The global credit boom: challenges for macroeconomics and policy

The recent financial crisis has put the spotlight on the rapid rise in credit which preceded it. In this paper, we provide an empirical and theoretical analysis of the credit boom and the macroeconomic context in which it developed. We find that the boom was unusually long and associated with neither particularly strong growth nor rising inflation in the economies in which it took place. We show that this type of credit and financial cycle is hard to reconcile with existing economic theory and argue that, while the 'global savings glut' may account for the cycle's initial phase, other factors - such as the conduct of monetary policy and perceptions of declining macroeconomic risk - were more important from the mid-2000s onwards. We conclude by identifying some of the challenges now facing macroeconomics and policy.credit; business cycle; financial crisis; monetary policy; asset prices; boom and bust

'A Matter of History'

Can we engage in the discussion around colonial monuments if we not are prepared to engage in potentially uncomfortable conversations about our shared history? This commentary asks this and questions why we velementally defend colonial monuments? Is it about history or something else

Modelling and forecasting UK public finances

In this paper, we present a new model of UK public finances which aims to shed light on recent problems of forecasting the PSBR. The main elements of public spending are treated as endogenous variables which rise in line with GDP over the medium term. Also, the cyclical response of public borrowing to rises in the level of economic activity is more muted when growth is export-led than when it is consumer-led. These two features go a long way towards explaining the rapid deterioration of public finances in the early 1990s and the slow pace of improvement since 1993.

A study of the auditory and visual factors of a group word analysis test for the second grade.

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston Universit

Restart: The Resurgence of Computer Science in UK Schools

Computer science in UK schools is undergoing a remarkable transformation. While the changes are not consistent across each of the four devolved nations of the UK (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), there are developments in each that are moving the subject to become mandatory for all pupils from age 5 onwards. In this article, we detail how computer science declined in the UK, and the developments that led to its revitalisation: a mixture of industry and interest group lobbying, with a particular focus on the value of the subject to all school pupils, not just those who would study it at degree level. This rapid growth in the subject is not without issues, however: there remain significant forthcoming challenges with its delivery, especially surrounding the issue of training sufficient numbers of teachers. We describe a national network of teaching excellence which is being set up to combat this problem, and look at the other challenges that lie ahead

Canadian Universities: Who Benefits and Who Pays?

The following article deals with university education in Canada and its redistri- butive effects. From an economic point of view, there are two fundamental questions: first, which students are the principal beneficiaries of a university education? Secondly, who in Canadian society primarily bears the cost of edu- cating university students? As the following article shows, the answers to these questions are not encouraging, if we view universities as institutions that strive for greater economic equality in Canada. Children of high income families tend to be the ones that capture the bulk of the financial rewards of a university degree, while low income families often pay a disproportionately large share of educational expenditures.L'article suivant traite de l'éducation universitaire au Canada et de ses effets redistributifs. D'une perspective économique, il y a deux questions fondamentales à considérer: premièrement, quels étudiants sont les bénéficiaires principaux d'une éducation universitaire? Deuxièment, qui dans la société canadienne a la responsabilité principale.de payer l'éducation des étudiants à l'université? Les réponses à ces questions, comme elles se présentent dans cet article, ne sont pas encourageantes, pour ceux qui considèrent que les universités sont des institutions qui visent une plus grande égalité économique au Canada. Les enfants des familles avec un revenu élevé sont en général ceux qui accaparent la plupart des récom-penses économiques d'un diplôme universitaire, pendant que les familles de faible revenu prennent souvent une part disproportionnée du fardeau des frais de l'enseignement

Mobile ‘Comfort’ Zones: Overcoming Barriers to Enable Facilitated Learning in the Workplace.

The affordances of mobile technologies are well documented (cf Sharples, Vavolua, Wali, Cook, Pachler). Linked with the rapid expansion of the ‘SMART’ phones, where users access fast/high quality information, new opportunities are offered to engage students at a time/place of their own choosing. This small-scale study is located within the dominant discourse of mobile learning literature of context specific learning; it explores the attitudes and habits of trainee teachers using their own mobile devices when working full time in a school setting. We present a conceptual model for looking strategically at mobile learners in different personal/ professional contexts. This highlights the design barriers to be overcome before the full potential of mobile learning can be successful with our own students when isolated on placement and juggling busy, complex lives. Our findings indicate that students have complex/interwoven narratives that relate to issues of identity, personal/private space and their involvement in an emergent community of practice

Teaching computer programming with PRIMM: a sociocultural perspective

Background and Context: With computing now becoming a mandatory subject in school in many countries, there is a need for clearly defined pedagogical strategies to support all learners; this is particularly pertinent when teaching computer programming, which novice adults have struggled with for decades. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory emphasises the importance of language, mediation, and the transfer of skills and knowledge from the social into the cognitive plane. This perspective has influenced the development of PRIMM (Predict, Run, Investigate, Modify, Make), a structured approach to teaching programming. Objective: The objective of the study was to find out if using PRIMM to teach programming had an impact on learner attainment in secondary school, and the extent to which it was a valuable method for teachers. Method: We evaluated the use of PRIMM in 13 schools with 493 students aged 11-14 alongside a control group, using a mixed-methods approach. Teachers delivered programming lessons using the PRIMM approach for 8-12 weeks. Data were collected via a combination of a baseline test, a post-test to compare control and experimental groups, and teacher interviews. Findings: Learners who participated in the PRIMM lessons performed better in the post test than the control group. Teachers reported several benefits of the PRIMM approach, including that PRIMM helped them to teach effectively in mixed-ability classes, enabling all learners to make progress. Implications: We hope that PRIMM makes a contribution to programming education research, as it builds on previous work in effective pedagogy for teachers, and encourages the use of language and dialogue to facilitate understanding. Through our evaluation of PRIMM and engagement with classroom teachers, we propose a framework for understanding the learning of programming in the classroom, and present this as an avenue for further research