Education & Pedagogy

Environmental problems are faced all over the world. The quality of the environment has a tendency to deteriorate, so environmental education becomes one of the essential conditions for continued existence. In order to improve the situation, it is necessary to raise public awareness and encourage behaviour change. It is obvious that environmental education is needed, which would raise people's level of awareness, and encourage them to change their behaviour, accordingly, changes would take place in the field of production and industry, consumption habits, and the relationship with the environment itself. Environmental education is especially important in primary school. In forming children's environmental awareness, a great responsibility falls on the primary school teacher, therefore his preparation in the field of environmental education must be adequate. Empirical qualitative research aimed to reveal how future primary school teachers understand the meaning of environmental education, the topic, and what kind of realisation vision they have. 136 students from two Lithuanian universities, future teachers of preschool and primary education participated in the study. Verbal research data were analysed using the quantitative content analysis method. The research results allow us to state that environmental education is treated as significant, the themes of environmental education cover various areas that can and should be studied in primary school. Future teachers' environmental education implementation vision at school includes both cognitive and practical-behavioural components. [For the full proceedings, see ED629086.]

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has lo//ng reported on public and private school enrollments. But it is only since the late 1990s that NCES has collected information on homeschooling, after the expansion of its National Household Education Surveys Program (NHES) to address this topic. The past two decades have also seen growth in another form of out-of-school learning--virtual education. In virtual education, instruction is provided remotely via information technology. As information technology has advanced, this form of education has become a more feasible option for both children being homeschooled and enrolled students (Molnar et al. 2019). This increased access was particularly important during the coronavirus pandemic, which forced many schools to switch to virtual education. The NHES is now poised to provide key trend data on virtual education, with the 2019 NHES serving as a prepandemic baseline. The next NHES collection will occur in 2023. This report includes the national rate of homeschooling in 2019, as well as information on who participates in homeschooling and on why parents choose to homeschool. Using the new questions on virtual education, the report also includes the national rate of participation in full-time virtual education, information on who participates in full-time virtual education, and the rate at which students participate in either of these instruction-at-home options.

