Education & Pedagogy

To gather information on how the business education curriculum in secondary schools is being affected by changing trends, questionnaires were sent to State and local business education supervisors. Some aspects of instructional innovations are discussed based on the responses gained from the national survey, particularly the responses of 78 local supervisors directly involved with high school programs. Business education has become an important part of the general education of students and more courses in this area are being offered. To meet employment needs of various industries new courses are being taught on word processing, micrographics, reprographics, electronic calculators, and data processing. Job training for students in some schools is being achieved through simulation, block-time patterns, and performance-based business education. Changes in business education curriculum have also been the result of greater emphasis now being placed on career education, human relations in business, metrication, recordkeeping, vocational youth organizations, and individualizing teaching and learning. The discussion of these changes in business education is supported with brief descriptions of actual high school programs. (Author/EC)

The Elkhart Career Education Planning Program (ELCEP), a K-12 component of Indiana's career education effort, and its first three years of operation are described in the document. A general discussion of the definition of career education, program goals, administration, funding, and facilities provides background material on the program. Several projects are discussed, including: a model school; the development of a graduate course in the techniques of career education, in conjunction with Indiana University at South Bend; the screening of commercial products for applicability to the program; the development of the ELCEP library and mobile unit; recruitment of teachers for career education courses; and, consultation services and information on career education for the Elkhart school district. Administrative offices are housed at the Elkhart Area Career Center, and facilities enable field trips, workshops, the graduate course, and the resource library to be available to community schools. School projects developed by teachers in conjunction with ELCEP are discussed, and future goals cited for career education development. Suggestions for interviewing a resource person and a field trip check list are included. (LH)

Scholars trained to deal with the Soviet realm or more generally with the communist phenomenon have not typically included the DDR within their purview. A study of East German educational systems is of value since the decisions any society makes about its own educational system are revealing indicators both of where the society has been and where it is going and is of value to politicians, educators, and social scientists. This document covers East German postwar reconstruction and Soviet occupation; the higher education establishment, including routes to higher education, the worker's and peasants, faculties, teacher training, adult education, foreign students, religious education, military education, the state; the party and higher education, including, the constitutional basis, state and party apparatus, academic institutions of the Socialist Unity Party (SED), the Free German Trade Union Federation (FDGB), and the Free German Youth Research (FDJ); higher educational policy; the new reform movement; higher education and the economy; scholarship and research; and conclusions. Appendices contain a bibliography, academic credentials, statistical chronology and related documents. (Author/KE)

The nine seminar papers present discussion and methodology related to surveying for community education. The introductory paper, Initiating Community Education-Who Does It and How, examines local, governmental, nongovernmental, and individual roles in supporting community education. Methodological Considerations in Community Surveys discusses community survey design and data analysis. Another paper provides a listing of selected references related to the structure, formation, and analysis of sociological surveys. Surveying for University Community Education is a comparison of two continuing education surveys conducted at Auckland University in 1945 and 1951. The Assessment of Community Education Needs: the Masterton Study examines the effects of social background factors on the development of adolescents as a base for possible community programs. Surveying the High School Community and The Primary School Survey describe a questionnaire survey related to increased use of secondary school facilities for out-of-school classes. Other papers, which clarify school role within the total framework of community education are The Intermediate School Model in Community Education and Surveying a Community's Needs for Early Childhood Education Services. (EA)

The major programs sponsored by the Division of Vocational Education assisting career development in New Jersey are identified and briefly described. The stated objectives of career development are: identification of a variety of occupational opportunities, development of a number of career alternatives, demonstration of job responsibility, acquisition of a job-oriented value system, implementation of career decisions, and evaluation of results. The programs and services offered in the State are listed for preschool through post secondary and adult levels. They are designed to accomplish the objectives by providing: (1) exploratory experiences; (2) integrated vocational and academic education; (3) assessment of interests, aptitudes, and abilities; (4) opportunities for the development of good work habits and attitudes; and (5) occupational skill training. Thirty-six major programs and services are listed alphabetically with designated grade levels and descriptions which define the purposes and activities involved for each. Specialized statewide services are also outlined including: county career education coordinators, teacher education and training, curriculum management center, occupational resource center, and center for consumer education services. (Author/MS)

Under a Title I grant of the Higher Education Act of 1965, Stark Technical College initiated a community task force for expanding minority opportunities in technical education. The task force, composed of community leaders and college representatives, became operational during the 1976-77 academic year. The need for this program was seen in the high unemployment situation of the area's black population. The task force met in workshop sessions focusing on the problem areas that have interfered with access to career opportunities that would be available to the black minority upon completion of associate degree programs in technical education. Specific areas of concern included financial aid, career guidance, developmental education, cooperative education, relationship of business and industry to the technical college, and the impact of technical education. Recommendations for financial aids, recruitment, community education, role models for success, and placement are outlined. An evaluation survey instrument relating to task force objectives is included. (MB)

