Education & Pedagogy

Background: While prior research has demonstrated the ability of individuals to change their stress mindsets, the mechanisms through which these changes occur have not been studied. We offer health education as one such mechanism. Additionally, we posit that personality may moderate the change of stress mindset over time for students who are enrolled in health education courses. Purpose: This study explores the role of personality in the change of stress mindset when there is a specific focus on improving individual health and well-being via health education courses. Methods: Data was collected at two times in the semester, from 423 college students who are participating in college health education courses. Results: Neuroticism, openness, and conscientiousness have cross-level moderating effects on the change of stress mindset over time when students were engaged in health education courses. However, extraversion and agreeableness do not. Discussion: This study highlights the importance of health education, for specific personality types, in changing students' mindsets as it relates to stress. Translation to Health Education Practice: By offering more evidence of the reach, scope, and benefits health education may provide, this study provides additional rationale for the inclusion and implementation of health education in academics.

Inclusive education is "a process that helps overcome barriers" to presence, participation, and achievement in school (UNESCO, 2017, p. 7) for all youth, including students who have been historically marginalized and students with disabilities. For youth with disabilities specifically, inclusive education is the provision of necessary special education services and supports as Congress intended, as described in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (2004). When schools engage in the process of inclusive education, students are not required to leave their peers to receive specialized instructional strategies or services. Research-based strategies for implementing effective inclusive educational practices are emerging (McLeskey et al., 2017). These include ecological assessment, curricular supports (i.e., accommodations and modifications), embedded instruction, and standards-based instruction focused on prioritized skills. Ensuring that students with disabilities have access to, and make progress in, the general education curriculum requires educators to identify strategies to make that curriculum both accessible and meaningful. The participation plans described in this article integrate a variety of research-based strategies into one process aimed at accomplishing this task. Together, educators can use these plans to develop effective instructional strategies for youth with disabilities in general education classrooms.

The Arduino microcontroller enables ordinary people to perform professional tasks that only traditional engineering professionals could perform. Recently, several educational cases have been applied to primary and secondary schools, which is a desirable attempt to popularize engineering education. This study meta-analyzed the effects of Arduino-based education in primary and secondary schools in Korea from the perspective of engineering education. Accordingly, 16 academic journals and dissertations were selected that verified educational effects by Arduino-based education to primary and secondary students in Korea, and 31 effect sizes were confirmed. According to the results of this study, the overall average effect size was 0.656, which confirmed that Arduino-based education had a positive educational effect. Furthermore, this study calculated the effect size as measured by categorical and continuous variables such as school level, the inclusion of curriculum, giftedness, publication status, the programming language used, publication year, number of sessions, and number of students. Implications were suggested from the perspective of engineering education. This study is meaningful because it suggests the application of Arduino to primary and secondary schools in engineering education by confirming the positive educational effect of Arduino-based education.

The subject of this article is the right of adults to education, with a focus on the critical analysis of education policy. We discuss human rights as a framework for citizenship in two national contexts of Southern Europe with the purpose of underlining key differences and similarities in countries with diverse histories but a similarly high number of low-qualified adults among their population. In view of the above, this paper provides a detailed historical context for adult education policy in those countries and expounds on how current Portuguese and Italian educational policy agendas have considered the right of adults to education in the context of their democratic regimes. For critical analysis we use Tomaševski's theoretical 4A framework, built mainly for school contexts, and apply it to adult education policy. The objective is to understand ways of realizing the right of adults to education by means of policy measures undertaken by governments in those national states. Thus, we employed as an object of analysis the study of availability, accessibility, acceptability and adaptability of adult education and learning against the backdrop of current changes occurring in Europe. This heuristic exercise makes a significant contribution to adult education literature in times of neoliberal trends.

It has been suggested common schools might have something to learn from spiritual education in Steiner schools. This arguably assumes practice in Steiner schools to be compatible with the aims of spiritual education in common schools. I question this by considering whether the former is confessional, as the latter should not be. I begin by highlighting how my concern about the potentially confessional nature of Steiner spiritual education arose. I argue for a nuanced understanding of confessional education, which distinguishes between 'weak' and 'strong' confessional education, as well as between confessional education as intentional and as defined by outcome. I then argue that spiritual education in common schools should prepare pupils for spirituality, without being confessional. I consider whether Steiner schools are confessional by drawing upon findings from research conducted at six Steiner schools. I conclude that spiritual education in Steiner schools is weakly confessional in an intentional sense. I further conclude that practices which might contribute to preparation for spirituality and which can be implemented in a non-confessional manner are worthy of consideration for transfer to common schools. Common schools committed to preparation for spirituality as an educational aim could learn from spiritual education in Steiner schools.

