Education & Pedagogy

This manual for parents of children and youth with handicapping conditions presents an overview of the special education process in New York State. Part 1, after a brief history of legislation since 1960 which established public education rights for students with handicaps, briefly describes regular education and its interaction with special education. There follows an overview of the special education process in New York State and a detailed chapter discussing each of the seven steps involved in the process: (1) referral; (2) evaluation; (3) recommendation and initiation of the Individualized Education Program (IEP); (4) implementation; (5) the IEP planning conference; (6) the annual IEP review; and (7) triennial evaluation. Due process rights at each stage are explained, and a separate chapter summarizes these rights. A discussion of factors to be considered in planning for the child's future includes occupational education, rehabilitation services, employment and independence, postsecondary education, aging-out, sources of assistance, and financial planning. A resource list of 11 New York State departments or agencies is provided. Part 2 provides ideas and suggestions for parent participation in the educational process in the form of checklists, sample forms, record keeping ideas, and suggestions for parent-school cooperation. Also included is a timeline and sources of assistance for planning beyond high school and a list of frequently used acronyms. (BRM)

A German Marshall Fund tour of education and training systems in Denmark, Sweden, and West Germany generated ideas that Oregon could use to evaluate and improve its own educational systems and programs. Four principles define the European model: (1) government policy and programs promote employment; (2) business and labor are powerful partners in education; (3) on-the-job training is an integral part of school programs; and (4) vocational education is highly regarded and highly developed. Although not every European education or work force development program could be adopted wholesale in the United States, a number of ideas could be adapted to benefit workers and make Oregon businesses more competitive: (1) for the unemployed--extended unemployment compensation, centralized training and placement services, and subsidies to employers for hiring the unemployed; (2) for businesses--business and labor partnerships and an employment training fund; (3) for vocational education--raising the profile and quality of vocational education, supporting employer-driven vocational education, and creating a modularized training program design; (4) for adult education and training--job training protection and study circles; and (5) for schools--cooperative work experience, early learning about the workplace, and youth transition centers to ease the school-to-work transition. (KC)

This book traces the process by which the British government's formal commitment to increasing access to higher education and expanding continuing education has gone hand in hand with severe cuts in extramural departments, insistence on self-financing, and emphasis on vocational training for regeneration, at the expense of liberal education for personal development and citizenship. Chapter 1 is an outline of the history of university adult education (UAE). The next two chapters detail developments in UAE over the last 20 years and attempt to relate change in UAE to education in the wider university and to the growth of political pressure. The argument is made that UAE is in crisis. Chapter 4 considers recently expressed views on the future of UAE, critiques the rationale of the drive to vocational and professional continuing education, and considers the organization of UAE in the context of the changes of the last two decades. Chapter 5 examines the nature of the university today, scrutinizes recent developments in the patterns of UAE provision, suggests changes to facilitate a serious move by universities into a broader continuing education, and discusses proposals from the political parties and a 1987 White Paper. Twenty-one pages of notes and references, a bibliography of approximately 350 items and an author index are provided. (YLB)

Education within prisons can be viewed as a form of rehabilitation to enable inmates to return to society. However, many prisoners lack fundamental education and have negative attitudes toward learning. This leads to problems in the areas of teaching prisoners and justifying educational programs within prison institutions. Correctional education programs can be justified by the fact that they provide a tie with the outside world that is noncriminal and that they help the prisoner find a job when he or she is released. Prisoners are often lacking in basic skills; come from socially deprived backgrounds; they are often school pushouts/dropouts and have come in conflict with the law at an early age. Prisoners demonstrate a high incidence of illiteracy, low intelligence, learning disabilities, and reading disabilities. It is estimated that the typical inmate functions two or three grade levels below the level completed in school. The best way to meet the education needs of prisoners is to provide adult education conforming to the principles formulated by Knowles (1980). A fundamental consideration in adult education is recognizing and adapting learning to cater to the needs of the learner. This requires educators to present a delivery system that takes into account the wide range of individual differences in age, levels of prior experience, attitudes, interests, and learning styles of a group whose only common denominator is serving time. Applying the concepts of adult education could make correctional education more successful and beneficial to prisoners and society. (KC)

