Education & Pedagogy

The primary purpose of this pamphlet is to promote a better understanding of outdoor education and its value in schools. Five reasons are given for the inclusion of outdoor education in the elementary school program: (1) learning takes place most effectively through direct experience--beginning with concrete activities and letting useful abstractions follow; (2) outdoor education provides a setting that makes teaching more creative; (3) some objectives of the curriculum can be achieved more effectively outside the classroom in an outdoor situation; (4) the out-of-doors is a community resource for education and should be used to the best advantage in the school program; and (5) modern conditions of living have increased the need for outdoor education. Topics of discussion include taking the classroom out-of-doors; outdoor education as laboratories for schools; resident outdoor schools, with a sample elementary outdoor school program; and resources for outdoor education, including selected references and films. (HBC)

Responsibility for meeting the needs and demands of the public for outdoor recreation has led the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation to cooperate with educational institutions and others in order to assist in establishing education programs and activities and to encourage public use and benefits from outdoor recreation. To this end the Bureau conducts special studies; this paper is a result of such a study. The relationships and interdependence of recreation and education, outdoor recreation and outdoor education are explored through a discussion of the opportunities of schools and other agencies to develop the mutual relationships necessary between education and outdoor recreation. Topics include: early approaches and environmental education in elementary and secondary schools; general, adult, professional, and teacher education, technicians, and community relations for colleges and universities; educational and resource organizations; public agencies; and communications media. Recommendations are provided for elementary and secondary education; general, professional, and technical higher education; related areas; and general improvement. The information was obtained from printed publications, duplicated material, informal memoranda, and from interviews and correspondence with many individuals in public agencies, educational institutions, and private organizations. (BL)

These proceedings of a conference sponsored by the International Biological Programme committee of the Australian Academy of Science contain the six major papers presented to the conference. An overview of the perspectives and responsibilities resulting from environmental change is followed by an outline of a strategy for curriculum development and implementation in environmental education at elementary and secondary levels. Three other papers are concerned with biological education; one an analysis of curricula and textbooks used in Australian schools from the point of view of relevance to environmental issues; one an account of a biologically based environmental education course for non-biologists at university level; and one the discussion of teaching biology to infants. A paper on the responsibilities of the mass media for producing an groups on "Environmental Education in the Schools,""Environmental Education in the Community,""Environmental Education at the Tertiary Level" and "The Education of Environmental Scientists" conclude the report. A list of conference participants is appended. (AL)

An analysis of health care in Venezuela indicates that if the health of the Venezuelan population is to be maintained and improved then there must be undertaken a major effort to develop continuing educational programs for physicians. Venezuelan undergraduate medical education is largely didactic, with little exposure to patient care; specialization is not rigorously monitored, and continuing education is sporadic and voluntary. It is recommended that an advisory committee appoint an administrative staff to: 1) oversee the construction of comprehensive residency programs; and 2) develop a continuing education program for physicians. This latter program would consist of the following: a dial access library, a cassette tape exchange, visiting professorships, inservice courses, radio conferences, films, upgrading of hospital libraries, tape/slide programs, consultation, and therapeutic criteria reviews. These continuing education efforts should be learner oriented, brief, and pertinent. Continuing education for allied health care personnel should parallel that for physicians. (PB)

The activities of the Educational Staff Seminar of The George Washington University are described for 1973 in reference to schools and colleges, other learning communities, children, governments and governance, learning and books, and testing and technology. Chapter I discusses fraud in the schools, graduate and professional education, and vocational-technical education. Chapter II reviews Synanon, rehabilitation, prison education, informal education in Boston, and financing a nontraditional educational institution. Chapter III discusses early childhood development, gifted children, the education of the gifted and talented in Philadelphia, the federal role in the education of the handicapped, and education in institutions for the retarded. Chapter IV reviews school finance, alternative roles for the federal government in school finance reform, federal categorical programs, decentralization, federal-state relations and the federal role, discretionary funds, state legislatures, and black political power. Chapter V presents discussion with various authors. Chapter VI reviews cable television, testing programs, and technological advances. (MJM)

