Malaysian Quality Assurance (QA) system in higher education evolved from certain educational legislation and directives that aspire to achieve international recognition and excellence and make Malaysia the educational hub in the Asian region.
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shared by izz aty on 17 Dec 12
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Why I Hate School But Love Education||Spoken Word - YouTube - 0 views
www.youtube.com/watch
education poetry literature spoken word school schooling lifestyle history learning reference resources
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"As the cyclical and seemingly never ending debate about education rages on, the topic - somewhat ironically, often poses more questions than it provides answers. But what is the value of mainstream schooling? Why is it that some of the most high profile and successful figures within the Western world openly admit to never having completed any form of higher learning? Paying homage to Jefferson Bethke's "Why I Hate Religion but Love Jesus", a piece that received 22 million views in the space of a week, I address a number of these issues in my offering "Why I Hate School, but Love Education". With scores of school leavers wanting to further their education with no guarantee of their dream job at the end of it, we should ask ourselves whether qualifications still hold the same value now as they did in previous years? Does success in the school system correlate to success in life? Or is the school system simply geared towards fact retention and regurgitation? What is true education? @sulibreaks universityofsulibreaks.tumblr.com Director: @KevinNgongo www.youtube.com/kevinngongo Graphics: www.mikegallardodesigns.com Music: Sunshine: Surface Of The Sun - John Murphy - Adagio in D Minor"
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Teaching strategies and students' learning approaches by Dr. Lew Tek Yew | Curtin Saraw... - 0 views
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established in 2007 with the overall responsibility for the local accreditation of higher education programmes and qualifications, and for supervising and regulating quality and standards in education providers
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a principle instrument that classifies qualifications based on a set of criteria that is agreed nationally and benchmarked with international practices, and which clarifies the academic levels and learning outcomes.
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Curtin Sarawak is committed to developing the abilities, knowledge and skills of its undergraduates so that they are able to apply concepts and understanding of the business disciplines for the benefit of the society and the nation.
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they will assume intellectually demanding positions in industry such as consulting, market research and policy making. These types of work require students to go beyond the rote memorisation skills that characterise surface approaches and develop deeper research and analytical skills.
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Biggs (1987) and Biggs and Moore (1993) have distinguished two common approaches to learning adopted by students. According to the researchers, the deep approach is characterised by a personal commitment to learning and an interest in the subject, and consequently, searches for relationships among materials and interprets knowledge in light of previous knowledge structures and experiences. The deep approach to learning is likely to result in better retention and transfer of knowledge and may lead to quality learning outcomes
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This allows face-to-face class sessions to be used for active engagement and discussions between students in order to develop their critical thinking skills
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Students using the deep approach study longer, perform better, and tend to be more intrinsically motivated than those adopting a surface approach (Mashishi & Rabin, 1999)
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the conventional lecture style approach will thwart students’ ability to learn real world skills. Hence, a combination of the traditional teaching method and a student-centred learning approach will develop relevant skills and knowledge to fulfil the requirement of a dynamic and complex business environment.
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classes where students report adopting a deeper approaches to learning, teaching staff report adopting approaches to teaching that are more oriented towards students, encourage students to construct their own knowledge, involve the students and challenge the students’ conceptions and current ideas through questions, discussions and presentations (Trigwell, Prosser & Waterhouse, 1999; Trigwell & Prosser, 2004).
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At Curtin Sarawak’s School of Business, we are encouraged to use the ‘flipped classroom’ model of teaching. This method requires students to prepare well before classes commence using the learning materials posted in the online learning platform
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On the other hand, a surface approach to learning is characterised by an intention to acquire only sufficient knowledge to complete the task or pass the subject. Students rely on memorisation and reproduction of material and do not seek further connections, meaning or the implications of what is learned. Therefore, they are unlikely to experience high quality learning outcomes or develop appropriate skills and competencies.
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the School invites prominent industry speakers to share practical industry applications of business theories and concepts with the students.
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to produce critical thinkers, academics need to adopt teaching strategies that challenge the students to think likewise on a regular basis. Conceptual change/student focused approaches to teaching are more likely to lead to student abilities to seek creative and innovative solutions to future issues, problems and situations.
