Education & Pedagogy

This document contains Oklahoma's State Plan for education of students with disabilities in fiscal years 1991-93, along with the following support materials: the Oklahoma Policies and Procedures Manual for Special Education; the text of selected Oklahoma state laws on special education; a set of Oklahoma interagency agreements; a guide for parents and school administrators concerning the state's due process procedures; the local education agency district plan for special education with requirements for submission; the Special Education Policies and Procedures Manual for Use of Federal Funds; and a public agency monitoring document for special education. Also included are samples of 25 special education and special services forms; excerpts from Public Law 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act; a checklist to ensure compliance with due process requirements; due process forms; training standards for hearing and appeal officers; and a suggested needs assessment for district compliance. (DB)

Changing the conditions under which teachers are prepared is a necessary condition for changing schools. This policy guide emphasizes the role of the state in providing an environment for change. The guide particularly discusses the state's use of incentives and sanctions to raise the visibility and urgency of teacher education reform to the highest levels in colleges and universities. The discussion of what state policymakers can do to help reform teacher education is organized around five major topics: (1) beliefs undergirding the policy recommendations; (2) implications of "restructuring" teacher education; (3) leveraging change in teacher education; (4) state oversight as a force for change; and (5) the cost of change in teacher education. Specific recommendations include establishing clinical schools, eliminating the practice of granting emergency teaching certificates, and terminating teacher education programs that are unable or unwilling to meet program standards established by the state. (IAH)

The paper identifies key attributes of syntopical theory as developed by Mortimer Adler, examines the status of the foundations of education, and discusses the importance of a national dialogue about foundational studies in teacher education and syntopical theory. People who work in disciplines embedded in the foundations of education lack a common body of ideas, knowledges, and languages for engaging in dialogue (with people inside and outside the field). Such a body of ideas is vital if groups of people are to access and acquire a positive orientation toward the conceptual and dispositional material which can be offered to teacher education students. The paper draws heavily upon Adler's development of "The Great Ideas: A Syntopicon of Great Books of the Western World." It is suggested that associates in the foundations of education form a committee for examining the nature of a syntopicon of foundational knowledge which would provide professional educators with a common knowledge base and language system. The committee would examine potentialities and values of such an instrument for anyone involved in teacher preparation, particularly in the foundations of education. (SM)

The Antelope Valley Union High School District's regional plan for career education and lifelong learning represents a model for educational levels/districts cooperation. The plan provides a bridge from education to careers that takes into consideration changes in the economic marketplace. The career development plan includes elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as postsecondary institutions, adult schools, and training programs. Students, parents, and employers are considered process customers. The process is composed of five major components: (1) career awareness; (2) exploration; (3) decision making; (4) preparation; and (5) job entry. Each of the 5 plan years contains specific activities relating to 7 goals: (1) business and education commitment; (2) systematic and comprehensive career development process; (3) bridges and transitions between education levels; (4) coordinated education and training resources between postsecondary agencies; (5) coordinated alliances between business and education; (6) information dissemination to the community; and (7) continuous process improvement. (Appendix A contains a glossary of terms. Appendix B lists career prep council steering committee members.) (NLA)

An arts education task force was set up in North Carolina to identify critical issues related to arts education and to make recommendations for improving the public school programs. Fourteen recommendations are documented including that: (1) the Department of Public Instruction, the State Board of Education and the North Carolina General Assembly be committed to ensuring that the Basic Education Program, including the K-12 discipline-based arts education curriculum, be continued; (2) a unit of credit in arts education be required of all students for graduation from high school and for entrance to all component institutions of the North Carolina University system; (3) the Department of Public Instruction undertake a detailed study to determine the appropriateness of facilities currently used for arts education instruction; and (4) arts education be recognized and encouraged as a viable option to actively engage students at risk in their education and to decrease the number of dropouts. The reasoning behind each recommendation is discussed in detail and the document concludes with several appendices including a comparison table with graduation requirements in the arts in other states. (KM)

