Education & Pedagogy

This paper attempts to describe and analyze the development and reforms of secondary education in Hong Kong and Shanghai over the past 25 years. Comparing the two cities is useful in constructing a spectrum of possibilities on the one hand, and identifying some common themes in the development of secondary education on the other. The commonalities and differences, the experiences and lessons, should shed light on similar reforms in other parts of the world. Section 1 provides the background in which both cities launched their respective education reforms. Section 2 provides contextual descriptions of the two education systems. Section 3 illustrates changes in the workplace in both Hong Kong and Shanghai. Section 4 summarizes the challenges facing education in Shanghai and Hong Kong. Section 5 examines the efforts at reform in both systems, concentrating on secondary education. Section 6 revisits the purpose of secondary education in the context of: (a) almost universal attendance in secondary education in both cities; (b) few job opportunities for fresh secondary graduates; and (c) a majority of the population having to undertake lifelong learning. Finally, Section 7 concludes by stating that there must be a reassessment of the nature, goals, and contents of secondary education. Both cities have done tremendous work in this direction, most significantly in the reform of the curriculum, where the general tendency is to move away from fragmented feeding of specific knowledge toward establishing learning experiences that have long-term significance.

"Education Today" is a quarterly newsletter on trends and innovations in education, on worldwide efforts towards Education for All and on UNESCO's own education activities. The focus of this issue of "Education Today," is on Education Sustainable Development (ESD) and what it means. This simple answer is as educators, we are educating to make the world a better place for us and for future generations. At the same time, the answer is highly complex and needs to be addressed from economic, social, civic and cultural perspectives. This is where the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) launched in 2005 comes in. As a leader of this Decade, UNESCO is assisting countries and regions develop plans and strategies that are relevant to their different realities and concerns. As the dossier of this issue of "Education Today" explains, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for teaching about sustainability, and we are operating on a "learning-by-doing" basis. The DESD is a chance for all of us to do something together and to learn from one another. Articles in this issue include: (1) Educating for Tomorrow's World; (2) Learning World--She Sings about Literacy; (3) Focus--Educating for Tomorrow's Sustainable Development; (4) Education For All--Can We Compare Literacy Rates Accurately?; and (5) Briefs: Islam; Buddhism; Catholicism--Promoting Faith-Based Reproductive Health.

In Virginia, sufficient state support is essential to the vitality of the state's network of public higher education institutions as it currently exists. Unfortunately, a crisis in the funding of Virginia's public higher education system has been evolving over the last two decades. Between 1992 and 2010, general fund appropriations to public higher education in Virginia fell from 14% to 11% of total state appropriations. It should be noted that Virginia's General Assembly has worked to increase base adequacy funding from 85% of guideline-calculated need in 2004 to 92% as of fiscal year 2008. However, the fact remains that the Commonwealth's support for higher education continues to lag behind most of the country. This report examines how state support for public higher education in Virginia has evolved over time to its current state, as well as the steps being taken by one of its neighboring states to address a similar crisis in the funding of that state's public higher education system. Appended are: (1) Percent of General Fund Support to Public Higher Education in Virginia; (2) Average Funding per FTE Student at Four-Year Institutions (in 2009-10 constant dollars); (3) Average Funding per FTE student at Virginia Community Colleges (in 2009-2010 constant dollars); (4) FY2008 Public Higher Education Support per Student; (5) Resolution from SCHEV Council Meeting Minutes for October 21, 2008; and (6) Eight general principles of higher education funding of the 1973 Carnegie Commission on Higher Education. (Contains 1 table and 12 endnotes.)