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shared by izz aty on 21 Nov 14
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No child left behind: (Relative) equity in Finnish schools - Inside classroo... - 0 views
www.insideclassrooms.com/...tive-equity-in-finnish-schools
finnish special ed scandinavian education finnish education
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not only is Finland a top performer in all three subjects tested in PISA, they manage to do so while making schooling equitable.
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The aim of day-care is to support balanced growth, development and learning as well as promoting the personal well-being of all children, which means that by the time they start formal school at age 7, Finnish children that would have been behind developmentally at age 5 have had the time and the support to catch up.
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In Finland, although there is no formal education until age 7, most students attend preschool at 6, and day-care is available to all children under this age. This day-care is provided by the local authority in over 90% of cases, and its cost is dependent on the size and income of the family (bigger families pay less per child, and low income families pay nothing).
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high expectations of all students, and these are to meet the objectives set out in the national curriculum.
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These mixed ability classes would be difficult for teachers to handle if it weren't for three things: thorough teacher education - teacher training includes a significant focus on differentiation and how to support students at all levels;small class sizes - the estimated average size is 14.1 (although some research suggests class size doesn't affect student performance); anda well staffed student support system - special teachers that provide in class support and take out small groups are qualified teachers with further qualifications in special education.
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There are two types of special classes. The type described above is called the E class, and there is one in each year. These classes are smaller than the others, and they have the same teacher for most subjects (who should be a qualified teacher with an extra qualification in special needs, but in practice these are in short supply). Students can move in and out of this class, but in practice they usually stay there for most subjects, occasionally joining another class if they have a strength in a particular area.
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Those with severe or specific special needs still attend mainstream school, but are in a class of their own somewhere in the district. Each school has its own specialism. This may mean travelling a little while to get there, as only one or two schools will have an autistic class for example.
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if students are motivated, you can't stop them learning - gifted students will take the books and teach themselves (one of the teachers who told me this had four degrees but had come from a tiny school in the countryside).
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Finland has only small differences in performance between schools (a measure closely associated with equality), and most students go to their local schools (to age 15).
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Selection only happens in two situations: where students are applying to language emersion schools (and the student has to speak the language to a certain level), and where students are applying for a certain class in a school that is the school's specialism, such as Music or Sports (these classes have the same basic curriculum with additional Music or Sports lessons). There are no grammar schools, and very few private schools (and even these have to follow the national curriculum).
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shared by izz aty on 24 Apr 12
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select vs selected : Common Errors in English - 0 views
www.beedictionary.com/...select_vs_selected
vocabulary vocab language confusing reference learning english esol language learning error
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select Meaning(s) (v) pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives (s) of superior grade (s) selected or chosen for special qualifications
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"Select" means "special, chosen because of its outstanding qualities." If you are writing an ad for a furniture store offering low prices on some of its recliners, call them "selected recliners," not "select recliners," unless they are truly outstanding and not just leftovers you're trying to move out of the store.
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Employability: What is it? And How Do You Increase It? | employability4socialsciences - 0 views
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The evidence you can provide of your skills/experience and your ability to communicate them in a powerful job winning way to potential employers.
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What most students lack is the evidence and the ability to communicate to employers in a powerful way.
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Evidence can be any of the following: Powerful stories/examples you can talk about at interview/assessment centres and write about on your CV and application forms Press clippings/reports Awards/commendations Video/Audio Blogs Certificates/Qualifications References (from high quality people/contacts!)
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The aim is to get as much experience as possible of for what for most of us is a stressful situation
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The mock interview service that most university career centres offer are good to a point but only if you take them seriously
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when it comes to CVs and application forms is that its not really about you (!) It’s about the role you are applying for and the company you want to work for
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try and hit as many of transferable skills as you can with the above three. These include team work, leadership, project planning and management, information skills, communication skills and reflective skills
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Consider if you haven’t already volunteering, work placements, work experience, charity work, community projects, and part time jobs
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regardless of what the job or person spec says an employer is really looking for three things in applicants: 1) That you can do the job 2) That you will fit in with the organisation 3) You will add more value than you take from the organisation.
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The course made me highly employable | University of South Wales - 0 views
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provided me with not only the qualifications but the all important hundreds of coaching hours each year within the professional regions community programmes and with the Welsh Rugby Union which inevitably made me highly employable following graduatio
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Finally, Strength and Conditioning and Sportstec Analytical accreditation (also embedded in the course) have also proved incredibly important in informing my coaching
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Five Top Tips to Make You Highly Employable | Career Services and Small Business HR Ser... - 0 views
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we are most satisfied when there is a degree of fit between our personality and the job we do and environment we work in.
