Sign Language interpreters for students who may need them to do their course.
Disability Rights Commission Email bulletin
Number 40 (September 2005)
For further details about disabled people's rights to education, please goes to www.drc.org.uk/education/knowyourrights/
Britain has slid down in the rankings of the best country in the world to do business, according to the World Bank's Doing Business in 2006 report. This annual report showed that the UK fell from seventh to ninth place last year. Critics blame the decrease on increased regulation and high levels of taxation. The report shows that taxes consume nearly 53% of British firms' gross profits.
British Chambers of Commerce Online 13 September
Pat Irving, Jennifer Steels and Nicola Hall (ECOTEC Research and Consulting Limited)
DWP Research report 281
ISBN: 1-84123-880-5
September 2005
The DWP commissioned this qualitative study to expand knowledge and understanding about factors influencing participation in, and withdrawal from, the labour market, to explore the retirement process fully and to examine the barriers to continued labour market participation by older workers (aged 50-69). The research follows a major quantitative research study: Factors affecting the labour market participation of older workers (Humphrey et al) published in 2003.
DWP press release 29 September
A hard copy of this report can be obtained by contacting
Paul Noakes at Social Research Division, Department for Work and Pensions, 4th
Floor, Adelphi, 1-11 John Adam Street, London WC2N 6HT
email:
Paul.Noakes@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
It is also at (PDF 218pp): http://tinyurl.com/dtlsj
This article is a condensed version of a lecture delivered by Germaine Greer, in which she discusses the "penetrating, instinctive and pretty well universal" occurrences of gerontophobia in the UK. Ms Greer argues that, for all his good intentions, Mr Blair can no more eliminate ageism than he can pass himself off as a "lusty youth". She believes that old people, and particularly old women, are portrayed in such a poor light that the young cannot help but despise them. The only ones who are excluded from this prejudice are those who are rich and successful. Ms Greer says: "If age is just a number, you must ask yourself why Saga holidays cater for the "over-50s", or why crime prevention officers in Northamptonshire and Essex are issuing bells for people "over 50" to attach to their wallets and purses, to alert them if somebody grabs them. Incompetence begins at 50, it would seem, even though nearly all the captains of industry are over 50. Does Tony Blair have a bell on his wallet? Clearly, there are two kinds of aged: the powerful and the powerless. The powerless, hung with bells like the fools of old, may safely be abused, exploited and ignored."
The Guardian 14 September
Full article: http://tinyurl.com/a3qo7
"Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many."
Author Unknown
"It's sad to grow old, but nice to ripen."
Brigitte Bardot
"A man is not old until his regrets take the place of dreams."
John Barrymore
An evaluation of Sure Start, the government's flagship scheme to help deprived children, has revealed "no overall improvement" in the areas targeted by the initiative. Sure Start offers a range of support to the parents of children in deprived areas, such as high-quality childcare, parenting classes, training to help mothers into work and health advice. Researchers found that, although some schemes were successful, the programme as a whole had had no significant impact on youngsters' development, language and behaviour. Moreover, it showed that children of teenage mothers did worse in Sure Start areas than elsewhere. The researchers warn, however, that these findings are simply an "early snapshot" of the scheme. They maintain that positive benefits may be realised in the long term.
Lucy Ward, Social Affairs Correspondent, The Guardian 13 September
Sure Start remains one of the government's best achievements, but the new centres need more professional backup, says Polly Toynbee (The Guardian 13 September). Commenting on research which failed to find improvement so far in Sure Start children relative to other deprived children, Ms Toynbee warns ministers not to make panicked decisions about the scheme's future. She believes that, in making demands for early findings regarding the effects of Sure Start, the government is now in danger of being hoisted by its own petard. She writes: "What is needed now is more, not less, intensive and expensive professional support. Even if there is no proof yet of Sure Start's direct effect on young children, Labour must now accelerate spending on this best hope for the children with the least chance."
Full article: http://tinyurl.com/dz8n8
Theresa May, Shadow Secretary of State for the Family, has called for the findings of a report highlighting failings of the government's Sure Start scheme to be made public "as a matter of urgency". Ms May argued that the initial evaluation of the programme confirmed Conservative views that the scheme was "overly bureaucratic and was not delivering the intended benefits". The government should look at the scheme "very carefully", she said, renewing calls for more providers from the voluntary sector to run local childcare and family support centres.
Lucy Ward, Social Affairs Correspondent, The Guardian 14 September
What did the launch-pad say to the rocket?
"Clear off! You're fired!"
Shamelessly stolen from Hanna (Dawn's daughter)
A recent poll of headteachers, conducted by the EducationGuardian and ICM, has found widespread dissatisfaction with key government education policies, including the city academies programme. The poll showed that just 6% of headteachers who responded were in favour of the programme. Moreover, it found that 57% of headteachers in England believe the government listens to few of their needs, while 27% say the government does not listen at all. The headteachers are also concerned about the government's plans to permit parents greater involvement in schools. Just 1% were in favour of parents having a greater voice in the management of schools. However, many headteachers want to see parents enforcing discipline at home (42%), ensuring attendance at school (35%), and teaching moral values and social skills (60%).
Rebecca Smithers, Michael White and John Crace, The Guardian 13 September
Update comment: Oh? A headteacher can tell me how to raise my children but would not welcome my thoughts on school values? That's not a particularly balanced relationship, is it? Dawn
Wake up at the back! It's not about you having a say in school values it's about you becoming involved in the management, interviewing new teachers, managing the budgets etc. Hazel
The start of the new academic year saw the opening of ten new academy schools, despite continuing criticism. There are now 27 academies in operation, with a further 30 planned. The programme is "one of the government's most divisive proposals for reforming the school system", given that the schools are sponsored by private donors in return for a considerable degree of control over the school's curriculum, ethos and staffing. Academies are not obligated to follow the national curriculum. Four out of the 10 new schools are backed by Christian organisations, attracting criticism that they are being used as "Trojan horses" to convert captive audiences.