The U.S. Department of Education (Education) manages one of the largest discretionary appropriations of any federal agency, and plays a key role in supporting efforts to meet the nation's education goals. While Education managed a discretionary appropriation of over $160 billion in fiscal year 2009 and was responsible for administering about 200 grant programs, it has the smallest workforce of any cabinet agency. As requested, this report examines (1) the key high-level management challenges facing Education, (2) Education's strategic management of its workforce, (3) Education's design of internal controls to help ensure accountability over contracts and student aid grants, and (4) Education's information technology (IT) management controls. To do this, GAO (Government Accountability Office) reviewed relevant Education documents and interviewed Education program and management officials about strategic workforce management, IT, contracts, and Pell Grants. GAO recommends that Education take steps to better estimate workloads; strengthen safeguards over its performance management system; properly implement established contract monitoring guidelines; and improve its management controls over IT resources. Education generally agreed with our recommendations. Appendices include: (1) Objectives, Scope, and Methodology; (2) Summary of Changes to Education's Performance Management System, Implemented in 2010; (3) Education IT Governance Structure; (4) Comments from the Department of Education; and (5) GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments. (Contains 2 tables, 5 figures and 86 footnotes.)

The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) is the sole national organization that represents the institutional interests of university-based teacher education programs. Specifically, AACTE represents more than 770 schools, colleges, and departments of education and affiliate organizations that produce more than two thirds of the nation?s new school personnel each year. One of the Association?s primary goals is to contribute to the knowledge base on teacher education by conducting surveys on topics of critical interest, publishing scholarly papers, and collecting information that assists users in the study of education policy, especially as it relates to the quality preparation of educators. In addition, AACTE and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) cosponsor the Professional Education Data System (PEDS), which annually collects and examines data on the productivity, demographics, and financial resources of AACTE and NCATE member institutions. This report provides selected data for the Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges AILACTE member institutions from the 2002 PEDS report, which collected data on the 2000-2001 academic year. Of the 662 AACTE members that completed the survey, 154 institutions (23.3%) indicated that they were affi liated with AILACTE. Data used for this report is based on these 154 institutions and is organized into four subsections: (1) Student Enrollment; (2) Degrees Conferred; (3) Professional Educational Faculty; and (4) Technology and Distance Education.

As we begin the twenty-first century, schools and teachers are subject to enormous pressures for change. The revolution in digital technologies, the pressure to develop consistently high-performing schools systems, and the drive between excellence and equity all combine to raise profound questions about the nature of successful teaching and learning today. In his Inaugural Directorial Lecture, Professor Chris Husbands explores the extent to which teaching is changing in response to these external pressures and the implications for teachers, schools and learners. He asks what this means for research, teacher education and the nature of an "institute of education". Professor Husbands examines the past aspirations of the Institute of Education, University of London, summarises current worldwide education trends and suggests a way forward in order to re-align the relationship between an "institute of education" and the academic, policy and practitioner communities it serves. His new aspirations show how an "institute of education" can face the major challenges of education today and: (1) best respond to the social and economic context of educational provision in a global context; (2) optimise the organisation of schools as regards school improvement; and (3) achieve a step-change in the way it supports effective teacher practice. Professor Chris Husbands is Director of the Institute of Education, University of London. He has research interests in teacher education and education policy and has written widely on aspects of education policy and on curriculum and teacher development.

Education plays a significant role in development and the dividends that result from investments in education are immeasurable. Quality education generates greater economic growth, creates a lasting impact on public health, and leads to safer more stable societies. Over the past two decades, major progress has been made in providing education to millions worldwide. Numerous global initiatives, significant increases in donor funding, and collaboration between developed and developing nations have allowed children everywhere to enter school for the first time and stay in school throughout their childhood and adolescence. However, more needs to be done. Progress has been uneven and millions of children and youth still do not have access to good quality education. In addition, economic and gender-based disparities still prevent children from attending school and many who are in school are not actually learning the crucial skills they need for work and life. Getting into school is just a first step. It is time to refocus the global education agenda on learning through increasing access to good quality education for all. Accordingly, the Center for Universal Education at Brookings is proposing a new agenda to reinvigorate international efforts on education and to build on the previous success of getting more children in school. This agenda, referred to as the Global Compact on Learning, is a common set of concrete steps that, if taken, will help developing countries achieve a vision of learning for all. (Contains 22 endnotes.)