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every job seeker should read this article before preparing their CV: What recruiters look at during the 6 seconds that they spend on your resume/CV
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include a reference to your personal differentiators, e.g. the achievements, skills, experience or qualifications that you believe will set you apart from the competition
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shared by izz aty on 31 May 11
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Hype that's not my type | EFL Classroom 2.0 - Teacher Talk - 0 views
ddeubel.edublogs.org/...hype-thats-not-my-type
education inspiration learning teaching schools assessment technology qualification academics schooling
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I read a lot about the “new paradigm” that is occuring in education. There is a lot for us teachers and particularly those in leadership positions to think about. I really do hear some things repeated over and over again – that I just won’t buy into. I don’t believe the hype. These ideas seem so obvious and so clear that to me, they must be a lie. Reality is crooked and operates on her own principles – not the nice, clean kitchen cupboards we like to stack away our beliefs in. So in brief and to maybe get others thinking a little “outside the box” – here are 3 things that are being hyped in the educational world that I disagree with completely. (and a joke for each that I hope will support my argument or if not, at least give you a chuckle)
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shared by izz aty on 01 Jul 14
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6 Women Scientists Who Were Snubbed Due to Sexism - 0 views
news.nationalgeographic.com/...overlooked-dna-history-science
women science scientific women education research experiment sexism discrimination
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Several people posted comments about our story that noted one name was missing from the Nobel roster: Rosalind Franklin, a British biophysicist who also studied DNA. Her data were critical to Crick and Watson's work. But it turns out that Franklin would not have been eligible for the prize—she had passed away four years before Watson, Crick, and Wilkins received the prize, and the Nobel is never awarded posthumously.But even if she had been alive, she may still have been overlooked. Like many women scientists, Franklin was robbed of recognition throughout her career (See her section below for details.)
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Pulsars are the remnants of massive stars that went supernova. Their very existence demonstrates that these giants didn't blow themselves into oblivion—instead, they left behind small, incredibly dense, rotating stars.Bell Burnell discovered the recurring signals given off by their rotation while analyzing data printed out on three miles of paper from a radio telescope she helped assemble.The finding resulted in a Nobel Prize, but the 1974 award in physics went to Anthony Hewish—Bell Burnell's supervisor—and Martin Ryle, also a radio astronomer at Cambridge University.The snub generated a "wave of sympathy" for Bell Burnell. But in an interview with National Geographic News this month, the astronomer was fairly matter-of-fact.
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despite the sympathy, and her groundbreaking work, Bell Burnell said she was still subject to the prevailing attitudes toward women in academia.
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"[And] it was extremely hard combining family and career," Bell Burnell said, partly because the university where she worked while pregnant had no provisions for maternity leave.
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Born in 1922 in the Bronx, Esther Lederberg would grow up to lay the groundwork for future discoveries on genetic inheritance in bacteria, gene regulation, and genetic recombination.A microbiologist, she is perhaps best known for discovering a virus that infects bacteria—called the lambda bacteriophage—in 1951, while at the University of Wisconsin.Lederberg, along with her first husband Joshua Lederberg, also developed a way to easily transfer bacterial colonies from one petri dish to another, called replica plating, which enabled the study of antibiotic resistance. The Lederberg method is still in use today.Joshua Lederberg's work on replica plating played a part in his 1958 Nobel Prize for physiology or medicine, which he shared with George Beadle and Edward Tatum."She deserved credit for the discovery of lambda phage, her work on the F fertility factor, and, especially, replica plating," wrote Stanley Falkow, a retired microbiologist at Stanford University, in an email. But she didn't receive it.
