Education & Pedagogy

A study of six teacher education programs examined the preservice experiences of 70 novice general education teachers to determine conditions that may inhibit or facilitate their progress toward differentiation for academically diverse learners. Results found that their training in the nature and needs of exceptional learners was scant. (Author/CR)

One of four articles in the fourth section, "Aspects of Evaluation of PDS," this article argues for systematic evaluation of professional development schools. The paper provides specific suggestions for evaluation in three areas: evidence that K-12 students profit, that the preservice teacher education program is effective, and that continuing professional development for teachers is provided. (SM)

Physical educators at one university use multimedia authoring software so students can integrate text, graphics, video, audio, and digitized images into their lesson plans. The article explains how to produce and develop multimedia lesson plans, describes the advantages of multimedia, and explains how to get started with limited technology skills. (SM)

Provides physical educators with an understanding of diabetes, noting important considerations when teaching physical education to students with diabetes. Discusses four aspects of the issue (overview; common questions and answers concerning the control of diabetes; balancing insulin, food intake, and physical activity; and implications for physical education professionals). (SM)

The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education with the assistance of the International Society for Technology in Education has written standards for educating teachers. This article describes strategies used by Chestnut Hill College (Pennsylvania) for meeting the standards (guest lecturing by applied technology faculty, workshops by graduate students, and software resources management in the computer center). (SM)

Describes one teacher's attempt to enlarge the scope of her teaching to include the music of Africa. Uses this experience to examine the practical problems of introducing multicultural education into the elementary curriculum. Primary problems concerned finding and adapting appropriate and authentic instructional materials. (MJP)

Discusses the many reasons that science-related social issues such as environmental education should be an important part of every science curriculum, citing John Dewey as the first to express the breadth of possibilities. Themes include excessive individualism, democracy and the common good, and the role of education in promoting science as an instrument of social progress. Contains 29 references. (PVD)

Determines the extent to which Asian art is represented in Australian secondary art education. Surveys and discusses art appreciation classes, art education curricula, teacher education programs, and the Artists in Schools program. Maintains that although some progress has been made, Asian art is still underrepresented. (MJP)

Presents four bilingual education workshop sessions: (1) educational needs of bilingual children and the rationale for bilingual education; (2) developing teachers' role in bilingual education, including building home language skills and enhancing language development; (3) building teacher-parent relationships through positive personal contacts; and (4) creating culturally consistent and inclusive early childhood programs for all children and families. (KDFB)

Discussion of higher education in Latin America and the Caribbean looks at its role in human resource development, industrial advancement, and sustainable development. Circumstances in individual countries are sketched in the areas of higher education system diversification, characteristics of different national system types, governance, vocational education and training, and coordination. (MSE)

Educators in dentistry and osteopathy discuss efforts within their fields to diversify clinical education. Dental school changes focus on curriculum reform, closer education-care delivery relationship, patient centeredness, comprehensive care experiences, and patient care as a distinct mission of dental education. Efforts in osteopathy emphasize understanding of all body subsystems, using a holistic approach. Implications for optometry are considered. (MSE)

Describes new practices in preservice mathematics education at Russia State Pedagogical University. The program offers mathematics teachers a deeper understanding of the mathematics of school curricula and how it fits within the mathematics discipline. It teaches them alternative instructional strategies beyond mere lecture so they can meet individual student needs. (SM)

Compared to conventionally schooled children, home-schooled children do as well or better academically; they are well adjusted socially, find employment, and go on to further education. Communication technologies allow children to learn academic foundations at home. Discusses parents' reasons for choosing home schooling, legal status in various countries, problems, and a view of future possibilities. Contains 25 references. (TD)

Suggests that although district boards of education in the coal mining communities of Monongalia County (West Virginia) were mandated to provide an equal education for all students, segregated black schools in the early 1900s were inferior to white schools in terms of facilities, materials, curriculum, discipline, teacher-student ratios, and supervision. (LP)

A needs assessment developed by the Faculty Development Group of the Central Florida Consortium of Higher Education determined faculty perceptions about promoting and inhibiting learning of new educational technologies; experience with distance education and delivery systems; and skills in instructional design for initiating distance education courses. Also identifies nine critical factors for promoting the adoption of educational technologies. (PEN)