Need of Cooperation in Higher Education and Reading Research

Transcription

1 Neighbours.Higher Education.Cooperation Conference on Higher Education Cooperation in Central, Eastern &South-Eastern Europe / Higher Education Contact SeminarVienna, 3 5July 2013The Need of Cooperation in Higher Education and Reading Research ALEXANDER KIOSSEV, University of Sofia, Bulgaria

2 PART I SOME PHILOSOPHICAL GUIDELINES

3 Why should we address research? The Implementation Report of the Bologna process 2012 recommends: implementing quality higher education, connected with research and lifelong learning. Not only structural reform but reform in content. The strategic goal quality can not be achieved without integration of research in the educational goals. Strategic shift on another structural level how to connect the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) with European Research Area (ERA)

4 The crucial link: the doctoral training Quote from the Principles for Innovative Doctoral Training EUROPEAN COMMISSION, DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR RESEARCH & INNOVATION, 27/06/2011 Research Excellence Striving for excellent research is fundamental to all doctoral education and from this all other elements flow. Academic standards set via peer review procedures and research environments representing a critical mass are required. The new academic generation should be trained to become creative, critical and autonomous intellectual risk takers, pushing the boundaries of frontier research. The doctoral training practically demonstrates that European integration of higher education is simultaneously European integration of research. It ensures: Mobile international and interdisciplinary teams Quality both in education and in research Creativity

5 Why should we cooperate in reading research-and-education The specificity of reading Major cultural technique of Modernity Rising literacy a precondition for the modernization as well as for European and world development of the XIX and XX century. Current great challenge: Global changes in reading practices in media and digital age: optimistic and apocalyptic visions. The changing and multiplying concept of literacy - basic literacy, communicative literacy, digital literacy, cultural literacy, functional literacy etc: what do they mean, how are they connected to the different levels of educational system (primary education, secondary education, higher education), is it possible to standardize them in measurable knowledge, skills and competences?

6 PART II READING PRACTICES AND READING RESEARCH IN EUROPE

7 Europe is lagging behind in reading research Major research initiatives in reading research and literacy: Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) Initiated by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), , participants 65 countries, 15-years-old students Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) ; participants 50 countries. Students in the age of years Led by TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center, Boston College, USA) Research initiatives of the International Reading Association (IRA), based in the USA

8 Results of PISA and European differences According to the reading results and rankings of the PISA survey, Europe is losing its lead in reading and education (only Finland and the Netherlands in the ranking of the global first ten) PISA demonstrates great differences in reading cultures: Europe is divided by reading disparities, especially between the North and the South: Finland, the Netherlands, Estonia, Norway, Iceland, Sweden have a tangible lead in the results of the PISA tests; The countries of Western and Central Europe are in the golden middle of the global ranking (Poland, Germany, France, the UK, Hungary), The countries from the South Europe, and especially the Balkan countries, are at the bottom (the gap between Finland and the last European country in the ranking, Albania, is as many as 151 points).

9 PISA results in Southeast Europe no less significant differences between the 15-years old reading skills and competences inside the SEE countries: difference between Slovenia (ranked 31st) and Albania (ranked 60th) is 98 points, the equivalent of almost two school years education in reading; Slovenia (31st), Greece (32nd), Croatia (36th) and Turkey (41st) are somewhere in the middle, ahead of Serbia (45th), Bulgaria (46th); Montenegro (54th) and Albania (60 th ) are far behind. Most of the students in the SEE countries on the edge of the functional illiteracy

10 The important question What could be the role of the cooperation of reading research and higher education in the context of the further development of Bologna process?

11 Eine Seele für Europa Research of differences in reading cultures across Europe is, in fact, an indirect research in European cultural inequalities: in case we don t want for European society to remain only political, economic and bureaucratic project, governed from above, we should invest in common cultural identity: eine Seele für Europa : real identification and stimulus for civic participation from bellow. Reading cultures and cultural canons are significant part of this common identity. Research and education in reading cultures could be major contribution to this crucial task: overcoming the European cultural inequalities (with respect to all cultural differences),, building common European cultural identity, bridging the gap in key competences and developing standards in cultural literacy (common cultural canons), transcending national isolations.

12 Reading research and the development of Bologna process Reading research and quality assurance: control of level of literacy at the entrance of the higher educational system; better structural communication between the secondary schools and the universities, better new students. Further development and multiplication of the concept of literacy: could we imagine types of literacy that should be implemented by the higher education (cultural literacy, digital literacy, communicative literacy, scientific literacy basic interdisciplinary competences, required by the higher education, beyond any expert professional specialization?) European compatibility of the competences and literacies expected at the exit of the higher educational system. Better balance between basic interdisciplinary competences and strictly specialized, expert professional competences.

13 Principal steps Mapping of reading research in Europe (major centers, projects, teams, achievements). Discussing the policy frame of reading research and education in the context of Bologna process. Standardizing the goals and method of reading research on European scale in order to achieve compatible results. Stimulating interdisciplinary European research teams with significant participation of doctoral students (funding schemes, exchange, mobility, inauguration of the common research standards). Consortia of reading research institutions, centres, teams Implementing the reading research process in the doctoral training. Doctoral students teams and networks.

