Education & Pedagogy

Adult and continuing education is the most evolutionary area in education today. It is growing, both in terms of student participation and in the number and types of providers. Of the approximately 120 million adults in the United States, 12 percent (or 18 million) were involved in a formal learning experience leading to a diploma last year. Adult education is being provided by business and industry internal employee training and staff development activities, in labor unions, in professional organizations, and in community organizations. In addition, adult education is being provided by adult basic education programs (approximately two million adults served last year); and by higher education, which is making education increasingly available to adults over 25 through more flexible programs and more innovative offerings. Six major research issues can be identified as facing the adult and continuing education profession today: (1) How do we maintain research quality and relevance? (2) Who will provide funding for future research? (3) How do we keep abreast of research needs in light of continued educational, economic, social, and political change? (4) How do we establish viable research linkages within our profession, with our research colleagues in other fields, and with researchers in other parts of the world? (5) What will be the impact of future technologies on lifelong learners of tomorrow? and (6) Should continuing education be elective on the part of the individual or should it be controlled by extrinsic forces? These questions are important to the research efforts of lifelong learning researchers. (KC)

Participants from all levels of Indian and mathematics education, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and mathematics-related fields met to identify needs for mathematics education among American Indian students of all ages. In general, conferees were more pessimistic about the mathematics competence of American Indian post-secondary students than about the mathematics abilities of elementary students. They noted that the low achievement of American Indians in mathematics and mathematics-related fields was due to lack of training and that negative attitudes of teachers, counselors, and administrators were the most significant barriers to good mathematics education for American Indians. Conferees also noted that most testing determined deficiencies instead of proficiencies. Conferees stressed the need for more and better mathematics education for American Indian students at all levels. Participants noted specific problems and described specific strategies for mathematics education at primary, secondary, and post-secondary levels. They offered recommendations regarding networks of mathematics educators, advocacy efforts, assessment, information dissemination, materials development, and teacher training. Appendices include the conference agenda, a list of participants, a bibliography, and an article by Rayna Green entitled "Math Avoidance: A Barrier to American Indian Science Education and Science Careers." (SB)

A statistical composite of the United States' educational system, this report addresses a range of 93 issues over all levels of education. A narrative introduction interprets a table and a chart for each topic. Data on elementary/secondary education include: enrollment trends in public and private schools; number and size of schools and school districts and student-teacher ratios; participation in basic courses, special courses, and programs for exceptional children; school revenues and per student expenditures; student performance assessment, state and local measures for improving performance, and public opinion of school effectiveness. Higher education issues include: enrollment trends; distribution of institutions by level, control and type of degree awarded, and closings of institutions; staffing trends, faculty salaries, and faculty collective bargaining; revenue and expenditures; and outcomes (degrees conferred and employment of recent college graduates). The chapter on vocational and adult education analyzes participation in vocational programs in high school and under the Vocational Education Act, and the characteristics and needs of adult education participants. Topics in teacher preparation include teacher supply and demand trends, teacher education institutions, and characteristics of new and prospective teachers. Appended are an explanation of data sources, a glossary, and a cumulative index to this and 1980 to 1982 editions. (MJL)

Vocational education has a role to play in transition education, especially in relation to postsecondary institutions and to initial employment. Recent overseas developments in vocational education and the transition from school to working life have implications for contemplated changes in senior secondary school curriculum, assessment, and qualifications in New Zealand. These include developments in English, mathematics, and science teaching through cooperation between teachers of academic and vocational subjects; new approaches to develop the skills necessary to provide for the different characteristics and occupational requirements of an emerging technological society; the potential offered by work exploration in developing positive attitudes and increased employability and earning power in students; novel approaches involving schools and communities to increase students' self-esteem and employability; the role of entrepreneurship education in promoting self-employment and small business establishmen; and benefits arising from in-service training of teachers. It is concluded that while New Zealand lacks, by international standards, both a commitment and a systematic approach to vocational education in secondary schools, the opportunity now exists for positive initiatives in this area. (Appendixes include the following brief reports that supplement the text: (1) Training and Employment; (2) Reinforcing the Importance of a General Education; (3) Schools Must Change--The New York Experience; (4) Cooperative Education--Issues to Consider; (5) Employability Skills--The Colorado Initiative; and (6) Entrepreneurship Education--The PACE Programme.) (YLB)

