Areas of research within which the economics of education can be categorized argue that schooling, professional training and adult education are the most productive investments for the future of an individual, for the success of a company in the market economy and for the growth and development of an entire country. Although this is the underpinning assumption, research into the economics of education carried out to date leads to the conclusion that all that has been done in the fields of research into the individual, business systems, economic growth and the social development of individual countries is not sufficient to allow the economics of education to be awarded a prominent role amongst the educational sciences. This can be explained by the inability to formulate educational solutions that tackle the criticisms that research has highlighted and to identify the peculiarities of education systems that have been identified as the best in terms of production and educational performance. In essence, what is lacking is the contribution of pedagogy to the economics of education.
However, the analysis of this issue would not be complete without highlighting the fact that in recent years signs of the extension of this field of research have started to go beyond traditional economic confines. This move away from purely economic studies has been characterized by an interest in the benefits of education on individuals and society, not merely from an economic point of view. However, despite the fact that new studies stem from an acknowledgment of the need to enlarge the dimensions of research into individuals and their visions, they have still tended to focus on a need to quantify new findings. At the same time, it cannot be denied that the exploration of causal links between high levels of education, improvements in health and physical and social wellbeing, the adoption of self protective behavior and lifestyles, a reduction in crime and improvements in levels of social cohesion have brought research into the economics of education closer to that of an educational science. However, although such research offers a more complete vision of man and society and the benefits that derive from education in general, they nonetheless lead us back again to economic benefits and returns, such as the reduction in the cost of healthcare, justice and welfare in general (Refrigeri, 2011). Therefore despite the reduction of emphasis on economics the findings of studies still focus essentially on economic outcomes including the efficiency of training systems and the short and long term economic benefits of particular policies and offer less in terms of an analysis of human and social benefits. Nevertheless, this scientific enlargement cannot be considered satisfactory for the educational sciences, to which this field of research has become part, since the time has arrived for research to go beyond mere analysis of the benefits of education. It is necessary to not only contextualize the social, cultural and ethical aspects in addition to the cognitive, communicative, relational and sociological aspects but to consider such factors when proposing lines of intervention capable of addressing processes of change in educational systems if they should be considered ineffective in producing benefits to the individual, the companies and to the society as a whole.
This operation of enlargement and epistemological updating of the economics of education cannot pass merely as the individuation of new cognitive approaches, different from those here presented, but must be completed with the new purpose of the research, i.e. the creation, planning or revision of educational theoretical models and educational systems. This would allow new research to explore and interpret education following the principles of economics from the perspective of pedagogy, promoting at the same time the formulation of operative solutions to different educational problems that have emerged in society. Furthermore, such proposals could become a useful tool to allow political institutions to make decisions about the modification and reform of the general establishment of educational systems, or part thereof, with the aim of improving the living standards of individuals and the development of society, thus promoting greater wellbeing.
Therefore this paper argues that the economics of education will never be an effective social science unless its epistemological statute is grounded in the pedagogical aspects of educational planning. To illustrate this point, high levels of youth unemployment can be cited (ILO, 2012). From the numerous economic studies of this phenomenon it has emerged that one of the principle causes is the global economic crisis, but equally important is the relatively ineffective education of the youth of present generations. It has been revealed, to use the example of Italy, that the actual education system, in particular further education, does not facilitate the transition to the job market (Fondazione Agnelli 2012), and for this reason it is not effective. The identification of solutions to this problem must be tackled by the economics of education in the context of pedagogy. Specifically, what must be done, referring again to the Italian case, is to adapt the systems of scholastic and professional orientation and of work placement schemes with the aim of not only bringing young people closer to training or adults towards requalification in the context of the needs of the labour market. What must also be done is to maximize the potential of human capital in more general terms, rather than in over-specialized terms, which at least in this phase, has a reduced focus on economic gain (Refrigeri, 2010; 2012). Young people therefore must be allowed to bridge the gap from education to employment through formal education programmes at school and university and through non formal education such as work experience.
Current tools for training at work are in first place the apprenticeship, but also the more traditional curricular training and work placements in industry. Even if they are provided for by appropriate legislation that regulates their role, they are not realized and carried out in the most effective way. This is because they are not planned in respect to the needs of companies. Indeed, the latter only find such programmes useful if they represent a potential investment in the human capital of human resources. If they do not, the programmes represent merely a cost the company cannot afford. Therefore even if it is only with the aim of starting a more complex dialogue, the use of apprenticeships and work placement as tools for orientation and training can represent an opportunity for a young person to enter the world of work and put themselves to the test, orientate their professional choices and acquire experience. At the same time, it gives the employer the opportunity to invest in potential human resources that can be trained in accordance with their requirements. Such schemes must be well planned, monitored and evaluated by professionals in education and managed by tutors from companies that are qualified to take on such roles. In this way they will no longer serve as a simple legal obligation.
