Education & Pedagogy

The International Charter of Physical Education and Sport was adopted by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1978 and amended in 1991. The charter's purpose is to place the development of physical education and sport at the service of human progress. The charter's individual articles address the following concerns: (1) the fundamental right to physical education and sport; (2) physical education and sport as an essential element of lifelong education; (3) meeting individual and social needs; (4) the importance of qualified personnel; (5) adequate facilities and equipment; (6) research and evaluation; (7) protection of the ethical and moral values of physical education and sport; (8) promotion through information and documentation; (9) influence of mass media; (10) role of national institutions; and (11) international cooperation as a prerequisite for the universal and well-balanced promotion of physical education and sport. (JDD)

This briefing book consists of 45 tables on demography that are organized in 4 sections. Section 1 looks at the leadership and faculty of schools, colleges, and departments of education (SCDEs). Leadership is represented by deans of schools and colleges of education, and chairs of departments of education). In addition, a clear picture is given of the contrasts among institutions by size and type. Section 2 displays the demographic characteristics of students in teacher education programs. Section 3 provides information regarding the fiscal health of SCDEs and data on financial resources expended for teacher education programs. Section 4 profiles practicing teachers with respect to race/ethnicity, gender, age, and salary, looks at characteristics of practitioners who move, stay, or leave the profession; and provides some comparative tables relating teachers to other professionals. (LL)

Despite the strong association between women educators and young children, a chasm exists between "education feminism" and early childhood education. This paper explores why this chasm exists, and offers ways in which the two fields can be brought together. The relationship of feminism and early childhood education is explored, using history as a frame of reference. The evolution of feminist thinking about young children and their education is examined, as is the development of the field of early childhood education. The paper concludes by calling into question the hegemonic domination of developmental psychology, the theoretical foundation upon which early childhood education is built, and suggests that feminist theory and epistemology could provide a viable foundation for a new vision of early childhood education. The paper argues that the unification of feminism and early childhood education would benefit both fields. Contains 50 references. (AS)

This digest contains three articles on gender equity in vocational education, especially in relation to the provisions of the Vocational Education Act of 1976 and the Carl Perkins Act of 1984. "Gender Equity in Vocational Education" (Debra J. Robbin) describes interviews with students at a New England vocational school, in which they reported a generally equitable school environment, but some striking gender differences appeared in opinions about the roles of females and males in the workplace; "Vocational Education in the School Reform Movement" (Sundra Flansburg) highlights some of the equity issues raised in school reform discussions and their implications for vocational education; and "Shaping a New Decade: Women in Construction" (Susan Eisenberg) provides a perspective on the status of women in the building trades. An annotated list describes 11 publications on gender equity available from the Women's Educational Equity Act Publishing Center. (KC)

This policy discussion paper is intended to stimulate debate about how to develop more and better opportunities for formal and nonformal environmental education for British adults. A summary found at the beginning of the paper lists its implications for the government, all providers of adult education, all providers of work-related training, businesses, the voluntary sector, and the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education. The paper considers the case for environmental adult education, reports on the level and kinds of activity that currently exist, and identifies a series of developments that are desirable and necessary steps in the transition to a more sustainable society, using government legislation and responsible individual, workplace, and community action as appropriate. In the belief that practices of educational organizations should act as examples, the paper also considers the process of institutional change. Contains 14 references. (YLB)

Empowering education is defined as a critical-democratic pedagogy for self and social change. It is a student-centered program for multicultural democracy in school and society that approaches individual growth as an active, cooperative, and social process. The pedagogy described in this book is student-centered, but not permissive or self-centered. Neither the student nor the teacher can do whatever he or she likes. The learning process is negotiated, with leadership by the teacher, and allows for mutual teacher-student authority. Obstacles to and resources for empowering education are analyzed, suggesting ways for students and teachers to transform traditional approaches into critical and democratic ones. Examples and applications are drawn from elementary school through higher and adult education. Through empowering education, a democratic discourse can be developed to ease student-teacher alienation and promote a critical learning process. A list of 157 references is included. (SLD)

National concerns about the quality and effectiveness of science teaching have resulted in several efforts directed at restructuring the United States' science curriculum. This digest discusses recent initiatives of the Earth Systems Education. Topics discussed include: (1) efforts to understand the planet Earth; (2) the Program for Leadership in Earth Science Education (PLESE), a program designed to infuse more content regarding the modern understanding of planet Earth into the K-12 science curricula; (3) the Earth Systems Education framework; (4) Earth Systems education and science curriculum restructuring; and (5) Earth systems education projects. Earth Systems Education offers an effective curriculum development strategy that infuses planet Earth concepts into all levels of the K-12 science curriculum, and provides an organizing theme of an integrated science curriculum that could effectively serve the objective of scientific literacy and recruitment of talent into science and technology careers. Contains 16 references. (MDH)