This monograph, one of a series of studies of vocational education in the countries of the European Communities, describes the vocational training system in Ireland. The study was compiled from existing statistics and descriptions, and most figures cited refer to 1984. The report is organized in eight chapters. Chapter 1 covers population, including current population figures, regional distribution, migration, population projections, employment and unemployment, youth unemployment, and school leavers and the labor market. Chapter 2 covers the economy of Ireland, and Chapter 3 discusses initial education and vocational training. Topics covered include the Irish education system; initial training; support for young people in youth employment, training, and work experience programs; apprenticeship; agricultural training; fisheries and maritime training; initial training in the hotel, catering, and tourism industries; and training for the professions. Continuing education and training are covered in Chapter 4, which includes training in industry, management training, training for unemployed adults, training by trade unions, and training for the disabled. Chapter 5 presents information on the historical evolution of vocational education and recent developments; responsibilities of manpower and employment institutions, vocational education and vocational training agencies, and other training agencies are covered in Chapter 6. Chapter 7 covers finance, and current trends are the topics of Chapter 8. A bibliography and addresses of some training institutions complete the report. (KC)

A regional workshop on nonformal education programs in Asia and the Pacific was organized to review the state of the art of nonformal education programs in the participating countries; to identify major problems, issues, and trends in the areas of nonformal education; and to synthesize innovative experiences and approaches developed in this area. The workshop was attended by 18 participants from 15 countries in Asia and the Pacific and from Unesco. From the country reports, it was evident that nonformal education is playing a complementary and increasingly important role in broadening educational opportunities for all in various forms at all levels. Schooling is no longer regarded as the sole educational means to national and personal development, and formal and nonformal education programs overlay and intertwine in response to individual learner's and nation's needs. Various terms such as out-of-school, adult, community, continuing, social, and further education are used in different countries to describe programs that are totally or partially nonformal in nature. (This workshop report includes synopses of the country reports; a discussion of the problems, issues, and trends identified in nonformal education programs for children and youth and in programs for adults; an examination of innovative experiences and approaches described at the conference, including instructional strategies, work and businesses that include skill training, and community development and leisure education programming; a conclusion and recommendations; and lists of workshop participants and group members.) (MN)

This study examined special education services for migrant and Native American students in Washington's Northwest Educational Service District 189, an area of 35 school districts with 33% of the enrollment comprising these two minority groups. The study used a backward mapping approach as it sought to identify best practices/procedures and problems that families and school staff perceived in programs for these two groups. Fifty-four people were interviewed, including representatives of nine school districts, parents, and community agency representatives. In the interviews, concerns were expressed about: (1) screening and assessment of bilingual students (including the use of interpreters in test administration, inadequate training for interpreters); (2) parental involvement (obtaining informed consent for assessment, individualized education program approval); (3) placement options (lack of bilingual programs, lack of vocational programs, over-referral to special education); and (4) other issues such as drop-out rates, attendance, cultural awareness, funding, communication between tribes and schools, substance abuse, fetal alcohol syndrome, and teenage pregnancy. Appendices present recommendations relating to inservice training in assessment, and preservice training of bilingual/bicultural and Native American staff; special education placement rates by district; a bibliography of over 100 items; a list of other bibliographies and other resources; and interview summaries. (JDD)

This book contributes 8 chapters on issues related to the general movement in the United States to reform teacher education: "Teacher Education at the Crossroads" (Thomas J. Lasley and Joseph Watras) details some areas of difficulty in achieving reform; "Teacher Preparation in the Normal School" (R. S. Patterson) describes and analyzes the role of the normal schools in training teachers in Alberta, Canada; "A Plight of Teacher Educators: Clinical Mentalities in a Scientific Culture" (James Raths, Amy McAninch, and Lilian Katz) addresses the problems of teacher-educators in terms of the conflict between the scientific culture, the wider university, and the clinical culture of practitioners; "Teacher Planning, Collegiality, and the Education of Teachers: A Developmental Integration of Research-validated Knowledge with Practice" (Peter P. Grimmett) explores ways that teacher-educators might utilize research on teaching in preservice education; "A Teacher Education Paradigm To Empower Teachers and Students" (Patricia Ashton) suggests that beginning teachers be encouraged to become innovative; "The Beginning Teacher as Theory Maker: Meanings for Teacher Education" (Patricia M. Copa) examines research on experiences of beginning teachers and offers an alternative way of understanding this critical point in teachers' careers; "Issues in Teaching Practice Supervision Research: A Review of the Literature" (Deanne Boydell) contributes a review of research on supervision of student teaching; "A Framework for Designing Field Experiences: A Jamaican Study" (Hyacinth L. Evans) addresses complex issues in the provision of field experiences. (LL)

