Education & Pedagogy

Whereas distance education was formerly on the periphery of education and in the realm of institutions with questionable academic credentials, it has been gradually gaining acceptance, is becoming mainstreamed, and is being embraced by traditional universities. The use of distance technologies is challenging the traditional structures of higher education institutions and it has been predicted that distance education technologies will precipitate changes in existing organizational models. This is not an unexpected outcome, as changes in technology precipitate changes in work relationships and in the way output is produced. The exact form that universities of the future will take in response to these changes is uncertain. This paper discusses distance education in the light of the challenges that it poses to higher education and its role as a driver of structural and cultural change. Emergent models and possible future directions will also be explored. The primary focus of this paper will be online or Internet based distance education. [For complete proceedings, see ED490093.]

This document contains the 2004-2005 issues of the National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) newsletter, which covers the topic of bilingual education. Six issues are contained in this document. Each issue is centered around a theme: (1) Models for Teacher Preparation: Deciding Which Ones Meet Our Needs; (2) Applications for Classroom Instruction; (3) No Child Left Behind: Assessing the Impact; (4) Funding Programs for English Language Learners; (5) Promoting Biliteracy through Content Themes; and (6) Reducing Dropout Rates for Hispanic Students. Along with feature articles, each issue also contains book reviews, announcements of upcoming conferences and calls for papers, noteworthy events and news in the bilingual education field, and membership information. (Individual articles contain references. For the 2000-2001 collection of "NABE News" issues, see ED455684.)

California's Master Plan for Higher Education represented a promise, of an affordable college education, to every person who could benefit. For decades, California's lawmakers honored that promise. Rapidly increasing college fees, coupled with higher costs for room and board, books, transportation, and healthcare are pricing students out of higher education or burdening them with excessive debt. This anthology of the California Postsecondary Education Commission's research provides insights into why college is less affordable and what California's leaders can do to make higher education affordable once again. There are five Commission documents in this anthology. These include: (1) Recommended Policy Options and a Panel Report on College Affordability (Report 06-22, December 2006); (2) Keeping College Affordable in California: A Report of the Special Panel on Affordability to the California Postsecondary Education Commission (December 2006); (3) Developing a Statewide Higher Education Affordability Policy (June 2006); (4) Development of a New Commission Policy on Higher Education Affordability: A Set of Principles; and (5) Resident Undergraduate Student Fees -- Issues and Options (March 2006).

Developments in information and communication technologies (ICT) in recent years have resulted in changes to content and delivery of education services. For its ICT in Education Policy Project, UNESCO since 2003 has published several reports that raise awareness and prepare policymakers to develop their own national action plan for ICT in Education. Apart from toolkits and research reports, UNESCO's ICT in Education Programme has also implemented a range of projects. Achievements of the ICT in Education Programme at UNESCO Bangkok are summarized and information on resources and reference materials are provided. Future initiatives for ICT in Education are discussed including education policy, teacher training, content delivery with ICT, non-formal education, monitoring and measuring changes, and research and knowledge sharing. Current partnerships with UNESCO are explained and others are invited to promote ICT for better quality teaching and learning. [This report was supported by Japanese Funds-in-Trust.]

Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) pairs English as a second language (ESL)/adult basic education (ABE) instructors and professional-technical instructors in the classroom to concurrently provide students with literacy education and workforce skills. In Spring 2004, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges' Offices for Adult Basic Education and Workforce Education (SBCTC) began 10 innovative demonstration I-BEST projects that tested traditional notions that students must first complete all levels of basic education before they can begin workforce training. All of the projects focused on ESL education. This research report provides an overview of the Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) demonstration program in Washington State. I-BEST uses a co-instruction model that pairs ABE/ESL instructors and professional-technical instructors concurrently to provide students with literacy education and workforce skills. The report presents lessons learned and related research and illustrates how they can be applied to practice.

Research messages 2006 is a collection of key messages from research projects published or completed by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) in 2006. It covers work undertaken by both NCVER and external researchers through the following programs: (1) National Vocational Education and Training Research Evaluation Program; (2) National Vocational Education and Training Statistical Program; (3) National Adult Literacy and Numeracy Program; (4) NCVER Core Research Program; and (5) NCVER consultancy work. The summaries are clustered under five broad themes used by NCVER to organise all of its vocational education and training (VET) research and analysis: (1) Industry and employers; (2) Students and individuals; (3) Teaching and learning; (4) VET system; and (5) VET in context. Twenty-nine pieces of work are included, and each summary provides details of how to access the full research reports. [Support for this publication was provided by the Australian Department of Education, Science and Training. For "Australian Vocational Education and Training: Research Messages, 2005," see ED493818.]

The first in a series of three books on P-16 systems of education, P-16: The Last Education Reform chronicles the establishment of Ohio's first regional P-16 Compact and how one community began the process of large scale systemic education reform not just for K-12 education, but for its entire education system--preschool through college and beyond--into the workforce and towards economic viability in the 21st Century. The work is ethnographic in nature and blends findings from the P-16 literature base with vignettes from the Stark County experience. Specific steps are offered from both on the formation of local or regional P-16s. Policy implications and the relationship of local and regional P-16s to economic development are discussed. An annotated bibliography of web-based P-16 resources is included. (Contains 63 footnotes.) [This book was published by the Stark Education Partnership, Inc.]

