Education & Pedagogy

The explosive technological advances of recent years have created a need to incorporate technical education into curricula at all levels from elementary through and including higher education. This in turn has led to the necessity of articulation among the various levels of technical education, including articulation between postsecondary institutions and higher education. Included among the current issues that are of particular importance for technical education in this country are strengthening the role of technical education in economic development, determining and developing the appropriate role of technical education in higher education in the United States, meeting the requirements for increased competency levels among technical education students, and funding the increased costs resulting from these increased requirements. Areas in which innovations can contribute to the success of technical education in meeting the need for a highly skilled work force in a technological society include (1) establishment of advisory committees to perform such functions as making curriculum recommendations, providing professional development opportunities for faculty and placement opportunities for students, arranging for equipment donations, and delivering guest lectures to students; (2) development of industrial/university linkages that address such areas as cooperative planning, curriculum evaluation, and instructional materials development; (3) use of part-time adjuncts/specialists; and (4) innovative delivery of courses through distance education. Three pages of references conclude the report. (MN)

In the 1980s, the passage of two laws--Chapter 75 of the Texas Education Code (providing for a well-balanced curriculum) and Texas Senate bill 50 (mandating teacher testing prior to certification)--has led to many changes in elementary and early childhood education as well as teacher education in Texas. In teacher education programs, course content is now geared toward helping students pass the Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST), required since 1984, and the Examination for the Certification of Educators in Texas (ExCET), required since May, 1986. The number of areas of academic specialization for elementary education majors has also been reduced, and the amount of field experience required for all education majors has been increased. The inclusion of the essential elements from the State Board of Education Rules for Curriculum in the appropriate professional development education courses has served as further evidence of the implementation of the new standards. Students must master each essential element for each curricular area in their college coursework. This legislation will continue to generate curricular changes throughout Texas. Appendix titles include: (1) general provisions Chapter 75 of the Texas Education Code; (2) Elementary Well-Balanced Curriculum; (3) Essential Elements in English Language Arts, Grades 1-6; and (4) Two Reading Essential Elements and Descriptors by Grade Level. (SKC)

The Indian education oversight hearing of May 18 and 19, 1982, focused on federal responsibility for the education of Indians; Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) education services (including BIA elementary and secondary schools and contract schools); proposed transfer of the Indian Education Act, Title IV, program from the Department of Education to BIA; proposed reorganization of BIA Office of Indian Education programs; and cumulative effect of budget reduction in impact aid, Title IV, on BIA education programs and the quality of Indian education. Testimony, prepared statements, and other material were accepted from representatives of individual Indian tribes and tribal schools, federations of tribes, other Indian groups, urban school boards that serve Indian populations, BIA, and the Department of Education. The consensus among Indian witnesses was (1) that they were satisfied with the federal obligation to the Indian tribes, including the obligation to provide educational opportunities for Indian students, (2) that proposals to close Indian schools and to tranfer Title IV to BIA should have been discussed with Indian people, and (3) that they opposed transfer of Title IV to BIA. Effects of funding cuts and inefficient BIA administrative procedures on Indian schools were documented. (MH)

This 13th annual report to Congress provides program-by-program summaries of evaluative information on federally funded education programs for fiscal year 1983. The format for each program description has been revised to make it responsive to the reporting requirements of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA). Accordingly, each entry is divided into three major sections: (1) program profile, covering legislation, recent funding history, purpose, eligibility, and other information on requirements; (2) response to GEPA 417(a), containing major sections of information specified in the mandate, such as program goals, progress and accomplishments, cost effectiveness, plans for improvement and legislative recommendations, supporting studies, and data on participants; (3) response to GEPA 417(b), containing summary information on evaluation contracts. An introductory section is provided which highlights analyses of the Educational Consolidation and Improvement Act of 1980. Thereafter, program descriptions are grouped under the following Department of Education jurisdictional headings: (1) Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, (2) Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Affairs, (3) Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, (4) Office of Vocational and Adult Education, (5) Office of Postsecondary Education, and (6) Office of Educational Research and Improvement. An index is provided, along with an appendix listing active planning and evaluation contracts during fiscal year 1983. (TE)