Matthew Taylor and Rebecca Smithers, The Guardian 5 September
The Prime Minister has announced that the government is on course to have 40 city academies in place by September next year and will meet its target of 200 by 2010. Contrary to recent suggestions that Downing Street was cooling on city academies, Mr Blair insisted that they are "the centrepiece" of the education system. In a speech to the City of London academy in Southwark, south-east London, the Prime Minister maintained that the development of academies is "unstoppable", arguing that there is "overwhelming evidence" that they are raising standards faster than other schools.
Patrick Wintour and Rebecca Smithers, The Guardian 12 September
Sponsors of academy schools in England are being offered them at reduced cost if they agree to fund more than three. Until now, sponsors have been required to invest £2 million in independent state schools, triggering typically £25 million in government funding plus running costs. However, backers have now been told that if they sponsor more than three, they need only find £1.5 million per academy. A spokesperson for the DfES said that this policy was not new. He said: "Where a sponsor has already invested £6 million across three academy projects, we allow them to commit £1.5 million to the fourth and subsequent projects." That remained "a significant further investment" which the government considered reasonable.
BBC News Online 16 September
Update comment: Whatever next? Buy one, get one free?
The August 2005 edition of Education Today concentrates on the teaching and learning of science and technology. In the editorial Matthew Martin writes: "Science and technology, perhaps more than most subjects, have suffered the didactic effects of target-setting and box-ticking. Children are becoming more and more aware that the discovery science they are participating in three times a week is carefully choreographed and performed to a script – one which has been repeated thousands of times before. Of course, core skills have to be learned and basic principles must be applied, but teachers often feel constrained by the guidelines intended to ensure that all pupils receive a full and proper education and this frustration is often unwittingly passed on to the class as a whole." Other quotes from the publication include:
In an article for The Guardian (8 September), Bad Science columnist Ben Goldacre writes on the "pointless, simplistic, boring, or just plain wrong" way that science is reported in the media.
Update comment: An amusing and informative article. Well worth a read. Dawn
Stephen J Ball and Carol Vincent (Institute of Education, University of London)
Childcare as a policy issue has received unprecedented attention under New Labour, through various aspects of the National Childcare Strategy introduced in 1998. This policy focus looks set to continue, with the government announcing the first ever 10-year plan for childcare in December 2004, and childcare playing a major role in the 2005 manifesto and general election. Early years care and education is a productive area for New Labour as initiatives here can address several agendas: increasing social inclusion, revitalising the labour market, and raising standards in education. The provision of childcare is seen as having the potential to bring women back into the workforce, modelling child-rearing skills to parents understood as being in need of such support, and giving children the skills and experience they need to succeed in compulsory education. This article offers an overview of recent policy on childcare, examining the developments in childcare planned and set in motion by the government, identifying some points to be welcomed as well as areas of concern. The authors demonstrate that even for privileged middle-class consumers, such as those in their research, the current childcare market is a very "peculiar" one, especially when compared to the markets of economic theory. In conclusion, the authors argue that social justice in childcare is more than a matter of access, and highlight the lack of parental voice shaping the future direction and development of the childcare market. (Original abstract)
British Educational Research Journal
Volume 31 Number 5/1 (October 2005)
Children's charities are warning that the government's childcare bill, planned for this autumn, could compromise child safety. The bill will propose that all childminders with responsibility for children under five will register with, and be inspected by, the schools watchdog OfSTED. However, other provision, such as after-school clubs, holiday play schemes and the crèches now common in gyms and shopping centres will be exempt from registration and inspection. Staff will simply face a basic criminal record check and can volunteer to register, but will not have to do so. Anne Longfield, Chief Executive of the children's charity 4Children, which is leading objections to the government's planned childcare bill, said that unless all daycare providers were forced to register and be inspected routinely there could be no guarantees of the quality of care. She said: "The quality of staff is the key thing. Parents will have no way of judging whether workers are of any quality or not, and will be burdened with worries."
Gaby Hinsliff, Political Editor, The Observer 18 September
OfSTED is to be given a non-executive board of governors to hold the Office, and its Chief Executive David Bell, to account for their performance. Under changes proposed in a government consultation paper, OfSTED is due to assume the responsibility for inspecting a range of children's services, including children's homes, adoption and fostering agencies and children and family court advisory services. The board will scrutinise OfSTED's performance in the new areas.
Jon Slater and Michael Shaw, The TES 16 September
Update comment: I thought OfSTED was the Office for Standards in Education, not the Office for standards in anything remotely to do with children. Does Mr Bell want to inspect the way I wash my kid's school uniforms? Check the creases on Damian's trousers, perhaps? Dawn
I think we can safely say that here's one mother who is not impressed! Hazel
Work and Pensions Secretary David Blunkett has been forced to admit that the government is "painfully aware" that the Child Support Agency is in meltdown. Mr Blunkett was responding to criticism from Frank Field, a former social security minister, who said that the CSA had "a deliberate policy [of] curtailing the amount of information made available" about its poor performance. While Mr Blunkett agreed with Mr Field, he added that stating the obvious was of little value. He said: "There is absolutely nothing in Frank's open letter that ministers are not painfully aware of. What we welcome even more than criticism is positive ideas."
Press Association, The Guardian 8 September
Children born in the most deprived areas of Scotland leave school with two fewer Standard grades than the average pupil, according to new figures highlighting the impact of poverty on attainment. The statistics, to be published soon by the Scottish Executive, also show that 11% of pupils from the poorest backgrounds leave school with no qualifications compared with an average of 3% for the rest of Scotland. The figures also reveal that, among the world's most developed countries, Scotland has the fifth-highest proportion of young people not in education, employment or training.
