Ukrainian Schools for the Gifted

The former Soviet state of Ukraine has implemented innovative schools for the gifted, ranging from high schools and medical schools to institutions focusing on humanities and languages, with programs available to both rural and urban gifted students. Identification, staffing, funding, curriculum, housing, and tracking of graduates are discussed in this overview of emerging schools in Ukraine. Although Ukraine is an economically challenged country, it has implemented a long-range plan to help the country advance and compete globally through the advancement of gifted students in separate public education settings. Three lyceum programs are discussed in this paper that typify secondary efforts for gifted students

Journeys into inner/outer space: reflections on the methodological challenges of negotiating insider/outsider status in international educational research

This article highlights key theoretical and methodological issues and implications of being an insider/outsider when undertaking qualitative research in international educational settings. It first address discourses of ‘self’ and ‘other’, noting that identity and belonging emerge from fluid engagement between researchers and participants. It considers the benefits and challenges of being an insider or outsider and question the traditional insider/outsider dichotomy. The role of ‘critical reflexivity’ in helping researchers conscientiously negotiate through ‘the space between’ is examined. The discussion is illustrated with examples from the authors’ research focusing on the opportunities, challenges and tensions experienced as insiders/outsiders. They argue that engaging in critical reflexivity is important for working towards ethical and credible research as it enables the researcher to consider and make transparent how their positionality impacts on the entire research process

Family literacy in Europe: separate agendas?

Family literacy programmes have become increasingly popular with policy‐makers as a means of addressing low levels of adult literacy. It is believed that such initiatives will help to address social exclusion and aid greater economic participation by those in deprived communities or from disadvantaged sectors of society. The growing interest in such initiatives comes at a time of international concern over general levels of literacy, as highlighted by the United Nations literacy decade 2003–2012 and in Europe by the Lisbon Agenda. In this article, which draws on the findings from a cross‐European study of family literacy programmes in England, Ireland and Malta, we argue that disparate agendas characterizse policy and practice. We conclude by considering the implications for the future of family literacy programmes in promoting social inclusion

Using the Council of Europe’s autobiographies to develop quality education in the foreign language classroom in higher education

This article shows the potential of the Council of Europe’s Autobiography of Intercultural Encounters and Autobiography of Intercultural Encounters through Visual Media to develop quality education in the (foreign) language classroom in Higher Education. Whereas the literature focuses on their contributions to fostering intercultural awareness and reflection as one step to develop intercultural communicative competence in language education, the purpose of this paper is to show that they have a broader significance in terms of the development of three capacities leading to quality education according to Nussbaum, namely critical thinking, imaginative understanding and world citizenship.Este artículo muestra el potencial de la Autobiografía de Encuentros Interculturales y la Autobiografía de Encuentros Interculturales a través de Medios Visuales para el desarrollo de la educación de calidad en la enseñanza de lenguas en la educación superior. Mientras que la bibliografía se centra en sus aportes para el desarrollo de la conciencia y la reflexión interculturales como un paso hacia la competencia comunicativa intercultural, el objetivo de este trabajo es mostrar que tienen una importancia más amplia en términos del desarrollo de tres capacidades que conducen a la educación de calidad según Nussbaum: el pensamiento crítico, la comprensión imaginativa y la ciudadanía global.Fil: Porto, Melina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones en Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educación. Instituto de Investigaciones en Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales; Argentin