"Alabama Education News" is published monthly except for June, July, and December by the Alabama Department of Education. This publication, authorized by Section 16-2-4 of the "Code of Alabama", as recompiled in 1975, is a public service of the Alabama Department of Education designed to inform citizens and educators about programs and goals of public education in Alabama. This issue contains the following articles: (1) Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators, & Students Statewide (ACCESS) Distance Learning Bridges the Distance for Alabama Students; (2) Alabama Technology Impact In Education Week Encourages Discovery Of Educational Technologies; (3) January 23-27: Alabama Technology Impact in Education Week; (4) Alabama Tenth In Nation For Most National Board Certified Teachers; and (5) Alabama Among First States To Conduct "School Bus Watch Train-the-Trainers". Regular features include: (1) Good News in Alabama; (2) Awards, Opportunities and Professional Development; (3) Calendar; and (4) Teacher of the Month.

This paper draws together research on seasonality, child labour and education in the context of primary education in sub-Saharan Africa. It describes how income poverty and demand for labour can fluctuate within and between years, affecting participation and progression through school systems. It highlights how analysis of the private and public costs of education frequently ignore the significance of seasonal patterns related to the agricultural cycle and migration. It argues that education policy and practice should be more clearly articulated with fluctuations in household income, demand for labour (especially school age children), and seasonal migration cycles. Educational reforms to improve school enrolment and lessen the burden of education on poor will not succeed unless seasonality is recognised. (Contains 2 tables, 18 figures, and 18 footnotes.)

This publication provides a summary of 2009 data relating to students, courses, qualifications, training providers and funding in Australia's publicly funded vocational education and training (VET) system. The Australian VET system provides training across a wide range of subject areas and is delivered through a variety of training institutions and enterprises (including to apprentices and trainees). The system provides training for students of all ages and backgrounds. Students have many options for training and may study individual subjects or full courses that lead to formal qualifications. Training takes place in classrooms, in the workplace, online and through other flexible delivery methods. Providers of vocational education and training in Australia include not only technical and further education (TAFE) institutes, but also universities, secondary schools, industry organisations, private enterprises, agricultural colleges, community education providers and other government providers. (Contains 19 tables and 36 notes on tables.) [For this report's support document, "Students and Courses 2009: Terms and Definitions", see ED510697.]

"Alabama Education News" is published monthly except for June, July, and December by the Alabama Department of Education. This publication, authorized by Section 16-2-4 of the "Code of Alabama", as recompiled in 1975, is a public service of the Alabama Department of Education designed to inform citizens and educators about programs and goals of public education in Alabama. This issue contains the following articles: (1) Technology Is Changing The World...Dive In!; (2) ACCESS Celebrates One Year; (3) Top Ten Ideas To Dive Deeper Into Technology and Model Lifelong Learning; (4) Alabama Honors Two Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award Winners; (5) Alabama Math, Science, & Technology Initiative Opens New Site at Auburn University; (6) Schools and Students Have New Resource for Inquiring Minds with "Ask the Expert" Program; and (7) Alabama Universities Unite for Special Education. Regular features include: (1) Good News in Alabama Schools; (2) Awards, Opportunities, and Professional Development; (3) Calendar; and (4) Teacher of the Month.

Since 1989, when it became legally possible for private higher education to operate in New Zealand, the sector has grown to become a significant part of the country's higher education system. We explore the private penetration, trace the changes that have occurred in private higher education, and evaluate the sector's position in New Zealand today. The private sector has had to find a niche for itself in a higher education sector dominated by a mature, well developed public sector. In so doing, New Zealand's private higher education exhibits differences and similarities with the private higher education internationally. Particular case study attention goes to the New Zealand case as one of private entry into a mature higher education system in an economically advanced country. Additional attention goes to the dissimilarities between the private sector and the more predominant public tertiary education institutions in New Zealand. It becomes apparent that the private sector has characteristics that make it quite different from that of the public sector in New Zealand. (Contains 10 tables and 19 notes.)

Distinguished historian and policy analyst Maris Vinovskis examines federal K-12 education policies, beginning with the publication of "A Nation at Risk" and focusing on the National Education Goals, America 2000, Goals 2000, and No Child Left Behind. In addition to discussing key policy debates, he also addresses the practical aspects of implementing and evaluating school and classroom reforms. Drawing on the author's unique experiences working in the Department of Education during both the George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton administrations, this important book: (1) Examines the changing social, economic, and family contexts of education and schooling; (2) Assesses the strengths and weaknesses of national education goals, standards-based reforms, and the role of accountability; (3) Evaluates key policies such as increased federal spending, comprehensive White House education packages, and research-based education strategies; and (4) Critiques NCLB and recommends more realistic expectations and policies for the successful education of all children.

In this testimony, Dr. Willard Sakiestewa Gilbert talks on behalf of the National Indian Education Association with regard to the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) and challenges facing BIE schools in improving student achievement. Founded in 1969, the National Indian Education Association (NIEA) is the largest organization in the nation dedicated to Native education advocacy issues and embraces a membership of nearly 4,000 American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian educators, tribal leaders, school administrators, teachers, elders, parents, and students. This testimony also presents a summary of the concerns NIEA has heard throughout the past few years on BIE schools and student achievement. NIEA has provided recommendations for some of the concerns raised, including legislative amendments to NCLB provided to the Committee in March of 2007. (Contains 20 footnotes.)

Strong induction programs influence novice special education teachers' determination to remain in teaching. Those who experience high levels of induction support tend to report greater job satisfaction and success in teaching challenging students. Although novice special education teachers can benefit from standard induction support, they also may require additional supports that address the realities they face--such as teaching students across disability groups, and in different settings, often in isolation from their general education colleagues. The range and volume of responsibilities can seem insurmountable to novice special education teachers. Challenging work conditions--such as an uncertainty about their roles and responsibilities, time pressures, scheduling difficulties, burdensome paperwork, and routine requirements--can contribute to their decision to leave early in their careers. Policymakers who understand the particular stresses faced by novice special education teachers can provide policies and programmatic support matched to their needs. This paper discusses what policymakers can do to ensure novice special education teachers succeed.