Education & Pedagogy

This report provides statewide data on Wisconsin middle and high school health education curriculum and policy. All regular public secondary schools were included in the school sampling frame. Data were collected via surveys of principals and lead health teachers regarding tobacco, physical education and activity, nutrition, HIV/AIDS, violence, asthma, and general health education. For each section, the report examines policy, curriculum and instruction, comprehensive school programs, and conclusions and recommendations. Nearly half of the schools had comprehensive tobacco policies in place, and 80 percent of schools with required health education had comprehensive tobacco prevention curriculum and instruction in place. Most schools had policies and classroom instruction supporting physical education and activity among all students, and most required students to take a physical education class. Middle and high schools reported many positive nutrition-related policies, practices, and instruction, although there was room for improvement. Nearly half of the schools had comprehensive HIV/AIDS policies in place, and 75 percent of schools with required health education had comprehensive HIV/AIDS curriculum and instruction. Almost all schools had written violence-response plans, but more schools needed to offer peer mediation, gang violence, and bullying prevention programs. There was a lack of asthma education for staff and students and monitoring of students with asthma. (SM)

This document addresses how the widespread diversity of American higher education has become a distinctive and defining characteristic of the system as a whole. The goal of this document is to create an understanding of diversity in higher education by addressing the classification of higher education, the foundation and development of the different types of institutions, which constitute the American higher education system, current influences on diversity, and the value of diversity. In discussing the historical development of higher education, the author addresses how starting in 1,176 changes in American politics, social values, etc. shaped the diversity in higher education. The author pays particular attention to the following areas: (1) institutions for women; (2) graduate education; (3) higher education institutions for religious groups; (4) higher education institutions for ethnic/racial groups; (5) two year institutions; (6) institutions for education for the professions; and (7) current influences on diversity including the American government, classification systems, and external agencies. The author concludes by discussing the major benefits of diversity in higher education including increased choices for students, access for students of different abilities and backgrounds, autonomy afforded to different institutions, and allowing for a system that is as varied and complex as society itself. (Contains 65 references.) (MZ)

This situational analysis on vocational education and training in Kosovo provides an assessment of the key issues on that topic before the postwar rebuilding effort starts and also identifies short-term priorities, points to medium and long-term requirements, and recommends measures for the short-term that can be considered and carried out by the European Agency for Reconstruction. Sections are entitled "Introduction,""Objective,""General Education,""Labor Market Reform and Training,""Management Training,""Higher Education," and "Conclusion and Followup."The following items are appended: (1) lists of contacts in various education and training sectors; (2) a description of the information and computer science library network project; (3)construction and local development proposals; (4) a draft concept note; (5) cost estimates of recommended education and training measures; and (6) a February 2002 paper "A Strategy for Vocational Training. Supporting the Unemployed and Job-Seekers in Kosovo: Enhancing Employability" from the United Nations Mission in Kosovo Transitional Department of Labour and Social Welfare. (MN)

An issue causing debate in the area of educational planning is the question of how and why education should be adapted in situations of emergency, crisis, or disaster. This book contends that education is paramount in such circumstances. Using examples of recent events and real-life testimonies, the book highlights the needs of crisis-stricken communities. It emphasizes the important role that education can play in instilling social and ethical values in the minds of youth and in teaching appropriate behavior when reacting to disasters. Chapter titles reflect the book's contents: (1) "What Is 'Emergency Education'?"; (2) "Dimensions of the Problem"; (3) "Some Frequently Asked Questions"; (4) "Access to Education and Related Activities in Situations of Crisis and Recovery"; (5)"Resources for Education in Crisis and Recovery"; (6) "Special Features of Education in Crisis and Recovery"; (7) "Co-ordination and Capacity-Building"; (8) "Applying These Principles: The Government Perspective"; (9) "The Government Perspective: Facing Reconstruction"; (10) "Applying These Principles: Perspective of Other Actors"; and (11) "Reflections and Concluding Remarks." (WFA)

The report examines problems in arts education in New York City public schools. After explaining that New York City's current delivery of arts education has its roots in the fiscal crisis of the 1970s, when funding for arts education was slashed from the budget, the report discusses why arts education is important to academic achievement, personal development, and parent involvement. It also describes what quality arts education looks like and examines why New York City's arts education does not measure up. Finally, it focuses on six primary problems, offering recommendations: (1) instruction is not comprehensive (e.g., require adequate time for arts instruction in all school schedules and allow time for collaboration); (2) resources are insufficient and inequitable (e.g., develop a 5-year plan for adequate funding and develop system-wide arts curriculum); (3) arts education is undervalued (help principals see the value of arts education); (4) there is a shortage of qualified arts educators (e.g., increase staffing allocations for the arts and offer scholarships and incentive programs); (5) there is variable quality in partnerships with cultural organizations (foster and monitor successful partnerships); and (6) there are insufficient facilities for arts education (make arts facilities a priority in the development of the new 5-year capital plan). (SM)