This policy brief examines new roles for state education and higher education agencies in building collaborative education systems. It outlines the perspectives held by schools and higher education on the following issues: (1) defining high standards and designing outcomes-based assessment; (2) building capacity to support high standards; and (3) coordinating K-12 and higher education systems to support student achievement. Promising efforts taken by the following states in the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL) region are described--Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Individual sections outline the states' strategies for defining standards and assessment and for institutional improvement. Other issues to be addressed include: equitable higher education admission standards; teaching and learning strategies that complement high school strategies; sponsorship of teacher-faculty exchange programs; postsecondary options programs; responsibility for new technologies; roles and responsibilities for work experience and experiential learning programs; preparation of minority freshmen; and parent involvement. A list of state contacts is provided. (LMI)

A three-year training program for bilingual/bicultural program staff development specialists is described. The program, which involves the cooperation of a higher education and six local education agencies (LEAs), seeks to train staff development specialists who can function in two languages, sensitive to the problems and advantages of limited-English-proficient (LEP) students, have strong background in bilingual and bicultural education, and are committed to quality education and social change. In particular, efforts to institutionalize the program are examined, based on eight indicators of institutionalization: active support of administrators; positive attitudes of non-bilingual education faculty; faculty support through institutional funds; bilingual faculty tenure and promotion; program continuation without federal funds; involvement of several professionals in program operations; compatibility with institutional priorities; and sufficiently high enrollment levels to sustain the program. Theoretical constructs used in the training, curriculum design and content, practicum, participant perceptions of the program, and benefits to the organizational participants are reviewed. Contains 35 references. (MSE)

This report addresses one aspect of education governance--state-level governance structures across states. This report explores in depth the formal relationships among those holding official positions in state education governance and how such relationships have changed over time. The information in this report is derived from three sources: surveys of selected state education policymakers and government officials, reviews of relevant state constitutional provisions and codes, and reviews of education news magazines. The first section presents a summary of state education governance structures across states, a discussion of recent structural changes, descriptive data on state boards of education (SBEs) and chief state school officers (CSSOs), an overview of legislative education committees, and a discussion of trends and issues. The concluding part of this section highlights governance issues receiving current attention. The second section presents a figure depicting the state-level education governance structure for each of the 50 states. Each figure represents the formal relationships among the governor, CSSO, and SBE by illustrating the selection method for each of these offices. Related data on these roles and key education committees in the state legislature also are included. (KDP)

Distance education has become a major teaching and learning tool. Distance education typically uses technology to reach learners in the following ways: (1) audio communication through one- or two-way radio or telephone; (2) audiographic links such as computer-to-telephone setups; (3) freeze-frame transmission of visual images; (4) one-way audio-video such as educational television; and (5) interactive, two-way full-motion compressed video. A popular satellite-delivered program called Star Schools is a good example of effective distance education. Many factors influence the acceptance of distance education, but it appears to be more readily accepted when it is the only alternative to a regular classroom. The Telelearning Project Outreach at the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts and the distance-learning programs of the North Slope Borough School District (Alaska) illustrate the advantages and drawbacks of distance education. The America Tomorrow Leadership Information Service (ATLIS) is being implemented to help educators learn about distance education and educational technology. (Contains 11 references.) (SLD)

This paper reviews studies that evaluate and compare teacher education programs. Literature was sought from the "Educational Index,""Current Index to Journals in Education,""Resources in Education,""Educational Resources Information Center,""Statistical Reference Index," and U.S. Government documents. Thirty-four studies provide a framework for: comparing teacher education programs with each other or with programs in other fields to determine trends and tendencies as well as differences; evaluating specific competencies associated with teacher education programs; discussing program effects on students; and comparing traditional and alternative teacher education programs. Based on the small number of studies available further comparisons between various types of teacher education programs are warranted. Future research should include a greater emphasis on observations of the participants; documentation of the actual practice of acquired teaching skills; and studies which investigate the kinds of teachers produced by particular programs, differences in outcomes of various programs, and the impact of adjunct versus full-time faculty teaching professional courses. Charts displaying the focus, scope, methodology, and findings of the studies comprise half the document. (Contains 35 references.) (LL)