Andrew Denholm, Education Correspondent, The Herald 21 September
Nursing leaders and children's charities in Scotland are calling for every child to have access to a school nurse to tackle obesity, teenage pregnancy, binge drinking and drug use. While the Westminster government has promised that every child will have access to a school nurse by 2010, no such commitment has been made in Scotland.
The Scotsman 15 September
Children's charity NCH is calling on the government to close the achievement gap in education between children in care and other pupils by 2020. Research conducted by NCH reveals that just 1% of care leavers go to university, compared with 37% of other young people. In addition, only 43% of care leavers aged 16 or older achieve at least one GCSE or GNVQ on leaving care, compared with 95% of other pupils who obtain at least one GCSE. The paper blames "a wide-ranging systems failure" for the inequality.
Polly Curtis, Education Correspondent, The Guardian 16 September
Close the gap for children in care (PDF 14pp) http://tinyurl.com/a5k2h
Nona Dawson & Alison Hosie et al (University of Bristol)
Brief no: RW40
September 2005
The aim of this study was to explore the educational experience of pregnant young women and young mothers of school age in England and to identify what factors, and forms of provision, determine both academic and broader success in returning to or continuing with education. Key findings include:
The full report (RW40), price £4.95, is available from DfES Publications, PO Box 5050, Sherwood Park, Annesley, Nottingham NG15 0DJ
Cheques should be made payable to "DfES Priced Publications"
The Research Brief (RB366) is available free of charge
from the above address
tel: 0845 60 222 60
The full report (PDF 233pp) is also at www.dfes.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RW40.pdf
Children's charities have reacted with dismay to the government's latest measures to cut persistent truancy levels. The proposals will see headteachers identifying persistent truants so that their parents can be placed on a "fast track to attendance" scheme. Failure to show improvements will result in fines or even prison. In response, Action on Rights for Children accused the government of "resorting to the same tired old bluster and macho threats". A spokesperson argued that the measures would only exacerbate the situation, and added: "It's strange that a government so wedded to the management techniques of industry cannot recognise that the answer to a seemingly intractable problem isn't to carry on doing even more of the same."
0-19 Bulletin 27 September
Update comment: When told "if you don't go to school your mother will end up in prison" the response from darling daughter was "serves the old cow right – why should I care?" That was nearly thirty years ago – has anything much changed?
Q: Why do hummingbirds hum?
A: Because they don't know the words.
Employers who reject job applicants on the basis of their colour, physical ability or sex are being caught out by what lawyers describe as "serial saboteurs". Disaffected jobseekers who believe that their CV has been arbitrarily dismissed will submit one genuine CV to a firm, along with several others. The bogus CVs are identical to the first, apart from details about race, sex or physical ability. If an employer selects a bogus CV but rejects the genuine one, the applicant then makes a claim that they have been discriminated against. Guy Guinan, an employment law specialist at Halliwells, says that Halliwells has handled 10 such cases this year.
Selina Mills, The Daily Telegraph 5 September
Ageism, affecting both the young and old, is the most widely experienced prejudice in Britain, according to the first major study into age discrimination. The survey, conducted on behalf of Age Concern, found that ageism now eclipses racism, sexism and discrimination based on disability. Indeed, the only group not to experience ageism are those aged between 35 and 44 who were found to be too old for negative youth stereotyping and too young for prejudice based on advancing years.
Steve Connor, Science Editor, The Independent 7 September
How Ageist Is Britain? (PDF 21pp) http://tinyurl.com/8xa3h
The Disability Rights Commission has launched a new Using Your Rights web guide, which gives disabled people and employment advisors practical advice on how to tackle discrimination. The guide will help make clear whether individuals have experienced disability discrimination, and explains how they can try to resolve problems in the workplace. It also offers a guide to taking a case to an employment tribunal.
Disability Rights Commission Email bulletin, Number 40 (September 2005)
URL: www.drc-gb.org/usingyourrights
A new task force has been set up to help people with mental health problems and/or learning difficulties into employment. Leading disability employer Remploy and the charities Mencap and RADAR have begun work on plans for pilot training and mentoring programmes to assist these groups in finding sustainable employment. The plans include assigning "work buddies" to newly employed people. The taskforce aims to implement the pilots at the end of December.
Disability Now September 2005
A new report from the Employers Forum on Age (EFA) warns that the government needs to "wake up to people's aspirations and work life experiences in order to influence pension saving and retirement decisions". The report, Attitude not Age, argues that a "one-size-fits-all" approach by the government and employers to tackle working for longer and retirement will be ineffective. The EFA's research reveals four types of worker (Rooster, Workhorse, Sheepdog and Cat), whose attitudes are determined less by their age than their education, skills and the type of work they're doing. The EFA finds that messages on working for longer currently appear to have little impact on the four groups' plans for retirement. Findings include:
Ms Sam Mercer, Director of the EFA, comments: "Our research reveals that age is irrelevant when it comes to people's attitudes to working for longer – over half of all workers want to retire as soon as possible. This should worry the government, given the need to extend working life to counter our ageing population and the looming pension crisis. The workforce is made up of four groups with diverse aspirations. Government and employers must understand what motivates people so they can influence individual decisions about work and retirement. Smarter communication and offering tailored incentives to each group will be essential. We must recognise that people are different before we start talking about everyone working until they are 70."
HRLook Daily News 14 September
For further information and a copy of the report, Attitude not Age, contact Lizzie Barrett at CHA on 020 7622 8252
Update comment: What hope have most people got when age discrimination stops at 35 at the lower end of the scale and starts again at 44. OK, the age band is a statistical category and the discrimination doesn't happen to everyone outside the magic 35-44 age band but this study is not bringing hope for the remaining 26 years of work.