This report is one in a series of country studies prepared in the framework of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Education Committee activity on changing patterns of finance in higher education. In order to contribute to the OECD activity from the Japanese perspective, the Research Institute for Higher Education at Hiroshima University organized a project called "Social and Economic Changes in Industrialized Countries and Their Challenges to Higher Education." Many experts agree that many of the current problems in Japan's higher education originated during postwar development, when public resources consistently lagged behind the rising social and private demands. Through the unprecedented enrollment expansion of the 1960s, a sharp differentiation developed between the relatively few and protected public institutions and a large number of private institutions with inadequate educational conditions and substantial user charges. Eradication of the sharp disparity between the public and private sectors constituted the major challenge to higher education policy in the 1970s. The developments since 1970 have left Japanese higher education with significant structural consequences, particularly the improvement in financial conditions of the private institutions. The recent Ad Hoc Council on Education called for increased government expenditure on higher education. Statistical information on higher education finance, student support, issues and recent reforms, and prospects in Japan is provided. Appended are tables on the higher education system and government expenditures, finances of higher education institutions, and student aid and student living. Contains 19 references. (SM)

This document contains guidelines, procedures, and administrative requirements based on the regulations, assurances, and certifications in the South Carolina Three-Year State Plan for Vocational-Technical Education as adopted by the State Board of Education. The guide contains an introduction (section I) and seven main sections. Section II presents an overview of legislation, including the Education Improvement Act and the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act of 1984. Section III explains the organization and governance of vocational-technical education in South Carolina, with information on the State Board of Education, the Office of Vocational Education, and local administration. Details of the state administration of vocational education are spelled out in section IV, which outlines general administrative provisions and financial management. The vocational education opportunities mandated by Title II, Part A for handicapped, disadvantaged, adults needing retraining, single parents/homemakers, sex equity, and criminal offenders is the topic of section V; program improvement, innovation, and expansion provisions of Title II, Part B for state-level purposes are highlighted in the following section, section VI. The provisions for vocational programs, services, and activities, Title II Part B and Title III Part B, are included in the seventh section. Information is provided on secondary programs, consumer and homemaking, cooperative vocational education, construction, student stipends, work study, day care services, placement services, career guidance and counseling, and private vocational education institutions and employers. The final section contains definitions of the terms used in the regulations and guidelines. (KC)

Perspectives on research in comparative education are presented in 17 articles originally published in the "Comparative Education Review." The objective is to present an array of new viewpoints, orientations, and approaches. Titles and authors are: "Introduction: Perspectives on Comparative Education" (Philip G. Altbach, Gail P. Kelly); "Critical Ethnography in the Study of Comparative Education" (Vandra Lea Masemann); "The Underachievement of Cross-National Studies of Achievement" (Gary L. Theisen, Paul P. W. Achola, Francis Musa Boakari); "Ideology, Reproduction, and Educational Reform" (Michael W. Apple); "Education for Alternative Development" (Martin Carnoy); "Comparative Educators and International Development Policy" (Mathew Zachariah); "Explaining the Origins and Expansion of Mass Education" (John Boli, Francisco O. Ramirez, John W. Meyer); "An Integrated Framework for Analysis of the Spread of Schooling in Less Developed Countries" (Mary Jean Bowman); "The Use and Abuse of Comparative Education" (Harold J. Noah); "The Comparative Mind" (Max A. Eckstein); "Paradigm Shifts in Comparative Education" (Brian Holmes); "The Necessity of Comparisons in the Study of Education: The Salience of Science and the Problem of Comparability" (Joseph P. Farrell); "Toward a General Theory of Education" (Le Thanh Khoi); "Currents Left and Right: Ideology in Comparative Education" (Erwin H. Epstein); "What Is Comparison? Methodological and Philosophical Considerations" (Reijo Raivola); "Comparing Educational Policies: Theory, Units of Analysis, and Research Strategies" (Frederick M. Wirt); "The Comparative Study of Classroom Behaviors" (Richard H. Pfau); and "Comparative Education: Challenge and Response" (G. Kelly, P. Altbach). (SW)

