Education & Pedagogy

Adult education in Greece dates back to the time of Homer. Poetry and Panhellenic festivals were the earliest forms of adult education in Greece. By classical times, however, an entire learning society of human and material resources had been developed. Greek society experienced periods of high levels of culture and learning only to be conquered militarily by nations superior in warfare but less cultured in such areas as art, literature, and science. However, adult learning never seemed to have totally died out at any given period. Despite the elitism and exclusivity of some forms of education for adults (particularly higher learning), efforts have been directed periodically throughout Greek history to educate the mass populace and raise the general level of education for all adults. The development of free-standing or informal discussion groups and learning circles as a form of adult education is evident throughout Greek history. In modern times adult education is available through the following operating systems: formal education (basic and secondary education for adults, inservice teacher education, and vocational-technical education for adults); nonformal and informal education (programs sponsored by various government ministries; other government agencies such as banks and churches; and voluntary, semigovernmental, and private initiatives); and client systems and programs to provide self-help among selected groups (women, families, parents, farmers, rural residents, professionals, elderly individuals, youth, disabled persons, and returning emigrants). (MN)

A survey of educational programs, background information about the Ute Tribe, and a summary of educational needs are followed by recommendations for improving the quality of education for Ute people. Part I gives a history of educational policy on the Uintah and Ouray Reservation from the first school in 1874 to the present. Part II describes the Ute Tribe's Education Division and its programs in the areas of adult basic education and vocational training, elementary and secondary education, early childhood education, higher education, off-reservation boarding schools, teacher training, and Ute language and cultural maintenance projects. Part III looks at the geography and history of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation and its current population and economy. Parts IV and V report educational data for elementary, secondary, and post-high school students. Topics include attendance, dropout rates, and Ute language fluency. Part VI discusses four major needs assessment studies completed from 1973 to 1983 and presents their conclusions. Part VII makes long- and short-range recommendations with emphasis on re-education of the young adult population, vocational education, rigorous evaluation of tribal education programs, tribally operated post-high school institution, and a tribal community college. The appendix includes student achievement scores and a bibliography. (JHZ)

The five studies on education for rural development are directed to teachers, administrators, and others concerned with education in rural areas in their efforts to raise the social and economic status of the rural poor. The Indian study discusses the problem of wastage at the primary school level (with specific reference to Tamil Nadu), and clearly reveals that socio-economic and psycho-educational factors cause a major percentage of educational wastage. The Indonesian study is intended to reorient rural education to the new goal of rural development, but finds that the income disparity between the rich and the poor tends to counteract the equalizing effect of education. The Nepalese report accepts that formal and non-formal education are the two most critical components of a development programme but sees these two components faced with many problems. The Philippines report emphasizes the importance of formal and non-formal education in solving rural problems, and reveals that although both have their own usage, total socio-economic development makes it imperative for both systems to inter-relate, starting at the community level. The report of the Republic of Korea finds that rural primary education is basically urban-biased and to a large extent irrelevant to rural life. (BRR)

A descriptive study using survey research techniques investigated the degree to which health education professors adhere to and practice the principles of adult education. The instrument used to measure acceptance of the adult education mode (collaborative style) was the Principles of Adult Learning Scale (PALS), a 44-item summative scale based on principles in the adult education literature. Responses were solicited from 400 practicing health education professors teaching college-level health education courses, with a 50 percent rate of return. The sample was predominantly male and the typical respondent held a doctoral degree and the rank of associate or full professor. Analysis of the data found significant differences in the acceptance and practice of the collaborative technique by health education professors. Though health education professors advocate learning as a lifelong goal, a gap exists in their knowledge base in relation to the adult as a learner and adult education principles. Significant differences were also found among health professors in regard to espoused philosophy; some regarded adult students as passive recipients of prescribed information, contrary to the collaborative mode and adult education in general. Finally, the study suggests that training is needed to move health education professors from lecturing and other limited instructional modes into a more learner-centered involvement with students. (KC)

Physical education teacher education programs provide teacher candidates with the knowledge, skills and dispositions required to impact student learning. Over the course of a long and successful career, however, quality physical education teachers must continue to adapt to the changing demands of their profession. The professional growth that results in the development of quality physical education teachers begins with their entry into the undergraduate professional education program, continues with their initial employment, and matures over the course of their professional career. Physical education teacher education programs provide experiences that lay the foundation for continued professional development and learning over the span of a professional teaching career. The purpose of this article is to share a descriptive model of sequential professional growth and examples of developmental activities that can be integrated into a teacher education program to facilitate this growth. The professional growth and development activities are described within the context of the following four stages: (1) awareness stage, (2) exploration stage, (3) connection stage, and (4) professional stage. Suggestions for developing a professional "road map" for charting the activities completed by candidates over the course of their undergraduate education are also presented with a list of suggested activities.