A select group of 75 educators, government officials, and academic experts from 18 countries exchanged information and insights, explored topics of mutual concern, and reviewed the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development's (OECD) Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI) work on strategies for connecting rural education and rural development. Following the introduction by Jonathan P. Sher, Part One of the conference report reviews the history and activities of the CERI/OECD Project on Education and Local Development (ELD) from its inception in May, 1979. Part Two includes the opening address by Ray Marshall; keynote addresses ("The Role of Formal Education in Rural Development" by Douglas McArthur and "The Role of Adult and Non-Formal Education in Rural Development" by Philip Coombs); responses to the conference from the Scottish Education Department (R. S. Johnston) and from the Western Isles (N. R. Galbraith); and brief reports of workshops and special sessions. Twenty-five ELD Project conclusions ratified at the conference comprise Part Three and fall into three categories: general--applicable to all ELD work (11 conclusions); specific to formal education in rural development (7 conclusions); and relating to non-formal and adult education in this context (7 conclusions). The appendix lists the participants. (BRR)

Consumer education can be defined as "a study of intelligent and effective methods of buying and using goods and services, competent money management, and the relationship of the consumer to the economy, the workplace, and the home." An important role of government is providing the individual with information so that the individual can exercise the option of choice provided by our system of government. On the Federal level, consumer education cuts across all departmental and agency lines. As a result of the Education Act of 1972, the Federal Government became involved in consumer education. Most junior and senior high schools today offer some courses in consumer economics as part of the home economics program or as part of marketing education, business education, or social studies. However, these programs are funded by a much larger percentage of state and local funds than Federal funds. The challenge today is to get consumer information to the people who need it the most, including those who are disadvantaged or illiterate. Efforts should be made to use television, outreach programs, newspapers, and basic education courses as vehicles to bring consumer education to a larger proportion of the population, especially to those who need it the most. Officials at the national level encourage activities to support strong private and voluntary activity and partnerships for consumer education. (KC)

In recent years, many dramatic changes have occurred in the field of adult and continuing education. Enrollments in the Federal adult basic education (ABE) effort alone have increased from 536,000 in 1970 to over 2.5 million students in 1985, with over one-fourth of these participants being Black or Hispanic. In 1985, Congress has reauthorized the legislative mandates for the adult vocational education programs, the national literacy effort has continued its efforts to bring the issue of adult literacy to national focus, and private sector involvement and support have continued in all areas of adult education. Included among the many projects in the area of adult education currently receiving support from the Department of Education (DOE) are the following: ADVOC-NET, a telecommunications network designed to increase cooperation among leaders in adult and vocational education; the National Literacy Awareness Campaign, an effort to recruit volunteer leaders and tutors; and the Federal Employee Literacy Training (FELT) Program. In addition, DOE has established a number of task forces to examine ways of enhancing opportunities in adult education. Two particularly noteworthy task forces are one focusing on ways of infusing entrepreneurship education throughout the U.S. educational system and another that is involved in devising ways to increase the Nation's defense preparedness by raising basic skills levels among members of the Armed Forces to meet military job needs. (MN)

Issues in defining and conceptualizing general education in the two-year college are examined in this collection of essays. After introductory remarks, B. Lamar Johnson reviews the findings of the 1952 California Study of General Education and discusses their current applicability. Next, K. Patricia Cross reviews trends in general education from the 1950s to the 1980s. After Melvin Barlow explores the connections between general and vocational education, Suanne D. Roueche and John E. Roueche discuss the place of literacy development in general education and offer recommendations for the systematic development of community college curricula. Next, the characteristics and genesis of community general education are described by Ervin L. Harlacher, Maxwell C. King and Seymour C. Fersh describe Brevard Community College's (Florida) international/intercultural education programs. After obstacles to general education in society and in the institution are identified by Terry O'Banion and Ruth G. Shaw, Judith S. Eaton identifies challenges and options facing community colleges wishing to promote general education. Advice on revising the general education program, based on experiences at Miami-Dade Community College (Florida), is offered by Jeffrey D. Lukenbill and Robert H. McCabe. Then, Leslie Koltai considers the decline of transfer education and recommends strategies for its revitalization. Finally, James C. Palmer cites ERIC documents and journal articles dealing with general education. (KL)

