Education & Pedagogy

Relates how character education can be quickly incorporated into the curriculum when teachers, the school, and the community share mutual goals and work as a team. Outlines some of the techniques used such as devoting each month to a specific character attribute and sending home newsletters to keep parents informed. (MJP)

Profiles the implementation and accomplishments of the Allen Classical/Traditional Academy in Dayton, Ohio. The elementary magnet school integrated a character education program into its classical education curriculum. Discusses the specifics of this program including the use of a discipline plan and school uniforms. (MJP)

Describes the planning and implementation of a locally developed program built on superintendent leadership, administrator and teacher participation, and community support. Outlines the work done by steering and curriculum committees and their role in garnering community support. Recent evidence suggests a decrease in school and classroom misbehavior. (MJP)

Identifies 11 pitfalls to avoid when implementing character education in a classroom or school. Some pitfalls include reduction of literature study to the search for a moral lesson; the "do as I say, not as I do" mentality; and reliance on posters, slogans, and glitzy gimmicks. (MJP)

Provides a series of guiding principles for schools and other groups for evaluating and designing character education curricula. These include a meaningful and challenging academic curriculum that respects all learners and helps them to succeed, moral leadership from both staff and students, and development of a caring community. (MJP)

Interviews with parent, students, and teachers in rural Swaziland found that, as in colonial times, parents felt alienated from the school as an institution. Although national policymakers were pushing for stronger technical education, parents strongly desired academic education to prepare their children for professional employment and felt that practical skills were provided at home. Contains 45 references. (SV)

The federal general dentistry grant program supports development of new programs and first-year positions in postdoctoral general dentistry education. Since inception, 115 institutions have participated, establishing 59 new programs (88% remain in operation) and 560 new positions (69% of which are still being filled), representing 72% and 77%, respectively, of net growth in programs and positions. (Author/MSE)

Analyzes the distinction between an academic discipline and its corresponding school subject and how this affects curriculum development. Examines the range of possibilities for the relationship between the two concepts and interprets the meaning of each possibility. Describes a series of actual curricular proposals associated with each possibility. (MJP)

Argues that technology stems from science, and science represents important and specific values in the whole of culture. Such topics can contribute to educating the whole and balanced engineer. Describes a course taught at the Czech Technical University in Prague on the scientist's understanding of the world. (Author/PVD)

A survey of 120 co-op architecture students revealed that co-op work assignments should not focus solely on end-of-program evaluations. Rather, they should offer different experiences at different phases of the college career. Experiences at early and late stages of their placement were rated excellent/very good by 80%, but 10 points lower in the middle stages. (SK)

Examines teacher education reform via professional development schools (PDSs), focusing on Trinity University's five-year Master of Arts in Teaching Degree, which includes significant PDS participation. Surveys of program graduates and administrators who hired them highlighted several essentials that helped ensure the quality and quantity of experiences necessary for preparing outstanding teachers in PDS's. (SM)

Discusses Swedish student teachers' changing expectations about the roles of teachers and teacher education, emphasizing students' socialization processes and how teachers influence them. Examination of students at the beginning and end of preservice education indicated that most came into teaching without coherent beliefs and expectations. Students had very specific affinities toward certain metaphors about human development. (SM)

Reviews four books on urban education, discussing prospective policy solutions to improve its condition. Discusses how the books agree or disagree with emerging policy patterns and perspectives and argues that the solution is not linking urban schools to the suburbs, but rather centering the education policy discussion on urban students, community, commitment, and change. (SM)

Multiple literacies are needed to meet the challenges of today's new technologies and multicultural society. Media literacy is necessary because media culture strongly influences people's world view. Education must foster various literacies to empower students and to make education relevant to society. Critical pedagogy can promote multicultural education and sensitivity to cultural differences. (SM)

Explores two pedagogical aspects of the reciprocal relationship between the human psyche and current technology, describing how that interaction expands and constrains pedagogy and ultimately teacher education. The paper discusses novel understandings of learning (constructivism and social aspects of learning), novel technological affordances, psychology and technology together (proximal and distal effects), and implications for teacher education. (SM)