Britain's flexible and part-time working arrangements are failing to meet the needs of working women and men, leading to 5.6 million part-time workers – 4 out of 5 of Britain's 7 million part-time workers – working in jobs that do not use their potential, according to the results of a year-long investigation by the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC). The report, Britain's Hidden Brain Drain, highlights the damage caused by old-fashioned thinking about work, which leads to men, who mostly work full-time, working among the longest hours in the EU and to women, over two-fifths of whom work part-time, ending up in low-paid jobs with no prospects. Key findings include:
The EOC is calling on the government to extend the right to request flexible working to all, to halt this waste of potential and to stop the economic and human damage caused by work-related stress. The EOC is also calling for more support and training for line managers to help them manage flexible working, and particular support for small businesses.
Equal Opportunities Commission press release 15 September
Full report (PDF 54pp) www.eoc.org.uk/PDF/brain_drain_final_report.pdf
Redfearn v Serco Ltd t/a West Yorkshire Service, Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT)
The principle that a person can succeed with a direct race discrimination claim where he or she has been treated less favourably on the ground of another person's race could be relied upon by a British National Party member who had been dismissed from a job working with people of Asian origin. Case law indicates that people dismissed on the basis of another person's race were taking action on behalf of a different race i.e. refusing to discriminate. Mr Redfearn contended, however, that his standing as a BNP candidate in a local election in Bradford should have no bearing on his employment as a driver working with Asian clients and colleagues. The consequence of this contention is that his dismissal was on the basis of "racial grounds".
IDS Employment Law Brief 789 (September 2005)
A study by the Chartered Management Institute has concluded that although women are breaking through the glass ceiling to achieve leadership positions at a younger age than men, they are still paid less than men in equivalent positions. Moreover, they are more likely to be discontented enough to resign their jobs. The research found that the average age for a female team leader is 37, compared with 41 for men. However, the average wage for women at this occupational level is over £2,500 less than their male counterparts. Once in place, this discrepancy remains, and usually widens, through to the most senior management levels.
John Carvel, Social Affairs Editor, The Guardian 19 September
Women are being promoted more quickly than men, but are more likely to resign, according to figures released by the Chartered Management Institute and Remuneration Economics. The findings, which form part of the 32nd annual National Management Salary Survey, also reveal increasing gaps in pay, despite ongoing calls for equality and transparency. Key points include:
HRLook Daily News 21 September
More information in the press release http://tinyurl.com/d9oqe
The pressures of modern life are closing the life expectancy gap, according to research from the Office of Health Economics (OHE), a research body funded by the pharmaceutical industry. While life expectancy continues to rise, it has risen much faster for men. In 1974, life expectancy for a girl at birth was 6.4 years longer than a boy, but by 2002 the gap had closed to 4.5 years. Jon Sussex, associate director of OHE, argued that women are now living "more like men" – smoking, drinking and working excessive hours – so they are sharing the health consequences.
Jeremy Laurance, Health Editor, The Independent 16 September
An announcement from Brussels has confirmed that the EU's Better Regulation Initiative is to see the scrapping or shelving of various proposals, including the draft temporary agency workers directive. TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: "The directive was meant to give agency workers the same basic rights as permanent employees. Europe has already acted to improve the lot of part-time and fixed-term workers and no UK businesses have gone to the wall as a result. This announcement gives a green light to those unscrupulous employers who will continue to exploit agency workers."
HRLook Daily News 28 September
Update comment: Sorry Mr Barber but how do you know that no UK businesses have gone to the wall because of the latest directive from Brussels? It may well be that just one more straw really did break the camel's back.
The government is proposing to replace the current work permits system with a five-tier points-based migration system. However, one of the measures proposed has attracted fierce criticism from trade unions. The controversial proposal suggests that part of the wages paid to low-skilled workers could be compulsorily held back until they return home. The deducted pay would be deposited into a bank account in their home country. Alternatively, migrants or their employers could be required to deposit a financial "bond" with the British authorities, which would be repayable on departure. A spokesperson for UNISON argued that this policy "further entrenches discrimination against migrant workers". He also argued that it would require employers to act "as an arm of the immigration service".
Labour Research Volume 94 Number 8 (August 2005)
Update comment: Employers have been acting as "an arm of government" for a long time – and it doesn't get any easier. This is just another burden to be borne! However, holding back pay is illegal, isn't it?
Consistent underperformance is an issue for employers and employees alike, according to a survey from YouGov for Investors in People. Almost half of employee respondents said they work directly with someone who does not do their fair share, while four in ten employers complained about staff not pulling their weight. Both employers and employees agree that "deadwood" employees:
IRS Employment Review Number 831 (16 September)
Research by Unison, the public services union, and ACAS, the arbitration service, has concluded that bullying in the workplace has extended into the boardroom. The survey showed that almost one in three directors has been subjected to some degree of bullying. The main complaints were verbal abuse, misuse of power, being squeezed out of discussions and threatened with the sack. The survey also found that middle managers are the "most bullied" section of British management. Moreover, bullying was found to be more prevalent in the public sector than the private, although a sizable proportion of businesses appeared to be simply paying lip service to changing practices.
Roland Gribben, The Daily Telegraph 15 September
This document identifies, and shares good practice on, how firms can manage change to improve working patterns and address long hours. The aim was to give companies the opportunity to showcase the work they have done in this area to help other companies seeking to implement similar change programmes. The companies and unions that took part cover a wide variety of business sectors and regions in the UK and demonstrate how different companies facing a range of economic and operational issues have successfully introduced change.