Designed to provide direction for postsecondary education in Alaska for the next 5 years, this statewide plan analyzes the present status of postsecondary education in the state and offers goals and strategies for the future. Following an executive summary of goals and strategies, the report presents an introduction to the growth of postsecondary education in the state, the dilemma of declining revenues, the planning process, the goals of the statewide plan, and the report. Chapter I explains the assumptions about the future planning period from 1986 to 1990. Chapter II describes the current state of postsecondary education in the state. Chapter III provides a broad overview of the problems and issues facing American postsecondary education. Chapter IV contains a brief overview and explanation of each goal of the statewide plan: (1) promote excellence to improve educational service; (2) enhance accountability of the educational process; (3) foster efficiency within the educational enterprise; and (4) improve access to accommodate those citizens who desire postsecondary education. Finally, chapter V presents a series of strategies, with accompanying discussion, grouped according to the goal with which each strategy is associated. A six-page bibliography is included. (EJV)

Problems affecting the relationship between American secondary schools and higher education are considered, and comparisons to other countries are made. Five features of American secondary schooling that undergird problems of effectiveness (as measured by international academic standards and expectations of higher education) are considered: (1) the extent to which secondary education has sought and achieved universal participation; (2) the extent to which the individual school is asked to replicate the coverage of subjects and types of students found in the system at large; (3) the close tie between primary and secondary education; (4) local control, whereby elementary and secondary school principals and teachers are watched carefully by lay chiefs and parents; and (5) a monopoly of clientele, based on geographic zoning, that typifies secondary schools. The education of secondary school teachers is also discussed in relation to the following topics: subject-matter departments of major universities, schools of education at universities, teachers' colleges located at nonuniversity institutions but which are under strong university influence, and teachers' colleges in a nonuniversity sector that have autonomy from the university. A strategy of variety is suggested that would give the secondary system greater adaptability and flexibility. (SW)

This monograph sets forth the objectives and outlines the provisions of vocational acts (1917-1976) that provided for federally funded vocational education. An overview of the Smith-Hughes Act (1917) also considers changes made in vocational education after the act and amendments to the act. Other sections offer summaries of these acts: the George-Reed Act (1929) and resultant changes; the George Ellzey Act (1934) and resultant changes; the George-Deen Act (1936) and resultant changes; the George Barden Act (1946) and amendments, including Title I--Fishery Training Act, Title II--Health Amendments Acts of 1956, and Title III--National Defense Education Act; related acts passed to support vocational educaiton (Area Redevelopment Act and Manpower Development and Training Act); the Vocational Education Act (1963) and other changes; and amendments to the Smith-Hughes and George Barden Acts. The overview of the Vocational Education Amendments of 1968 outlines provisions of Title I--Amendments, Title II--Training of Vocational Education Personnel, and Title III--Miscellaneous Provisions. A summary of the Vocational Education Amendments of 1972 precedes the description of the Educational Amendments of 1976, specifically Title II--Vocational Education. National priority programs, categories for funding, and authorizations are outlined. (YLB)

This paper discusses the concept and definitions of adult education, the assumptions made about adults and their educational abilities and motives, the aims and objects of adult education, and the means and methods in adult education. The paper concludes that there is a close relationship between the aims and methods of adult education and the view of humans as independent in their search for solutions to problems. Adult education is assumed to attract mature people intent on personal, intellectual, and professional development in the direction of autonomy. The study content, the institutional forms, and the methods usually applied are intended to pave the way for this development. The maturity of participants in adult education would seem to strengthen the assumptions that adult students are--or can be--particularly capable of independent study. This maturity, the conversational methods developed, and the very ethos of adult education make it reasonable to expect of adult study particular potentials for developing independent personalities. This expectation and knowledge of the general motivation of voluntary, mature learners make lifelong learning a realistic proposition for considerable numbers of people to whom study opportunities are continuously available. A 66-item reference list concludes the document. (KC)

Global education lacks a content base due to differing educational approaches. Combining the expected outcomes of liberal education, consisting of the development of effective thinking, effective communication, and value judgments, with the added dimension of the interconnectedness and complexity of the contemporary world can provide a framework for a consistent and comprehensive program. The elements that must be considered in introducing global education into the curriculum are: (1) the level of the learner; (2) the appropriate method of introducing it into the curriculum; (3) the available resources; and (4) the role of the teacher. Studies reveal that children at the age of 9 or 10 are most receptive to the introduction of other cultures and peoples. The most appropriate method of introducing global education into the curriculum is to present a global perspective through every course of study. Many resources have been developed for teaching global education, but they must be used selectively. Teacher education courses need to be internationalized in order to prepare instructors for global teaching. To make education relevant to the context of the contemporary world, global perspectives should permeate all levels of learning. Lists of available audio-visual and printed media and selected resource service centers are attached. (SM)