The Teachers Centre for Continuing Education was established to provide opportunities for teachers to undertake further study in order to upgrade their professional qualifications. The Western Australia Post Secondary Education Commission, acting on the Partridge Report on Post-Secondary Education in Western Australia, investigated recommendations that the Centre be phased out. It was suggested that a multi-campus education institution offer part-time and external courses for inservice study. Reasons for this change include: (1) declining Centre enrollment; (2) decreased need for the Centre, which was originally established when opportunity for inservice study was limited; (3) ability of existing education institutions to offer more appropriate courses; and (4) limited geographic applicability of Centre courses. The Commission recommends that the Teachers Centre for Continuing Education be phased out over a three year period. This phasing out must be well publicized. No new students are to be permitted to enroll, and all possible steps to ensure that the rights and interests of Centre staff members are preserved are to be taken. (CJ)

THIS VOLUME OF PROCEEDINGS ON "INNOVATION IN TEACHER EDUCATION" CONTAINS PAPERS ON (1) "TEACHER EDUCATION IN PERSPECTIVE," (2) "STATE AND NATIONAL FORCES AFFECTING TEACHER EDUCATION," AND (3) "THE CLINICAL PROFESSORSHIP AND CLINICAL EXPERIENCES." A DIGEST OF THE CONFERENCE'S PROCEEDINGS IS LISTED UNDER THE GENERAL HEADINGS OF (1) AIMS OF EDUCATION AND OF TEACHER EDUCATION, (2) CONTROL OF TEACHER EDUCATION, (3) UNIVERSITY POLICIES AND PROGRAMS IN TEACHER EDUCATION, (4) THE ALL-UNIVERSITY APPROACH TO TEACHER EDUCATION, AND (5) THE CLINICAL PROFESSORSHIP AND CLINICAL EXPERIENCES. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS OF THE CONFERENCE WERE--(1) NECESSITY OF A UNIVERSITY-WIDE APPROACH TO TEACHER EDUCATION, (2) NEED FOR A STRONGER ROLE OF STATE DEPARTMENTS OF EDUCATION IN ACCREDITATION, CERTIFICATION, RESEARCH AND FINANCIAL AID, AND (3) DESIRABILITY OF GREATER EMPHASIS ON LABORATORY EXPERIENCES,THROUGH SUPERVISION BY PROFESSORS FAMILIAR WITH BOTH THE THEORY AND THE PRACTICAL PROBLEMS OF TEACHING CHILDREN, AND THE INCREASED USE OF COOPERATING SCHOOLS. THIS DOCUMENT IS AVAILABLE FROM NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY PRESS, 1840 SHERIDAN ROAD, EVANSTON, ILLINOIS 60201, 65 PAGES. (AW)

THE MEXICAN AMERICAN AFFAIRS UNIT OF THE U. S. OFFICE OF EDUCATION IS PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH THESE PROBLEMS--(1) ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF MEXICAN AMERICANS, (2) PROGRAMS TO RAISE THE EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT LEVEL, AND (3) UTILIZATION OF FEDERAL AID TO IMPROVE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES OF MEXICAN AMERICANS. FEDERAL PROGRAMS WHICH CAN BE USED TO INCREASE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEXICAN AMERICANS ARE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS SUPPORTED UNDER TITLES I AND III OF THE ESEA. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS CAN BE OBTAINED THROUGH TITLE II OF ESEA AND TITLE III OF NDEA. INSTRUCTIONAL EQUIPMENT, NUTRITION AND HEALTH SERVICES, COUNSELING AND GUIDANCE SERVICES, TEACHERS, AND SCHOOL PERSONNEL TRAINING ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH VARIOUS TITLES OF ESEA AND NDEA WHILE VOCATIONAL EDUCATION TEACHERS AND FACILITIES ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE VOCATIONAL EDUCATION ACT. FEDERAL AID IS ALSO AVAILABLE TO PROGRAMS OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND ADULT EDUCATION. THE PAMPHLET CONCLUDES WITH A LISTING OF THE MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON MEXICAN AMERICAN EDUCATION WHICH WAS APPOINTED TO ADVISE THE U. S. COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION AND THE MEXICAN AMERICAN AFFAIRS UNIT. (JS)