The increasingly pervasive special education teacher shortage has become a crisis in the United States, warranting immediate attention to minimize negative impacts on students with disabilities. More specifically, all efforts to mitigate the shortage by strengthening the special education teacher pipeline should be explored. One population of teacher candidates, teacher candidates with disabilities, would benefit from increased efforts from the teacher education field, as they consistently cite negative and inaccessible preparation experiences that hinder their ability to complete preparation programs necessary for teacher licensure. As a result, this dissertation will (a) investigate the experiences of teacher candidates with disabilities in teacher preparation programs through a systematic review of the literature from 2008 to 2022, and (b) explore an emergent professional paradigm in higher education disability resources as a potential means to enhancing access and equity in the experiences of teacher candidates with disabilities through a qualitative case study of one higher education disability resource center. Together, this dissertation aims to first present a key leverage point to stemming the shortage of special educators through attracting, preparing, and retaining educators with disabilities, and second, assess an approach for higher education disability resource professionals to lead the charge in enhancing the experiences of disabled teacher candidates. Implications for both higher education disability resources and special education teacher preparation programs will be presented. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive research was to explore how special education teachers choose curriculum to maximize learning within the special education classroom based on the external factors within the United States. The research questions as follows were answered through 12 interviews and a focus group of six participants from across the United States. The researcher explored how special education teachers chose curriculum within the special education classroom while dealing with leadership mandates, legislative mandates, and curriculum mandates. Simmons and Taylor's conceptual framework guided this study exploring the impact of external factors had on special education teachers' decisions in curriculum development. Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development was also used as a guide to explore how these choices were made by teachers to maximize learning. Braun and Clarke's six step thematic analysis used in this study resulted in six themes: 1) Special Education Teachers Focus on Short Term Planning, 2) Special Education Teachers Experience Varying Degrees of Support, 3) School Districts Vary in Terms of Special Education Curriculum, 4) Student Needs Impact Day to Day Curriculum Modifications, 5) Special Education Teachers are Flexible and Creative, and 6) Special Education Teachers Balance Competing Priorities in the Classroom. The results of this study described the flexibility and variability of special education teachers' experiences with curriculum and curriculum development. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Dance as an academic endeavor has held a place in higher education since 1926. From its beginnings as a major of study under a department of physical education, dance in academia moved into departments of fine arts and flourished as an expressive art form in the mid to late 20th century. In the 1990s, dance in K12 education similarly moved from its beginnings in physical education into arts education. By 2002, the arts, including dance, music, theatre, and visual art, were named core academic subjects in national education policy. Dance educators and researchers encouraged departments of dance to include dance education as a degree program. How did higher education dance programs in Alabama respond to this new opportunity for their students? This case study investigated undergraduate dance education programming in Alabama from the perspective of current faculty. Interviews were drawn from faculty at the three universities in Alabama with dance degree programs, with additional data collected from current and former K12 dance educators. Document analysis included university mission statements and coursework along with state administrative code and standards related to dance educating. Informed by the theoretical lens of Giddens and the conceptual frame of Bolman and Deal, the study identified issues related to dance education degree programming and certification in Alabama. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This policy profile on education in Germany is part of the new Education Policy Outlook series, which will present comparative analysis of education policies and reforms across OECD countries. Building on the substantial comparative and sectorial policy knowledge base available within the OECD, the series will result in a biennial publication (first volume in 2014). It will develop a comparative outlook on education policy by providing: a) analysis of individual countries' educational context, challenges and policies (education policy profiles) and of international trends and b) comparative insight on policies and reforms on selected topics. Designed for policy makers, analysts and practitioners who seek information and analysis of education policy taking into account the importance of national context, the country policy profiles will offer constructive analysis of education policy in a comparative format. Each profile will review the current context and situation of the country's education system and examine its challenges and policy responses, according to six policy levers that support improvement:raising outcomes for all in terms of (1) equity and quality and (2) preparing students for the future; raising quality through (3) school improvement and (4) evaluation and assessment; improvement in how the system is organised to deliver education policy in terms of (5) governance and (6) funding. A list of References and further reading is included.

This bulletin presents the report of a survey of State higher educational institutions of Iowa, made under the direction of the Commissioner of Education for the Iowa State Board of Education by the committee appointed by the Commissioner. The introduction provides background on the development and purpose of the survey. Contents include: (1) Higher education in Iowa, with incidental reference to pubic secondary education; (2) Expenditures of Iowa State institutions of higher education; (3) Duplication and the principle of major lines; (4) Graduate work; (5) Liberal arts work in the Iowa State College; (6) Extension work; (7) Duplication of work in psychology and education; (8) Home economics in the three State educational institutions; (9) Subcollegiate work; (10) Courses in journalism; (11) Courses in commerce of a school of commerce; (12) A study of the use of buildings at the Iowa State institutions; (13) Building costs; (14) The physical education of women; (15) The work and remuneration of the instructional staffs of the Iowa State institutions; (16) Observations on State and institutional administration; and (17) General summary of recommendations. The report additionally provides six appendices: (1) Discussion of certain departments at Iowa State College; (2) Extension work; (3) The housing of women students; (4) Substance of letter addressed to the editors of journals published in the State of Iowa; (5) Buildings and classification of space; and (6) Student clock hours, salaries, expenditures. An index is included. (Contains 13 tables, 5 diagrams, 7 maps, 53 footnotes, and 7 errata.) [Best copy available has been provided.]

"Education Indicators in Focus" is a recurring series of briefs that highlight specific indicators in "OECD's Education at a Glance" that are of particular interest to policy makers and practitioners. They provide a detailed look into current issues in pre-primary, primary and secondary education, higher education, and adult outcomes from a global perspective, and contain an engaging mix of text, tables and charts that describe the international context of the most pressing questions in education policy and practice. This brief reports that on average across 15 OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries, a 30-year-old male tertiary graduate can expect to live another 51 years, while a 30 year-old man who has not completed upper secondary education can expect to live an additional 43 years. A similar comparison between women in the two educational groups reveals less of a difference than that among men. In 27 OECD countries, on average, 80% of young tertiary graduates say they vote, while only 54% of young adults who have not completed upper secondary education do so. The difference in voting rates by level of education is much smaller among older age groups. Education can bring significant benefits to society, not only through higher employment opportunities and income but also via enhanced skills, improved social status and access to networks. By fully recognising the power of education, policy makers could better address diverse societal challenges.