This guide is intended as a source book of policies, ideas, and suggestions for use by Manitoba division and school administrators responsibilities for planning, implementing, and monitoring courses in industrial arts, home economics, and vocational-industrial education. Presented in Section 1 is background on the development of vocational-technical education in Manitoba at the secondary level. Sections 2-7 discuss the following: unit-credit titles (technology education in the areas of vocational-industrial, industrial arts, and home economics); funding (categorical grant support for programs and unit-credits, replacement allocations, capital requests, and regulations); articulation (within schools, between schools, with colleges, with the apprenticeship branch, and with the workplace); programs (approval process, closures and alterations process, and unit-credits for programs); related academics; integrated concepts (employability skills, sustainable development, entrepreneurship, technology, and special needs programming). Listed in Section 8 are 10 documents that are considered important resources for technology education. (MN)

This document is a report on the Council of Europe's October 1990 conference on the subject of the arts in education. Aimed at those with interests in the education of students ranging from ages 11 to 18, the conference included administrators, inspectors, advisers, teachers, and practicing artists. Planners of the event sought to foster stronger pan-European art education links, to exchange information about art education in participating countries, and to promote mutual strategies for development, collaboration, and international liaison. Through the conference, participants examined the status of art education in their nations, engaged in a comparative analysis of the problems of and possibilities for future collaboration, shared examples of excellence in art education, and offered recommendations and conclusions. The conclusions and recommendations appear in the report along with a list of participants. (SG)

This report presents recommendations resulting from a study of current and future workforce preparation needs in Illinois. A special committee held 8 meetings and 10 hearings across the state and examined background reports on national and state labor conditions, existing job training services, and public, private, and proprietary education systems (K-12 and higher education). The Committee's investigations and recommendations address seven areas: (1) basic preparation for work, (2) workplace competencies, (3) retraining to improve competitiveness, (4) opportunities in education and employment, (5) educational transitions, (6) linking education and work, and (7) accountability. Fourteen implementation strategies are linked with estimates of needed resources for the remainder of fiscal 1992 and fiscal year 1993. An appendix lists all 38 of the recommendations. (DB)

"CIVITAS" is a curriculum framework that specifies core ideas for civic education in the U.S. constitutional democracy. It reviews what adults should know and be able to do to as effective citizens. CIVITAS was developed by the Center for Civic Education in cooperation with the Council for the Advancement of Citizenship and with support from the Pew Charitable Trusts. More than 60 scholars contributed to this project as consultants and authors of various parts of the book "CIVITAS: A Framework for Civic Education." This ERIC Digest highlights core ideas in "CIVITAS" on the rationale for civic education. It also addresses educational goals and substantive ideas for teachers on civic virtue, civic participation skills, and civic knowledge. (DB)

This survey sought to assess progress in implementing health education programs in state residential schools for the hearing and visually impaired, to assess the extent that comprehensive school health education is required, and to compare implementation of health education with implementation of Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) education. Of 50 schools responding (representing about 40% of possible respondents), 38 indicated that a comprehensive health instruction program existed. The majority of responding institutions reported that health education certification was not required for teaching elementary or secondary health education to visually or hearing impaired students. HIV/AIDS education was required in 76 percent of the responding schools. The majority of the schools began HIV/AIDS instruction at the sixth grade, with instruction most often given by a health educator. An appendix contains a copy of the survey form. (JDD)

The status of statistical sophistication in research on vocational education in the 1980s and changes in the degree of sophistication were studied. Analyses were made of 118 quantitative research articles published in 4 vocational education research journals (28 articles in the "Journal of Vocational Education Research," 50 articles in the "Journal of Agricultural Education," 26 articles in the "Journal of Industrial Teacher Education," and 14 articles in the "Journal of Vocational Home Economics Education"). It was found that the statistical sophistication level of the majority of research in the 1980s was less than advanced. The statistical sophistication of research was related to both the problem area studied and the methodological strategy used. No changes were found in the use of statistical techniques and in the statistical sophistication of research from the early to the late 1980s. Seven tables summarize study findings. (SLD)

The NASA-Industry Education Initiative (NIEI) is the response of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and its private-sector contractors to the education crisis. Findings from the initial survey show that support for NIEI appears to be strong among the organizations surveyed and there is a significant level of cooperation between NIEI members and other organizations in developing and conducting programs. Heavily focused towards science, engineering, mathematics, and technology achievement, NIEI activities appear to be aligned with the national education goals. There are some areas for improvement. The majority of programs are targeted fairly late in the educational cycle and may be under emphasizing the formative years (i.e. pre-Kindergarten through elementary school). The number of initiatives geared towards adult literacy and adult-skills-enhancement is low. The number of critical assessment and systemic reform initiatives is also low. (PR)

This study examined differences in final course grades for campus-based and distance education students at Nova Southeastern University (Florida). Data on over 26,000 course grades for winter term 1997 were obtained from university records. It was found that students enrolled in courses offered through distance education received a significantly greater frequency of successful grades (A, B, C, or Pass) than their campus-based counterparts in the undergraduate studies program, the School of Education and Human Services, and the School of Business and Entrepreneurship. However, in the Center for Psychological Studies, there was no significant difference in the frequency of successful grades awarded in campus-based courses and courses offered through distance education. An appendix provides two sets of data tables. (MDM)