Education & Pedagogy

This report documents best practices in teacher education at five universities (George Washington University, Western Oregon University, the University of Louisville, Colorado State University, and the University of New Mexico). The universities were part of a project to identify and document how contextual teaching and learning can improve student achievement. Contextual teaching and learning involves teachers relating subject matter content to real world situations and helping students make connections between knowledge and its applications to their lives. The report contains five articles on best practices: "An Extraordinary Partnership Benefits Both Students and Teachers in Urban Areas" (George Washington University); "New State Standards Lead to Dramatic Changes in WOU's Teacher Education Program" (Western Oregon University); "Kentucky Education Reform Act Drives Educational Change" (University of Louisville); "Innovative Teacher Education Programs are a Success at CSU" (Colorado State University); and "A Long-Standing Partnership Benefits Pre-Service and In-Service Teachers" (University of New Mexico). A final article is entitled "The Office of Vocational and Adult Education and the National School-to-Work Office Fund Seven New Projects." (SM)

It is not surprising that private education is gaining importance in China, given the overall context of huge national efforts toward building up a "socialist market economy." However, the fast growth rate in both quantity and quality of profitable private schools in a socialist society has exceeded expectations. This paper examines the modern history of private education in China. The present-day resurgence of private education is rooted in the heritage of private education in Chinese society. Private schools were the precursor of modern Chinese education and played an important role in the country for a long period before 1949. When government policy became more flexible and household income increased substantially, this heritage was revived and became a stimulating factor for the private-education sector. Unfortunately, the system is fraught with difficulties in educational equity and prioritization of subjects. It is common for kindergarteners to learn English before they can speak Chinese fluently, and computer classes are emphasized in many private high schools whereas mathematics is ignored, undermining the establishment of a basic knowledge foundation. As public education expands, private education may face serious challenges in the future if resource diversification and expansion are not balanced with quality. (Contains 25 references.) (RT)

In the past, post-secondary education has been an option for welfare recipients wishing to increase their earning power. The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) shifted federal policy and made it more difficult for welfare recipients to pursue a college education. Nevertheless, several work activities that count as participation under PRWORA could be provided by post-secondary education. Furthermore, PRWORA gives states considerable flexibility in establishing a role for post-secondary education in their welfare-to-work programs. When deciding how to use this flexibility, states may want to consider the following issues: the extend to which welfare recipients are allowed and supported in non-vocational post-secondary education; the extent to which states encourage development of shorter-term training programs; how college education can be combined with work to meet work requirements for welfare recipients; and the role of community colleges in providing and coordinating vocational training and other employment services. Research has confirmed the effectiveness of gaining a college degree in increasing an individual's employment and earnings and has revealed several innovative practices in the areas of state support of higher education and community college programs for welfare recipients. (Includes 12 resource contacts and 22 publications.) (MN)

This research involved two studies--one of teacher education students and one of teacher education faculty--to examine preservice teachers' views about gender equity in learning and schooling and the role of preservice instruction in addressing gender issues in education. The student assessment instrument examined three major categories of gender-equitable classroom practices, including teacher-student interactions, classroom management/organization, and teacher expectations. Participants were 758 student teachers at 3 universities. The faculty assessment instrument included examples of 30 gender-related topics that might be included in the teacher education curricula. Faculty had to rate the extent to which they included the topics in their classes and the extent to which they thought the topics should be included somewhere in preservice education. Participants were 247 full-time teacher educators in 29 preservice teacher education institutions. Data analysis indicated that there were low levels of student teacher knowledge about gender-equitable classroom practices, low levels of faculty instruction about gender, and high levels of faculty advocacy on gender as an appropriate topic for instruction in teacher education. (Contains 10 tables and 69 references.) (SM)

In 1992, the National Center for Education Statistics reached the conclusion that the comparability of international education statistics needed improvement. The International Expenditure Comparability Study was undertaken for this purpose. The first volume presented detailed discussions of problems in the comparability of international education statistics, the steps required to improve the quality and comparability of expenditure data collected in different countries, and discussions of progress to date and prospects for improvement. This volume presents the quantitative adjustments to improve comparability, the effects of these adjustments on expenditures for all education levels combined and separately, and the effects of expenditure adjustments on two key indicators of countries' investment in education--education expenditures relative to gross domestic product and education expenditure per student. The following chapters are included: (1) "Quantitative Analysis of Expenditure Comparability"; (2) "Adjustment of Data on Public and Private Expenditures To Improve Comparability"; (3) "Summary of Adjustments to Countries' Expenditures"; and (4) "Effects of Adjustments to Countries' Expenditures on Selected Finance Indicators." Three appendixes discuss adjustments to data on public expenditures, expenditures relative to gross domestic product, and expenditures relative to tertiary education. (Contains 140 exhibits.) (SLD)

