Education & Pedagogy

Given the dearth of research on elementary education majors' experiences in middle level endorsement programs (Anderson, 2009), and the shortage of teachers aspiring to work with young adolescents, this case study examined the topic to provide insight into the experiences of preservice elementary education teachers. Specifically, this study focused on elementary education preservice teachers' perceptions of and experiences in a mandatory middle level education course and its required field experience, and the resulting effects on their interest and efficacy in relation to their preparedness for interacting with young adolescents. Further justifying the need for specific middle level education coursework, the study found preservice teachers in relatively diverse field placements increased feelings of efficacy, though not necessarily interest in working with young adolescents. (Contains 1 table.)

This article discusses the importance of politics in the lives of physical educators. Politics affects many decisions that are made about physical education programs (PEPs). In public schools, politics can affect the number of certified physical education teachers, available facilities, class sizes, and number of days per week that students go to PE. At the university level, politics can affect the faculty size, budgets, and even the continuation or discontinuation of majors. At the national level, politics can affect funding for PEP grants or whether physical education is identified as a core subject by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. This article also provides an example of how politics was incorporated into the academic experience of a group of health and physical education majors when a university faculty member and five undergraduate students traveled to Washington, D.C., for NASPE's SPEAK Out! Day.

This article emphasizes the importance of introducing/providing character education during the early years of child development in order to raise morally responsive citizens. Noting the rampant acts of violence and malicious crime at a time marked with deep global turmoil in many societies, the authors argue for an exhaustive study of the recently revised elementary-level character education syllabus in Malaysia. The article provides a historical overview of character education (also referred to as "moral" education) in Malaysia and critically examines whether the adopted Malaysian syllabus identifies and engages in providing character education in meaningful ways. It assesses the balance between developing specific virtuous traits and habits, on one hand, and building moral judgment and reasoning about justice and fairness, on the other. The article provides insights about the Malaysian approach to (moral) character education as valued by its society.

China has made huge strides in expanding access to higher education since the 1980s. The main approach to achieve mass higher education was cost-sharing reforms of tertiary education. This article examines the policy reforms that affected tuition, fees and subsidies for tertiary students since the end of the 1980s and looks at the effects in terms of equity and access. It also examines institutional responses to the various policy changes as they competed for state funds. Using relevant literature, officially published statistical data and results from the related surveys, it identifies the patterns of inequality among four disadvantaged groups. Finally, it analyses the major determinants/contributors to inequality of access to higher education including state and institutional policies and practices, and tuition-related and student-support related factors.

This paper analyses the descriptions of families of children with disabilities as contained in introductory special education texts over the last 50 years. These text books are typically used in pre-service teacher education courses as surveys of the education of "exceptional children". The textbooks reflect the mainstream professional assumptions of the era about topics such as disability, special education, inclusion, and family/school linkages. However, they also shape the assumptions of the next generation of educators about these same topics. The paper summarises the results of a qualitative document analysis of a sample of these textbooks from two different eras. The paper compares and contrasts how the representations of families by leading scholars in special education have changed over time.

From 1870 until the outbreak of the Second World War there were various attempts at educational reform in Greece, one of the most significant being the intention to establish a national technical-vocational education. The aim of this study is to examine why such a reform was deemed necessary and yet failed to be implemented. The first part examines how foreign influences played an important role in shaping the Greek educational system, both in the type of institution provided and by those Greek students who had studied abroad. Next, there is a close analysis of the official discourse on technical-vocational education, along with an examination of why it was felt that a segmented educational system constituted such a priority. Finally, a critical evaluation is provided to explain how the rhetoric and action of successive Greek governments inevitably failed as a result of ideological confusion and political patronage.

Amid unprecedented novelty, complexity, turbulence, and conflict, it is apparent that a new education system is needed. Focused on a new outcome--postsecondary education completion with advanced competence--heretofore separate systems for early childhood, K-12 schools, and postsecondary education are being joined in P-16 pipelines and Cradle-Through-Career Education Systems. Both are new institutional designs, and they necessitate specially designed partnership systems. In contrast to voluntary, service-oriented partnerships and two previous generations of partnerships, third-generation, collaborative partnerships involve the private sector, and, with state leaders as key stakeholders, prioritize policy change. These third-generation partnerships are essential to the core missions and functions of colleges and universities, and postsecondary education is itself a target for new institutional designs. All such partnerships can be designed, implemented, evaluated, and continuously improved in relation to a new criterion: fit for purpose, in this context, and at this time.