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Lise Meitner's work in nuclear physics led to the discovery of nuclear fission—the fact that atomic nuclei can split in two. That finding laid the groundwork for the atomic bomb.Her story is a complicated tangle of sexism, politics, and ethnicity.After finishing her doctoral degree in physics at the University of Vienna, Meitner moved to Berlin in 1907 and started collaborating with chemist Otto Hahn. They maintained their working relationship for more than 30 years.After the Nazis annexed Austria in March 1938, Meitner, who was Jewish, made her way to Stockholm, Sweden. She continued to work with Hahn, corresponding and meeting secretly in Copenhagen in November of that year.Although Hahn performed the experiments that produced the evidence supporting the idea of nuclear fission, he was unable to come up with an explanation. Meitner and her nephew, Otto Frisch, came up with the theory.Hahn published their findings without including Meitner as a co-author, although several accounts say Meitner understood this omission, given the situation in Nazi Germany."That's the start of how Meitner got separated from the credit of discovering nuclear fission," said Lewin Sime, who wrote a biography of Meitner.
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Chien-Shiung Wu overturned a law of physics and participated in the development of the atom bomb.Wu was recruited to Columbia University in the 1940s as part of the Manhattan Project and conducted research on radiation detection and uranium enrichment. She stayed in the United States after the war and became known as one of the best experimental physicists of her time, said Nina Byers, a retired physics professor at the University of California, Los Angeles.In the mid-1950s, two theoretical physicists, Tsung-Dao Lee and Chen Ning Yang, approached Wu to help disprove the law of parity. The law holds that in quantum mechanics, two physical systems—like atoms—that were mirror images would behave in identical ways.Wu's experiments using cobalt-60, a radioactive form of the cobalt metal, upended this law, which had been accepted for 30 years.This milestone in physics led to a 1957 Nobel Prize for Yang and Lee—but not for Wu, who was left out despite her critical role. "People found [the Nobel decision] outrageous," said Byers.Pnina Abir-Am, a historian of science at Brandeis University, agreed, adding that ethnicity also played a role.
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Rosalind Franklin used x-rays to take a picture of DNA that would change biology.Hers is perhaps one of the most well-known—and shameful—instances of a researcher being robbed of credit, said Lewin Sime.Franklin graduated with a doctorate in physical chemistry from Cambridge University in 1945, then spent three years at an institute in Paris where she learned x-ray diffraction techniques, or the ability to determine the molecular structures of crystals. (Learn more about her education and qualifications.)She returned to England in 1951 as a research associate in John Randall's laboratory at King's College in London and soon encountered Maurice Wilkins, who was leading his own research group studying the structure of DNA.Franklin and Wilkins worked on separate DNA projects, but by some accounts, Wilkins mistook Franklin's role in Randall's lab as that of an assistant rather than head of her own project.Meanwhile, James Watson and Francis Crick, both at Cambridge University, were also trying to determine the structure of DNA. They communicated with Wilkins, who at some point showed them Franklin's image of DNA—known as Photo 51—without her knowledge.Photo 51 enabled Watson, Crick, and Wilkins to deduce the correct structure for DNA, which they published in a series of articles in the journal Nature in April 1953. Franklin also published in the same issue, providing further details on DNA's structure.Franklin's image of the DNA molecule was key to deciphering its structure, but only Watson, Crick, and Wilkins received the 1962 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for their work.
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Nettie Stevens performed studies crucial in determining that an organism's sex was dictated by its chromosomes rather than environmental or other factors.After receiving her doctorate from Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, Stevens continued at the college as a researcher studying sex determination.By working on mealworms, she was able to deduce that the males produced sperm with X and Y chromosomes—the sex chromosomes—and that females produced reproductive cells with only X chromosomes. This was evidence supporting the theory that sex determination is directed by an organism's genetics.A fellow researcher, named Edmund Wilson, is said to have done similar work, but came to the same conclusion later than Stevens did.Stevens fell victim to a phenomenon known as the Matilda Effect—the repression or denial of the contributions of female researchers to science.Thomas Hunt Morgan, a prominent geneticist at the time, is often credited with discovering the genetic basis for sex determination, said Pomona College's Hoopes. He was the first to write a genetics textbook, she noted, and he wanted to magnify his contributions."Textbooks have this terrible tendency to choose the same evidence as other textbooks," she added. And so Stevens' name was not associated with the discovery of sex determination.
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the first wife of Albert Einstein should be in this list. People know so little about her, and I think she deserves to be known.
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How sadly ironic that the very woman who set the stage for the DNA structure discovery, which in 1994 helped make it possible to genetically test and confirm BRCA carriers like Angelina Jolie and me (with familial cancer holocausts generation, after generation, after generation), did not have access the test that could have saved her life so she could go on with the research she loved and win a Nobel Prize.