This report describes selected examples of the developments of vocational home economics education in the areas of consumer and homemaking education, occupational home economics, home economics teacher education, and curriculum development. Prompted by the passage of the Vocational Education Act of 1963, and later amendments, the home economics program broadened its scope to provide additional developmental training and services for a more varied population with a multiplicity of needs and expectations. Programs now make it possible for participants to enroll in comprehensive courses in all areas of their interest. An attempt has been made to include programs that show the range of individuals and families being served and ways of assisting them as consumers, in the improvement of their home environment, the quality of their family life, and their preparation for employment. Further, there has occurred a movement to develop career education experiences for children and youth throughout the U.S. (Editor/SN)

This is a report from the Washington State Legislature, Joint Committee on Higher Education which reviews teacher education programs throughout the state. The report complies with terms of House Resolution 72-71, which instructs educators to: a) visit campuses with schools or colleges of education to understand problems associated with the preparation of teachers; b) recommend procedural approaches, organizational structure, and timing for implementing innovative and imaginative programming in teacher education; and c) confer with interested organizations and groups to develop recommendations concerning evaluation of teacher education programs. The report presents some general findings on a) selection and admission of students to teacher education programs; b) innovative and alternative programs; c) evaluation of programs, students, faculty members, and field supervisors; d) implementation of the 1971 certification standards; and e) the role of field experience in teacher education programs. Detailed analysis of these findings is published as "Summary of Survey Results, Teacher Education Programs," The appendixes present House Resolution 72-71, the House Concurrent Resolution, the Task Force Roster, and a survey questionnaire. (BRB)

The first part of the newsletter is devoted to two excerpts, respectively on the policy of school education and graduate employment and on the Council of Europe's efforts to achieve greater educational cooperation. The Council's activities are discussed in connection with its working methods. Factors of the present employment unstability are analyzed to illustrate the trend in the graduates' job placement. The evolution of a European Ministry for Education is proposed, and the increase in school graduates is the main concern in the future development of employment situations. The second part of the newsletter describes steps undertaken in 11 countries toward the improvement of school education at all levels. English articles describe such steps in Austria, Denmark, Federal Republic of Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Turkey, and United Kingdom. Reports about Belgium, France, Italy, and Switzerland are given in French. Some of the topics covered are university reorganization, educational research and reformation, sex education, instruction of native and foreign languages, educational techniques, job development, vocational and technical education, teaching methods, and teacher preparation. (CC)

A planning guide for local school districts to assist them in improving their educational planning, the document focuses on the implementation of career education planning in a local education agency (LEA), but includes the total educational program. The steps outlined can be used by LEA's who do not have a career education emphasis. The implementation procedures are detailed for each of five major steps: (1) conduct needs assessment; (2) define and analyze need for career education; (3) consider alternatives and design career education programs; (4) implement career education program; and (5) evaluate and revise as necessary. The guide has drawn on related training materials produced for a multi-state effort, "Interstate Project: Planning in the SEA/LEA, the Next Step;" in addition, materials are included from a number of nonproject States. The guide is intentionally brief but is related to a source book which includes specific illustrations or examples to clarify the procedures outlined in this guide. (Author/AJ)

Defined as the skills development component of education, vocational education can and should become the mortar that cements together a unified educational experience for the individual that will culminate in meaningful and productive results. The relentless advance of technology gives us the key to new, more versatile, vocational education. The health field, the area of environmental control, aviation, the aerospace industry, the physical sciences, and related engineering fields are all examples of developing areas with specialized needs to be met by the new vocational education at the postsecondary level. Secondary school vocational education must prepare students in all kinds of core knowledge and skills that are not purely abstract or academic but that have application beyond a single occupation or occupational area. Enrollments in both secondary and postsecondary vocational education have been increasing, and more Federal funds have been allocated to this area. Vocational education has brought the schools into the adult community, creating a constituency--a builtin support group for further development in this area. (Author/MW)

