Education & Pedagogy

This booklet contains selected presentations from the 1975 Annual Conference of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The collection is addressed to people who are interested in improving the quality of growth-supporting services available to children and their families in the United States. Titles are: "Head Start: Not a Program but an Evolving Concept"; "Education: A Family Responsibility" (concerned with American Indian education); "Seminars in Parenting Preschoolers"; "Piaget's Affective System--An Appraisal"; "When Children Talk Back--LISTEN"; "Preschool and Early Math Instruction: A Developmental Approach"; "Bilingual/Bicultural Education: Separating Facts from Fiction"; "Should the Public Schools Control Child Care Services?"; "Values Examination: A Crucial Issue in Early Childhood Education"; "Training Pediatricians in Mental Health Aspects of Early Child Care"; "The Child Development Associate Consortium's Assessment System"; "Early Childhood Education--It's a Science"; and "Early Childhood in Art." (MS)

Education should be responsible for giving the student a deeper appreciation of cultural and aesthetic values as well as a better understanding of ethical and moral precepts underlying society. These responsibilities are often unfulfilled because of the failure to teach basic reading, writing, and communication skills at the elementary level and the ignoring of moral judgments at the post secondary level. A solid grasp of fundamental skills and an appreciation of the moral underpinnings of society are two basic needs education should meet which have a considerable effect on the relationship between education and work. Preparing students to function effectively in productive jobs is a fundamental responsibility of education. This view is shared by Congress and is manifested by the increasing financial support for vocational education from the Federal government. Congress also seeks to improve its data-gathering techniques in labor market information and tries to help educators experiment with models for effective career education programs. It places a high priority upon vocational education being closely related to the actual employment market. The need for career education programs can be met by utilizing trained counseling and guidance personnel and a closer cooperation between school and community. (Author/EC)

The Asian Regional Seminar on Polyvalent Adult Education Centers, held during September, 1971 in Bombay, was attended by individuals representing United Nations agencies, Afghanistan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Republic of Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Phillippines, Singapore, South Vietnam, and Thailand. Seminar objectives included evaluating the Bombay Polyvalent Adult Education Center and examining the possibilities of using the Bombay experience in other Asian countries. A general report provides conference information and presents synopses of two papers regarding adult education centers in Yugoslavia and France: agenda paper number one, Polyvalent Adult Education Center: Structure and Organization--Indian Experience and its Evaluation; and agenda paper number two, Concept of Polyvalent Adult Education. Main seminar conclusions and recommendations are outlined by objective. Taking up over half of the document, appended material lists participants and presents summary texts of the following: two addresses to the inaugural session of the seminar; six messages sent to the seminar from around the world; agenda paper number one; "The Shramik Vidyapeeth: An Evaluative Study of Polyvalent Centre"; and agenda paper number two. (LH)

A discussion is presented of adult education, current trends within the area, and their implications for adult and vocational education programs. The document contains the lecture and a question and answer session. The following sections are presented: (1) overview, defining adult education; (2) major trends, discussing societal pressures for adult education, increased institutional and agency sponsored programs, increased demand for professional in-service programs, learner-oriented program development, university extension program expansion, innovative teaching by adult educators, and Educare; (3) minor trends, outlining programs for the disadvantaged, senior citizens as students, increasing numbers of adult educators, age level increase of students, and humanistic teaching; (4) trends additive or in conflict, mentioning credit and noncredit programs, self-supportive and government supported programs, career orientation and human growth, practical skills and leisure time persuits, solitude and social action, alienation and privacy; (5) integration and learning, examining adult education needs; (6) implications identified by participants, listing 10 areas in which vocational education and adult education might be affected by current trends and resulting implications; and (7) response to questions, presenting seven questions from the audience, and the author's responses to them. (LH)

Presented are the 1976 findings and recommendations of the National Advisory Committee on the Handicapped regarding the education of handicapped children. Past, present, and future trends in the education of the handicapped are discussed. Among recommendations made by the committee are that educational opportunities be provided to handicapped children in the least restrictive environment commensurate with their needs and that adult and continuing education programs be provided for handicapped learners. Briefly described are the following federal programs: Handicapped Children's Early Education Program, Regional Education Program, Child Service Demonstration Centers, research and demonstration projects, Child Advocacy Program, Handicapped Personnel Preparation Program, Captioned Films for the Deaf program, Area Learning Resource Centers, Regional Resource Center program, National Information Center for the Handicapped, State Plan program, programs to provide aid to state-supported schools for educating the handicapped, programs to provide vocational education, ESEA (Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965) Title IV programs, programs for the severely handicapped, deaf-blind centers, and programs for the gifted and talented. Also reported on are the status of 1975 recommendations and the administration and operation of the National Technical Institute for the Deaf and the Model Secondary School for the Deaf. (SB)