This publication takes the strong position that many problems in education can be solved by promoting strong, diverse, and autonomous families. Based on the premise that the family is the fundamental unit of society, the document seeks to empower parents and return public schooling to its original purpose of providing community assistance for families in need. Drawing on the history of education in Utah, the report examines the legal and moral basis of public education, with a special emphasis on parental rights and the role of government in free public education. It discusses the political basis of public education, examining the context of "public good,""essential services," and the issues of state control vs. public control vs. parental control. The document concludes that the real measure of a state's interest in education is the extent to which the state assists parents to become self-reliant and to remain in control of their children's education. It states that educational systems must respect parental control and should rely first on private resources when help is needed and then call on government for help when all else fails. The document offers a blueprint for change and nine recommendations for transforming education. (Contains 211 references.) (RJM)

This document describes how public education has been a tremendous success for millions of children. It outlines the crucial role played by public education and how, in many cases, public schools are the only place where children receive care, sustenance, safety, and the opportunity to learn. The grand American tradition of public education began with Jefferson's ideal of an aristocracy based on talent and not on inherited wealth and privilege. Ever since its inception, this grand tradition of public education has undergone significant changes. It has been a crucial part of the immigrant experience, allowing the children of first-generation Americans to achieve a level of success that would not have been possible in their native countries. Indeed, education has produced a level of social mobility that is unmatched in most countries. It is public education that helps create a shared culture that is essential in any democracy. Public education also nurtures the financial health of any society and leads to the betterment of those who take full advantage of education's offerings. But education has come under full attack in the last 20 years, and although public education faces many challenges, its detractors fail to appreciate its many strengths and how it has shaped our culture. (Contains 10 references.) (RJM)

This manual contains a set of tools to assist policymakers in analyzing and revamping educational policy. Its main focus is on some economic and financial aspects of education and selected features in the arrangements for service delivery. Originally offered as a series of training workshops for World Bank staff to work with clients in the education sector in low-income countries, the book is also appropriate for education specialists in developed countries. The modules in the book are a self-contained set, complete with answer sheets to the exercises collected on a CD-ROM. Chapter 1, "Introduction," offers an overview and background. The titles of the remaining chapters reflect the topics of the manual: (2) "Diagnosing Structural Weaknesses in EducationImplications for Project Selection"; (3) "Analyzing Costs in Education"; (4) "Conducting Cost-Effectiveness Analysis in Education"; (5) "Managing Teacher Deployment and Classroom Processes"; (6) "Assessing Policy Options for Teacher Training and Pay"; (7) "Analyzing Equity in Education"; (8) "Addressing Policy Issues in Girls' Schooling"; (9) "Performing Economic Analysis of Educational Technology"; and (10) "Conducting Comparative Policy Analysis in Education." Appended are instructions for performing regression analyses and using Excel. The manual also contains many tables, charts, graphs, and worksheets. (WFA)

This paper seeks to guarantee that all preK-college students are provided an equal opportunity for a world-class education, noting that ultimately, success must be measured by student achievement and recommending that all educational agencies partner with community agents to develop and implement strategies to remove racial disparities and improve the quality of education. The paper outlines areas in which the NAACP has identified consistent racial disparities, requesting that each agency create a Five-Year Educational Equity Partnership Plan for closing racial disparities in achievement by at least 50 percent. For K-12 education, the paper examines increasing resource equity, improving teacher quality, increasing access to early childhood programs, increasing access to a college-bound curriculum, creating smaller class sizes, closing the digital divide, high stakes testing, reducing the dropout rate, increasing parental involvement, special education and the overrepresentation and underservicing of minority children, eliminating racial disparities in suspension and expulsion, and resegregation trends. For higher education, it examines college preparation, college recruitment and admissions, college affordability and financial aid, faculty diversity, and retention and graduation. Recommendations are presented in each area. (SM)

This document contains a summary of proceedings of a conference convened June 12-14, 2002, to discuss special education paperwork and to explore ways to reduce paperwork. Participants reacted to and built upon information regarding paperwork from several sources, including a survey of state directors on special education paperwork; a survey on state-developed special education forms; data from teachers collected as part of the Study of Personnel Needs in Special Education; and information gathered from teachers by the National Education Association. Following an overview of the data and small group discussions, the forum made the following recommendations: (1) examine statutory language around the ability of schools to use credible evaluations provided from outside; (2) permit Individualized Education Program (IEP) addendums at times other than annual review, thus allowing parents and teachers to make changes other than placement; (3) fully integrate post-secondary transition planning into the IEP process and plan to reduce separate forms; (4) add language in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that requires Medicaid to accept IDEA documentation as adequate; (5) develop or support the development of family-friendly documents; and (6) develop model forms and guidance that meet requirements of IDEA around the special education decision-making process. (CR)