Under the 1969 Compulsory Education Act in the Netherlands, immigrant parents of school age children are obliged to enroll them in a primary school. Chief problems in the education of these children are the Dutch language, and a great cultural diversity in the children's backgrounds. Another problem relates to length of residence -- although the Netherlands needs manpower from other countries, its demographic situation does not encourage immigrant families who will settle permanently. Adult training programs include part-time elementary technical education; professional training centres (Dutch speaking only); and industrial training. Although no definite standards have been laid down for primary education, immigrant children are given a Dutch education, while wherever possible instruction is given in the language and culture of their native country. Federal legislation for nursery schools, primary schools, secondary education, post-secondary education, and adult training and education are explained. In 1972, there were 154,746 immigrant workers in the Netherlands, mostly from Turkey, Morocco, and Spain. The bibliography lists over 30 references published between 1966-73. Titles are in Dutch. (KM)

Approximately 117 doctoral studies on outdoor education which were completed in the past 3 decades are presented. The documents are available to the Council on Outdoor Education and Camping of the American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation for publication and distribution to outdoor education leaders interested in the research in the field. The summarized dissertations fall generally into 5 major categories: (1) proposals for new program developments; (2) organization and administration; (3) historical analysis; (4) teacher education; and (5) evaluation. The summaries consist of a brief statement of the problem, the procedure followed, and a resume of results and conclusions. The University (Northern Illinois, Lorado Taft Field Campus) Microfilm order number is included for the investigator who wishes to obtain the complete study. A library source reference is listed for some of the studies not included in Dissertation Abstracts. It is hoped that these summaries will stimulate further research and the growth of quality programs in outdoor education in educational systems. (FF)

With the ultimate objective of creating conditions in inner-city schools that will enable children to learn, Temple University has begun a program to recruit and prepare doctoral candidates in English education, mathematics education, social studies education, and science education for leadership roles in urban education. The four components of the program are academic education, professional education, school and college internships, and community involvement, with emphasis on the latter two. The academic and professional education components are coordinated by a 20-member Metropolitan Advisory Committee composed of representatives from the public schools, the community, colleges within the university, state and community colleges, and high school students. The internship component includes teaching, classroom research, and student teacher supervision, first in the public schools and then at cooperating colleges. The community involvement component is to be elaborated by Black and Puerto Rican Community Program Planning groups to provide contacts in the homes, in the streets, in the churches, in recreation centers, and with landlords, police, and health agencies. (RT)

These three volumes contain a 600-item (200 apiece) bibliography with English abstracts of Polish books and articles on education published between December 1, 1966 and July 31, 1967. Number 2 covers December 1, 1966-February 28, 1967; number 3, March 1-May 15, 1967; number 4, May 16-July 31, 1967. Major attention in all three is directed toward different levels and types of schools and institutions, including preschools, primary and secondary schools, higher education, vocational schools, and adult and special education. Social and educational sciences also receive considerable attention. Other sections deal with educational history, laws and legislation, general information, and the teaching profession. In addition, numbers 2 and 4 contain a miscellaneous section, and number 2 contains a few entries on educational statistics. Author indexes are provided. For companion documents see ED 027 806 and ED 027 812. (AF)

Two recent training institutes for new and inexperienced technical education administrators were designed to develop and improve the participants' understanding of the philosophy of technical education, the technical education leadership role, and how this role relates to program planning and development of continued leadership potential through inservice training. The 2-week institutes at the University of Michigan and Texas A and M University were attended by 89 technical education administrators from 37 States. Topics covered during the institute included: (1) The rationale and need for technical education, (2) administrative structures for technical education institutions, (3) staffing technical education programs, (4) facilities and equipment for technical education programming, and (5) national, State, and local resources for program support. A formal evaluation of the participants was conducted to determine the gain in knowledge acquired, the ability to plan for implementation of positive program change, and the intent to provide a continuation of leadership development activities. The results are included in this document. (JH)