A variety of globalizing influences have dramatically shifted the environment of Canadian institutions of higher education in the past few decades. Increased global student mobility has quite literally brought the world to our campuses. The presence of over 200,000 international students is only one factor contributing to increased cultural diversity on Canadian campuses. Greater cultural diversity derives from steady growth in the presence of Indigenous students and new Canadian students. Judging by the numbers, it would appear that higher education is poised to become a site of intercultural and global exchange. Although higher education has always valued the mobility of scholars and ideas, the recent emphasis on international activities has evolved to encompass much more than scholarly exchange. This paper explores the links between international education and global citizenship education in order to understand the inherent convergences and divergences, and to consider how they can be connected to achieve ethical approaches in institutional policy and practice, and in teaching. The common themes in the internationalization and global citizenship education literature will be examined in order to investigate the potential future trajectory of this area of scholarship. Beginning with a brief discussion of terms, the paper discusses the ethical dilemmas posed for Canadian higher education in a globalized context where the mobility of educational resources, paradigms and students have become commonplace strategies for many institutions. The final sections will discuss the challenges of embedding global citizenship perspectives within internationalization in higher education and suggest future possibilities.

The Seventy-first Congress authorized a survey of the education of teachers on a Nation-wide scope. The board of consultants and the associate director were appointed in July 1930. The Survey was organized and its scope determined by October of that year. The next 2 years were spent in gathering data and the time since then in preparing, editing, and publishing the findings. The Survey report is contained in six volumes. The first five volumes contain the results of the special investigations with the interpretations and recommendations of the Survey staff members responsible for each study. This volume, the sixth in the series, combines a summary of the studies plus an interpretation of the teacher-training situation in this country. It is divided into five chapters, as follows: (1) Introduction--Scope and Purpose of the Survey; (2) Raising the Level of Education of American Teachers; (3) Making the Preparation of Teachers More Professional; (4) Controlling the Demand for and Supply of Public-School Teachers; and (5) The Education of Teachers in the United States--Principles and Problems. (Contains 50 footnotes, 7 tables, and 4 figures.) [Best copy available has been provided.]

This chapter of the "Biennial Survey of Education in the United States" is concerned with the topic of medical education. Probably the most significant development in medical education during the past two years has been the change in attitude of the Federation of State Medical Boards toward certain aspects of professional education. The various states have set up requirements for medical practice and education and in doing so have exerted a great deal of influence in elevating standards of training through the prescription of the details of the medical curriculum and the legal standing of the medical schools. Medical education in the United States has also been regulated by the specifications and rules of several other agencies. The American Medical Association has been classifying medical schools since 1907 on the basis of buildings, equipment, personnel, administration, and the results of the examinations of the graduates of each school before the State medical boards. The Association of American Medical Colleges has devoted itself particularly to the problems of the curriculum and to the inspection of medical schools. Following an introduction, this bulletin covers the following topics: (1) Changes in medical education; (2) Number of physicians; (3) Premedical education; (4) Medical education; (5) The internship; (6) Other medical institutions; (7) Basic science boards; (8) Post-graduate medical education; and (9) Changes in medical practice. (Contains 12 tables, 4 footnotes, and 1 note.) [Best copy available has been provided.]