Presented are proceedings from a 3-day midwest regional institute held in 1971 for state level personnel and university leaders on training needs in areas of physical education and recreation for mentally and physically handicapped children and adults. Two presentations given discuss the design and purpose of regional training institutes and theoretical ideas involved in education. Training perspectives are covered in two presentations concerning needs of special education, and needs of physical education and recreation. Issues, problems, and needs are delineated in reports from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Also reported from each of the states are an action plan, which usually includes a statement of the problem, objectives, scope, resources, and a concluding statement. Listed as a result of the reports are the 20 most pressing issues/concerns for physical education/recreation. Development of a state plan is the first priority of 10 issues, and cooperation among special education, physical education and recreation is the first priority of 10 issues for special education. Ten conclusions concerning the institute are listed including acquisition of new information by participants, and need to change the prevailing apathetic public attitude about physical education for the handicapped. (Listed in appendixes are institute personnel, resource participants, and institute participants; provided are evaluation and order forms.) (MC)

One of six introductory modules in a 22-module series designed to train vocational education curriculum specialists (VECS), this guide is intended for use by both instructor and student in a variety of education environments, including independent study, team teaching, seminars, and workshops, as well as in more conventional classroom settings. The guide has five major sections. Part I, Organization and Administration, contains an overview and rationale, educational goals and performance objectives, recommended learning materials, and suggested reference materials. Part II, Content and Study Activities, contains the content outline arranged by goals. Study activities for each goal and its corresponding objectives follow each section of the content outline. Content focus is on background, characteristics, and principles of vocational education; certification of vocational educators; the needs for improvement in the preparation and certification of vocational education teachers; and trends in vocational teacher education (performance-based teacher education, microteaching, the cooperative occupational preteaching experience program (COPE), education for curriculum specialists, and leadership development programs). Part III, Group and Classroom Activities, suggests classroom or group activities and discussions keyed to specific content in the outline and to specific materials in the list of references. Part IV, Student Self-Check, contains questions directly related to the goals and objectives of the module, which may be used as a pretest or posttest. Part V, Appendix, contains suggested responses to the study activities from part II and responses to the student self-checks. (HD)

THIRTY PARTICIPANTS INCLUDING TEACHER EDUCATORS AND ADMINISTRATORS ATTENDED A 2-WEEK TEACHER EDUCATION INSTITUTE DESIGNED TO CONSIDER CRITICAL ISSUES IN VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR PROGRAMS OF TEACHER PREPARATION IN SMALL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. THE PRESENTATIONS BY SPECIAL CONSULTANTS WERE--(1) "CRITICAL ISSUES IN VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION" BY J. KAUFMAN, (2) "PURPOSES, POLICIES, AND ORGANIZATION OF TEACHER-EDUCATION" BY H.G. BEARD, (3) "RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT GRANTS AND SMALL PROJECT RESEARCH," BY J. MORROW, (4) "PLANNING AND STRATEGIES FOR DEVELOPING MORE EFFECTIVE TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS" BY R.M. WORTHINGTON, (5) "IDENTIFYING AND UTILIZING HUMAN AND INSTITUTIONAL RESOURCES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS" BY L.W. JONES, (6) "DEVELOPING COLLEGE-INDUSTRY COOPERATIVE PROGRAMS IN VOCATIONAL TEACHER EDUCATION" BY G.H. SILVIUS, (7) "IDENTIFYING, INTERPRETING, AND IMPLEMENTING RESEARCH FINDINGS IN TEACHER EDUCATION TO IMPROVE THE PRE-SERVICE PROGRAM" BY G.Z. STEVENS, (8) "RECRUITMENT OF STUDENTS FOR TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS" BY C.E. DEAN, (9) "RECRUITING, UPGRADING, AND DEVELOPING ADEQUATE FACULTY IN THE SUBJECT AREAS WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO OCCUPATIONAL ORIENTED SKILLS" BY R.D. MORRISON, (10) "UPGRADING AND DEVELOPING ADEQUATE FACULTY IN SUBJECT AREAS WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO OCCUPATIONAL ORIENTED SKILLS" BY G.F. RANKIN, AND (11) "THE ROLE OF NEW MEDIA IN TEACHER EDUCATION" BY D.R. YOUNG AND S. BEECRAFT. ALSO INCLUDED ARE (1) A SUMMARY REPORT OF SMALL GROUP SEMINAR SESSIONS, (2) A PAPER,"RESEARCH DESIGN IN AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION" BY G.Z. STEVENS, (3) THE INSTITUTE PROGRAM AND A LIST OF PARTICIPANTS, (4) DEFINITIONS, AND (5) CRITICAL ISSUES TO START DISCUSSION. (HC)