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shared by izz aty on 21 Nov 14
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Statistics Finland - Statistics by topic - Special education - 0 views
www.stat.fi/kas_en.html
finnish special ed scandinavian education finnish education autism ASD aspergers ADHD LDiff
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Acceptances or transfers to special education In the statistics on special education in comprehensive schools, acceptances and transfers to special education in 1995 to 2010 refer to pupils who have been accepted or transferred to special education due to disability, illness, delayed development, emotional disorder or other reason. Decisions about acceptances or transfers have been made by municipal administrative bodies and have required hearing of experts and parents, and drawing up of plans concerning the organisation of personal teaching. If necessary, subject syllabuses can have been individualised and reduced from those in general education. Duration of compulsory education can also have been extended where the pupil has not been to able reach the targets set for comprehensive school education within nine years. From 2011 onwards, comprehensive school pupils accepted and transferred to special education have been considered equal to comprehensive school pupils having received special support.
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Comprehensive school In the statistics on pre-primary and comprehensive school education, subject choices of students, special education, and students and qualifications of educational institutions comprehensive schools refer to educational institutions providing basic, general knowledge teaching to an entire age cohort (basic comprehensive school education, compulsory education school). All children of the compulsory school age of 7 to 16 must complete the comprehensive school. Completion of the comprehensive school takes nine years.
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1. Severely delayed development The grounds for acceptance or transfer to special education are moderate, severe or very severe delay of development. Pupils' syllabuses are always partly or com-pletely individualised. 2. Slightly delayed development The grounds for acceptance or transfer to special education are slight delay in the pupil's development. 3. Varying degrees of cerebral dysfunction, physical disability or similar The grounds for acceptance or transfer to special education are the pupil's neurological disability or developmental disorder, such as ADHD, or physical disability, such as the CP syndrome. 4. Emotional disturbance or social maladjustment The grounds for acceptance or transfer to special education are the pupil's emo-tional disturbance or social maladjustment. 5. Learning difficulties related to autism or the Asperger's syndrome The grounds for acceptance or transfer to special education are the pupil's autism or Asperger's syndrome. 6. Learning difficulties caused by impaired linguistic development (dysphasia) The grounds for acceptance or transfer to special education are the pupil's im-paired linguistic development (dysphasia). 7. Visual impairment The grounds for acceptance or transfer to special education are the pupil's visual impairment. 8. Hearing impairment The grounds for acceptance or transfer to special education are the pupil's hear-ing impairment. 9. Other than reasons listed above The grounds for acceptance or transfer to special education are some other reasons not listed above. The grounds for special education were based on the decision concerning acceptance or transfer to special education.
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Grounds for special education In the statistics on special education in comprehensive schools, the grounds for acceptance or transfer to special education were in 2001 to 2010 as follows
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ntensified support In the statistics on special education in comprehensive schools and in the statistics on pre-primary and comprehensive school education, intensified support refers to support to pupils on which a learning plan for intensified support has been drawn up. Intensified support is provided to pupils who need for their learning or school attendance regular support or simultaneously several forms of support (e.g. remedial teaching, part-time special education, school assistant or interpretation services) The support arranged for the pupil is recorded in the learning plan that is drawn up based on pedagogical assessment in co-operation with the pupil and his or her guardian.
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Part-time special education n the statistics on special education in comprehensive schools, part-time special education refers to teaching pupils can have beside other teaching if they have difficulties in learning or school attendance. Pupils can receive part-time special education also during intensified or special support
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Place of implementation of special education In the statistics on special education in comprehensive schools, for pupils with a decision on special support the places of implementation of teaching are from 2011 as follows: 1. All teaching is provided in a general education group. 2. 51 to 99 per cent of teaching is provided in a general education group. 3. 21 to 50 per cent of teaching is provided in a general education group. 4. 1 to 20 per cent of teaching is provided in a general education group. 5. All teaching is provided in special groups or classes. In 2001 to 2010, the concept "place of provision of special education" corresponds to the concept "place of implementation of special education".