Written in Chinese, this guide provides information to help parents of special needs children in New York become active partners in the planning and implementation of special education programs for their child. Part 1 of the guide provides in-depth information related to the special education process in New York public schools. A historical view of children's rights to an appropriate education and overviews of the regular and special education processes in New York are presented. A chart explains the seven steps of the special education process: (1) referral; (2) evaluation; (3) recommendation; (4) implementation; (5) planning conference; (6) annual review; and (7) triennial evaluation. Timelines required for the seven-step process are discussed. Information is also presented on due process, the procedures used to protect children's rights to a free appropriate public education, and preparing children for future education and employment opportunities. Part 2 of the guide serves as a practical handbook which complements Part 1 and provides specific suggestions for parent participation in an effective partnership with school personnel. Additionally, information is provided on frequently used acronyms (such as IEP--Individualized Education Program) and resources available through the Office for Education of Children with Handicapping Conditions (OECHC): early childhood directions centers, special education training and resource centers and regional offices. The OECHC's information checklist is also provided. (CB)

This guide provides information to help parents of special needs children in New York become active partners in the planning and implementation of special education programs for their child. Part 1 of the guide provides in-depth information related to the special education process in New York public schools. A historical view of children's rights to an appropriate education and overviews of the regular and special education processes in New York are presented. A seven-step chart explains the seven steps of the special education process: (1) referral; (2) evaluation; (3) recommendation; (4) implementation; (5) planning conference; (6) annual review; and (7) triennial evaluation. Timelines required for the seven-step process are discussed. Information is also presented on due process, the procedures used to protect children's rights to a free appropriate public education, and preparing children for future education and employment opportunities. Part 2 of the guide serves as a practical handbook which complements Part 1 and provides specific suggestions for parent participation in an effective partnership with school personnel. Additionally, information is provided on frequently used acronyms (such as IEP--Individualized Education Program) and resources available through the Office for Education of Children with Handicapping Conditions (OECHC): early childhood directions centers, special education training and resource centers, and regional offices. The OECHC's information checklist is also provided. (CB)

This volume contains transcripts of four oral history interviews that were conducted during a study of the history of vocational education in Florida. The first interview is with Maxwell Samuel Thomas, a vocational educator who began his career in 1932 and has since served as a vocational education teacher and administrator, participated in numerous professional and civic organizations, and been active in projects involving and serving the black community. The second interview is with James A. Davis, a vocational educator and administrator who began teaching industrial arts in 1958 and currently heads the Bureau of Planning and Budgeting of the Florida Division of Vocational Education. The third person interviewed is William Cecil Golden, a former teacher, coach, and principal who has been actively involved in developing and drafting numerous education bills since joining the Florida State Department of Education in 1955. The fourth interview involves four persons: Martinez Baker, owner of an electrical company between 1947 and 1969 and current director of the physical plant at Florida Junior College in Jacksonville; Dorothy Brown Love, a business education teacher since 1931 and former president of the Duval County Business Education Council; Anne Hamilton Franz, county supervisor of a cooperative education program in the 1930s; and Elmore John Saare, retired vocational teacher and administrator of both secondary and postsecondary programs. (MN)

The underrepresentation of Mexican Americans in Texas higher education is a major challenge facing the state's leaders. In Texas the growing Mexican American population will constitute the majority of the labor force in 20 to 30 years. The only way to insure a healthy and productive economy for Texas in the future is to invest now in the education of this labor force. The educational attainment of Mexican Americans is falling in proportion to their share of the population growth since 1965. Participation rates for Mexican Americans on college and university faculties are also falling. These trends must be reversed. Community colleges are in a position to offer valuable educational services if their leaders recognize and respond to the needs of the Mexican American community. Statewide articulation policies are needed to guarantee that students can transfer without penalty from 2- to 4-year institutions. Remedial and compensatory programs and the open admission policy should continue. Leaders in higher education must take action to increase the representation of Mexican Americans in higher education--as students, faculty members, and decision makers. This report includes 63 specific recommendations for educational policy related to the issues of participation, community college role, articulation, remedial education, and governance. (JHZ)