This chapter of the "Biennial Survey of Education in the United States" is concerned with the topic of the professional education of teachers. Current problems in the education of teachers that are of chief interest, as judged by returns from nearly 100 teacher-preparing institutions and from State departments of education, and by general discussions to be found in the literature of the field, may be grouped under the following topics: (1) Teacher supply and demand; (2) Certification of teachers; (3) Overhead and internal administration and control of teacher-preparing institutions; (4) Problems of finance; (5) Institutional staff problems, including selective admission; (6) Curriculum construction and revision; (7) Student teaching and the training school; and (8) Education of teachers in service. Since developments during the short period of the biennium are too limited to permit the discovery of many distinct trends that will throw light upon the possible solution of problems indicated above, and furthermore since the present year marks the end of a decade of significant and noteworthy changes in the field of teacher education, the conclusions in this survey chapter will in many cases be based upon data covering a 10-year period, or upon an 8-year period when data for the year 1930 are not available. (Contains 4 tables and 3 footnotes.) [Best copy available has been provided.]

When we think of China, with a history dating back more than 4,000 years, with a national literature not excelled by that of any other ancient people, a system of government conducted by her ablest scholars, chosen for more than 12 centuries by competitive examinations, we are not surprised to find her characterized by a spirit of self-confidence. By reason of her early development in culture and in government, she became the teacher of neighboring countries, and invariably compelled her victor to adopt her language, literature, customs, and laws, literally absorbing the conqueror and making him lose himself among her people. The first purpose of this bulletin is to trace the growth of the first national educational institutions and the struggle over the introduction of modern education into China before the formation of the ministry of education. The second purpose is to treat of the present educational system as outlined by the ministry of education. Chapters include: (1) The Growth of Modern Education in China up to 1898; (2) Education from 1898 to 1900: Reforms and Counter Reforms; (3) Development of Modern Education from 1900 to 1906; (4) Controlling Agencies of the Educational System; (5) Primary Education; (6) Middle Schools, Provincial Colleges, and Universities; (7) Normal, Technical, and Miscellaneous Schools; and (8) Chinese Students Studying Abroad. A bibliography is included. Individual sections contain footnotes. [Best copy available has been provided.]

States are introducing and enacting an increasing number of bills targeted toward workforce development and career and technical education. The increase in legislation illustrates a shift toward creating collaborations between higher education institutions and employers in the state as one strategy to enhance workforce development and postsecondary attainment success. Internships and work-based learning are a growing trend in state policy focusing on workforce development. Increasing the availability of internships and career curriculum can expose students to workforce needs in their state, multiple career pathways and the hard skills required for employment in high demand occupations. States' monitoring of employer needs can help institutions create a comprehensive career education curriculum and expose students to the skills needed for jobs in their community. The Education Commission of the States (ECS) reviewed enacted legislation, from 2012-14, across the 50 U.S. states that addressed higher education and workforce development. The specific substance of bills identified and cataloged varied, including bills addressing the creation and funding of state longitudinal data systems, targeted programs and pathways connecting specific workforce needs with educational offerings, financial incentives to complete specified education programs leading to employment in high demand fields and the creation of working groups or commissioning of reports addressing education to workforce pathways. This brief provides a deeper dive into the content of the specific policies that create targeted programs and pathways connecting specific workforce needs with educational offerings. The purpose of this brief is to assist state leaders in acquiring information about policies that can better align education programs and workforce needs.

Designed to assist Spanish-speaking parents and teachers in understanding special education procedures, this book describes the process for obtaining school services for children with disabilities. An introduction reviews six major provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that relate to children's rights to a free, appropriate public education and parent involvement in decision-making. The following chapters address: (1) the special education planning cycle and key people in the process; (2) ways for parents to develop and provide critical information to professionals working with their child; (3) referral and evaluation; (4) school records and reports; (5) eligibility decisions; (6) Individualized Education Programs (IEPs); (7) IEP meetings; (8) early intervention; (9) transition from school; (10) due process procedures, with examples of conflicts resolved in due process hearings provided; (11) nondiscrimination protection; and (12) monitoring the services provided and checkpoints for progress. Most chapters include blank forms and exercises for parents. A glossary provides definitions of special education terms. Appendices include a list of regional parent training and information programs, special education state offices, national organizations serving persons with disabilities, and publications relating to special education and a variety of disability issues. (CR)