ด้านการวิจัยซึ่งสามารถแบ่งเศรษฐศาสตร์การศึกษาทะเลาะศึกษา การฝึกอบรมวิชาชีพ และการศึกษาผู้ใหญ่ลงทุนมากที่สุด สำหรับอนาคตของบุคคล ความสำเร็จของบริษัทในระบบเศรษฐกิจการตลาด และ สำหรับการเจริญเติบโตและพัฒนาของประเทศทั้งหมด แม้ว่าจะอัสสัมชัญ underpinning วิจัยในเศรษฐศาสตร์การศึกษาดำเนินการวันที่นำไปสู่สรุปว่า ทั้งหมดที่ทำในเขตข้อมูลของการวิจัยในแต่ละบุคคล ระบบธุรกิจ เศรษฐกิจ และสังคมของแต่ละประเทศ ไม่เพียงพอให้เศรษฐศาสตร์การศึกษาที่ได้รับบทบาทที่โดดเด่นท่ามกลางวิทยาศาสตร์ศึกษา นี้สามารถอธิบาย โดยไม่สามารถกำหนดวิธีการศึกษาที่เล่นงานวิจารณ์ที่วิจัยได้เน้น และระบุข้องของระบบการศึกษาที่ได้รับการระบุเป็นส่วนผลิตและประสิทธิภาพการเรียน สิ่งขาดในสาระสำคัญ มีสัดส่วนของครูผู้สอนเศรษฐศาสตร์การศึกษา However, the analysis of this issue would not be complete without highlighting the fact that in recent years signs of the extension of this field of research have started to go beyond traditional economic confines. This move away from purely economic studies has been characterized by an interest in the benefits of education on individuals and society, not merely from an economic point of view. However, despite the fact that new studies stem from an acknowledgment of the need to enlarge the dimensions of research into individuals and their visions, they have still tended to focus on a need to quantify new findings. At the same time, it cannot be denied that the exploration of causal links between high levels of education, improvements in health and physical and social wellbeing, the adoption of self protective behavior and lifestyles, a reduction in crime and improvements in levels of social cohesion have brought research into the economics of education closer to that of an educational science. However, although such research offers a more complete vision of man and society and the benefits that derive from education in general, they nonetheless lead us back again to economic benefits and returns, such as the reduction in the cost of healthcare, justice and welfare in general (Refrigeri, 2011). Therefore despite the reduction of emphasis on economics the findings of studies still focus essentially on economic outcomes including the efficiency of training systems and the short and long term economic benefits of particular policies and offer less in terms of an analysis of human and social benefits. Nevertheless, this scientific enlargement cannot be considered satisfactory for the educational sciences, to which this field of research has become part, since the time has arrived for research to go beyond mere analysis of the benefits of education. It is necessary to not only contextualize the social, cultural and ethical aspects in addition to the cognitive, communicative, relational and sociological aspects but to consider such factors when proposing lines of intervention capable of addressing processes of change in educational systems if they should be considered ineffective in producing benefits to the individual, the companies and to the society as a whole. This operation of enlargement and epistemological updating of the economics of education cannot pass merely as the individuation of new cognitive approaches, different from those here presented, but must be completed with the new purpose of the research, i.e. the creation, planning or revision of educational theoretical models and educational systems. This would allow new research to explore and interpret education following the principles of economics from the perspective of pedagogy, promoting at the same time the formulation of operative solutions to different educational problems that have emerged in society. Furthermore, such proposals could become a useful tool to allow political institutions to make decisions about the modification and reform of the general establishment of educational systems, or part thereof, with the aim of improving the living standards of individuals and the development of society, thus promoting greater wellbeing. Therefore this paper argues that the economics of education will never be an effective social science unless its epistemological statute is grounded in the pedagogical aspects of educational planning. To illustrate this point, high levels of youth unemployment can be cited (ILO, 2012). From the numerous economic studies of this phenomenon it has emerged that one of the principle causes is the global economic crisis, but equally important is the relatively ineffective education of the youth of present generations. It has been revealed, to use the example of Italy, that the actual education system, in particular further education, does not facilitate the transition to the job market (Fondazione Agnelli 2012), and for this reason it is not effective. The identification of solutions to this problem must be tackled by the economics of education in the context of pedagogy. Specifically, what must be done, referring again to the Italian case, is to adapt the systems of scholastic and professional orientation and of work placement schemes with the aim of not only bringing young people closer to training or adults towards requalification in the context of the needs of the labour market. What must also be done is to maximize the potential of human capital in more general terms, rather than in over-specialized terms, which at least in this phase, has a reduced focus on economic gain (Refrigeri, 2010; 2012). Young people therefore must be allowed to bridge the gap from education to employment through formal education programmes at school and university and through non formal education such as work experience. Current tools for training at work are in first place the apprenticeship, but also the more traditional curricular training and work placements in industry. Even if they are provided for by appropriate legislation that regulates their role, they are not realized and carried out in the most effective way. This is because they are not planned in respect to the needs of companies. Indeed, the latter only find such programmes useful if they represent a potential investment in the human capital of human resources. If they do not, the programmes represent merely a cost the company cannot afford. Therefore even if it is only with the aim of starting a more complex dialogue, the use of apprenticeships and work placement as tools for orientation and training can represent an opportunity for a young person to enter the world of work and put themselves to the test, orientate their professional choices and acquire experience. At the same time, it gives the employer the opportunity to invest in potential human resources that can be trained in accordance with their requirements. Such schemes must be well planned, monitored and evaluated by professionals in education and managed by tutors from companies that are qualified to take on such roles. In this way they will no longer serve as a simple legal obligation.
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