Undertaken to determine what potential exists for greater library school involvement in continuing education for health science librarians in Kentucky, Ohio, and Michigan, this study had four major objectives: (1) to assess the current status for medical librarians in the region as provided by library education programs, (2) to identify possible areas of future involvement by library education programs in regional or statewide continuing education activities, (3) to identify the rewards available for continuing education activities offered by those programs, and (4) to identify resources which could be made available through the region's programs offering continuing education activities in medical librarianship. Findings, recommendations, and summaries of data gathered from Case Western Reserve, Kent State, University of Kentucky, University of Michigan, Wayne State, and Western Michigan are provided. Appendices include information on the project, library education programs in the area, state libraries and library associations, regional health science libraries, and the Medical Library Association. (FM)

The document presents information on planning, teaching, and evaluating multicultural education programs. Although most of the examples are based on current multicultural projects in New England, the authors believe that the material presented can also be useful to classroom teachers in other regions. The document contains two components. The first component describes a conference at which teachers exchanged ideas on multicultural education, identified multicultural education resources, and developed ideas for relating multicultural concepts to social studies classroom activities. In addition, evaluation data regarding conference activities and objectives is included. The second component presents materials, conference papers, objectives, and resources to help teachers set up a multicultural education program. Information is presented on approaches to multicultural education, the role of multicultural education in the curriculum, multicultural curriculum dimensions for teacher and inservice education, regional multicultural resources (mostly in New England) and activity ideas for various grade levels including analyzing reading assignments and television programs, participating in field trips, and comparing values held by different ethnic groups. (DB)

A study was conducted to improve accessibility of the handicapped to appropriate vocational education experiences. To accomplish this purpose two handbooks for vocational administrators were designed, developed and disseminated, and a third handbook was planned. (These handbooks cover federal laws affecting vocational education for the handicapped secondary students, implementation of mainstreaming concepts in vocational education, and the administration of vocational adjustment classes or work experience coordination for handicapped students.) In addition, three individual studies were conducted to identify competencies needed by any student entering a regular vocational program in agriculture, auto mechanics, and homemaking education. From these competencies special education teachers identified those skills which handicapped students might be expected to achieve independently or with special education services. Social skills were cited as most important entry competencies. However, with special services, such as a teacher aide, handicapped students were expected to be able to achieve most of the required entry competencies. These results should be considered when designing inservice for vocational special needs personnel and when considering individual educational programs and placement. (Author/BM)

This review and synthesis of research on home economics education covers studies done during the period 1970-1978. Research reports cover the following topics: consumer-homemaking education, occupational home economics programs in the junior and senior high schools, postsecondary and outreach programs for adults, area vocational schools, and home economics teacher education. The review focused on those studies investigating significant problems which tested theoretically derived hypotheses, those which approached problems in an innovative manner, those which illustrated a continuity of research, those which tended to conceptualize problems, and those which test experimental or quasi-experimental designs. The studies are divided into the following sections: the professional education of teachers; professionalism in home economics education; learning processes and teaching methods; needs, characteristics, and interests of learners; curriculum and teaching materials; sex-role stereotyping; occupations in home economics fields; evaluation; responsiveness to needs for information; and recommendations for future research. A list of references concludes the document. (CP)

Developed by the National Association of State Boards of Education/Louisiana Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA)-Education task force, this position paper describes the potential for CETA/Vocational Education collaboration, particularly CETA-Youth Employment and Demonstration Projects Act (YEDPA)/Vocational Education coordination, in Louisiana. An overview of CETA-Vocational Education progress in the state precedes an outline of the task force meetings which led to recommendations such as the establishment of a CETA-Vocational Education Council to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the development of the background materials. Two extensive appendixes, amounting to approximately four-fifths of the report, contain these informational materials brought together from the relevant state agencies on the four aspects of the CETA and Vocational Education systems which the task force explored: (1) present lines of responsibility, (2) lines of communication, (3) flow charts pertaining to funds, personnel, and program flow, and (4) development of a matrix of communication lines of the various state agencies involved. (YLB)

One of the products resulting from the Adult Career Education in Corrections Program of the University of Hawaii (a national effort initiated in 1972 and implemented within a regional framework with local participation), this volume is intended to serve as a supplemental resource for use with a generalized model (see related note) for planning, implementing, and evaluating programs of adult career education in corrections. The volume is comprised of articles divided into seven major topical areas which correspond to the seven major functions of the model: establish conceptual framework (fourteen articles), process system information (three articles), assess needs for career education (two articles), define/develop goals/subgoals/objectives (three articles), formulate adult career education plan (eight articles), implement adult career education plan (sixteen articles), and evaluate adult career education system (one twenty-page article). The articles were written by a wide range of professionals in the fields of corrections, education, economics, sociology, and psychology. (SH)