This report describes National Science Foundation (NSF) activities in support of two-year college science, mathematics, engineering, and technology education for fiscal year 1996. Chapter 1 includes an introduction and overview, with tables showing the levels of two-year college support by NSF division from 1993 to 1996. Chapter 2 provides information on leadership and outreach activities undertaken by the Education and Human Resources (EHR) division, including workshops related to engineering technology education, a summer internship program, ethics and biotechnology, a community college day, and related conferences and publications. The third chapter outlines the Advanced Technological Education Program and offers tables of data. Chapter 4 describes leveraged program support by divisions of EHR, including the Division of Undergraduate Education; Division of Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Education; Division of Human Resource Development; Division of Research, Evaluation, and Communication; and the Division of Educational System Reform. The last chapter reviews research directorates, including NSFNET and Network Infrastructure Program, Technology Reinvestment Program, and Engineering Education Coalitions. Appendices include FY 1996 awards, an index of principal investigators, and publications of prior year activities involving two-year colleges. (YKH)

The history of the University of Humberside (England) is traced and related to patterns of local, regional, and national development of higher education. The modern University of Humberside emerged from six separated colleges, the first originating in 1861 and the remaining five were founded before World War I. Two began as teacher training colleges and four of the colleges were responsible for further education. All were monotechnics (art and design, technical education, nautical education, and commerce). The historical review of the University of Humberside, now named the University of Lincolnshire and Humberside, is divided into the following periods: the origins of higher education in Hull; inter-war provision in Hull, later twentieth century provision, 1944-70; the reorganization of further and higher education in Hull, 1972-1976; the establishment of Hull College of Higher Education, 1976-82; Humberside College of Higher Education, 1983-80; and the emergence of Humberside University, 1989-1995. The broad sweep of educational transformation in England over the last century and a half has been characterized by a movement from voluntary to government provision of higher education. Local education authorities were in more influential positions in the early part of the 20th century. There has been a gradual movement from local to national control of advanced further education. (Contains 101 references.) (SW)

This document presents New Hampshire's standards for the education of students with disabilities. Individual chapters present standards on: definitions; Child Find; reporting requirements of local education agencies; evaluation and determination of educational disabilities; the Individualized Education program; extended school year programming; vocational education for students with disabilities; placement of students with educational disabilities; participation of private school students who are placed in private schools by parents without the cooperation of a local education agency; requirements for the development and operation of programs for students with educational disabilities; surrogate parents; confidentiality of information; procedural safeguards; complaint procedures; administrative due process hearing procedure; State Department of Education monitoring of educational services and programs for students with educational disabilities; education of children placed in homes for children, health care facilities, or state institutions; State Department of Education enforcement; standards for approval of private facilities and other non-district programs; rate setting; severability; provision of educational services to students with educational disabilities committed to the Youth Development Center by court order; and students with educational disabilities in placements for which the Division of Children, Youth, and Families has financial responsibility. (DB)

This brief provides an overview of three recent state court cases in Alabama, Wyoming, and Ohio that uniquely address the constitutionality of state special education finance systems. In each case, the courts found the special education finance systems to be unconstitutional due to inequitable or inadequate funding for children with disabilities. Taken as a whole, these court decisions suggest that state special education finance systems are vulnerable to future court challenges because they curtail the availability of a free and appropriate education for children with disabilities and restrict equal educational opportunities. The brief also discusses the implications these cases have for the future of special education funding systems and suggests several broad parameters that funding systems should consider to meet the full intent of the law. These include: (1) special education finance must be cost-based (costs must be legitimate and justifiable); (2) the real costs of providing special education and related services must be incorporated in the state finance system and supported by the state, either through full state funding or state-local cost sharing; (3) the provision of special education and related services must be uniform across the state; and (4) facilities must be safe, healthy, and accessible to all children. (Author/DB)

This report represents phase two in the development of Missouri's telecommunications-based delivery system for postsecondary education. The 1996 report challenged the state's public and independent colleges and universities to use inter-institutional partnering and emerging telecommunications technologies to improve citizens' access to education. Building on that report and through the mission review process, Missouri's postsecondary education system has initiated regional educational councils and consortia, developed needed distance education programs, and expanded the capacity of its telecommunications network. Now the Telecommunications Advisory Group affirms the direction set in the 1996 report and challenges expanding needs of its customers and forging effective and proactive educational partnerships. Key recommendations of the group include: (1) moving beyond barriers of place and time; (2) a focus on partnerships and collaboration; (3) providing needed quality programs; (4) seamless student support services; (5) library resources for distance learning; (6) faculty roles and support in distance learning; and (7) cooperative technology strategies. A list of subcommittee members, an outline of Best Practices in Distance Education, draft revised Association for College and Research Libraries Guidelines for Distance Education, and Missouri's interactive video education networks are all appended. (AEF)