Info4local.gov email alert 12 September
Full report (PDF 41pp) http://tinyurl.com/anb64
Children of retail workers from across the UK have lobbied a government minister to extend the right to request flexible working for their parents. The junior lobbyists and their working parents told Beverley Hughes MP, the Minister for Children, that a September 2005 survey carried out by retail union USDAW revealed more than half of Britain's 2.5 million shopworkers struggle to fit childcare around their working hours and that the pressure intensifies during school holidays.
Changing Times News Issue 64 (27 September)
A survey by IRS Employment Review has concluded that more companies are attempting to curb an "excessive" use of the internet and emails by employees. Almost half said they had suffered from time-wasting and had tried to curb usage by limiting personal use of the internet to lunchtime and other breaks.
The Daily Telegraph 19 September
Update comment: I don't see why everyone has such a problem with this. Personal use of email and internet facilities should be during break times. Would you get a book out and start reading it at work? Whip your letters out of your bag and start writing a reply to your Auntie Doris? Walk out of the office to nip to the travel agents? 'Course you wouldn't. It's not really rocket science is it? Dawn
Young carers are not being given enough support from schools despite teachers knowing they have responsibilities at home, a survey has revealed. The Princess Royal Trust for Carers questioned carers all over Scotland. The survey found that 82% of respondents said their schools do not make any allowances for the fact that they have a caring responsibility at home, even though 57% said their schools knew they were young carers.
Edinburgh Evening News 1 September
According to two newly published reports, millions of pounds and hundreds of hours of police time have failed to curb the number of pupils playing truant. The reports, published separately by campaign group Action On Rights For Children and charity New Philanthropy Capital (NPC), show that there has been no significant fall in the number of pupils who do not attend lessons. Around 70,000 pupils skip school on average every day and two-thirds of these admit they turn up for registration but skip individual lessons. A spokesperson for the DfES said that school attendance is "at record levels".
Matthew Taylor, Education Correspondent, The Guardian 6 September
Update comment: Lies, damned lies and statistics – which is it that covers the statement "school attendance is at record levels"? The only way I can think that this could be true is if one counts actual numbers of pupils registered in schools.
The first school to have classes by ability alone is predicting a doubling of its top GCSE results. Bridgemary Community School in Gosport, Hampshire, is conducting "a bold educational experiment" by dismantling the traditional division of classes by age, and grouping according to ability instead. However, education experts warn that any improvements in performance may come at the expense of personal and social learning, and could be damaging to the self-esteem of the children who are left behind.
Jon Ungoed-Thomas, The Sunday Times Online 4 September
Rural schools in Wales are struggling to recruit vital teachers because the partners of potential candidates are unable to find work in the countryside. Anna Brychan, Director of the National Association of Head Teachers Cymru (NAHT), said, "There are certainly problems in some subject areas, in Welsh-medium schools in particular. In many rural areas [there are difficulties] because there simply aren't enough jobs to sustain two people applying for professional jobs, and that makes it less attractive for one partner."
Daniel Davies, The Western Mail 19 September
Teaching unions have joined forces to press the government for an urgent review of "high stakes" national tests for 11-year-olds in England. The alliance, which comprises all six teaching unions (the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, the National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers, the National Union of Teachers, the Professional Association of Teachers, the National Association of Head Teachers and the Secondary Heads Association), presented the government with a report which argues that Year 6 SATs force teachers to teach to the test. The report highlights the central problems of the system, which include the primary schools spending 70% of their time on English and maths, whilst missing out on geography, history, science music and other subjects. ATL General Secretary Mary Bousted said: "Parents and government do need to know how well schools are performing, but we need a better system, one that doesn't fail schools and children alike."
Rebecca Smithers, Education Editor, The Guardian 12 September
Despite significant improvements in this year's Key Stage 3 SATs, the government is not on target to meet those set for 14-year-olds by 2007. Indeed, English and maths results are so low that they still have not met the original targets set for last year. Girls continue to outperform boys, with the gender gap now standing at 13 points in English and 1 point in maths and science. Although boys narrowed the gap in writing skills this year, they fell further behind at reading.
Sarah Cassidy, Education Correspondent, The Independent 9 September
OfSTED will be given the power to strip secondary schools of their specialist status under new plans to be announced next month. Inspectors will decide if specialist schools are fit to continue on the programme. They will also identify high-performing schools for additional responsibilities. The move is intended to improve the accountability of schools on the programme.
Jon Slater, The TES 16 September
Parents could soon be offered discount holidays outside term time under a scheme supported to prevent children missing school. The scheme, Every Lesson Counts, is a joint initiative between the government and the travel industry. Travel companies will offer incentives such as discounts and free child places to parents who choose to holiday when schools are closed. It will be launched by Ruth Kelly in November.
Community Care 22-28 September
The number of apprentices completing their courses needs to double if England is to compete with other European countries, new research suggests. The research, commissioned by the Apprenticeships Taskforce, reveals that more than a third of apprentices completed their courses in the last academic year. However, the study claims that England needs a completion rate of between 65 and 70% to compete with other countries, such as Germany. The study also reveals that, while Scottish apprentices have the highest completion rates in the UK, at 54%, the figure for Wales is just 14%.
Joseph Lee, The TES FE Focus 9 September
Improving completion rates in Apprenticeship: A comparative and numerical approach (Word document 30pp) http://tinyurl.com/d27xg
Jim Campbell, Ailsa Mckay, Emily Thomson (Division of Business Economics & Enterprise, Glasgow Caledonian University)
This paper reports on the government's flagship training policy, the Modern Apprenticeship programme, from a gender perspective. It concludes that, ten years on from its introduction, the scheme represents something of a "missed opportunity" to tackle occupational segregation and its deleterious effects in the wider economy and in society at large. It is recommended that the government and organisations involved in the development and delivery of Modern Apprenticeships adopt a more conscious and cohesive approach to promoting non-traditional choices at the vocational level.
