Education & Pedagogy

The adult education and civic education movements are not synonymous, but the two were intertwined during the early years of adult education's formation as a field in the United States. This chapter traces the development of adult civic education in the United States, focusing on the 1920s through the 1950s. First, the roots of civic education prior to the 1920s are explored. This is followed by a discussion of the early years of the adult education field, paying particular attention to the influence of Eduard Lindeman. Next, forms of adult civic education from the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s are discussed. A final section highlights some key ideas and characteristics of adult civic education during the period.

This article reflects on the potential of non-formal vocational education in Uganda to improve the quality of life of those excluded from formal education. Based on an exploration of humanizing development theorists Sen, Freire and Nyerere, together with two case studies, practical empowerment is described as a desirable outcome of education for development. Practical empowerment includes acquiring marketable skills as well as capabilities to critically give direction to one's life. Although education leading to this outcome is desirable for all, non-formal vocational education can reach those currently excluded from formal education, thus enhancing their empowerment by equipping them with useful skills and knowledge. (Contains 1 table.)

As access to tertiary education has expanded across OECD countries, ensuring students make a smooth transition to tertiary education and successfully complete their studies have become central challenges. These challenges reflect both differences in system design -- such as admission models, assessment structures and financial incentives -- and increasing uncertainty among young people, combined with the growing diversification of educational pathways. To reduce early dropout and promote the completion of tertiary education, education systems must strengthen career guidance for students in upper secondary education, provide clearer and more flexible pathways, and guarantee equitable access to effective support.

Tasmania Tomorrow was highly politicised, and Tasmanian post-secondary education policy became a central issue in the 2010 state elections. The purpose of this paper was to analyse the dynamics of Tasmanian post-secondary education policy, and determine what education policy analysts can learn from this episode in Tasmanian education history. Tasmania Tomorrow was positioned in relation to United Kingdom research into a similar event of contested education policy. The veracity of a number of elements of John Kingdon's theory of public policy evolution was then examined as a lens through which to analyse contested Tasmanian post-secondary education policy.

Historically, physical education has had a low status in schools. Physical education teachers have struggled to secure the resources and support needed to teach in an appropriate manner. As a result, physical education has been marginalized and has received limited attention in the school community. The purpose of this two-part feature is to explore the factors that have contributed to the devaluation of physical education and to provide suggestions for combating its undervalued status. The feature consists of seven articles, each with a different perspective on the issues that contribute to the marginalization of physical education in schools.

This article is intended as a clear and practical introduction to use of a scientific perspective on embodied learning. It looks to embodied cognition and embodied cognitive science to explore education for self-care. The author presents a neurobiologic understanding of embodied learning to bridge adult education to the science-driven world of health care. She shares a well-studied pedagogy of embodied education that can be applied to develop embodied patient education. Finally, she suggests a vision of patient education sourced in personal embodied awareness as a most appropriate means of achieving truly empowered patients capable of self-care. (Contains 1 figure.)

In recent years, geography educators have sought to make their pedagogy relevant to pressing social and environmental issues, but these efforts have largely imported pedagogies from outside of geography. In place-based education, in contrast, place--one of geography's defining themes--serves as a central organizing principle for a socially relevant pedagogy. This article reviews the pedagogy of place-based education and compares it to current practices in geography education. The argument is that integrating the approaches of place-based education can make geography education more relevant and that a geographic perspective can help place-based education programs more effectively promote social justice and environmental sustainability. (Contains 3 notes.)

This is a viewpoint that discusses the criteria applied for an objective, academic assessment of dance education and comments upon the status of dance education both in secondary education schools and professional dance schools in Greece today. The viewpoint concludes by proposing the need for an independent undergraduate dance degree to be established by the Greek Ministry of Education within the School of Fine Arts, University of Athens. If this materializes, it may allow further development and establish the subject of dance, both as a performing art and as an academic discipline in its own right. Furthermore, it may lead to a review of the current dance curricula in secondary education schools. (Contains 1 note.)

For a while now I have been researching and writing about Australian Indigenous education issues. Like you all, I have seen much good work and learnt much from what is going on across the country and internationally to improve outcomes for Indigenous learners in formal education processes. And still we go on with the struggle and with the limitations that Western sciences and practices place on us in the process. This paper draws together theoretical propositions from the work we have been progressing for the higher education sector over the past decade and to point to some foundational principles that can help establish some early beginnings with Indigenous education as a discipline in the higher education sector.

Many European American pre-service special education teachers participate in activities and coursework to prepare them to engage with diverse students in urban settings. This qualitative study explores the experience of two teacher candidates taking part in one such program. Specifically, the interactions and perceptions of the participants' first urban teaching experience are examined. Interviews and observations were conducted to reflect on the way participants interpret and implement their special education and multicultural education preparation as a means to better understand how to prepare teacher candidates for border crossing (Giroux, 1992) and urban teaching experiences. The need for addressing preconceived notions and expectations about urban education within teacher preparation is discussed.

International research established over a decade ago that students who are enrolled in special education curricula are victimized and perpetrate more bullying than their general education peers. However, few empirical studies have examined bullying rates among American schoolchildren who receive special education services. In the current study, a sample of middle school students (n = 1009) enrolled in general and special education programs completed the University of Illinois bullying, fighting, and victimization scales. As hypothesized, students with disabilities reported higher rates of victimization and fighting behaviours than students without disabilities. Conversely, students with disabilities and their general education peers reported similar rates of bully perpetration. (Contains 3 tables.)

The purpose of this study was to determine actions that colleges and universities can take to institutionalize their distance education programs. Thirty factors found to influence the institutionalization of innovations were identified from the literature. These were rated by distance education faculty and leaders as to their importance for influencing the institutionalization of distance education. Data were analyzed according to institutional role, institutional academic level, and institutional locale. All 30 factors were validated as indicators of institutionalization of distance education. Distance education faculty and leaders demonstrated a high level of agreement as to the importance of the various institutionalization factors. (Contains 4 tables.)

There is an increasing blurring of boundaries between Higher Education (HE) and Further Education (FE), not only in delivery of programmes, but also in progression through programmes. The government has reiterated its commitment to widening participation and the removal of the divide between academic and vocational higher level skills. Further Education colleges have responded to the request to widen participation in HE by delivering courses closer to the client group, through flexible delivery methods and modes and co-operation with employers. However, there are tensions with this diversification of delivery point and methods, in terms of student support, staff workloads and research capacity as well as funding and investment. (Contains 2 tables.)

Discussions related to constructivist learning theories have become more prevalent within various subdisciplines of Kinesiology. This discourse, however, has typically been placed within the context of K-12 education. The purpose of this article is to examine constructivist theories (cognitive and social constructivism and situated learning theory) within the context of higher education. We first place "constructivism" within the context of education in general, and then examine through relevant literature its uses within kinesiology. We then describe examples of "constructivist" pedagogy and learning within our program and higher education in general. Ultimately we urge further discourse related to constructivist learning theories within higher education subdiscipline fields in Kinesiology.

Does the nation need K-12 engineering education standards? The answer to this question is paradoxically both simple and complex, and requires an examination of a rationale for such standards as well as the opportunities and barriers to developing and implementing the standards. In two decades since 1989, the idea of national standards for education has been widely recognized as important, if not essential, and increasingly accepted by most policymakers and educators. In this article, the author discusses several ideas about national standards and turns to a specific discussion of K-12 engineering education standards. He presents his reflections and opinions based on more than a decade's experience with the "National Science Education Standards" (NRC, 1996). (Contains 3 tables.)