Education & Pedagogy

This study examines the status and position of civic education and environmental education in the formal curricula of primary and secondary school systems in the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region. The study consists of two parts: (1) a review of the literature related to each subject and its status in the school systems and the LAC region; and (2) information gathered directly from the Ministries of Education in 15 countries of the region. The final reports from the study bring together the results of the review of literature and the questionnaire administered in each country. The reports have been prepared both in English and Spanish. Material in each report is organized in three main parts: Part I presents the analysis of the data; Part II, the individual country reports; and Part III, additional information about organizations active in these fields or other programs of interest. The study points to the need for: (1) teacher training in environmental education techniques and curriculum development that is part of the training process; (2) the development and maintenance of the political will of education authorities; and (3) collaboration in the development of environmental education programs between nongovernmental organizations and the official education sector. (LZ)

The International Project "What Education for What Citizenship?", covering about 40 countries, is the first project ever conceived on such a scale and having a truly cross-cultural character. This publication discusses methods used to address some major questions related to increasing the relevance and efficiency of citizenship education. Discussion throughout is placed in the context of two major universalizing global trends: (1) the generalization of the free market economy, together with policies aimed at fast development; and (2) political transitions towards the establishment of democratic regimes. After describing the activities of the project and the need for citizenship education, a framework for building the concept of citizenship and the nature of citizenship education is presented. Four main content dimensions of citizenship education are reviewed: human rights, democracy, development, and peace. Five main criteria to approach citizenship education are identified: pluralism, a multi-level perspective, institutional wholeness, integrative and holistic approaches, and cultural relevance. Organization of messages, teaching/learning strategies, and learning processes are key implementation concerns discussed. Finally, strategies by which information on citizenship and education should be distributed are provided. The publication contains a listing of major research findings that need extended cross-cultural verification. (LZ)

The literature regarding the curricula of existing industrial/technology teacher education programs was reviewed to identify those courses that constitute the technical component of the industrial/technology teacher education programs currently being offered by U.S. colleges and universities. A survey was then conducted of the 133 institutions listed in the 1994 "Industrial Teacher Education Directory." Seventy-eight responses (a 58.6% response rate) were received from 33 states. Only 57 responses were deemed usable, however. Of those colleges/universities, 33 offered programs titled technology education and 24 included the descriptor "industrial" in their program title. The programs required a mean of 49.8 semester hours of technical courses; however, no common core of technical courses was identifiable. Only two courses were required by more than two-thirds of the colleges/universities. The curricula examined did not reflect current curriculum trends as identified in three recent studies published in 1991 and 1992. It was concluded that the identified lack of a consistent unified curriculum to prepare tomorrow's industrial/technology teacher education could have a devastating impact on the field. It was recommended that industrial/technology teacher education establish national teacher education standards addressing the discipline's technical content. (Contains 17 references.) (MN)

This 140-article encycolpedia is intended for those who wish to obtain an overview of a specific area of education in a fairly short period of time. Members of this audience include: graduate students, university professors working outside their area of expertise, and classroom teachers searching for a body of knowledge to inform, guide and/or justify their teaching practices. The volume has two parts. Part A, on teaching, contains eight sections on the following topics: (1) the nature and characteristics of teachers; (2) theories and models of teaching; (3) instructional programs and strategies; (4) teaching skills and techniques; (5) school and classroom factors; (6) students and the teaching-learning process; (7) teaching for specific objectives; and (8) the study of teaching. Part B, on teacher education, contains three sections on the following topics: (1) concepts and issues in teacher education; (2) generic initial teacher education; and (3) continuing teacher education. Each of the sections has its own introduction and a complete bibliography with suggestions for further reading. Extensive name and subject indexes are also included. (LL)

This guide was developed to assist in the recruitment of new professionals to the field of special education and related services. The 34 suggested activities are based on the assumptions that planned, systematic recruitment at the local level is critical to attracting dedicated and talented individuals to the field; that career choices are often based on personal experiences; and that practicing professionals are the best recruiters of future professionals. The activities are organized into three sections. Section 1, "Increasing Visibility," includes activities aimed at heightening public awareness of special education and related services. These activities present the message that special education and the related professions are worthwhile, rewarding careers to consider. The second section, "Direct Recruitment Activities," offers actions and events that can be arranged to directly convey the message about these careers. Section 3, "Marketing the Profession," touches on marketing strategies and products that can showcase careers in special education and the related services professions. Appendices provide fact sheets showing relevant national statistics, a listing of relevant organizations and associations, a description of the National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education, a list of commonly asked questions about special education and related services, and sample presentation materials. (DB)