Local Economy Volume 20 Number 3 (August 2005)
The Association of Learning Providers has given its support to private training providers who are suing the LSC for refusing to pay them nationally agreed rates for delivering the apprenticeship programme. The organisations claim that they have lost millions of pounds after an unprecedented number of apprentices completed their courses. A funding shortfall meant that, in some cases, providers were only paid around half the agreed rate per trainee. Graham Hoyle, Chief Executive of the ALP, said: "Quite rightly, providers are being asked to increase the number of completions. But what has happened this year is the success of apprentices ran ahead of what the LSC had budgeted for. We are being penalised for success." A spokesperson for the LSC said that training providers were negligent with regard to managing their budgets. He said that providers were in the same position as colleges which faced unexpectedly high demand, and neither should expect the LSC to provide "limitless funding".
Joseph Lee, The TES FE Focus 23 September
The Director-General of the CBI has launched a stinging attack on secondary school educational standards, suggesting that too many companies are having to teach young people basic skills. Sir Digby Jones said that teaching new employees "how to read and count" costs British business £23 billion a year, as they spend time making up for the shortcomings of "a deficient educational system". Sir Digby also hit out at young people's lack of "common courtesy". He said: "The workplace attitudes shown by many school-leavers leave much to be desired. Business needs young people who are punctual and polite as well as being adequately educated."
Robert Cole, The Times Online 12 September
Nicholas Negroponte, chairman and founder of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Labs, has been outlining designs for a sub-$100 PC. The laptop will be tough and foldable in different ways, with a hand crank for when there is no power supply. Professor Negroponte came up with the idea for a cheap computer for all after visiting a Cambodian village. His non-profit One Laptop Per Child group plans to have up to 15 million machines in production within a year. A prototype of the machine should be ready in November at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Tunisia. Children in Brazil, China, Egypt, Thailand, and South Africa will be among the first to get the under-$100 (£57) computer, said Professor Negroponte at the Emerging Technologies conference at MIT. The following year, Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney plans to start buying them for all 500,000 middle and high school pupils in the state. Professor Negroponte predicts there could be 100 million to 150 million shipped every year by 2007. Making them so cheap would mean that developing nations would be able to afford to bulk-buy them, although Professor Negroponte thinks that even $100 remains too expensive for some.
There have been several projects to build and distribute cheap computers for developing nations in order to close the digital divide. A sub-£100 box, called Nivo, has been developed by UK not-for-profit group, Ndiyo. It runs on open source software and works as a thin client.
The Simputer has also been developed for developing nations. It is a cheap handheld computer designed by Indian scientists.
BBC News 29 September
Socially excluded groups are currently "very poorly served" by the UK eGovernment agenda, says new government research. The research warns that eGovernment, at both national and local level, largely ignores the needs of "hard to reach" individuals and is failing adequately to promote social inclusion. Similarly, social inclusion strategies rarely consider ICT's possible role, resulting in a "strategic stalemate and lost opportunities". The study for the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) urges the government to make social and digital inclusion a key priority in the future development of eGovernment and service delivery plans.
eGov Monitor Weekly Issue 184 (19 September)
eGovernment: reaching socially excluded groups? (PDF 30pp): www.idea-knowledge.gov.uk/idk/aio/1075006
Trials of "eGovernment kiosks" in Citizen's Advice Bureau waiting rooms have proved successful with helping users. An evaluation of the pilots conducted by the CAB found that, in 70% of cases, clients who used the kiosks to access information resolved their problem in part or completely. One in four kiosk users did not subsequently need to see an advisor, while 90% of those that did said they felt "better informed".
EGov Monitor Weekly 5 September
An e-petitioning system offered by the Scottish Parliament offers "a new type of e-democracy". Citizens may log on and raise the issues that they are concerned about. Whereas a traditional enquiry or complaint is dealt with on an individual level, the government response to the e-petition is fed back to the website, and available to all. Other users are invited to discuss the matter in an interactive forum. By contrast, anyone in England wishing to bring an issue to the attention of parliament must first find an MP to take up their cause.
Jane Wakefield, BBC News Technology Reporter, BBC News Online 19 September
URL: http://epetitions.scottish.parliament.uk/
The Bundestag, Germany's parliament, has adopted E-Petitioner, an online petition service for citizens which was originally developed by the International Teledemocracy Centre at Napier University, Edinburgh. The Bundestag pilot, which will run for two years initially, is the first time the system has been implemented outside the UK and is its largest deployment to date.
E-Government Bulletin Issue 195 (19 September)
A government task force has been established to develop a national standard for information sharing in children's services. The group has been set up by a number of agencies, including the Local E-Government Standards Body, and will advise ministers at the DfES on the potential benefits of imposing a national standard for information sharing on local authorities.
David Singleton, Children Now 6-13 September
Almost a million taxpayer records were accidentally deleted from Inland Revenue computer systems between 1997 and 2000 due to a software problem which went unnoticed for three years. Software that was used to cleanse the IR database of old records was also wiping significant proportions of live cases. A report from the House of Commons' Public Accounts Committee revealed that the error resulted in some 364,000 people who cannot be identified being owed £82 million, while another 22,000 did not pay tax due of around £6 million.
EGov Monitor Weekly 12 September
Inland Revenue: Tax Credited and deleted tax cases (PDF 42pp) www.egovmonitor.com/reports/rep12123.pdf
Update comment: I'd take issue with the headline on this article. Computers don't make errors – humans make errors in what the computer is told to do!
A campaign is being launched to tackle the digital divide between pupils who have computers at home and those who do not. The Equal Opportunities in IT for Young People (EQUITY) scheme aims to help schools access earmarked funding to assist poorer households gain access to computers.
More information: www.equitycampaign.com/
The TES 16 September
Update comment: What is needed is to take a leaf out the Governor of Massachusett's book and put in an order for these new, nearly indestructible, laptop-style computers (see previous page).
