Page 120 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Contemporary European Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 120
ear ly school leaving: contempor ary european perspectives
‘What do they learn?’ and ‘With what effect do they learn?’ which, as part
of classifying the original policy learning theories, were asked by Bennet
and Howlett (1992)3. Fink Hafner et al. (2012) supplemented these ques-
tions with two additional ones: ‘How do they learn?’ and ‘Why do they
learn?’. As evident from Table 1 below, these questions provided the basis
for a definition that attempts to encompass all of the diverse forms of pol-
icy learning, while simultaneously also enabling any exclusionary or par-
tial definitions to be used for explaining policy learning in a specific con-
text. We argue this broad definition (aggregation of various forms and
academic definitions of policy learning) presented in Table 1 can in addi-
tion provide a valuable framework for understanding policy learning pro-
cesses in the EU in the area of tackling ESL.
The aim of this article is to present, based on an in-depth review of ex-
isting literature and practical examples, how ESL policies at the EU level
are formed, implemented and evaluated within the policy learning frame-
work. The article shows that policy learning in the EU context is not just a
set of various different activities but is organised in a well-thought-out pol-
icy learning architecture.4 These insights are not only scientifically relevant
but also practically useful for relevant and other interested actors to under-
stand and exploit the various policy learning opportunities available in the
field. Policy learning has a stronger impact if actors consciously enter the
policy learning process and are aware of its potential.
After introducing the topic (EU framework for addressing ESL) in pol-
icy learning theory, the article systematically elaborates the topic by ask-
ing ‘Who learns?’, ‘How do they learn?’, ‘What do they learn?’, ‘Why do
they learn?’, and ‘With what effect do they learn?’. For each question, an-
swers are provided through a theoretical review and highlighted with spe-
cific examples from ESL policy in the EU and some practical insights from
the TITA project (marked in italics).
3 A closer look at the existing literature also reveals that all subsequent definitions and
classifications (e.g. Dolowitz & Marsh, 1996; Grin & Loeber, 2007; Zito & Schout,
2009) are based on the original definitions and are interwoven. Dunlop and Radaelli
(2010) came across 16 different interwoven types (definitions) of learning.
4 This article complements the brief introduction to policy learning found in the ar-
ticle “2.1.1 Understanding ESL in the EU: Policy overview and development” with
its in-depth theoretical considerations and some practical insights from the TITA
project.
120
‘What do they learn?’ and ‘With what effect do they learn?’ which, as part
of classifying the original policy learning theories, were asked by Bennet
and Howlett (1992)3. Fink Hafner et al. (2012) supplemented these ques-
tions with two additional ones: ‘How do they learn?’ and ‘Why do they
learn?’. As evident from Table 1 below, these questions provided the basis
for a definition that attempts to encompass all of the diverse forms of pol-
icy learning, while simultaneously also enabling any exclusionary or par-
tial definitions to be used for explaining policy learning in a specific con-
text. We argue this broad definition (aggregation of various forms and
academic definitions of policy learning) presented in Table 1 can in addi-
tion provide a valuable framework for understanding policy learning pro-
cesses in the EU in the area of tackling ESL.
The aim of this article is to present, based on an in-depth review of ex-
isting literature and practical examples, how ESL policies at the EU level
are formed, implemented and evaluated within the policy learning frame-
work. The article shows that policy learning in the EU context is not just a
set of various different activities but is organised in a well-thought-out pol-
icy learning architecture.4 These insights are not only scientifically relevant
but also practically useful for relevant and other interested actors to under-
stand and exploit the various policy learning opportunities available in the
field. Policy learning has a stronger impact if actors consciously enter the
policy learning process and are aware of its potential.
After introducing the topic (EU framework for addressing ESL) in pol-
icy learning theory, the article systematically elaborates the topic by ask-
ing ‘Who learns?’, ‘How do they learn?’, ‘What do they learn?’, ‘Why do
they learn?’, and ‘With what effect do they learn?’. For each question, an-
swers are provided through a theoretical review and highlighted with spe-
cific examples from ESL policy in the EU and some practical insights from
the TITA project (marked in italics).
3 A closer look at the existing literature also reveals that all subsequent definitions and
classifications (e.g. Dolowitz & Marsh, 1996; Grin & Loeber, 2007; Zito & Schout,
2009) are based on the original definitions and are interwoven. Dunlop and Radaelli
(2010) came across 16 different interwoven types (definitions) of learning.
4 This article complements the brief introduction to policy learning found in the ar-
ticle “2.1.1 Understanding ESL in the EU: Policy overview and development” with
its in-depth theoretical considerations and some practical insights from the TITA
project.
120