A literature review of material from 1965 to the present that influenced the art education field, including publications outside of art education, is identified. "The Process of Education" by Jerome Bruner (1965) is discussed initially. An analysis of how the Pennsylvania State Seminar (1965) called for art educators to make an effort to move art education to higher levels of clarity and effectiveness is examined. Two papers in particular are emphasized "Curriculum Problems in Art Education" (Manuel Barkan) and "Concepts, Issues, and Problems in the Field of Curriculum" (Elliot Eisner). Barkan's paper led to the development of the Aesthetic Education Project at the Central MidWestern Regional Educational Laboratory (CEMREL). Eisner developed the Kettering Curriculum, a forerunner to the structured, sequential curriculum advocated by the discipline based art education approach (DBAE). The Getty Center for Education in the Arts was created in 1982 and an outline of the 'discipline-based' approach that they adopted is presented. Other publications that have been influential include Howard Gardner's work, E. D. Hirsch's "Cultural Literacy," and "Towards Civilization" by the National Endowment for the Arts. Recent publications that receive a more detailed analysis include Jerome Bruner's "Acts of Meaning" and Elliot Eisner's "The Enlightened Eye." Art educators have long asserted that art education involves higher order cognitive skills and it is time this is recognized. (KM)

Vocational education must be accessible to all students because it has inherent value to a large spectrum of students in secondary schools, not just to those who are majoring in a vocational area. It is a natural setting for the integration of mathematics, science, social studies, economics, communications, and environmental studies; it is also a first-hand approach to education; and an opportunity to explore the world of work. Access to vocational education has three dimensions. First, there is the element of availability of vocational programs to all students. Second, there is the all-important issue of access to knowledge once the student is in a vocational program or course. Third, it implies access to the services provided through vocational education. These three dimensions of access to vocational education are based on the idea that it is an integral part of the total educational system and not separate from the mainstream of education in public secondary and postsecondary schools. Some obstacles to access to vocational education are student unawareness of vocational offerings, high school graduation requirements, students' preoccupation with college entrance requirements, students being advised out of vocational opportunities, attitudes of school personnel and parents, travel time, scheduling, and lack of respect for varied learning styles. Access to vocational education should be ensured for all students, and all students should have access to the services it provides, such as counseling and job placement. (KC)

This paper documents a small group discussion about the preparation of teachers for urban students with disabilities. The paper reviews data on the incidence of limited English speaking students in urban areas, changes in the racial composition of urban schools, and the increasing incidence of low-income families. Other issues in urban education include teacher attitudes toward students, the failure to attract and retain teachers in urban schools, and the shortage of minority leadership personnel. The paper calls for education leaders to focus research attention on the problems of urban schools and develop appropriate programs to prepare teachers for city school districts. Possible solutions include such techniques as forming dynamic partnerships among universities, public schools, businesses, parent groups, and social service agencies; implementing policies and procedures that ensure racial and cultural fairness; making bilingual education services readily available; and dividing large schools into small independently functioning units. Obstacles, barriers, and inhibitors to obtaining the ideal are discussed, such as failing to involve special education in school-based management and failing to provide beginning teachers with effective classroom management skills. Strategies for special education preparation programs are also outlined, including cultivating a greater understanding of different cultures and traditions, providing first-hand experience in urban schools, attracting multicultural personnel into the profession, and developing an understanding of human social interaction. (53 references) (JDD)

