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Tertium Comparationis, Vol. 1 (1995), No. 2

Editor: W. Bos (Universität Hamburg)
Thema: Bildung in Europa

Contents

Eleni Hodolidou

Literature in the English and Greek Secondary Curriculum

A Comparative Study

A systematic comparison of the aims and content of the secondary Literature curriculum in England and Greece shows that neither of the two countries is moving towards an idea of a united Europe, or towards an intercultural conception about the literary canon. The aims of the subject of Literature reflect certain priorities. Existing differences between the officially stated aims in both countries are related to the different place Literature holds in each culture and to different educational practices. These same differences also reflect the degree of emphasis placed on various aesthetic, political and educational factors and stem from the different social and political situations in the two countries. These factors, in turn, decide the place of Literature in the national culture and, hence, in the curriculum. This paper argues that those that set the curriculum should have their attention drawn to the possibility of Literature being taught in the framework of promoting a new European identity. This should be based on the awareness and recognition of the fact that the contribution of all European sub-cultures actually enriches and offers a great deal to the national cultures and thus establishes the new European citizenship.

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Cristina Allemann-Ghionda

Interkulturelle Bildung zwischen Universalität und Partikularität

Überlegungen im Rahmen eines europäischen Vergleichs

Using qualitative methods, i. e. case-studies and content analysis, universality and particularity in education are examined within the framework of a comparative research project focused on Germany, France, Italy, and Switzerland. The concept of cultural variety as it appears to be interpreted in pedagogy, policy and provision, leads to partially different theoretical and practical conclusions according to the historical and legal background of migration, minority and language policies, as well as the pedagogical and scientific traditions in each country. In the comparison, methodological problems arise due to the fact that key concepts such as "culture" or "ethnicity" can acquire different meanings and connotations in scientific discourses. Following the argumentation of pedagogical discussion used in pro and contra universalist and particularist approaches, and based on the kind of provision implemented, the opportunities and risks contained in rather universalist or rather particularist educational paradigms are listed and commented on. The empirical data and documents considered show that the discussion in Western Europe about universality and particularity in education in the early nineties is strongly concerned with the alternative monolingual vs. multilingual education, the latter being a pro-particularity way to respect and promote linguistic and cultural variety. Crucial questions of philosophical nature, such as the management of value conflicts linked with cultural variety, seem to be underestimated, although they are equally relevant for education and society. The author argues that outlining a 'policy of recognition' adapted to the particular needs of multicultural Western Europe should become a major goal in pedagogy, teachers' training, and educational policy in the near future, as problems in schools and other institutions suggest.

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Sabine Manning

Adult Access to Higher Education in Western Europe

What Part does Vocational Experience Play?

Adults without proper university entrance qualifications often have in fact a significant advantage: they can draw on vocational experience. This factor is acknowledged in various schemes of adult access to higher education. Recent examples from Austria, Britain, France, the Netherlands, and Sweden have been selected for this paper. Three aspects are looked at in particular: the relevance of vocational qualifications for access to higher education, the function of vocational experience in adult access to higher education, and factors determining current trends in adult access to higher education. Finally, the transnational stimulus of the access schemes is discussed.

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Wilhelm Grießhaber

Sprachlehrforschung

Eine besondere deutsche Disziplin im internationalen Rahmen

The field of research dedicated to language instruction will soon celebrate its 20th anniversary in Germany. The occasion provides an opportunity to examine its place in the scientific spectrum some time after the heated discussions conducted in the early years of the science. Special consideration should be awarded to its relationship with linguistics and with the historical discipline in an international context. The German path taken in establishing the discipline that concentrates on the learning and teaching of foreign languages can be said to be special one. Evidence of this is found in the creation of the co-ordinating committee the SLF and its publications that contributed to defining the discipline. Using scientific methods, the construct of factor complexion was the object of particular scrutiny (2). It is then introduced as a productive exchange between linguistics and language instruction with reference to the development taking place towards the end of the last century of the discipline into a reciprocally beneficial discussion at both the European and international level (3). Using the example of research in foreign and second language acquisition processes, multi-lingualism and ability development as characteristics of language instruction studies found within the linguistic framework are chosen as a central theme (4). In conclusion, the necessity is observed for the development of specialised knowledge in the teaching of English legal terminology to Germans that is comprehensive i.e. includes linguistics and can be used for advanced instruction of specialised foreign language skills. This opens up new international dimensions.

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Christian Tarnai, Holger Grimm, Dirk John and Rainer Watermann

Work Values in European Comparison

School Education and Work Orientation in Nine Countries

The present contribution analyses work values in nine European countries using data from the ISSP study (International Social Survey Programme) conducted in 1989. The fundamental question deals with the influence school education and employment activity have on the evaluation of work attributes at the professional level. This has been achieved by applying a method in which school education in each country is divided into three ordinal categories, producing a standardisation for the nine countries. The resulting groups can then be clearly defined according to the importance awarded to various work values. Similarities between these hierarchies of preference are examined using cluster analysis for ordinal data. An interpretation of the clusters points to a clear determination of work values through the effects of education. Persons with higher education attribute disproportionately more importance to intrinsic values (interesting job, work independently) than is the case for the other levels of education. Those questioned that had low or middle levels of education considered both intrinsic and extrinsic values (job security, high income) important - and showed a distinct tendency to prefer extrinsic characteristics. There are also recognisable national effects that can be said to have less to do with economic parameters than with cultural affiliations such as, for example, a common language. The analyses, which were conducted separately in working and non-working groups, do not provide any clear conclusions about the influence employment activity has on work values.

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