The handbook contains a set of related elements designed to assist persons concerned with preparing educational personnel in career education, identifies and discusses some basic elements needed to create a preservice career education program on a university campus to complement inservice training. Chapter 1 presents the handbook rationale. Chapter 2 discusses career education as the effort of bringing about a high integration of self (the individual) and the system (work setting), to the satisfaction of both. Chapter 3 presents a career development process model from which is derived a career development program model and an interpersonal career facilitation model. Chapter 4 offers suggestions for the management of university level career education programs. Chapter 5 contains an organized selection of appropriate preservice career education goals and objectives and some references to guides to assess career education material. Chapter 6 presents formative course evaluations at Northern Illinois University, including a course outline and sample lesson unit for six courses. The handbook uses supporting tables and illustrations, and includes references and a bibliography. (Author/TA)

Summarized in the 13-page report are the goals, objectives, procedures, accomplishments, and problems in implementing the Montgomery County (Alabama) three-year career education pilot project. Emphasis has been on integration of career education in the regular classroom as the most effective means of teacher and student involvement. Of career education activities, 90% were subject-related and relevant to the course content. These included hands-on activities, simulation games and skits, use of resource people, audiovisuals, written exercises, and onsite observations. The largest problem encountered was acceptance and commitment of teachers to career education. Inclusion of new pilot schools required orientation of most of the teaching staff in the project. This was accomplished by an initial workshop followed by monthly inservice, distribution of a career education newsletter, and use of a monthly report to determine teacher involvement and assess progress in career education activities. Appendixes (21 pages) include inservice materials, sample lesson plans for career education activities, copies of the newsletter and monthly teacher report, and results of a pretest and post-test teacher opinion survey on career education. (Author/RG)

Methodological developments in comparative education have influenced those in comparative physical education and sport. The history of those developments in comparative education, moreover, are similar to those in the newer field. The overall methodological developments in comparative education have been the following: studies involving history and those designed to demonstrate national character; studies involving philosophical traditions, and these are, in the main, area studies; and comparative studies utilizing the topical approach and more sophisticated research techniques, particularly statistical methodology. With respect to physical education, every consideration should be given to the changing emphases, frameworks, and models in comparative education. Comparative education has proceeded from intuition, description, and analysis to prediction. The historical-philosophical-national character tradition has been superseded, to a large extent, by a movement towards the social sciences. The field of comparative physical education and sport has come a slower route, has attracted less worthy scholars, and is relatively new in the academic world. The descriptive, historical, philosophical routes will always be with us, but ultimately academic acceptance of comparative physical education will depend on a slow but assured movement into the social sciences. (Charts illustrating theoretical models are included.) (SK)

This is the first annual report of the National Advisory Council on Bilingual Education summarizing the condition of bilingual education in the U.S. and the administration and operation of Title VII. The Council recomends, in summary: (1) that communication among groups in bilingual-multicultural education be continuous; (2) that states be assisted in developing bilingual programs; (3) that testing for bilingual students be developed; (4) that cross-cultural orientation to a target group be recognised in bilingual programs; (5) that funding be increased; and (6) that bilingual-multicultural education be promoted as quality education for all students. The recomendations are amplified in the report with specifics of implementation and administration. A legislative statement of purpose and defination summarizes the passage of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and subsequent amendements. The history and development of the National Advisory Council from 1974 onward is detailed, followed be the 1974 recomendations of the Council. Extensive statistics on the number of non-English-speaking children and their educational failure support the need for bilingual-multicultural programs. Federal and state programs in bilingual education are detailed, and the activities and future plans of the National Advisory Council noted. (CHK)

The author conceptualizes recurrent education as organized, structured, institutionally sponsored learning activities with intentional outcomes, which are distributed over the life span of the individual in a recurring way. Some problems to which recurrent education proposes solutions include: alienation at the inter-generational level, institutionalization of students, and blocking of young adults from the work force during a critical life-state. The author suggests a more equitable education system to include: a basic education or common competency base at the elementary level, provision of job-entry skills to all students at age 16 at the secondary level, and further secondary or higher education from an "educational drawing account" guaranteed to the individual at later stages of his/her life cycle. Implications for education are the linking up of academic/professional, vocational/technical, and adult/social mainstreams. Major problems of the concept include existing inertia in education and employment, implementation of the notion of equity, and the lack of conceptual or practical limits. Although elements of recurrent education are currently emerging and developing, it is unlikely that parents would accept the student control necessary to truly actualize the idea of providing equity through equalized opportunity. (EA)