14 Further steps Introducing of academic courses in BA and MA level on European reading cultures ïn change and on cultural inequalities. Linking research teams with university life and teaching: BA and MA students, first steps in research Life long teaching for teachers in primary and secondary schools: new competences and professional expertise of the teachers in reading.

15 PART III WHAT HAS BEEN DONE ALREADY: THE MAPPING EXCERCISE

16 Some European Reading Research Teams and Institutions 1. The International Development in Europe Committee (IDEC): 2. Reading Europe / an Information Resource Centre on Books and Reading in Europe: 3. The Federation of European Literacy Associations (FELA) 4. WIFO Gateway to research on education in Europe:

17 Some Reading Research Teams and Institutions in Northern Europe 1. Finnish Institute for Educational Research: 2. Center for læseforskning, Department of Scandinavian Studies and Linguistics, University of Copenhagen: (only in Danish) 3. National Centre for Reading Education and Research (Reading Centre), University of Stavanger, Norway:

18 Some Reading Research Teams and Institutions in Western and Central Europe 1. Education and Social Research Institute, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK: 2. The Reader Organisation,UK: 3. National Literacy Trust, UK: 4. Centre for Research into Reading, Information and Linguistic Systems, University of Liverpool, Institute of Psychology, Health and Society: 5. Stiftung Lesen, DE: 6. Lesen in Deutschland: 7. Zeit Punkt Lesen, Austria: 8. The Center for Reading Research, Department of Experimental Psychology of Ghent University,

19 Some Reading research teams and institutions in SEE region 1. National Book Centre of Greece: g=1 2. Reading Association of Macedonia (MaRA): 3. National Directorat of the Book, Bulgarian ministry of culture 4. The Southeast European Academic League (SEAL)

20 National offices of IRA Bulgaria Bulgarian Reading Association (BulRA) Affiliate No. B6A00 Year Chartered: 2003 Lydia Dachkova, President Croatia Croatian Reading Association Affiliate No. C8A00 Year Chartered: 1997 Vlasta Stubicar, President Greece Hellenic Association for Language and Literacy (HALL) Affiliate No. G7A00 Year Chartered: 1995 Eufimia Tafa, President Macedonia (FYROM) Reading Association of Macedonia (MaRA) Affiliate No. M1A00 Year Chartered: 2005 Anica Petkoska, President Romania Romanian Association for Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking (RO RWCT Association) Asociaţia Lectura şi Scrierea pentru Dezvoltarea Gândirii Critice România Affiliate No. R5A02

21 First SEE meeting on comparative reading research READING PRACTICES, READING RESEARCH AND READING PROMOTION IN SOUTHEAST EUROPE Workshop In Sofia/Bulgaria, November 2011 Organized by SEAL, supported by Goethe institute Stiftung Lesen Bulgarian Ministry of Culture

22 List of participants 1. Dr.Ivanka Stričević, Associate Professor, University of 2. Mate Juric, Research assistant, University of Zadar, Library and Information Science 3. Dr. Robert Alagjozovski 4. Dr. Dijana Vučković, University of Montenegro, Faculty of 5. Dragica Pavlović-Babić, Institute for Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, 6. Dr. Emmanouel Garoufallou, Department of Library Science and Information Systems, Alexander Technological Educational Institution (ATEI) of 7. Socrates Kabouropoulos, Senior Officer, National Book Centre of Greece 7. Dr. Tanya Petrović, University of Ljubliana, 8. Corina Apostoleanu, Constanta County Public Library, 9. Dr. Svetla Petrova, Ministry of Education and Science, Bulgarian PISA

23 List of participants 10.Dr. Krassimira Daskalova, Library and Information Studies Department, Sofia 11. Igor Chipev, Ministry of Culture, Books 12. Karina Angelieva, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, project 13. Dr, Boicho Kokinov, New Bulgarian University, cognitive 14. Prof. Alexander Dimtchev, Sofia University, Library and Information 15. Alexander Kiossev, Sofia University, Cultural 16. Prof. Dr. Onur Bilge Kula, Director General of Libraries and Publications in the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Goethe-Institut Sofia:Country: 17. Dr. Rudolf Bartsch, Director of Goethe-Institut 18. Bianka Reckenbeil, Director Information and Coordinator:Country: 19. Assen Kanev, PhD candidate, Sofia University, Cultural

24 Topic discussed Mutual exchange of information about personal expertises, current tendencies and the state-of-the-art in reading research in the respective SEE countries. Discussions on the project idea Reading to live with Discussions on other possible reading research ideas and reading promotion. Funding opportunities in the framework of the European Programs. Discussions on future contacts, projects, communication channels and activities. Are we ready to establish Reading Research Network in SEE?

25 Further initiatives: Project proposal to the European Scientific Organization for exploratory workshop: Standards and Models of Reading Research: a European Dimension may 2912 Modified project proposal, May 2013 Agenda for Reading Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences

26 In case you support these ideas, please contact us: