Education & Pedagogy

This report is based on five regional forums held in 1983 on the topic of business and vocational education. The forums, conducted in cooperation with the National Commission for Employment Policy and the State Advisory Councils on Vocational Education, provided the opportunity for an exchange of ideas and information with representatives of the private sector. Employers discussed their perceptions of vocational education and education generally, their expectations, and areas where improvements are needed. Several themes were heard repeatedly throughout the forums. One was the reliance of employers on high quality vocational programs to provide trained workers. Another was a desire to see improvement in all areas of vocational education to bring programs up to the highest standards and keep them abreast of the latest developments in technology and skill requirements. Also stressed was the need for greater relevance in education generally to the requirements of the workplace so that all students will be prepared to function when they move into the world of work. The businesses represented were willing to work in partnership with education to help improve quality. (This report contains an overview of the forums, a discussion of business-education partnerships, and conclusions and recommendations by the Council.) (KC)

Approximately 200 resources which appeared in "Resources in Education" and "Current Index to Journals in Education" from January 1981 to June 1983 have been compiled into an annotated bibliography covering aspects of American Indian education including curriculum development, culture, counseling, student development, testing, achievement, adult education, Indian women, higher education, status of Indian education, and program effectiveness. The monograph presents background information, provides a synthesis which highlights certain documents, identifies issues and trends, and suggests possible implications for the future of Indian education. The first bibliography section, arranged by ERIC accession number, contains approximately 150 abstracts of documents appearing in "Resources in Education" and citations that include author(s), title, sponsoring and/or originating agency, publication date, pagination, language, publication type, alternate sources of the document, and descriptor and identifier terms. These documents are available for reading at over 750 ERIC microfiche collections nationwide and/or may be obtained in microfiche or paper copy by using the attached order form. The second section contains over 50 citations and annotations of journal articles announced in "Current Index to Journals in Education". Entries in this section can be found in the periodicals cited. The final section consists of a subject index for all citations. (Author/NEC)

This report explores ways in which family support and education programs targeted to families with preschool-age children fit within schools, or more specifically, within local community education programs. The issue was examined by means of: (1) an in-depth field study of the Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) initiative at 9 local sites in Minnesota; and (2) a survey of 12 family support and education programs in other states. Both methods of research addressed the issue of community education as the context for family support and education programs, and examined the benefits of such arrangements and the feasibility of more widespread use of the arrangements. An introduction in Chapter I is followed in Chapter II by a summary of the current scope and operation of ECFE in Minnesota and a consideration of factors of design, context, and management that affect local program implementation. Chapter III describes the benefits of basing the ECFE initiative within community education and assesses the degree to which findings in Minnesota may be generalized to local community education-based family support and education programs across the U.S. Conclusions are advanced in Chapter IV. Individual profiles of the 21 local sites studied are included in appendices, as are tables, figures, and other materials. Approximately 50 references are cited. (RH)

This document reprints a series of articles appearing in the Parsippany, New Jersey, "Daily Record" on October 25-30, 1987 and November 9, 1987. The series stresses that the New Jersey special education system has vastly improved from what existed prior to the 1975 Education for All Handicapped Children Act, but that the system still falls short of its goals. The effectiveness of special education programs is analyzed, noting that education is not truly individualized, schools do not spend enough money or employ enough staff, some schools place students in inappropriate special education classes, many schools discourage parental participation, and the state does not monitor special education programs well enough. The articles provide statistical data on: special education enrollments by school district and by classification of handicap, types of special education programs by county, and costs of special education by school district. Numerous vignettes illustrate the efforts of classroom teachers to help disabled students learn and the efforts of parents to acquire appropriate services. A state plan is reviewed, calling for increasing mainstreaming, reducing inappropriate placements, modifying funding systems, and providing special training for teachers. Methods for evaluating special education are discussed. Programs enabling learning-disabled students to attend college are described. (JDD)

Mexican American children have made poor progress in special education programs as currently structured. Existing data appear to indicate that minority children, particularly Mexican American, continue to be placed in special education out of proportion to their numbers in the general population. Although the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142) requires that each child referred to special education receive a comprehensive assessment using valid tests administered in the child's dominant language, current assessment practices lead to mislabelling and misplacing Mexican American students. Lack of trained personnel makes it impossible to provide appropriate services to bilingual special education children as mandated by PL 94-142. The development of instructional programs is hampered by lack of knowledge about the learning styles and cognitive development in minority group, bilingual children. Comprehensive, evaluated programs taking these factors into account have not been developed or proven effective for minority group handicapped children. A school district's philosophy of bilingual education and the type of language instruction provided will have a major impact on bilingual special education students. Parental involvement in a child's total educational program has recently become a principle intervention strategy and should be used with minority group parents. (JHZ)

The economic value of higher education, whether it is a good investment, and ways that the value can be measured are described in this critical review of concepts and methods in the economics of higher education. Three parts form the structure of the book: (1) summary and stage setting; (2) the economic value of higher education: the classical tests; and (3) the economic value of higher education: the emergent social goals. The discussion includes findings about the economic effects on both private investors (individuals who make college investment decisions) and public policy makers (those who allocate funds for higher education). Issues covered include: contributions of education to the U.S. national economy; economic impact of colleges on their local communities; rates of return to higher education; effects of higher tuitions upon enrollments; equity effects of the combination of higher education financing and enrollment patterns; and effects of student financial aid. The findings of the book point to the significant economic value of higher education, locally and at the national level, for students, colleges themselves, and society as a whole. Data for documenting these issues are provided, as well as an extensive bibliography that contains 380 references and appendices that systematically describe the characteristics of hundreds of studies related to the economics of higher education. (LB)

This pamphlet is intended to aid Iowa career education specialists, counselors, and teachers in implementing the career education component of their school district's multicultural, nonsexist education plans. The first section contains definitions of terms relating to curriculum development in general and career education in particular. Discussed next are the rationale and philosophy of nonsexist, multicultural career education. The third section contains excerpts from the Iowa Code that address the concept of nonsexist, multicultural career education. Outlined next are the four goals of nonsexist, multicultural career education (helping students develop positive and realistic self-concepts regardless of race, sex, cultural background, or disability; understand the contributions to society that have been made by members of both sexes and by individuals belonging to each of the other groups defined in this pamphlet; develop positive interpersonal and intergroup communication techniques and relationships; and understand that all human beings share common needs, feelings, and problems). A self-evaluation checklist is provided for teachers to ensure that their own career education program is being implemented in a manner consistent with the nonsexist and multicultural approach that has been mandated by the Iowa Code. Concluding the guide are annotated lists of 37 resource materials and 13 resource organizations that would be helpful to individuals teaching a nonsexist, multicultural career education curriculum. (MN)

A study examined present agricultural education programs in Grenada and made recommendations for needed improvements. Data for the evaluation were obtained from numerous documents and publications, field trips, and discussions with key officials in various ministries and institutions, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Technical and Vocational Institute, Institute for Further Education, and Food and Nutrition Council. The data collected from these sources indicated that there is an urgent need to strengthen the agricultural education program in Grenada. Particularly needed is a strong basic education program in the primary schools, including instruction in mathematics and science, as a foundation for strong agricultural education programs. The development of curricula and syllabi for teaching agriculture at these levels should be the country's top priority. Also vital are the preparation for agriculture teachers and the establishment and government support of 14 proposed agricultural education centers. Staff supervising agricultural science programs should hold bachelor of science degrees in agricultural education, and teacher workshops should be provided on a regular basis. (Appendixes to this report include a listing of documents reviewed by the researcher, data on present staffing and training needs in Grenada, and selected information concerning educational institutions and enrollment in them.) (MN)

Paulo Freire's views on adult education may be categorized as belonging to the radical or social transformationist school of thought. Basically, Freire felt that the correct objective of adult education is to engage actively in the transformation of society through changing or attacking its economic, legal, and political institutions. Born and raised in Brazil, Freire was particularly concerned with adult literacy education in the Third World. Generally speaking, Freire's earliest major works deal with the philosophy of adult education, whereas his later works begin to manifest more of a practitioner's approach to adult literacy education. Many of his earliest writings are devoted to the concept of the dialectic; however, what separated Freire's philosophy from that of earlier philosophers associated with teaching through dialogue is his focus on the combination of reflection and action within the pedagogical process. To Freire, literacy education is a student-centered process that includes the following steps: creation of education teams and cultural circles, creation of generative words, codification of words, decodification of words, and postliteracy education. Despite such shortcomings as their verbosity, occasional lack of objectivity, and fairly rare inconsistencies, Freire's writings on adult literacy education are remarkably consistent and attest to a great cohesiveness between his thoughts and his actions. (MN)

Results of assessing needs in medical education in Florida are presented. Attention is directed to: the type, size, and location of programs needed to meet state needs; funding and tuition policies; access to medical education; public support for private medical schools; financial aid to medical students; geriatric medical education; graduate medical education; health care cost containment and medical education; physician assistant education; and academic advisement for premedical students. An overview of allopathic and osteopathic medical education and practice in the United States addresses: number and location of schools, applicants, enrollment, minority and women enrollment, curricula, and productivity and income of physicians. Information is also provided on the health status of Florida residents, including causes of death for different age groups, effect of income and life style on health status, health status of minorities, and medical needs in rural areas. Also covered are: supply and demand projections, geographic distribution of physicians within Florida, and specialty distribution. Appended are two papers: "Options for Financing--Graduate Medical Education in Florida" (Ruth S. Hanft), and "Report on Graduate Medical Education Financing in Florida" (John M. Kuder). (SW)