A 2-year contract was awarded to the Oklahoma State University College of Education, Department of Occupational and Adult Education, for the purpose of conducting a project promoting entrepreneurship education. The primary objectives of the project were to: assist vocational educators and Minority Business Development Center (MBDC) representatives in developing, improving, and expanding entrepreneurial education in their programs; promote the concept of entrepreneurial education in vocational education at both the secondary and postsecondary levels; increase coordination with the MBDC network service providers; develop and disseminate entrepreneurial education packages for use by vocational educators and MBDCs; and foster a continuing dialogue among representatives of vocational institutions, MBDCs, and other interested groups in order to assist in developing a coordinated plan for comprehensive entrepreneurial education. The major accomplishments of the project included a national awareness conference held in Washington, D.C., in January 1983, a series of 21 local entrepreneurship seminars held nationwide, a resource notebook that was developed to assist vocational educators and MBDCs, and an implementation guide designed to provide assistance to individuals wishing to replicate the local entrepreneurship seminars. (Appendixes to this report include the agenda of the national awareness conference, a list of local site coordinators, and selected plans of action.) (MN)

This volume presents selected major addresses given during the plenary sessions of the 1985 International Council on Education for Teaching (ICET) World Assembly. Papers are grouped according to World Assembly themes: Education in the Information Age; Research in Teacher Education: New Emphases in the Information Age; Current Developments in Education in the Information Age; and Collaboration of Higher Education and the Private Sector in Development. Included also are selected comments of panel members, and abstracts of concurrent session presentations. The following papers are reproduced: (1)"Overview and Major Tenets of Canadian Foreign Policy: Past, Present, and Future" (Paul Heinbecker); (2) "Canada's Role in International Development" (Robert J. Moore); (3) "The Multilateral Imperative: International Issues in Teacher Education Curriculum" (Stephen Lewis); (4) "Education in the Information Age: The Keynote Address" (Jack R. Taub); (5) "The Nature of Work and the Nature of Schooling: New Responsibilities for Teacher Education in the Information Age" (Milton McClaren); (6) "The Impact of Research on Teacher Education" (Gene Hall); (7) "Implications of the Information Age for the Teaching Profession" (Mary Moran); and (8) "Teaching in the Future: Three Scenarios" (Peter J. Murphy and Geoffrey Potter). (JD)

This report addresses two elements of an eight-part study of South Carolina's vocational education system. The report provides an overview of major national and state issues regarding vocational education in grades 9-12 and the structure and operation of the system. Statewide information about enrollment patterns and a profile of students who enroll in vocational education are provided. Four major issues are identified in the report: (1) various ideas of the purposes of vocational education; (2) accountability in vocational education; (3) problems in the day-to-day delivery of vocational education; and (4) identifying the true "vocational" students for purposes of accountability. The national overview of vocational education showed that (1) vocational education programs are varied; (2) nearly 3 million students are enrolled in vocational education programs related to an occupation, while about 4 million are enrolled in nonoccupational vocational programs; and (3) only about 10 percent of vocational education funding comes from the federal government. Information on enrollment patterns and profiles of students in vocational courses in South Carolina revealed that (1) two-thirds of students take at least one vocational course at their high schools; (2) enrollments tend to follow traditional gender lines; and (3) more whites than blacks enroll in business education, the reverse of the ratio in trade/industry courses. Based on the study, recommendations were made to clarify programs goals, to get information to students, and to increase efforts to expose students to nontraditional occupations. (KC)

The 1982 Florida Legislature created the Joint Executive and Legislative Task Force for Teacher Education Quality Improvement to initiate a comprehensive study of Florida's teacher preparation programs and make policy recommendations for improving the quality of teacher education. This document reports on the results and findings of the task force's study. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the project, and chapter 2 lists observations and recommendations. The third chapter discusses Florida's personnel needs. Chapter 4 delineates Florida's concern for quality in teacher education. The fifth chapter covers the organizational structure of teacher education programs in the state. Chapter 6 concentrates on the rationale for the task force's recommendations. This chapter is divided into 13 parts: (1) improving teacher education programs; (2) strengthening teacher education standards; (3) program approval and review; (4) assuring adequate funding for teacher education; (5) incentives for prospective teachers; (6) additional incentives for teachers in areas of critical shortage; (7) support for prospective minority teachers; (8) salary incentives for teachers; (9) promotion and salary criteria for teacher education faculty; (10) strengthening background for professional training; (11) impact of administrative leadership; (12) analyzing the workplace; and (13) public information campaign. Chapter 7 is the conclusion. The report also includes eight appendices, four tables, and a bibliography. (JMK)