The paper reviewed existing evaluative studies indicative of the efficacy of the career awareness element of career education. The studies represent a sampling of the degree of success achieved in implementing and evaluating career education across the nation. Information sources included the U.S. Office of Education and the National Institute of Education, State Departments of Education, exemplary State programs, participants of national career education miniconferences, and an ERIC search. A general agreement existed with regard to definitions of what career education means; however, conceptualizations of career awareness and other elements of career education were more diverse. Psychological and economic theoretical domains in the conceptualization of career awareness were more prominent than the sociological domain. Program development and implementation appeared more advanced than evaluation/assessment. There was a tendency to assign a low priority to evaluation, and problems existed with evaluation design and measurement instruments. There was considerable lack of specificity among objectives identified under the career awareness concept. However, analysis of the information accumulated revealed that adequate evidence is available to support the Position that career awareness programs can make a difference. An eight-page bibliography is included. (Author/EA)

In 1973, the School of Education at the University of South Dakota reorganized from a departmental structure to a team approach. Programs became competency based, field based, and modular in nature. The program sequence begins with the American Education course in the sophomore year. This course was designed for students to familiarize themselves with the services and functions of the school of education, to assess their personal values with respect to a career in education, and to better make decisions with respect to a career in education. A variety of presenters meet with the classes to provide background in the services of the school of education, field based centers, competency based education, philosophy of education, professional organizations, career options, and teacher placement. Each student enrolled in the course must schedule three individual values clarification sessions and make 16 observations during the year in the K-12 schools in the local community. Evaluation is utilized throughout the course. Each student is required to submit a final position paper on why or why not a teaching career will be pursued. (Author/JMF)

A position statement developed by representatives of 16 cities to broaden vocational education opportunities and improve program quality resulted in the following principles: (1) Programs of occupational education must be an integral part of the educational process, (2) Occupational education must be sufficiently broad and varied in scope and be offered at all levels of career preparation, (3) Occupational education must develop from a broad base in the early years to more specialized programs in later years, (4) Occupational education must provide opportunities for continuing programs beyond the secondary level, (5) Organization of programs of occupational education must realistically serve the individual needs of the students enrolled, and (6) Community involvement should be encouraged to promote understanding and support and to assure that programs are timely and relevant. Critical issues facing urban occupational education relate to: (1) distribution of funds, (2) duplication and fragmentation of services, (3) serving all youth and adults, (4) assuming greater responsibility in development of state plans, (5) providing occupationally oriented education at earlier ages, (6) more research and development, (7) strengthening cooperative relationships, (8) extending and improving guidance services, and (9) providing an adequate level of financial support. (DM)

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION FOR FARMERS, ORIGINALLY CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION, HAS BEEN REDESIGNED TO COMBINE ON THE JOB INSTRUCTION WITH CLASS ATTENDANCE. LOCATED IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVING CONCENTRATIONS OF COMMERCIAL FARMS, MOST PROGRAMS STRESS MANAGEMENT EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGICAL TRAINING. INDIVIDUAL INSTRUCTION TAKES PLACE DURING FARM VISITS AND A SURVEY HELPS DIAGNOSE PROBLEMS AND GUIDE THE FARMER'S ACTIVITIES. CLASSES ARE FORMED WHEN COMMON NEEDS OF TEN OR MORE FARMERS ARE IDENTIFIED AND INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION IS PROVIDED. TECHNICAL EDUCATION FOR OFF FARM OCCUPATIONS IS PROVIDED BY EMPLOYERS OR BY PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS, IN CLASSES AND ON THE JOB. THE YOUNG FARMERS ASSOCIATION GIVES LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE IN IMPROVED FAMILY AND COMMUNITY LIVING. NEW COURSES IN OFF FARM AGRICULTURAL OCCUPATIONS MAY BECOME A MAJOR RESPONSIBILITY OF AREA SCHOOLS PROVIDED BY THE VOCATIONAL EDUCATION ACT OF 1963. FOR AGRICULTURAL TECHNICIANS, PRIMARY PROGRAM EMPHASIS SHOULD BE ON THE UNDERLYING SCIENCES AND GUIDANCE AND PLACEMENT SERVICES BECOME INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT AS EMPLOYMENT DEMANDS RISE. THIS DOCUMENT IS CHAPTER 5 IN AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION BY GLENN Z. STEVENS AND PUBLISHED BY THE CENTER FOR APPLIED RESEARCH IN EDUCATION, INC., NEW YORK. (PT)

A history of the development of higher adult education in the United States and Canada is presented. The point is made that higher education in North America includes a variety of post-high school institutions, including universities, senior colleges, junior colleges, community colleges, technical institutes and professional schools. A study of the organizational structure of the National University Extension Association (NUEA) reveals the pattern of the historical evolution of higher adult education. At the time of organization the emphasis was on methods of extension, primarily classes and correspondence study. Now the structure not only continues to recognize the common concerns for methodology but has expanded to provide for sharing concerns in program content, e.g., social problems, professional continuing education. It is stated that the most distinctly innovative expansions in higher adult education have occurred since World War II. Two are: (1) the development of residential centers for continuing education, and (2) the development of special degree programs for adults. Finally, it is pointed out that the universities in the 1970's face receding public support. Various possible responses to this lack of support are discussed. (Author/CK)