Education & Pedagogy

Portfolio construction is a complex social practice with intentions, rules, and standards. This definition is not typically found in teacher education literature and has implications for evaluating students' portfolios. The paper examines teacher education students' recollections of creating portfolios in one Canadian program and argues that portfolios should have a place in programs, but only if important concerns are addressed. (SM)

Addresses the questions, What are the quality criteria of research in chemistry education, and In what ways do exemplary papers meet quality criteria? Selects exemplary papers to illustrate the criteria from 81 research papers published in the Journal of Research in Science Teaching (JRST) and the International Journal of Science Education (IJSE) from 1991-1997. Presents a list of criteria subsumed in six categories. (Contains 35 references.) (Author/ASK)

Analyzes the significance of competing contexts (physical, historical, political, cultural, economic, sociological, and legal contexts) in the development of personal and social education in Hong Kong. Compares Western and Chinese (especially Confucian) views and values related to personal and social education and the development of understanding of one's self. (Contains 90 references.) (Author/SV)

Assesses the effect of prenatal education about newborn sickle cell screening on parents' compliance with the follow-up for infants with sickle cell trait. Results show that parents whose prenatal education included sickle cell hemoglobinopathy information retained significantly more of the information given during the post-natal education than did controls. (Author/MKA)

Describes the hypermodel approach to designing science education software. Hypermodels combine stored or web-based multimedia materials with a manipulable model of the subject domain. Hypermodels are scriptable, and are powerful tools for creating various activities or web-labs that challenge students to solve puzzles, then monitor and react to their actions. Describes a hypermodel for teaching fundamental biology concepts. (SM)

Presents the job applicant's perspective of the job search process in teacher education, offering four general guidelines: thinking should precede leaping; if one needs to know something, one must ask; great expectations regarding the search committee can produce much frustration; and bright stars on the search committee are sometimes obscured from sight. Recommendations for prospective applicants are provided. (SM)

Discusses the efficiency of the University of Southern Maine's Extended Teacher Education Program (ETEP) in promoting teachers as learners, teaching for learning, and learning to change. Results from longitudinal surveys of program participants indicated that stakeholders considered the strongest dimension of the ETEP to be teaching as a learning process with the goal of teaching for learning. (SM)

Assesses the influence of John Dewey's work on the renewal of European education in the 20th century using examples from the history of Dutch education. Concludes that Dewey's ideas and practices did not have lasting influence on the development of Dutch early childhood education and primary and secondary schools, mostly for reasons unrelated to the significance of Dewey's work. (PGS)

A survey of 1,120 physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants identified their top preferences for continuing education delivery methods: in-person conferences, print-based self-study, and CD-ROM. Least favored were interactive audioconferences. Although most had computer access, traditional methods were more frequently used; lack of computer knowledge/skills was the most common reason. (SK)

Presents statistics on the progress of African Americans in U.S. institutions of higher education, including data from the Black-White Higher Education Equality Index; statistics measuring the state of racial inequality in the United States; data ranking the nation's law schools according to percentages of African American students; and data on the pay scale of faculty at black colleges. (SM)

Examines the persistence of girls' opting out of science and technology in Scotland, reviewing literature on influences that affect girls' choices. Analyzes initiatives to encourage females into science, engineering, and technology courses and careers, illuminating various school initiatives and estimating the likelihood of their success in addressing the underlying influences on girls' choices away from science and technology. (SM)

This second in a two-part article summarizes the preliminary findings of a worldwide survey on physical education in schools. This part focuses on: resources (i.e., finances, facilities and equipment, and qualified teaching personnel); issues and trends in physical education; concluding comments; and selected references covering both parts of the series. (SM)

Addresses continuous developmental education, focusing on the theoretical foundations of continuity between the preschool and primary school stages. Describes the Russian "Program of Cultural Development of Four-Year-Old and Five-Year-Old Children" that is an approach to designing developmental preschool education. Discusses the connections among the three sections of the program. (CMK)

Discusses the impact of social issues on the emergence of national system of education that are intended to foster the integrity and unity of the educational domain of Russia. Focuses on a definition of national schools, the goal and purpose of education, and the factors involved in the development and structure of national schools. (CMK)

Provides the discussion from the parliamentary hearings of the Russian Committee of the State Duma for Education and Science, held at Moscow State University, that focused on the draft of a plan to change some of the basic elements of Russian education. Offers recommendations of the parliamentary hearings and three letters. (CMK)