Dewey's "Democracy and Education" is re-read as an attempt to develop a universal theory of education that, on the one hand, gives the broadest, most general view on education and, on the other hand, contextualizes every observation by binding it to the assumed perspective. Dewey's broad concept of education encompasses two dimensions that in the German discourse are usually connected to the distinction of "Erziehung" and "Bildung." In its first dimension, it avoids a widespread "scholastic" view of education by focusing not only on formal but also on informal education. In its second dimension, it also avoids a widespread individualistic view on education by referring not only to growth of the individual, but also to growth of the social setting (democracy) on the whole. This outlook allows for investigating and reflecting any subject matter with respect to its educational aspects--including the process of theorizing itself. This reflective turn of theorizing education has consequences for the understanding of education as an academic field. A universal theory of education is at odds both with a disciplinary approach and the idea of education as an applied field for foundational disciplines. At the same time, it has the potential to reconnect to both configurations of the academic field if these configurations are understood slightly different than today.

Since 1999, many South African education policy documents have mandated integration of HIV & AIDS education in learning areas/disciplines. Policy document research has shown that although South African politicians and managers have produced volumes of eloquent and compelling legislation regarding provision for HIV & AIDS education, little of this is translated into action. The impact of HIV & AIDS permeates the social, economic and political arenas in South Africa. Integration of HIV & AIDS education across disciplines can serve as a strategy to further the ideals of social justice. This paper focuses on how integration in the teaching and learning of Mathematics Education provides opportunities to take action for social justice. The inquiry explores the following question: How can the myth that there is "nothing we can do" about HIV & AIDS, which is linked to social justice issues, be addressed through integration of HIV & AIDS education in Mathematics pre-service teacher education? Drawing on self-study, the work of a Mathematics teacher educator who worked with pre-service teachers to integrate HIV & AIDS education at a higher education institution is described. By considering integration of HIV & AIDS education in Mathematics Education and taking action it is possible to develop strategies which directly relate to social justice.

Purpose: This article explores linkages and disjunctions between citizenship education and character education in England. Approach: The article undertakes a theoretical discussion of what both forms of education are and involve, and a historical overview of their development over the past twenty years, utilising a wide range of primary and secondary sources. Findings: Citizenship education programmes tend to place much greater emphasis than character education on the development of the necessary knowledge and skills that enable participation in political and democratic activities. The focus of character education is on personal ethics rather than public ethics, and the particular understanding of character education advanced by British politicians has been narrow and instrumental, linking the development of character with individual "success", especially in the jobs market. Research implications: Comparative research is now needed to examine the strengths and weaknesses of these two forms of education as they are delivered in other countries, and to explore the similarities and differences between the experiences of different countries. Practical implications: Policy-makers concerned to ensure that young people have the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes they need to engage in civic and political activity should focus on programmes of citizenship education rather than character education.

Education is not a neutral process, it can be used to establish and maintain conformity or be part of a process of liberation and social change (Freire, 1979; hooks, 1994). The Irish State's failure to acknowledge this lack of neutrality has characterised the formal education system in Ireland since its inception. From the introduction of the National School System of education in 1831 to the present day, the ruling force of the Catholic Church within education is evidenced in the gendered and conformist nature of this formal education landscape. Systems of privilege have been maintained and reproduced through education, in which power is exercised by means of exclusion, coercion and control. However, simultaneously individuals and groups of women have challenged this formal, religiously infused conformist education system. Their demands for full and equal access to mainstream education at all levels, including within the academy, served to challenge this hegemonic force. They also pioneered the development of innovative and radical forms of adult and community education as a means toward individual and community empowerment. This paper seeks to highlight women's educational interventions historically and socially through an explicit gendered lens and with a particular focus on community-higher-education. (A bibliography is included.)

The article examines the question of access to higher education (HE) in the context of unprecedented and irreversible changes in the higher education sector in the current scenario. It is based on a comparative study that seeks to probe the question of access based on a secondary data analysis using the NSSO data regarding household consumer expenditure in education in the state of Odisha, one of the poorest Indian states compared to the two advanced states in human development and access to technical education, Kerala and Tamil Nadu respectively. The study finds that the overall access to HE in Odisha is a privilege of the urban area non-scheduled category of population belonging to the upper and middle income group, that too in case of technical/professional education. The poor representation of reserved categories in urban areas makes them incapable of making use of the reservation facilities provided by the government due to their ignorance. Most of the benefits of the reserved categories of population are appropriated by the affluent sections of population of that category. The overambitious urban students supersede their counterparts in Kerala and Tamil Nadu in primary and secondary education and rural students in terms of demand and access to technical/professional education.

Technical education contributes a major share to the overall education system and plays a vital role in the social and economic development of our nation. Since independence, the technical education system in our country has grown into a fairly large-sized system, offering opportunities for education and training in a wide variety of trades and disciplines at the certificate, diploma, degree, postgraduate degree and doctoral levels in institutions located throughout the country. India is renowned for producing graduates of the highest calibre, but only very few compared with its population receive high-quality technical education. India has over the years significantly bolstered the quality and availability of technical education, doubling the employment rate of graduates who are now better suited to the needs of the Indian industry. The challenges posed by this rapidly growing technical education system in our country are extremely complex in nature, with the employability of fresh engineering graduates getting multiplied to be a major hurdle. The issues and challenges faced by the technical education sector and its future prospects are discussed in this article taking the scenario prevailing in the state of Kerala as an example. A detailed picture is depicted in this article by portraying the availability of seats and institutes in technical education in Kerala. Issues faced and possible solutions are also highlighted.

This article provides a conceptual analysis of the two domains of global citizenship education and adult education and learning, along with their similarities and differences. It begins by unpacking the ambiguous and contested concept of global citizenship education and proposing a critical vision of it, within a global social justice framework. Against this backdrop, the article argues for re-conceptualizing adult education and learning as global citizenship education, instead of considering the latter to be one of the key issues of the former. Their structural link is grounded in their common epistemological nature. The domains are interlocked to the extent that both (1) promote active citizenship skills, (2) strive towards equality and social justice on a global level and (3) adopt a values-based approach and promote transformative learning. In conclusion, an original 'Four-dimensions approach to adult education and learning as global citizenship education' conceptual model is advanced potentially to inform policymakers, practitioners and researchers. The model is made up of four basic components of adult education and learning as global citizenship education, namely: aims and scope (what for), contents and skills (what), processes and pedagogies (how), actors and learning environments (who).

Higher education is considered an important tool for the overall development of any country, and it holds true in the context of Afghanistan as well. At the same time, a good eco-environment in terms of political will, leaders' farsighted vision, a fair budget, good infrastructure, and a good teaching community are some of the basic requirements for higher education to move in the direction of new and higher horizons. However, due to the ongoing war during the last couple of decades, the country's education system has become out of reach for a substantial part of the population due to poverty, lack of infrastructure, refugees and internally displaced, digital division, etc., critically affecting the education equity. This systematic review examines India's education diplomacy in addressing the inequities in Afghanistan's education system and making them more equitable. Education was further dilapidated with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Afghanistan is caught between a war and a pandemic and suffers from a double whammy in losses. Subsequently, given their chilling effects, higher education becomes devoid of multiples equities, including education. However, because of their historical and geo-civilizational ties, India has focused on development diplomacy in general and education diplomacy (E.D) in particular to improve educational infrastructures.

School-based sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education is often reported as being inadequate and/or inconsistent. The aims of this systematic review were to synthesise teachers' perspectives on providing SRH education and their opinions about the support required to provide high-quality SRH education in primary and secondary schools. Seven international databases were searched for qualitative studies published since 2010 that reported on teachers' experiences providing SRH education in such settings. Of the 2478 studies identified, 17 met the inclusion criteria. Study quality was assessed using the Mixed-Methods Appraisal Tool. Meta-ethnography was used for data analyses and syntheses. Findings signal how SRH education varied within and between schools. The adequacy of SRH education was linked to i) teachers' confidence to provide such education, ii) school policies and environment, and iii) the priority given to SRH education. Within each of these themes were facilitators or barriers to the provision of good quality SRH education. Facilitators positively impacting on school-based SRH education included training (pre-service and in-service) for all teachers, supportive school environments, and the promotion of understanding of the importance of SRH within schools and in the broader context.

Parental engagement in special education promotes positive student outcomes and parent-school relationships. In order to promote engagement, parents must possess a basic knowledge and understanding of special education processes and parent and student rights. Little is known regarding parental knowledge about special education or how they learn about and access information on the special education process. This exploratory study surveyed 133 parents of students with disabilities to identify how they received special education related information, specific information received or searched across primary special education topics, and their perceived current and retrospective understanding of these topics as well as how these may differ based on specific parent and special education status characteristics. Findings indicate that parents gain the majority of information from personal communication (i.e., conversations with special education teachers, other parents), often independently search out additional information on key aspects of special education, and feel most knowledgeable about Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and least knowledgeable about the legal aspects of special education. Significant differences were noted on some family characteristics in areas of satisfaction with resources, overall special education knowledge, and ways in which parents obtain information (e.g., school or on their own). Limitations, implications, and future research are discussed.