This publication is a review and synthesis of the last five years of the literature related to special populations designated in the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act. The document contains six chapters. "Black American Participation in Vocational Education" (Ernest Fields) traces the historical evolution of education for jobs as experienced by Blacks. "Limited English-Proficient Persons" (Joan Friedenberg) documents the fact that a majority of vocational education programs make little or no effort to recruit these students into their programs. "Education Behind Bars: Focus on Vocational Education for Adult Inmates" (Ida Halasz) finds that while a lack of basic academic and employability skills is a contributing factor to crime, the corrections system does not put great emphasis on education. "Individuals with Disabilities and Vocational Education" (Margaretha Izzo, Janet Ciccone) reports that a vast number of disabled youth leave secondary school without the skills required to make the transition to work and to remain employed. This chapter also addresses the controversy regarding formal versus informal assessment. "Encouraging Nontraditional Options" (Louise Vetter) indicates that much of the available research focuses on student recruitment into nontraditional programs. "Single Parents and Homemakers" (Louise Vetter) identifies the comprehensive services needed for an optimal program for this group. (YLB)

In December 1988 the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) surveyed state human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) education programs. The purposes of the survey were to collect information on the characteristics of state programs using a standard set of questions and to determine trends in state HIV/AIDS programs by comparing the data to results from 1987. The results indicated that 41 states had a curriculum guide for HIV/AIDS education, an increase of 13 states over the previous year. As more states developed state curriculum or guidelines for HIV/AIDS education, the critical topics were being covered in an increasing proportion of states. One or more programs addressing needs of high risk youth were identified by 24 states. All of the states provided some training on HIV/AIDS education. Among the states that reported on the percent of districts per state providing HIV/AIDS education, the percentages varied from 11 to 100 percent. (Results of the survey are presented in tables on these topics: state HIV/AIDS education law or policy; state funds appropriated for HIV/AIDS education; state curriculum or guide for HIV/AIDS education; topics covered in state curriculum or curriculum guide; HIV/AIDS education for youth at highest risk of contracting HIV/AIDS; HIV/AIDS education for out-of-school youth; training on HIV/AIDS education; number of local personnel trained in HIV/AIDS education; and data on HIV/AIDS education. (ABL)

The Coalition of Teacher Education Programs (COTEP) is a voluntary group of six Indiana universities: Ball State, Indiana State, Indiana University, Purdue, and the University of Evansville. This report from COTEP summarizes the recommendations made in nine commissioned papers on improving the education of teachers. These papers focused on topics of direct interest to schools of education, such as the recruitment of minority students, the use of case studies in teacher education, the liberal arts curriculum, and the placement of teacher education in general. The first section of the report deals with the recruitment, admission and retention phases of teacher education. The second section covers major concerns in the development of an effective curriculum for teacher education students. The focus of this section is on the three basic components of teacher education: general education, majors/minors, and professional education. In the third section, the establishment of effective field experience programs is discussed. The fourth section examines the role and responsibilities of university supervisors of student teaching. Induction of new teachers and teacher certification are the topics covered in the final section. Specific recommendations for the improvement of teacher education programs in each topic area are given, the rationale for each recommendation is presented, and suggestions are provided for implementing the recommendations. Appendixes include a list of the commissioned papers and a summary of the recommendations. A 15-page bibliography is also included. (JD)