The use of the term "physical education" in higher education began in the 1920's, with previous terminology including "gymnastics,""hygiene," and "physical culture." There is now a large constituent of educators who feel the name physical education no longer accurately describes the field. Various names have been considered, primarily "kinesiology," along with "sport science,""movement science," and "human performance." Arguments for and against adoption of each of these terms are cited. It is concluded that the term "physical education" is neither too broad nor too narrow in focus. Some educators concerned with changing the field's name in actuality want to change the field's identity. Changing the field's name will not automatically improve its status in education or in the community. The field is troubled by such problems as individuals within the field who are less than professional and by colleges offering such courses as kick-ball and dodge-ball as formal physical education courses. Educators in physical education cannot hide behind a new name, but must look to the future and change the image, not the name. (Contains 23 references.) (JDD)

This document contains the texts of four lectures that were presented as part of a series commemorating the 75th anniversary of Ohio State University's Department of Agricultural Education. The first lecture, "The Conceptualization Process and Vocational Education Management," (Dewey A. Adams) discusses a five-step management behavior approach for use in teaching vocational education administration. "Educating Agriculturalists: New Wineskins for New Wine" (J. David McCracken) deals with the new clientele of agricultural education and the new programs and structures required to serve them effectively. A lecture titled "Scholarship in Agricultural Education: Its Essence and Mood," (J. Robert Warmbrod) examines the elements of scholarship and its role in agricultural education. The final lecture, "Interdisciplinary, Soft, Applied and Other Anomalies in Research: The Future," (Larry E. Miller) discusses the role of research in agricultural education programs, advocates the adoption of a systems approach to implementing research programs and preparing undergraduate and graduate agricultural students to perform research, and stresses the importance of gaining an understanding of social and behavioral science research. Each lecture includes a substantial reference list. (MN)

This round table discussion involved some 50 participants and seven panelists and focused on planning and management for excellence and efficiency in higher education. Basic issues or problems facing higher education were identified including coping with increasing student numbers, raising the quality of teaching, training and research programs, tackling these goals while operating under severe financial constraints, strengthening internationalization in higher education, and securing optimal employability of higher education graduates. The discussion led to the following recommendations for the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization's proposed Plan of action for research and training on governance, management and administration in higher education: a systematic gathering and dissemination of information on new development in the planning, management, administration and financing of higher education; encouragement of research on planning and management of higher education; an international comparative study on excellence and efficiency in higher education based on micro-level analyses of individual institutions; training programs for key university administrators; encouragement and facilitation of international cooperation in higher education; and research on inter-university cooperation with emphasis on planning, management and implementation. (JB)

This monograph examines preservice teacher education from the perspective of the sociologist. It emphasizes the need for furthering the cause of professionalism among teachers through the acquisition of knowledge, skills, attitudes, beliefs, and orientations of a profession, a process referred to as a socialization system. The publication offers a statement of intent, along with three chapters which present a general description of socialization subsystems, discussing the important characteristics of each and detailing the implications for teacher education. Chapter 1 covers the recruitment and selection subsystem and includes criteria for recruitment, degree of selectivity, sponsorship, prior commitment, and implications for teacher education. Chapter 2 discusses the induction subsystem, covering the meaning of induction; conditions of admission; status systems; rituals, ceremonies, and celebrations; and implications for teacher education. Chapter 3, on the normative subsystem, discusses the nature and types of norms, characteristics of normative systems, the liberal arts academy or professional school, professional preparation programs, the issue of purpose, a common language, and performance visibility and intensity of communication. (LL)

This paper demonstrates how supervisors can implement and model professional teaching practices for their preservice students that exemplify knowledge, skills, and attitudes critical to teachers in a culturally diverse society. It discusses the importance of understanding the supervisory process, how the supervisory process can be effectively administered, and how the importance and understanding of the teaching process is essential to the final results. The paper provides examples of how the Standards for Teacher Educators may be met at the college and school levels. Four attachments offer health, physical education, and recreation samples; early childhood education samples; bilingual/bicultural and elementary education samples; and secondary education/English samples. Each example provides insight into how the supervisors work with their students and schools and adjust their expectations, focusing on Standard 1 (model professional practices which demonstrate knowledge, skills, and attitudes reflecting the best available practices in teacher education). (SM)