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Place of provision of special education In the statistics on special education, the places of provision of special education were in 2001 to 2010 as follows: 1. All teaching is provided in a general education group: pupils are fully integrated into groups attending general education. 2. Teaching is partially provided in a general education group: pupils study partly in special classes or groups and partly in groups attending general education. 3. Special groups, special classes: pupils study in special groups or classes. From 2011 onwards, the concept "place of implementation of special education" corresponds to the concept "place of provision of special education".
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Reason for part-time special education In the statistics on special education in comprehensive schools, the reasons for part-time special education were in the academic years 2001/2002 to 2009/2010 as follows: 1) Speech disorder 2) Reading or writing disorder or difficulty 3) Learning difficulty in mathematics 4) Learning difficulty in foreign languages 5) Difficulties in adjustment or emotional disorder, or 6) Other learning difficulties. The reason for part-time special education was determined by the primary reason for needing special education.
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Special education In the statistics on special education in comprehensive schools and in the statistics on pre-primary and comprehensive school education, special education refers to teaching arranged from 1995 to 2010 for those accepted and transferred to special education and starting from 2011 that arranged for pupils receiving special support because of disability, illness, delayed development, emotional disturbance or some other comparable special reason. Part-time special education is also special education that pupils can have besides other teaching if they have difficulties in learning or school attendance.
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Before the decision on special support, the pupil and his or her guardian are heard and a pedagogical survey is made, including an assessment of the need for special support. The decision is checked at least after the second grade and before the transition to the seventh grade. An individual plan on the arrangement of teaching is made for special support pupils. Support to learning and school attendance can be divided into general, intensified and special support. If general support is not enough, intensified support is provided. If intensified support is not enough, special support is provided. Comprehensive school pupils accepted and transferred to special education in previous years (1995-2010) are considered equal to special support pupils.
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Comprehensive school education is general knowledge education provided for entire age cohorts. All children permanently resident in Finland must attend compulsory education. Compulsory education starts in the year of the child's seventh birthday.
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Pennington et al 2014 Defining Autism: Variability in State Education Agency Definition... - 0 views
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examined the definition of autism published by state education agencies (SEAs), as well as SEA-indicated evaluation procedures for determining student qualification for autism
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compared components of each SEA definition to aspects of autism from two authoritative sources: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) and Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA-2004)
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also compared SEA-indicated evaluation procedures across SEAs to evaluation procedures noted in IDEA-2004
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many more SEA definitions incorporate IDEA-2004 features than DSM-IV-TR features. However, despite similar foundations, SEA definitions of autism displayed considerable variability
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The federal definition of autism preceded the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV) [8], and it is essentially unchanged since 1990.
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The federal definition is generally compatible with both the category of Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) as described in DSM-IV and Autism Spectrum Disorder as described in DSM-5 [9], but it does not match any specific variety of PDD (see below). Within public school systems, students who have been clinically diagnosed with either a DSM-IV PDD or with DSM-5 Autism Spectrum Disorder are likely to be identified under the federal category of autism for the purpose of receiving special education services
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In contrast to the IDEA-2004 definition, criteria for autism are more specific in the DSM-IV clinical diagnostic criteria
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DSM-IV was superseded by DSM-5 [9]. The disorders comprising PDD in DSM-IV are largely addressed in DSM-5 by the Autism Spectrum Disorders category, which—unlike DSM-IV’s PDD—has no subcategories.
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identification criteria still include substantial social problems (social initiations and responses, nonverbal social communication, and social relationships) and restricted, repetitive behaviors or interests (deviant speech or movements, rituals and resistance to change, preoccupations, and sensory reactivity). State education agencies (SEAs) have not yet incorporated DSM-5 information into their policies, procedures, and practices related to students with autism, and the DSM-5 definition was not involved in the present study.
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State education agency (SEA) definitions of a disability do not have to match the federal definition but must substantially address its elements or lose federal financial support for special education.
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No doubt the prevalence of ASD naturally varies somewhat with geography [4] but probably not by such a large factor, greater than tenfold in adjacent states. Conceivably, some state-by-state variation might be attributable to the content of SEA definitions of autism and perhaps the evaluation procedures required to accurately measure the concepts presented in definitions.