The final report delineates activities of the Project on Cooperative Manpower Planning in Special Education at the University of Missouri, a special project to provide external training assistance to state education agencies and institutions of higher education in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five territories. Various activities are discussed for four major categories--needs assessment activities, products and publications, workshops and symposia, and technical assistance. Appended materials, which make up most of the document, include reports of the 1976 and 1978 status studies of statewide cooperative manpower planning in special education, letters from individuals, an outline of proceedings of the First Missouri Symposium on Cooperative Manpower Planning for Special Education, an annotated bibliography on cooperative manpower planning, newsletters, and the outline of a writer's handbook on a comprehensive system of personnel development. (SB)

A project was conducted to examine the health occupations education program in New York State. Through a series of committee meetings, members of the health professions and educators from high schools, colleges, technical institutes, and regional agencies discussed a number of issues that should be considered as the health occupations curriculum of the various institutions is periodically updated. Main issues addressed by the curriculum committee include the following: health occupations credentialing and licensure; technical competencies for health care workers of the future; new product development as it affects user training; support services and health occupations education; the future of the clinical laboratory; the use of computers in instruction; and competency based vocational education. (Reports by various committee members, as well as reaction from the field and summaries of committee discussion are contained in this report.) (KC)

A bibliography of approximately 130 materials authored, coauthored, or edited by Harold A. Taylor from 1951 to 1979 on the nature of teaching in higher education is presented. Specific topics include the following: student protests, radical reform, a world university, the United Nations University, the world as teacher, the humanities in the schools, philosophy and modern man, society and revolution, teacher in the world, the world and the American teacher, arts in America, freedom and authority on the campus, the goals of higher education, college presidents, women's colleges, new curricular needs of women, the quality of instruction, modern education and the progressive movement, education and freedom, moral values and education, the philosophical foundations of general education, the task of college administration, the role of the teacher in the educating process, liberal education, and philosophy's human responsibility. (SW)

Targeted especially for Indian adult educators, the 1982 resource directory identifies: Indian Adult Education projects and commercial businesses who develop curriculum materials for adult students; sources for obtaining or providing information for and about Indian adult education projects at the local, state, or federal levels; and Indian adult educators and education programs available for information sharing. Listed by title, citations of curriculum materials (52) include grade level, content description, and ordering information. Names of individuals and/or projects, addresses and telephone numbers are provided for adult education associations (10), Indian organizations (35), departments of the Federal Government (41), advisory councils (3), and state departments of adult education (50). Current members of Congress (Senators and Representatives), their telephone numbers, and appointed Indian Affairs Staff Assistants are also provided. A listing of individuals as Indian adult education resources (18) concludes the directory by providing their address, telephone number, a short biography, and their areas of expertise. (ERB)

Requirements for student entrance into teacher education programs in 11 southern states were surveyed on two levels: state requirements and teacher education institution requirements. The states studied were Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. It was found that all the states except Arkansas had passed legislation on admission requirements for teacher education programs. The admission requirements for teacher candidates into 84 college and university teacher education programs in the eleven states were also examined. Among the criteria used most freqently by the institutions were grade point averages, successful completion of a course in education with laboratory experiences, recommendations by faculty members, and written language proficiency. A comparison between the state requirements and the institutional requirements revealed that the statewide requirements were more specific. It is suggested that prospective teachers should have basic communication skills before they graduate. (FG)

An overview of and rationale for population education for elementary and secondary schools are given beginning with a definition of population education as an effort to teach children about basic population issues and to encourage them to have smaller families. Various aspects and concerns related to the selection and implementation of population education programs are discussed under these broad topics: (1) general planning, including feasibility of programs; (2) administration and coordination of selected programs; (3) curriculum planning; (4) teacher training; (5) instructional materials; (6) program and student evaluation; and (7) impact on students. Recommendations for improving population education programs related to these six areas are listed. Characteristics of established population education programs in different countries are outlined including descriptions of programs in the Philippines, Korea, United States (Baltimore, Maryland), Egypt, Sierra Leone, India). An extensive bibliography is provided, including general references, sourcebooks, teacher training materials, instructional materials and other teaching aids. (SK)

A dichotomy is often seen between liberal arts or academic education and technology education. Practitioners of each school often feel in competition with each other for students and resources. There is, however, common ground on which to build an educational approach that eliminates the sharp cleavage between liberal arts education and technology education. One starting point is the idea that all academic disciplines have a world-view in mind. In addition, the practice of any discipline implies the guidance of certain principles, which can be found in liberal arts as well as technology. Given equally valued world-views and principles, the educational process and system can be seen as a continuum. In the continuum model, liberal arts and technology are not different components but different perspectives to address the same reality. For the future, a continuum model must be developed that includes the teacher as a master and mentor, multiple curriculum entry points, and integrative core courses. (KC)

Educators are asked to provide technology education to all, but special consideration must be given to those in both developing and developed nations who have no access to current technology and thus are disenfranchised. In order to redress the issue of disenfranchisement, one must try to correct the social imbalances that have created it. Curriculum changes alone cannot correct or provide access to high-quality education. Although money alone cannot solve the problem, it can contribute to a solution, as will time. Countries and individuals that are struggling will slowly become more stable and have resources available to promote a policy of technological access through education. All policy makers must commit to collaborative and interdisciplinary education for all students over the long term. Only then will all people be able to compete in the complex society of the 21st century. (Contains 1 figure and 10 references) (KC)