This report summarizes a goal evaluation study of the Personnel Preparation Program, one of five divisions in the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) of the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSHERS). The Personnel Preparation Program is intended to increase the numbers of qualified persons providing education and related services to children and youth with disabilities through grants to institutions of higher education, state education agencies, or other nonprofit organizations for activities including program development, evaluation, technical assistance, and financial assistance to participants. The goal evaluation project conducted project review of a representative sample of 57 projects. The following conclusions were reached: strategies can be implemented through grant activities to an extent that supports program objectives; project results support program objectives; many project results are well documented; and program logic and assumptions are valid. Recommendations address: first, immediate actions needed to address problems or information gaps; and second, candidate topics for the strategy evaluation phase of the study. A set of appendices bound in a separate volume include the protocol for project reviews, the project review instrument, a listing of competition areas, a description of the study sample, a list of persons interviewed, and a bibliography of 77 program related documents. (DB)

This document reports on a conference about the use of existing resources to teach nature education to urban children. The conference was organized around the question of how to encourage more positive use of parklands for outdoor nature education. The conference was held in New York City's Central Park and over 80 leaders representing city schools and nature resources participated. The report includes the keynote addresses by New York City's Commissioner of Environmental Protection, Albert Appleton, who chose "cities as part of our natural environment" as his theme, and renowned naturalist, Roger Tory Peterson, who in discussing the role of nature study in environmental education, described how his lifetime devotion to the study and interpretation of nature originated in a fascination with birds fostered by his seventh grade teacher in Jamestown, New York. The document also presents a paper by educator Maritza MacDonald who spoke about different perspectives on urban nature education and nature education resources. Small group discussions between conference participants resulted in the following recommendations: (1) to improve teacher training with respect to nature education; (2) to develop school-community partnerships; (3) to encourage families to use parks; and (4) to acknowledge the importance of camping, outdoor experiences, and individualized curriculum in nature education. A summary of the conference, a list of the names and addresses of participants, and a brief list of urban nature education resources are included. (LP)

A British research project investigated the influence of 1960s culture on adult education by surveying 340 people who started work in university adult education or the Workers' Educational Association (WEA) during the period 1965-75; 87 responded. The questionnaire examined the extent to which these people brought aspects of the 1960s political culture with them into adult education and whether this political culture influenced their attitudes to their work and their expectations of what they might achieve through the medium of adult education. It explored their views on the purpose of adult education, their adult education priorities, their opinions of the 1973 Russell Report, and the extent to which a commitment to socially purposive adult education brought them into conflict with their employers or paymasters. Findings showed they brought their cultural baggage and their attitudes with them into the world of university and WEA adult education. They tended to be a socially mobile meritocracy, risen into the ranks of the middle class by virtue of their education and/or professionalization. They were overwhelmingly "Guardian,""Observer," or "New Statesman" readers and had imbibed the sixties radical intellectual culture. They tended to be center-left, politically active, antiestablishment protesters. They believed the world could and should be changed for the better. Their reasons for coming into adult education were quite mixed and not always clearly planned. (Contains 49 endnotes.) (YLB)

This report presents information on current developments in First Nations education in Canadian schools. A historical overview discusses traditional First Nations education, education provided by missionaries and the federal government, integration into provincial schools in the 1950s, and movement toward Indian controlled education. In 1971, a national policy paper "Indian Control of Indian Education" (ICIE) demanded local control and parental participation in First Nations education, focusing on the need for community-determined, culturally appropriate programs and curriculum, increases in the numbers of Indian teachers and counselors, and improvement of educational facilities. In 1991, a survey of 458 schools compared the current state of First Nations education with ICIE policy recommendations. The schools included 333 public schools, 74 separate (Catholic) schools, 39 band schools, and 8 federal schools; almost half were located in Ontario and British Columbia. Survey questions were broadly phrased and covered: (1) mission or policy statements related to First Nations education; (2) programs and courses reflecting First Nations culture and issues; (3) local development of curriculum and resource materials; (4) teaching of First Nations languages; (5) plans for development of curriculum and materials; (6) parent and community involvement; and (7) progress and problems of First Nations students. Documents from federal and provincial education departments describe current initiatives in Native education. Appendices include texts of policy recommendations in national reports, sample mission statements of schools, and a sample Native Studies course. Also includes photographs. (Contains 57 references.) (SV)