This report outlines the Louisiana State Board of Regents' goals for higher education in the state. After summarizing the history of higher education in Louisiana, demographic and economic trends, and the role of higher education in the state, the report discusses five specific goals: (1) improving access to higher education for all citizens without regard to age, race, gender, physical condition, religion, socioeconomic status, or ethnic background through the development of a community college system and the strengthening of agency and institutional cooperation; (2) improving the quality of higher education by promoting student achievement, strengthening faculty resources, enhancing program quality, and strengthening institutional cooperation; (3) promoting economic development in the state through worker training, increased research and development, business-education cooperation, and international exchange; (4) promoting diversity by increasing the cultural awareness of students, faculty, and staff; and (5) promoting effectiveness and accountability by increasing funds for operations and maintenance, eliminating some academic programs while broadening access, and leveraging scarce resources. Three appendixes provide data on external funds generated as a result of state investments in higher education, major research centers and institutes in the state, and the estimated state general fund requirement formula for higher education funding, revised 1993. (MDM)

The following 11 papers were presented at a symposium on leadership and educational policy studies (LEPS): "Food, Filth, Factory, and Flowers: A Critical Analysis of Ohio's Employability Skills Project" (Nina Dorsch); "Defining and Restructuring Work: Implications for Adult Education" (Georges B. Germain); "The Erosion of Subsistence and Motherwork" (Mechthild Hart); "Struggling for Democratic Educational Practices: The Adult Learning Skills Program and the Campaign To Stop the Focus on Quality Policy" (John Holst); "Work, Adult Education, and Sites of Resistance" (Winston Lawrence); "Who Should Pay To Learn? A Critical Assessment of the World Bank's Neoliberal Education Policies" (Derek Mulenga); "On Trial: The Legal Basis and Role of Education in the New European Union" (Mark Murphy); "Organizational Learning and Control: A Critical Examination of HRD [Human Resource Development] and the Politics of Workplace Discipline" (Fred Schied); "Traditional versus 'New' Education: The Problem Defined" (Richard Louis Sorrentino); "Corporatizing Work, Education, and Democracy within Postmodern Praxis" (Sherman Stanage); "Rural People, Rural Communities, and Sustainability: Rethinking the Role of Adult Education" (Jeff Zacharakis-Jutz). (KC)

A 1994 Department of Education national evaluation of federally-supported adult education programs looked at programs' effectiveness in improving literacy skills, English language proficiency, and secondary school completion. National policy on adult literacy education is articulated in the Adult Education Act (AEA) and National Literacy Act, which amended the AEA in 1990. These provide for adult basic education (ABE), adult secondary education (ASE), and English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction. Current ESL adult learners are primarily Hispanic and Asian, living in urban areas and the west, foreign-born, literate in their first language, and of limited oral English proficiency. About two-thirds of adult education programs provide ESL instruction, commonly offered through public schools. ESL program components often have larger enrollments and larger classes than ABE or ASE, and participants acquire three to four times as much instruction. Self-reports of ESL clients and standardized test scores indicate that instruction improves basic English skills and enhances employability, and ESL clients show interest in continuing their education. While the ESL target population is much smaller than the ASE target population, ESL services are in greatest demand, and demand exceeds current capacity. (MSE) (Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse on Literacy Education)

Inhibitors of growth in education and training in South Africa include the past isolation from the rest of the world, failure to keep up with the rapid development of explosion of knowledge, compulsory dependency on bureaucracy, and disregard of the diverse needs of learners. Various initiatives have been undertaken that reflect the enormous need for growth in South Africa. Areas of provision that need urgent attention are adult basic education, alternative access to tertiary education, incomplete secondary education, vocational education, skills improvement, and retraining. The winning recipe for growth is a combination of distance education with a difference and technology for the masses. Distance education must combine and modify the best features of different models to suit South Africa's unique needs: its vast number of learners and the lack of technology. To overcome the drawbacks of lack of electricity and educational aids at learners' homes, the recommended model uses community learning centers. Three possible approaches are the television model for self-study, the study center model, and the dual mode model. Relevant and appropriate local support could be provided through community learning centers. All approaches would involve partnerships among at least three parties: appropriate study materials, the provider of telecommunications, and the dormant partner, the sponsor. (YLB)

Susquehanna University (Pennsylvania) has worked to reorganize its teacher education program to raise the level of understanding of issues associated with diversity and inclusion through outcome-based education. The curriculum has been restructured according to an outcome-based model; a team model has been instituted for placement of student teachers; and a methods course practicum has been established at the elementary level. The new model includes the development of program learning outcomes and the development of a professional year sequence at a clinical teaching site (practicum) in collaboration with a public elementary school or schools. The process was begun with collaborative strategic planning by student teachers, administrators, faculty, and state department of education representatives and liberal arts faculty in conjunction with teacher teams from the local elementary schools. Seventeen program outcomes were identified in three broad areas: knowledge, teaching behavior and skills, attitudes and dispositions. Program outcomes were evaluated through completion of a student portfolio. Other program elements included field placements in classrooms in partner schools that model inclusionary practices, enrichment programs, and multicultural and inclusionary practice field research internships. (Contains 10 references.) (JB)