Presentations and other materials are provided from the Asia and the Pacific Programme of Educational Innovation for Development (APEID) Planning and Review Meeting on Work as an Integral Part of General Education. The focus is on how education, through an orientation to work, could help to decrease the gravity of the problems of population growth, often resulting in unemployment and diminishing resources. Chapter One is an introduction to work-oriented education and approaches to it in various countries. Chapter Two contains five presentations on experiences in work-oriented education in five countries during 1983, which analyze existing policies, objectives, plans, structures, approaches, and experiences in linking education and work as an essential part of general education. The papers are "Experiences of Work-Oriented Education in India" (A. K. Sacheti), "Experiences of Work-Oriented Education in Indonesia" (Benny Karyadi), "Work Experience in General Secondary Education in the Philippines" (E. Gonzalez), "Work Experience as an Integral Part of General Education in the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam" (Nguyen Duc Minh), and "Work Experience as an Integral Part of General Education in Thailand" (Swasdi Suwana-agsorn). Chapter Three describes visits by meeting participants to selected projects and institutions in two different settings--one in a rural area and another in an industrial area. Chapter Four offers suggestions for activities to be pursued at the national and international levels. The agenda and a description of a pilot work experience project in Thailand is appended. (YLB)

Bilingual education programs and policies in three countries with sizable minorities, Sweden, Australia, and the Federal Republic of Germany, are examined in order to gauge both the extent to which children with limited proficiency in the dominant language are in integrated classrooms and the degree of their social integration. First, the acceptance of foreign nationals into the Swedish labor force and communities and the elaboration of social policies toward those persons are outlined. The assumptions underlying bilingual education in Sweden are discussed along with four alternative forms of classroom organization that are being tried and the level of social integration of immigrant groups. Second, bicultural education in Australia is considered in terms of Aborigine education; education about the Aborigines; the induction of immigrants; ESL instruction; supplementary bilingual education programs; social studies and foreign language education; the response of education departments to the need for teacher training; and the debate over multiculturalism versus social integration. Third, the following dimensions to bilingual education in the Federal Republic of Germany are reviewed: policies toward guestworkers, political refugees, and European Economic Community nationals; the change from segregationist to integrationist approaches to the education of guestworkers' children; difficulties in integrating foreign students academically and socially; the problems of inner city enclaves of immigrants; and the question of repatriation. (RDN)

A study aimed to establish baseline data about where, when, what, how, to whom, and by whom preservice vocational teacher education is provided so that more informed decisions can be made in the current climate of educational reform. Usable data, collected through two questionnaires, were provided from 78 colleges and universities and from 633 vocational teacher educators. The institutional questionnaire was used to obtain information from institutions that provide preservice vocational teacher education about the characteristics of their institutions, characteristics of their teacher education program, the requirements for student entrance and exit, and the respondents' perspectives on any educational reform taking place at the institution. The teacher questionnaire collected data from professors of vocational teacher education on their demographic and professional characteristics, occupational experiences, education experiences, time spent on professional activities, future plans in higher education, and courseload and advising duties. In addition, the teachers were asked to describe any recent important changes in vocational teacher education at their institutions. Among other findings, the data indicate that the typical teacher educator is white, male, a full professor, tenured, 49 years old, earning $35,745 for 9 months' employment, and that he earned a doctoral degree in vocational education in vocational education 14 years ago. It was also found that of the 20 universities awarding such degrees, the largest percentage was awarded by Ohio State University. (The document contains 14 tables and 1 figure.) (CML)

Higher education is back in the spotlight, with post-2015 sustainable development goals emphasising equality of access. In this paper, we highlight the long distance still to travel to achieve the goal of equal access to higher education for all, with a focus on poorer countries which tend to have lower levels of enrolment in higher education. Analysing Demographic and Health Survey data from 35 low- and middle-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, we show wide wealth inequalities in particular, with few if any of the poorest gaining access to higher education in some countries. We further identify that wealth and gender inequalities interact and tend to be wider in countries where levels of higher education are higher. This implies that expansion in access to higher education may predominantly benefit the rich, unless measures are taken to tackle inequalities. We find that that the rates of increase necessary for the attainment of the equal access goal by 2030 are particularly high. They pose a particularly difficult challenge given the access inequalities present from primary and secondary education in a wide majority of countries in our analysis. We therefore suggest that any measures aimed at attaining the goal need to tackle inequalities in access within a system-wide approach, focusing on the level of education at which inequalities initially manifest, alongside higher education.