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In a study of SEA definitions of autism, MacFarlane and Kanaya [10] found substantial variation in the eligibility criteria used by different states. By their analysis, 35% of SEAs based autism eligibility solely on the federal definition of autism, while 65% used diverse other criteria including symptoms of autism from the DSM-IV-TR
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"Autism Research and Treatment Volume 2014 (2014), Article ID 327271, 8 pages http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/327271 Research Article Defining Autism: Variability in State Education Agency Definitions of and Evaluations for Autism Spectrum Disorders Malinda L. Pennington,1 Douglas Cullinan,2 and Louise B. Southern2"
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The Economist Insights - Expert Analysis and Events | Starting Well - 1 views
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Until the 1980s, preschools in most countries were largely focussed on providing simple child minding. But as economies shift towards more knowledge-based activities, awareness about child development—the need to improve their social awareness, confidence and group interaction skills, and to prepare them for starting primary education—continues to grow. Nevertheless, policymakers still give most attention to the tertiary, secondary and primary levels of education, in descending order of importance, with the least focus given to the early years of child development.
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also broader reasons to invest in preschool. At one level, it helps facilitate greater female participation in the workforce, which bolsters economic growth
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From neuro-scientific research, we understand the criticality of early brain development; from social science research, we know that high quality programmes improve children’s readiness for school and life; and from econometric research, we know that high quality programs save society significant amounts of money over time. Early childhood contributes to creating the kinds of workforces that are going to be needed in the twenty-first century.”
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preschools can help ensure that all children get a strong start in life, especially those from low-income or disadvantaged households.
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especially so in very unequal societies where you get generational and cyclical repetition of poverty and low achievement.”
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the Starting Well Index assesses the extent to which these governments provide a good, inclusive early childhood education (ECE) environment for children between the ages of three and six. In particular, it considers the relative availability, affordability and quality of such preschool environments.
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As economies increasingly compete on the quality of their human capital, policymakers need to ensure that all children get the best possible preparation for primary school.
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Finland, Sweden and Norway top the Index, thanks to sustained, long-term investments and prioritisation of early childhood development, which is now deeply embedded in society
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Europe’s state-led systems perform well, as the provision of universal preschool has steadily become a societal norm. This trend continues to develop. Ireland introduced a universal free year of preschool in 2010, for example, despite chronic budgetary difficulties
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In general, the leading countries in this Index have the following elements in place for their preschool systems: A comprehensive early childhood development and promotion strategy, backed up with a legal right to such education. Universal enrolment of children in at least a year of preschool at ages five or six, with nearly universal enrolment between the ages of three and five. Subsidies to ensure access for underprivileged families. Where provision is privatised, the cost of such care is affordable relative to average wages. A high bar for preschool educators, with specific qualification requirements. This is often backed up with commensurate wages, as well as low student-teacher ratios. A well-defined preschool curriculum, along with clear health and safety standards. Clear parental involvement and outreach. A broad socioeconomic environment that ensures that children are healthy and well-nourished when they enter preschool.
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also a major force in helping overcome issues relating to child poverty and educational disadvantage
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not to suggest that quality preschool programmes are lacking in these countries. But such schemes are not available or affordable to all strands of society, while minimum quality standards vary widely
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Many high-income countries rank poorly, despite wealth being a major factor in a country’s ability to deliver preschool services
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For emerging countries seeking to improve their innovative potential, they need to ensure that as many children as possible have a strong start in life. This is a crucial first step as they seek to transform their economies from low to high value-add activities.
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increased government investment in early childhood development, if directed well, can result in annual returns ranging from 8% to 17%, which largely accrue to wider society. Such returns come from the reduced need for later remedial education and spending, as well as lower crime and less welfare reliance in later life, among other things.
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Among wealthier countries that are making considerable steps towards quality universal provision, many have yet to enforce even a minimum level of preschool as a legal right for children.
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Affordability of preschool is typically worst in those countries where availability is most limited. As simple economics would suggest, those countries with the lowest availability of preschool are also the ones where it is most expensive. This hits lower-income countries hard. In China, the least affordable country in this Index, preschools in Beijing charge monthly fees up to six times as much as a top university. In general, as preschool provision becomes more widely available in a country, it also tends to become more affordable.
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Ensuring a high standard of teacher training and education, setting clear curriculum guidelines, and ensuring parental involvement are some of the main drivers of preschool education quality
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Other factors can help too: reducing student-teacher ratios in classes; ensuring good health and safety measures; and creating clear links between preschool and primary school, to name just a few.