A thinktank from disability employment company Breakthrough UK has called on the Office for National Statistics to improve its census questions regarding disabled people. The group argued that the inaccurate information resulting from the current questions, such as counting disabled and sick people as one group, can have "a detrimental effect on services and planning", as well as how funds are allocated to local authorities.
Disability Now, September 2005
New research released by NEF (the New Economics Foundation) shows that democratic power in Britain is more unevenly distributed than income, and the inefficiency of our electoral system means that less than 3% of the British electorate have anything like a fair share of democratic power. NEF's briefing, Spoiled ballot, launches a new Index of Democratic Power (IDP), which is based on analysis of British voters' ability to influence the results of elections from 1954 to 2005, and shows that:
In addition, the IDP reveals the gross inefficiency of our electoral system. If each voter in a British election had their fare share of democratic power, they would have an IDP score of 100. However, the IDP reveals that:
Nic Marks, Head of Well-being Research at NEF and author of the index, says: "The structure of the British electoral system is undemocratic and unequivocally unjust. It is hugely inefficient at translating the will of the electorate into the structure of government, and as a result people are simply not bothering to vote. If politicians seriously want to engage with the electorate, then they must ensure that British people have a fair share of democratic power."
NEF e-newsletter 26 September
Full report (PDF 12pp) http://tinyurl.com/83v75
The Disability Rights Commission has launched a new discussion paper as part of its wider Disability Debate campaign. The new paper is called Time For Interaction. It asks if the road to greater equality for disabled people should be based on ensuring greater interaction with non-disabled people. The DRC has also warned that anyone wishing to respond to the previous topic, Shaping the Future of Equality, should send their comments by 15 October, when this topic will close.
More information about both papers is at www.drc.gov.uk/disabilitydebate/more/
DRC email update 28 September
This new book from Routledge (ISBN: 0-41528-412-0 price £21.99), edited by Sue Fernie and David Metcalf, features contributions from most leading analysts of the labour movement and takes a generally pessimistic view of their likely future. The main factor in the decline in union membership is the decline in the industry sectors where membership was strongest – manufacturing, mining, utilities, and the public sector. This is allied to the fact that much government legislation over the last eight years has undermined collectivism with laws on industrial relations, privatisation, contracting out etc. At the same time many workers see unions as "male, pale and stale" (run by white men with old-fashioned ideas). Additionally the pay differential between people in unionised and non-unionised firms is very low or even non-existent in many sectors. The book summarises the output from the Centre for Economic Policy's five-year research programme on the future of unions in modern Britain, which was funded by the Leverhulme Trust.
URL: http://cep.lse.ac.uk/future_of_unions will take you to much of the research data from this study
CentrePiece Volume 10 Issue 2 (Summer 2005)
The TUC's second biennial equality audit shows that people employed in workplaces with a trade union presence are likely to have a better work/life balance and face less discrimination at work than individuals in non-unionised workplaces. The Equality Audit 2005 shows union success in, for example, negotiating agreements giving employees a greater flexibility regarding the number of hours they work, and improved maternity and paternity pay and leave. Unions are also working with employers to toughen up workplace procedures tackling racism, sexism, ageism and homophobia at work. Key findings include:
TUC press release 5 September
The Equality Audit 2005 (PDF 68pp) www.tuc.org.uk/extras/auditfinal.pdf
"Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress."
Alfred A Montapert
Students at Glasgow University have been accused of missing classes, plagiarism, lacking general knowledge and having poor literacy skills, in a critical report by their lecturers. The annual course monitoring report by members of Glasgow University's Faculty of Arts says that a poor attitude to learning and low-quality work are "endemic". They have called for students to take a "literacy certificate" in order to prove they have a basic grasp of grammar.
Kevin Schofield, Education Correspondent, The Scotsman 19 September
Eight per cent of students drop out of Welsh higher education institutes each year, according to the latest figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). The figures show that, during the academic years 2002/03 and 2003/04, one in 12 students left the higher education system. While the overall figure compared favourable with the rest of the UK, there were wide variations between Welsh institutions. Cardiff University saw just 7.6% of students leaving the education system or transferring to other colleges, but the University of Glamorgan lost 19.8% – almost one in five – of its students.
The Western Mail 22 September
New figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency reveal that universities in Scotland have among the highest dropout rates in the UK. The statistics show that 11% of students left university in Scotland in 2003-4 after a year, compared with a UK average of 7.8%. Indeed, the four institutions with the highest leaving rates are all in Scotland, with the highest rate reaching some 38%. However, the figures also show that Scottish institutions have the highest number of students from deprived backgrounds, at 18%, compared with a UK average of 13.9%. The institutions with the highest dropout rates also had the largest proportion of students from deprived areas.
Andrew Denholm, Education Correspondent, The Herald 22 September
Update comment: Draw your own conclusions.
The Robert Gordon University has won top prize in a national competition to find the best university careers service website of 2005. The university took first place in the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Service (AGCAS) and Higher Education Careers Service Unit (HECSU) annual ceremony.
The Scotsman 21 September
Full list of awards: www.agcas.org.uk/quality/awards/
Update comment: Having looked briefly at this site I find nothing here that I think is outstanding. It's good, of course, but for general careers advice for under- and postgraduates I rate the University of Greenwich and, of course, the Virtual Careers Centre at the University of London. Hazel
Efforts to widen access to further and higher education in Scotland are showing results, but progress is slow and needs to be boosted with a national campaign, according to a report published by the Scottish Funding Council for Further and Higher Education (SFCFHE). A review of outcomes found that the percentage of undergraduates from the most deprived areas grew by 8% between 1999 and 2003. However, this was short of the funding council's 10% target. People from wealthier areas remain twice as likely to go into higher education as those from the poorest areas, who are more likely to go to a further education college or a new university.