This inventory of model programs in rural postsecondary education is part of a larger project to provide current research and resource information to rural educators and policy makers. The inventory is illustrative--not comprehensive or exhaustive--and results from mailing 805 survey instruments which elicited 251 responses and 183 candidates for inclusion. The 54 entries finally selected as "model" programs are organized into the following categories: Continuing Education, Community Colleges, Job Training, Professional Development, Community Education, Adult Basic Education, Rural-Focused Curricula, and Community Development. Each entry lists information that describes the program's goals and objectives, how the program is run and who it serves, its innovative aspects, its funding sources, its resources available for exchange, and who to contact. Information regarding each program's delivery system is also provided. Five indexes categorize entries by program type, sponsoring institutions, target population, technology and format used, and state. An appendix includes a copy of the survey designed by the staff at the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, an alphabetical listing by state of all respondents, and the contacts from which the survey mailing list was compiled. Following the inventory is a section which describes rural education resources. (PM)

The vocational education system was started in the United States by a collaborative effort of employers, educators, and unions. If vocational education is to meet the critical skill needs of industry, Federal policies providing for broader governance and an incremental approach to the planning and delivery of vocational education programs are necessary. Rather than relying on government corrective action to adjust curricula after skill needs have already changed, vocational education planners need to build adjustments to changing technology and labor markets into the system. Federal vocational education policy must encourage States and local school districts to deal with all elements of the school-to-work transition, including job placement, job search education, and employment assistance services. When planning for the delivery of occupational education to adult learners, Federal policymakers need to focus on efforts to assist adults in making occupational adjustments and to aid employers in upgrading their labor force. It is imperative that Federal policymakers take steps to meet national skill shortages, promote entrepreneurship, and integrate the multitude of Federal human resource development efforts currently underway. (MN)

The Committee on Tolerance and Understanding reviewed the current state of Native education in Alberta in the context of six principles: respect for diversity, parental involvement, rights of the child, mission of education, role of public education, and shared experiences. The investigation revealed that Alberta Natives are still suffering from intolerance and a lack of dignity and respect, Native parents face extra barriers to effective involvement in education, society is failing to ensure that Native children receive an education of no less than minimum acceptable standards, public education is failing to instill self-esteem in Native students, and increasing involvement in their own education may result in a growing isolationism of Native peoples. The Committee recommended preparation/adoption/implementation of a Native education policy which includes specific proposals on curriculum, teachers, parental and community involvement, and program development. The objectives of this policy should: enable Native children to reach their full potential and achieve parity within the public education system; ensure Native culture/history is adequately/accurately reflected in curricula; preserve Native languages/cultures; encourage Native participation in the education system; develop programs consistent with aspirations of Native communities and student needs; and support local initiatives in providing alternative programs to counteract high dropout rates. (NEC)

For much of Maryland's history, formal education was a privilege, not a right. The notion that statewide public education was a public responsibility came slowly, and the institutional system that developed to provide such an education emerged only after considerable debate and experimentation. Education of the female, black, poor, and orphaned was generally neglected during the colonial period. During and immediately after the Revolution, the free school system changed, but did not markedly improve in Maryland. By the late eighteenth century many county schools had united with or were absorbed by private schools or academies with stronger financial support. Between 1798 and 1821 at least 24 academies were established, many of which received state aid. During the early nineteenth century Marylanders gradually began to perceive the necessity for a uniform system of education for all students. With an act of the General Assembly in 1916, Maryland finally and fully recognized the value of education and the essential role of state and local government in providing public education. Although this legislation has been amended often, it remains today the basic statutory authority for Maryland's educational system. The document includes "Appendix A: The Rise of Maryland Academies, 1778-1867" and "Appendix B: Records Relating to Education at the Maryland State Archives." (BZ)

Since the enactment of the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 many manifestations of self-determination and community control have surfaced in Native communities. During the 1940s the United States Indian Service attempted to initiate cross cultural education but had limited success. The 1960s saw significant education but had limited success. The 1960s saw significant change in Indian education at the postsecondary level when student activism brought about the establishment of ethnic studies programs and courses on Native culture and languages. The 1967 passage of Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act greatly stimulated interest in the bilingual education of Native children. The Rough Rock Demonstration School is one example of a successful bilingual, bicultural program. Navajo is the language of instruction for beginning students, and cultural studies continue with a strong emphasis upon written Navajo, which is possible because of a standardized Navajo orthography and the support of the Navajo Curriculum Center. The Indian Self Determination Act of 1977 has fostered community control of schools and given new hope to many Indian parents. Cultural revitalization and restoration has resulted from education from a native perspective. The current need is for evaluations of Native education, conducted by Native researchers and shared with Native communities. (JHZ)