The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) Task Force on Technology and Teacher Education, a group of educators from diverse institutions and backgrounds, met three times during 1996-1997 to consider how NCATE could provide leadership and support in meeting the technology challenge facing teacher education institutions. Sections of this report present the task force's vision of what teachers must be able to do in order to take advantage of technology for instruction and student learning, identify current teacher education program deficiencies, and suggest what teacher education programs should do to correct the deficiencies. The following are recommendations for NCATE to: (1) stimulate more effective uses of technology in teacher education programs; (2) use technology to improve the existing accreditation process and to reconceptualize accreditation for the 21st century; and (3) improve and expand its own operations through greater uses of technology. Brief case studies that demonstrate innovative technology use in a variety of teacher preparation programs appear throughout the text. Appendixes include: a guide to the case studies used in the report; excerpts from NCATE accreditation standards on technology expectations; and nine attachments on accreditation data that could be available electronically to various stakeholders. (ND)

This paper describes Nevada's public education policy structure and the responsibilities of various administrative and legislative bodies, including the Nevada State legislature, the governor, the State Board of Education, the superintendent of public instruction, the State Department of Education; the Commission on Professional Standards in Education, the School District Boards of Trustees, school districts, and public schools. The paper also discusses governance issues regarding school-based management, charter schools, and school choice. The basic policy structure of Nevada's system of educational governance follows fairly traditional lines, being one of the more decentralized states in terms of regulatory authority. However, several groups that shape education policy are not referenced in state law: students and their parents, various businesses, parent coalitions, the Nevada Association of School Boards, the Nevada Association of School Administrators, and the Nevada State Education Association. The interactions among governors, chief state school officers, state boards of education, and legislatures are receiving increasing attention from those involved in shaping education policy. The biggest challenge facing state policymakers lies with defining priorities and reaching consensus. Contains one figure and 72 endnotes. The appendix lists education-governance structures in the 50 states. (LMI)

To improve technology education in Taiwan and promote understanding of international technology education, technology education programs in Australia, Japan, Korea, Mainland China, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, and Taiwan were compared. A four-stage comparative approach (description, interpretation, juxtaposition, comparison) was used. Four main aspects of technology education programs were compared: the macro context, educational context, status quo, and features. These conclusions were drawn: (1) technology education was commonly seen as a subordinate subject; (2) the earliest programs were started at the beginning of this century; (3) the evolution of technology education progressed from handicrafts to technology; (4) program content was related to industry-based knowledge and in some countries linked with agriculture- and/or business-based knowledge; (5) based on their goals and contents, programs could be categorized into four types: life fulfillment, industrial skill development, pre-vocational education, and design/problem solving; (6) countries faced these common problems in technology education implementation--lack of qualified teachers and adequate equipment, insufficient financial support and teaching hours, and out-of-date curricula; and (7) the major trend was an emphasis on a praxis-based body of knowledge. All eight countries had good potential to foster technology education provided there would be effective professional supervision. (YLB)

This bibliography addresses the subject of population education. Entries are categorized into three parts. Part 1, "Population Education," consists of titles of books and other documents addressing various aspects of population education arranged by country in the first section and general materials in the second section. Part 2, "Knowledge Base Information," consists of titles on the different multidisciplinary aspects of population education. These entries are grouped into sections of the following major multidisciplinary topics: (1) Documentation; (2) Education (including environmental education, functional literacy, family planning, AIDS, and sexuality); (3) Environment; (4) Fertility and Family Planning; (5) Health and Nutrition; (6) Information and Communication; (7) Migration, Urbanization, and Human Settlement; (8) Population Policy and Trends; (9) Research and Evaluation; (10) Socio-economic Factors and Conditions; and (11) Women. Part 3, "Audiovisual Materials," consist of titles of various kinds of audiovisual aids (films, slides, charts, kits, videotapes, etc.) having to do with knowledge base and aspects of population education. Appendices contain a list of publishers and sources as well as indexes. Each entry or title is given a running number and bibliographical references that include either the author or corporate author, title, imprint, collation, subject key words, country key words, and classification number. A source code is also given. (PVD)

This document, prepared by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, presents six policy recommendations and implementation strategies to state and higher education leaders. This agenda for the 21st century is suggested to help higher education serve the needs of a multicultural society in a global and technologically oriented economy. Recommended are: (1) statewide strategic agendas that identify campus responsibilities and are supported by financial policies and performance accountability standards; (2) higher education collaboration with the public sector, state government, and the private sector to agree on priority research needs; (3) a higher education commitment to undergraduate curriculum reform that will prepare graduates for the new century; (4) college and university responsibility for leadership roles that demonstrate that racial and ethnic diversity are institutional, social, and economic assets; (5) use of technology for instruction, delivering education, research, and campus management; and (6) a faculty commitment to address the goals of the new higher education agenda, and institutional policies and work environments that encourage this commitment. Appended are two rosters listing the individuals involved in this project. (Contains approximately 70 references.) (CH)