The Programs for Higher Education (PHE) at Nova University (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) developed field-based doctoral programs in higher education, leadership in adult education, and vocational, technical, and occupational education. During the 1980s, PHE critically analyzed the format for the delivery of the specialization seminars for the three programs. PHE decided that the new system should include a learning contract, required units, elective units, participation in the Summer Institute, and a synthesis paper. The first two specialization seminars to be modified were in the vocational, technical, and occupational education program; they are: Personnel-Human Resources Development and The Emergence of Vocational, Technical, and Occupational Education in America. Doctoral students in the Vocational, Technical, and Occupational Education program are, for the most part, pragmatic managers and pragmatic humanists. The exercise to create alternative scenarios of the future was a rewarding experience for the participants and a necessity if the program is to produce transformational leaders, agents of change. The synthesis papers have become qualitatively better over the years. Each student completing the two specialization seminars demonstrated marked improvement during the second seminar, regardless of the sequence in which they took the courses. (Data tables are appended.) (YLB)

This monograph has been designed to provide a detailed explanation of the organization and philosophy of the Ohio Sea Grant Program and the rationale used in each of its elements. Information is presented in six sections and nine appendices. Establishment of education program priorities and initial efforts are discussed in the introduction. Identification of Oceanic Education Activities for Great Lakes School (OEAGLS) topics, creation of activities, and evaluation methods are discussed in the second section (development process). Dissemination programs are considered in the third section, focusing on activities during the development process, infusion program, awareness component, implementation component, and future directions for teacher education. Summative evaluation of OEAGLS and infusion programs are discussed in the fourth section. Efforts in higher education and nonformal education efforts (radio, museum programming, television) are briefly reviewed in the last two sections. Information provided in appendices includes: sample pretest used in OEAGLS development; teacher evaluation forms for OEAGLS pilot testing; "Water Education Curriculum" (description of OEAGLS evaluation); Middle Sea newsletter; OEAGLS catalog; paper on marine and aquatic education (includes resource materials lists); implementation workshop syllabus/evaluation forms; and a research study (Ohio Students' Knowledge and Attitudes about the Oceans and Great Lakes). (JN)

This report to the Illinois Senate Committee on Higher Education assesses the extent to which students in metropolitan Chicago have real access to higher education and choice among postsecondary institutions. The chapters in part I address issues related to inequality in higher education in Chicago, providing analyses of the causes of inequality, the educational attainment of Chicago residents, the higher education institutions in the area, higher education enrollments, and graduation and attrition. Part II identifies patterns and causes of educational inequality, providing information on high school graduates' backgrounds, information, and college choices; the channelling of high school graduates to particular colleges; educational inequality among community colleges; choice and channelling among community colleges; student transfer between two- and four-year institutions; the impact of financial aid on access and choice in higher education; and the roles of teachers in the perpetuation of inequality. The final chapter in part II offers recommendations on high school preparation, curriculum, staffing, fiscal stability, requirements, counseling, school-college bridge programs, and financial aid policy changes. A six-page bibliography is included. (HB)

The state of Kentucky has recently raised its standards for persons who apply for admission to teacher education. The plan, mandated by the State Board of Education, involves a selection/retention process for candidates who apply for initial admission to the program and for candidates who progress through the program. A minimum level of performance on multi-faceted criteria must be demonstrated by each candidate prior to initial acceptance into teacher education. The criteria include acceptable performance in basic skills, as well as evidence of appropriate professional characteristics. Candidates may be denied admission to professional teacher education, even in an open-admissions institution. This paper explains the Kentucky plan for admission to teacher education. Aggregate data describing results of the admission/retention process in Kentucky are presented to portray the quality of persons who applied for admission to teacher education as well as those who were accepted into a preparation program. In addition, data from Northern Kentucky University, an institution with five years' experience in selective admissions, is presented to show the impact of a selective admissions program upon the quality of candidates enrolled in teacher education. The impact of selective admissions upon enrollment is also presented. (JMK)

This overview of the International Environmental Education Programme (IEEP) begins with an introduction which outlines IEEP objectives and goes on to provide, in section 2, a working definition of environmental education (EE). This is followed by three reports, on the Belgrade Workshop on Environmental Education, regional conferences, and the Intergovernmental Conference on Environmental Education (ICEE) respectively. The first report includes "The Belgrade Charter--A Global Framework for Environmental Education," which focuses on the environmental situation, environmental action goals, EE goals, EE objectives, and guiding principles of EE programs. It also describes workshops proceedings, and gives a list of working papers discussed at the conference. The ICEE report includes discussions of major environmental problems in contemporary society, the general conference report (addressing such issues as environmental problems and the role of education, current EE efforts, national level strategies, EE programs and curricula, instructional materials, personnel training), and the declaration adopted by conference delegates. Provided in appendices are descriptions of the United Nations Environment Programme, the International Environmental Education Network, and UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme; the main working document for the ICEE; and a statement by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (presented at the ICEE conference) which focuses on its role in environmental education. (BC)