This report is an indicator summary, synopsizing the state of education, monitoring important developments, and showing trends in major aspects of education. It contains a sampling of charts of the 44 indicators in "The Condition of Education, 2002." Graphs depict past and projected trends in early childhood education programs; past and projected elementary and secondary school enrollments; poverty among school-aged children; past and projected undergraduate enrollments; mathematics performance of students in grades 4, 8, and 12; poverty and student achievement; trends in the achievement gap in reading between white and black students; international comparisons of reading literacy; 12th-graders' effort and interest in school; status dropout rates, by race/ethnicity; immediate transition to college; high school academic preparation and postsecondary progress; trends in science and mathematics course-taking; inclusion of students with disabilities in regular classrooms; parental choice of schools; academic background of college graduates who enter and leave teaching; perceived impact of work on postsecondary learning; student participation in distance education; status of women and minority faculty; public effort to fund education; change in public-school revenue sources; and international comparisons of expenditures for education. (RT)

This report compares education systems, incentives, and evidence of saving for education in four countries--Denmark, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States--with implications for the United Kingdom. The report's objective is to identify evidence of saving for education in each comparator country, along with government policies and mechanisms that provide incentives for individuals or families to save for education. The report begins with an overview of the education system in each country to better understand the importance of education and its impact on household finances. The next section offers an overview of theories of household saving and outlines trends in saving rates for each country. The next section discusses forms of saving for education. Results of analyses show that the most important determinant of saving for education is simply the cost of education. Therefore, if the costs were to rise in the UK, there would be a rise in saving for education. Also, tax breaks to encourage saving for education in the UK are unlikely to alter saving patterns. Individuals tend to save regardless of whether tax incentives are in place. (Contains a glossary, 4 appendices, 7 Internet resources, 11 tables, 14 figures, and 37 references.) (WFA)

This book presents an overview of the education of migrant farmworkers and their children in the United States. Chapter 1 describes characteristics of migrant workers and explains how conditions of migrant labor put migrant children, youth, and families at risk of educational failure. Chapters 2-3 present a chronology and a history of migrant education and the federal Migrant Education Program from the 1950s to the present. Chapter 4 describes migrant education today, including identification and recruitment of students, schoolwide programs, regional consortia, interstate and interagency coordination, technology use, adult education and family literacy programs, bilingual and ESL programs, binational programs, and migrant health care. Chapter 5 examines nine exemplary and innovative migrant education programs that meet five opportunity-to-learn standards and recommendations for program effectiveness. Chapter 6 explores how a Colorado program coordinates funds from various federal programs and other sources to add value to the migrant program. Chapter 7 presents a directory of organizations, federal and state agencies, Mexican institutes and cultural centers, High School Equivalency Programs (HEP), and College Assistance Migrant Programs (CAMP). Chapter 8 lists five clearinghouses for information on migrant education and presents an annotated bibliography of teacher resources, children's literature, and Web sites. (Contains an index.) (SV)

This digest examines how technology can support multicultural education. Multicultural education represents an approach to education and the teaching-learning process that is grounded in the democratic ideals of justice and equality. Five critical dimensions of multicultural education are: content integration, knowledge construction, prejudice reduction, equity pedagogy, and empowering school culture and social structure. Content integration is intended to expand the curriculum by incorporating contributions of diverse cultures into traditional disciplines of study. Knowledge construction promotes critical literacy by making explicit the manners in which scholars and scientists contribute to their respective fields of study. Prejudice reduction is about eliminating all forms of bigotry and involves promoting healthy personal identity devoid of the tendency to need to denigrate those who differ from oneself. Equity pedagogy is about equalizing opportunities to learn. It involves incorporating various strategies and techniques that attend to learning styles and intelligence types. Multicultural education proponents contend that in order to provide high quality experiences for all students, many traditional aspects of schools will need to be reconfigured. This is referred to as empowering school culture and social structures. The digest explains how technology can be used to support each of these five dimensions. (Contains 20 references.) (SM)

Contributors to this collection assert that radical alterations to the practices that have established and upheld the excellence of higher education in the United States must be considered carefully. They reflect on the failings of higher education, but note its many strengths. The chapters are: (1) "The American Academic Model in Comparative Perspective" (Philip G. Altbach); (2) "Higher Education as a Mature Industry" (Arthur Levine); (3) "The 'Crisis' Crisis in Higher Education: Is That a Wolf or a Pussycat at the Academy's Door?" (Robert Birnbaum and Frank Shushok, Jr.); (4) "Built To Serve: The Enduring Legacy of Public Higher Education" (Patricia J. Gumport); (5) "From Mass Higher Educating to Universal Access: The American Advantage" (Martin Trow); (6) "Higher Education and Those 'Out-of-Control Costs'" (D. Bruce Johnstone); (7) "The Liberal Arts and the Role of Elite Higher Education" (Nannerl O. Keohane); (8) "The Technological Revolution: Reflections on the Proper Role of Technology in Higher Education" (Jack M. Wilson); (9) "Academic Change and Presidential Leadership" (Richard M. Freeland); (10) "Graduate Education and Research" (Jules B. LaPidus); (11) "College Students Today: Why We Can't Leave Serendipity to Chance" (George D. Kuh); (12) "Governance: The Remarkable Ambiguity" (George Keller); and (13) "Understanding the American Academic Profession" (Martin J. Finkelstein). (Each chapter contains references.) (SLD)