The Native Education Project Team was established in 1984 to develop a Native education policy in Alberta as a foundation for improving the delivery of quality education to Native students and communities. Information from 180 meetings with Native people throughout Alberta formed the basis for Alberta Education's Native education policy statement, which follows. "Alberta Education supports the development and delivery of programs and services which will: provide enhanced and equal opportunities for Native students to acquire the quality of education traditional in Alberta; challenge Native students to learn and perform to the best of their abilities; provide opportunities for Native students to study and experience their own and other Native cultures and lifestyles; provide opportunities for Native people to help guide and shape the education of their children; provide opportunities for students in Alberta's schools to recognize and appreciate Native cultures, and their many contributions to our province and society." An outline of the proposed implementation of this policy presents eight guidelines that address what will be taught in schools; nine guidelines that address how education can best be delivered to Native students; and nine actions that demonstrate the Alberta government's commitment to building partnerships between Native people, school boards, and the government. Includes photographs. (TD)

A survey examined perceptions among superintendents, principals, and special education administrators concerning the role of the special education administrator in West Virginia school systems. All 55 county school superintendents, all 55 district-level special education administrators, and 150 public school principals were sent a survey consisting of 40 specific tasks organized under 7 administrative functions. Respondents indicated whether the person responsible for administering special education actually performed each task, and the degree of importance of the task. Responses were received from 40 (73%) superintendents, 55 special education administrators (100%), and 107 (71%) principals. For the majority of the tasks, the three groups shared common perceptions regarding their importance and implementation, with the superintendents and special education administrators showing the most congruence, followed by superintendents and principals. Special education administrators and principals showed the least congruence in perceptions, with significant differences of perception regarding performance occurring on 19 of the 40 tasks and on degree of importance for 17 tasks. This perceptual incongruence between special education administrators and principals indicates a potential for conflict, especially at the program implementation level, and may result in less effective delivery of services to students. An examination of tasks performed at the school level may determine whether this potential is actually realized. (TD)

This report examines trends in voluntary support for higher education between 1980 and 1994 based on analysis of the Council for Aid to Education's annual survey on voluntary support of education. It reviews how philanthropic support for higher education compared with support for other charities and how this level of support changed over time. It also identifies categories of major donors and how the philanthropic dollars were used by higher education institutions. All figures are presented in constant 1994 dollars. It was found that 1994 contributions to higher education total $12.4 billion; 9.5 percent of all tax deductible contributions for the year. Between 1980 and 1994, general charitable giving increased by 26 percent; for institutions of higher education, a 55-percent increase was found; this outpaced inflation. Since 1989, higher education increases have averaged only 2 percent per year. In 1994, 28 percent of voluntary, higher education contributions came from alumni, followed by nonalumni (23 percent), foundations (21 percent), and corporations (20 percent). In 1994, 72 percent of higher education support was used by institutions of higher education for current operating expenses such as salaries and student financial aid. It is concluded that individual donors are a major source of support that must be cultivated in the currently graduating generations. (Contains 11 references.) (NAV)

This technical and vocational education (TVE) profile on Bangladesh is one in a series of profiles of UNESCO member countries. It is intended to be a handy reference on TVE systems, staff development, technical cooperation, and information networking. An overview of the report appears first. Part I provides general information on the physical geography, demography, and religion; socioeconomic background; and literacy and education. Part II describes the educational structure, secondary education, and development plans. Part III deals specifically with the technical education system. It describes formal technical education and its historical development. Part IV describes major TVE organizations, such as the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE), Bangladesh Technical Education Board, National Council for Skill Development and Training (NCSDT) and Bureau of Manpower, Employment, and Training (BMET). It also covers noninstitutional training and teacher training. Part V addresses the issues of the employment situation of institutionally trained workers and the inadequacy of training programs and lists recommendations by the Director-General of Technical Education and the International Labour Office. Appendixes include the following: a chart of institutes under the DTE; tables of numbers of graduates from 1958-78; a chart of institutes under the BMET; and 11-item bibliography. (YLB)

The two papers in this document explain various options and modalities for UNEVOC (International Project on Technical and Vocational Education) Member States' financing of their individual systems of technical and vocational education and disseminating experiences in this area. "Financing Vocational Education and Training in Developing Countries" (Pradeep Bolita) provides a systematic overview of various modalities of public and private finance of technical and vocational education. It describes four of the more well-known financing mechanisms: public financing, enterprise financing, private and public sponsored financing, and international donor assistance. The advantages and disadvantages of each type are identified and policy implications indicated, with some country examples."Financing Vocational Education: Concepts, Examples, and Tendencies" (David Atchoarena) draws conclusions from experience with various existing concepts of financing. It first reviews the main issues, such as cost sharing and subsidiarity; apprenticeship; privately financed institutional training; the use of earmarked taxation to finance training; and training funds. It then focuses on selected country experiences, illustrating different kinds of strategies and instruments involved in the financing of vocational education. These countries are highlighted: Brazil, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Mauritius, and Ivory Coast. A final chapter looks at future trends and variables affecting funding scheme options. (Each paper contains references.) (YLB)