MAJOR FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF A STATEWIDE STUDY OF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES FOR YOUTH AND ADULTS WHO HAVE LEFT HIGH SCHOOL AND NEED OCCUPATIONAL EDUCATION AND SUGGESTIONS FOR A MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM ARE PRESENTED. INFORMATION WAS DERIVED FROM AVAILABLE DATA, CONFERENCES WITH INDUSTRY AND GOVERNMENT PERSONNEL, STUDENT QUESTIONNAIRES, AND A GRADUATE FOLLOWUP STUDY. SOME OF THE MAJOR FINDINGS WERE--(1) THE STATE HAS, IN EFFECT, A TWO-LEVEL SYSTEM OF EDUCATION, HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE, WHILE THE OCCUPATIONAL STRUCTURE REQUIRES PERSONS WITH AN INTERMEDIATE LEVEL OF EDUCATION, (2) MAJOR POPULATION AREAS DO NOT HAVE ADEQUATE TECHNICAL EDUCATION SERVICES, (3) THE STATE IS NOT KEEPING PACE WITH THE NATIONAL MOVEMENT TOWARD OCCUPATIONAL EDUCATION BEYOND HIGH SCHOOL, (4) SCHOOLS ARE NOT PRODUCING THE KINDS AND NUMBERS OF TECHNICAL PERSONNEL NEEDED TO MEET THE FUTURE STATE MANPOWER REQUIREMENTS, (5) OKLAHOMA INDUSTRIES ARE NOT EMPLOYING AVAILABLE GRADUATES OF OKLAHOMA TECHNICAL SCHOOLS, AND (6) BUSINESS, OFFICE, DISTRIBUTIVE, AND PARAMEDICAL PROGRAMS AT THE ASSOCIATE DEGREE LEVEL HAVE NOT BEEN DEVELOPED. PRIORITY NEEDS IN DEVELOPING A STATE SYSTEM OF OCCUPATIONAL EDUCATION WERE--STATEWIDE PLANNING, SEPARATE FUNDING, VERTICAL STRUCTURE OF OCCUPATIONAL EDUCATION, AND A SYSTEM OF MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT, TO INCLUDE MANPOWER RESEARCH, INDUSTRIAL PLANNING SERVICES, AND OCCUPATIONAL EDUCATION. TRENDS IN OCCUPATIONAL EDUCATION, THE PRESENT OCCUPATIONAL SYSTEM AND OCCUPATIONAL PROGRAMS, COSTS AND RETURNS OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION, GRADUATE MOBILITY, EMPLOYMENT PATTERNS, AND THOSE BEST SERVED BY OCCUPATIONAL EDUCATION BEYOND HIGH SCHOOL ARE DISCUSSED. A BIBLIOGRAPHY AND RESEARCH INFORMATION ARE INCLUDED. (MM)