Donald MacLeod, The Guardian 23 September
Learning for All: The Report of the SFEFC/SHEFC Widening Participation Review Group (PDF 45pp) http://tinyurl.com/dsapa
Nigel C O'Leary and Peter J Stone
In this paper, we estimate the rate of return to first degrees, Masters degrees and PhDs in Britain using data from the Labour Force Survey. We estimate returns to broad subject groups and more narrowly defined disciplines, distinguishing returns by gender and controlling for variations in student quality across disciplines. The results reveal considerable heterogeneity in returns to particular degree programmes and by gender, which have important policy implications for charging students for the costs of their education. (Original abstract from the print edition – there is a longer version online)
National Institute Economic Review
Number 193 (July 2005)
Hazel says: "Once again my O-level statistics has let me down – I can't follow the methodology, but I can read the words in the conclusion which include:
All National Institute discussion papers are now available at www.niesr.ac.uk and articles from the Review can be purchased from Sage Publications – full details at www.niesr.ac.uk
"Standardisation is the fertilizer of college education. A little may be useful, but flowers do not grow in pure manure."
Martin H Fischer
One in three major reorganisations fails to achieve the efficiency or effectiveness objectives that lie behind it, 40% are not completed on budget, and 60% are not completed on time. These findings, from a survey of CEOs, HR directors and other senior managers, lie behind a new research report into organisational change, how it works, and where it fails – backed by detailed study of 11 large organisations as they went through changes themselves. Based on in-depth research, the report identifies the practical skills and capabilities required to undertake reorganisations and other organisational changes effectively. It presents a practical and direct analysis of the requirements for genuine change and stresses the importance of the role human resource professionals can play in change.
CIPD press release 12 September
HR's Role in Organising: Shaping the change agenda, price £50 for non-members and £20 for CIPD members, can be ordered on tel: 0870 800 3366, from business bookshops or via the CIPD website: www.cipd.co.uk/bookstore
The Patent Office is running an awareness campaign to help businesses understand copyright and how it relates to documents they create for their company. The What is the Key? campaign is supported by the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents (CIPA) and the Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (ITMA). It will help organisations and individuals to manage their intellectual property rights.
Managing Information Newsletter
Number 185 (5 September)
More information www.the-key.biz/
Author: Paul Pedley
Publisher: Facet Publishing
ISBN: 1-85604-559-5
Price: £34.95 +VAT (single user licence); £175 +VAT (multi-user site licence)
This Adobe e-book is the first in a new series of high-performance e-books that delivers topical workplace information direct to the information professional's desktop for instant access. This i-briefing examines how copyright applies in the electronic environment. It asks whether digital content is treated differently than hard-copy material, and, if so, how.
Info@UK Number 54 (September 2005)
"It's been my experience that the people who gain trust, loyalty, excitement and energy fast are the ones who pass on the credit to the people who have really done the work. A leader doesn't need any credit; he's already in the top slot. He's getting more credit than he deserves anyway."
Robert Townsend, US author, businessman (1920-1998)
Microsoft has unveiled further modifications to its controversial software licensing programme. Users who subscribe to the Software Assurance licensing model are entitled to software upgrades for the lifetime of the agreement. However, many users feel that the subscription charge is poor value for money and have opted out of the system, preferring to upgrade their Microsoft products when they feel it necessary. This lack of enthusiasm has led Microsoft to add unlimited web support and free planning and consultancy on upgrades and migrations for customers that sign up to the plan.
Abi Carter, Infoconomy Bulletin 26 September
European businesses consider physical damage, electronic attacks and errant employees to be the main threats to their data, according to new research published by Hitachi Data Systems. The Hitachi Data Systems Storage Index, a bi-annual survey of CIOs and IT Directors from Europe, the Middle East and Africa, found that 82% of respondents have a disaster recovery strategy in place, with 65% incorporating a remote relocation site, to which key strategic information is removed.
Managing Information Newsletter
Issue 188 (19 September)
Privacy commissioners from 40 countries have called upon the United Nations to prepare a legally binding instrument which clearly sets out in detail the rights to data protection and privacy as enforceable human rights. In what has been called The Montreux Declaration, the commissioners also call for:
OUT-LAW News 19 September
The Montreux Declaration - The protection of personal data and privacy in a globalised world: a universal right respecting diversities (PDF 4pp) www.privacydataprotection.co.uk/documents/montreux_declaration.pdf
Q: Why did the chicken cross the road?
A: To show the armadillo that it was possible.
Q: Why did the chicken cross the road twice?
A: Because it was a double-crosser.
Hal R Varian, School of Information Management and Systems, the Haas School of Business; and the Department of Economics, University of California, Berkeley
Today most newly created textual, photographic, audio and video content is available in digital form. Even older content that was not `born digital' can relatively easily be converted to machine-readable formats. At the same time, the world has become more networked, making it easy to transfer digital content from one person to another. The combination of technological progress in both digitisation and computer networking has been a challenge for traditional ways of managing intellectual property. Some observers have even questioned whether current models for intellectual property can or should survive in a digital world. For example, there is widespread concern about piracy of popular music and film, both via the network and via bootleg CDs and DVDs. There is also concern about the economic viability of the current model for scholarly publication or, for that matter, traditional forms of publishing such as newspapers and TV network news. These developments have led to a revival of interest in the economics of copying and copyright. In this brief review we examine some of the economic issues in this area and describe some of the insights that have emerged from this work. We end with some reflections on alternative business models for provision of creative works. Readers interested in additional discussion of some of the unique challenges associated with digital media might begin with National Academy of Sciences (2000), Maxwell (2004) and Musick (2004). (Original abstract)
Professor Varian, writing from an American perspective, provides: