Education & Pedagogy

Briefly reviews educational reforms initiated recently throughout China. Specifically examines those efforts aimed at primary-age music instruction. The last few years have witnessed the introduction of innovative teaching techniques, liberalization of hiring practices, and a general increase in music instruction. Specialized schools and private lessons have also increased. (MJP)

Review of technology-education curricula in the United Kingdom, Alberta, British Columbia, and Japan shows the following: (1) systematic introduction of technology education is a worldwide trend; (2) the UK emphasizes design and technology; (3) Alberta emphasizes vocational aspects; and (4) in Japan, subject and process are not articulated from elementary through secondary education. (SK)

Discusses higher education in the Czech Republic in light of the 1989 Velvet Revolution and the 1993 division of Czechoslovakia, focusing on secondary schools, motivation to enter higher education, admissions, funding, the state university system, capacity limits, and other barriers to access. (MDM)

Studies reveal that students need strategies, not just information, to protect themselves from AIDS. However, few school offer appropriate education on safer sex strategies for sexually active students. The paper discusses the necessary components of an effective sex education program within the school and the community. (SM)

Explores ways that art education projects can illuminate and address issues of sustainable development, ecology, and waste disposal. Describes projects undertaken by a high school art class. Includes references to books concerning ecology, values, and culture. (MJP)

Attempts to understand the implications for education of an apparent paradox of the welfare state: a new culture of education has developed involving both individual autonomy and continuing attachment to public provision of education to ensure that autonomy. Compares England and Scotland to illustrate the complexity of the political debate. (DSK)

Discusses developing a Type II distance-education course: writing the customized course guide, establishing conferencing areas, the new student consumer, and strategies for continuing- and distance education (active leadership, integrated technology systems design, home-based higher education, focus on institutional expertise, recognition of faculty). (PEN)

Examines the topic of character education, with specific references to the Fall 1996 National Council on the Social Studies (NCSS) Position Statement on Character Education. The NCSS emphasized the connection between character education and citizenship education and recommended that both be integrated into curriculum and instruction. (MJP)

Studies the relationship between education and certain diabetic health investment proxies, such as smoking propensities, blood sugar control, and diet. Increased education positively affects diabetic health investment even after controlling for IQ and available information. However, diabetics' health investments are less responsive to education increases than those of nondiabetics. (33 references) (MLH)

Proposes a socioconstructivist environmental education. Explains that the challenge of environmental education is to enable students to gain a more complex representation of the sciences. Contains 35 references. (DDR)

At regular intervals during the past 20 years, George Psacharapoulos has presented aggregate rates of return (RORs) to investments in education for each major geographical region. He claims high aggregate social RORs for primary education throughout the world. Reexamination of the data shows that none of Psacharapoulos's ROR patterns exist in Asia. (33 references) (MLH)

Although policymakers, courts, and advocacy groups have raised awareness of bilingual education, there is a gap between the remedial model and grassroots community views of bilingual education as enrichment. Support for bilingual education must be recontextualized as a strategy for education reform with leadership from language-minority persons. (SK)

Examines the relationships among accuracy in singing the starting pitch of a song and (1) perceived tonal center; (2) ability to maintain constant key while singing; (3) self-selected pitch level; and (4) previous music experience. Reports statistical results and relates them to the training of elementary education majors. (DSK)

Analyzes three applications of online learning and technology in South Korea: development of single-mode virtual universities; online education in conventional universities; and Web-based corporate training. Concludes with principles of online learning derived from experiences in implementing such environments. (AEF)

An indigenous Peruvian sociologist of the Arakmbut people describes his educational experiences, including Harakmbut education for survival in the Peruvian rainforest, primary education in a village school with a national "Spanified" curriculum, scholarships that enabled an academic secondary and higher education outside the rainforest, struggles to adapt academically and socially, and connection to the indigenous rights movement. (SV)