In a sense, public education is like a pyramid of laws, policies, regulations, rules, guidelines, and practices built on a foundation called the U.S. Constitution. At each level, there is a set of "do's and don'ts" that guide the actions of people involved in public education. This handbook, written to help people understand their rights relating to public education, gives information, ideas and suggestions on ways to improve the students' education. Discussed are the education pyramid; legal rights of students and their parents; how to influence school decisions; evaluating the school; New Mexico State education agencies and laws; how and where to file discrimination complaints; major issues in schools--curriculum, personnel, school plant and equipment, parent and student rights, school board and accountability; freedom of speech; searches; suspensions and expulsions; dress codes; corporal punishment; student marriage and pregnancy; student records; ability grouping; the educable mentally retarded; bilingual education; Federal programs and discrimination; free lunch program; Freedom of Information Act; textbooks; teacher certification; education of Native Americans; and local school boards. Also included are sample letters for filing Title VI and IX complaints, for requesting a conference with school personnel, and for requesting permission to speak before the school board; suggestions for dealing with people in the education pyramid; and an evaluation checklist for evaluating a school. (NQ)

The book presents 21 essays representative of current international anthropological research in education. The categories of this rather broad range of studies are noninstitutional education, institutional education in society, the organization of educational institutions, and language and education. The two essays in the first section examine forms of social mechanisms for the transmission of knowledge outside of educational institutions. The second and third sections comprise the major portion of the book. Subjects addressed in the second section include the relationship of institutional education to national development in Cambodia, the structuring of what is taught in the United States, resistance to Western education in Nigeria, and the relationship of anthropology and education to social planning. The third section focuses on the problem of working out a new relationship between empirical methodology and theory relevant to educational institutions. One essay discusses a comparative study of three American high schools based on the assumption that the school is a completely discrete system, which it is not. Views of members of one ethnic and political group toward educational institutions imposed on them by others, and the role of anthropology in development and change in educational institutions are also considered. The two essays in the final section are concerned with the development of bilingual/bicultural programs for Chicanos and the relationship between the ethnography of communication and the teaching of language. (KC)

To project the effects of population change on vocational/technical education, a project surveyed the literature (1977-79) on the futures of general and vocational education and on the effects of declining enrollment and applied these concepts and projections to the field of vocational/technical education. Vocational/technical education seemed more directly linked to economic and socio-cultural influences than to fluctuations in enrollment patterns. Despite the effects of declining student populations, vocational education is increasing in both enrollments and courses taught. As other elements in the educational structure are affected, however, general education is expected to shift its emphases to compete with vocational education for a share of the dwindling student population and the growing adult continuing education market. Recommendations for vocational/technical educators in future planning and programming included (1) developing a better understanding of the movement toward generalization of services; (2) planning to serve the growing need for adult vocational retraining; (3) learning to influence and deal with increasing governmental involvement; (4) recognizing and planning for changing social conditions and values; (5) emphasizing communication and personal-social skills, cognitive/conceptual understandings, and quality of life aspects of vocations in the curriculum; (6) preparing to compete for student populations and revenue; (7) using market analysis techniques to assess consumer needs and public relations to enhance the image of vocational education; and (8) continuing research and development efforts. (YLB)

Taken from an international conference organized by the Swedish National Board of Universities and Colleges, the report consists of six overview papers, five reports from discussion groups, and a transcript of the concluding discussion. The conference was designed to allow an informal exchange between researchers and practitioners in the field of higher education, to achieve conceptual clarification and problem identification, to indicate policy implications, and to specify priorities for future research efforts. Introductory speeches by Hans Lowbeer and Lennart Levin are followed by papers on higher education as a system: "Process and Structure in Higher Education System (Tony Becher and Maurice Kogan) and "Contradiction and Innovation in Higher Education and Learning--A Research Proposal" (Ulf Himmelstrand). Papers in a third section address the role of higher education in society: "Higher Education and Society--An Analysis of the Relationships from a Structural and a Historical Point of View" (Yrjo-Paavo Hayrynen) and "Elite and Mass Higher Education--American Models and European Realities" (Martin Trow). The fourth section on research and development organization and planning contains the following papers: "Interactions Between Practitioners and Social Scientists in Research and Development" (Edmund Dahlstrom) and "Research and Development for Higher Education in Sweden--Some Conceptual and Policy Problems" (Rune Premfors and Bjorn Wittrock). The final section focuses on discussion of such topics as whether diversity and pluralism are possible in a unified higher education system. Appended are the conference program, a list of participants, and a list of publications. (PHR)