Education & Pedagogy

A collaboration of the major public Alaska education entities commemorates two key milestones of gender equity in education: (1) the 25th anniversary of Title IX of the federal 1972 Education Amendments, that prohibits gender discrimination against students and employees of elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education institutions; and (2) the 15th anniversary of Chapter 18 of Alaska Statutes, prohibiting discrimination based on sex or race in public education in Alaska. This report, based on historical, legislative and newspaper archives, and current publications and discussions on gender equity in Alaska education, shows progress that has been made toward gender equity in the areas of athletics, mathematics and science education, vocational education, technology, and education administration. In some areas, such as athletics and non-traditional occupations, things are clearly better than a generation ago. In other areas such as mathematics and science, there has been little change. The report advocates that the state renew its commitment to gender equity by encouraging full participation in education to all of Alaska students. Sections of the paper include: (1) Introduction; (2) Legislation; (3) History; (4) Results; and (5) Status. A 31-item bibliography concludes the paper. (EH)

This publication provides comparable statistics and indicators on education across the 15 member states of the European Union. The main source of data is the joint UOE (UNESCO, Organisation for Economic Development, Eurostat) revised questionnaire on education statistics introduced in 1995. Educational attainment information draws on data from the 1995 Community Labour Force Survey. Statistics refer to public and private, full-and part-time education in the ordinary school and university system. The report has eight sections. Section A briefly examines the link between the national education systems and internationally comparable statistics. Sections B (enrollment), C (new entrants to higher education), and D (graduates) deal with students in 1993/94. Section E focuses on educational attainment levels of the population in 1995. Section F looks at teaching staff in 1993/94. Section G provides a time series for certain variables (enrollment trends, female participation, and vocational education enrollment) for 1975/76-1993/94. Section H contains demographic data, including population scenarios up to the year 2020. The publication is written in German, English, and French. (MLH)

This report presents an overview of the organization and structure of the Australian education system and focuses upon developments in education in that country from 1986 to 1988. The essential role played by education and training in facilitating the process of change required for economic growth and the achievement of social justice is represented by the decision to combine government responsibilities for employment, education, and training in one department. The National Board of Employment, Education and Training (NBEET) was created in 1988 to provide advice to the government on schools, higher education, skills formation, training, and research. Structural changes in education and training have been emphasized as part of the government's broad ranging program of micro-economic reforms. Among the important educational developments of this period include a government discussion paper, "Strengthening Australia's Schools," which focused upon the critical role that schools have in the achievement of national objectives. This report is divided into three sections: (1) organization and structure of the Australian Education System; (2) development of education 1986-88; and (3) problems and difficulties. A number of appendices that feature charts and tables of statistical data are included. (DB)

This research summary presents discussions from two regional workshops held in Indonesia and Pakistan in 1989 and 1991, respectively. The focus of the workshops was to formulate prototype instructional materials of population education core messages for primary education, literacy and continuing education programs in the Asia Pacific Programme of Education for All (APPEAL), under UNESCO sponsorship. Chapter 1, "Curriculum Materials Development: Guidelines and Instruments," includes the following sections: (1) "The Integration of Population Education"; (2) "Considerations in Determining Population Education Learning Requirements"; (3) "Issues and Problems in the Preparation and Use of Population education Materials"; (4) "Guidelines in Curriculum and Materials Development"; (5)"Linkages with Different Development Sectors"; (6) "Sample Evaluation Instruments"; (7) "ACCU Experience on Teaching-Learning Materials Development"; and (8) "List of Reference Materials." Chapter 2, "Population Education Core Messages for Integration into APPEAL," contains the following sections: (1) "Population Education Core Messages Developed in Indonesia"; and (2) "Population Education Core Messages Developed in Pakistan." Appendices contain lists of participants for the two workshops. (EH)

This document profiles 285 adult education and literacy resources that were developed with funding provided under Section 353 of the Adult Education Act. The resources are grouped according to the following categories: adult education program management; adults with disabilities, competency-based adult education; corrections education; English as a second language; evaluation/assessment; family literacy; general educational development; life skills; literacy; older persons; staff development; teacher education; teaching writing; technology/computer-assisted instruction; volunteers in adult education; and workplace literacy/work force literacy. A wide variety of publication types are profiled, including the following: workbooks; teacher guides; administrator guides; project reports; curriculum guides; project reports; annotated bibliographies; supplementary reading materials; and resource guides for practitioners and parents. Each entry contains some or all of the following: description mentioning the resource's publication type, purpose/intended audience, major components, special features, and ratings from instructors and/or learners; source; and price. Appended are Division of Adult Education and Literacy and ERIC order forms. (MN)

This document examines some of the currents, figures, and moments in U.S. art education. The text is organized in 12 chapters: (1) "The Beginnings of Education in the Visual Arts in America"; (2) "The Dismissal of Walter Smith: Historiographic Explanation, the American Art Scene, and Visual Arts Education in the Late Nineteenth Century"; (3) "Germanic Influences"; (4) "Franz Cizek and the Elusiveness of Historical Knowledge"; (5) "American Attempts to Democratize Art: Picture Study"; (6) "American Women in Visual Arts Education: Outstanding Leaders and the Interaction between Gender Bias and Art's Status"; (7) "A Charismatic American"; (8) "Gender and the History of Visual Arts Education: Survival and Disappearance"; (9) "Of Women and Art Education: Roles of Importance"; (10) "A Colossus of Sorts"; (11) "The Post-Lowenfeld Era: Radical Dissent and Thoughtful Revisionism"; (12) "From Aesthetic Education to Discipline-Based Art Education: Intellectualizations and Confusions." Contains approximately 20 pages of references and an index. (MM)

This revised edition of a guide to vocational program planning in Virginia is intended to be used as a principal resource for vocational program design and application and to serve as a supplement to program information provided to localities by the individual service areas. The guide is organized in eight sections, one for each program area: agricultural education, business education, health occupations education, marketing education, programs for special needs students, technology education, trade and industrial education, and work and family studies. Each section contains the following information: (1) service area overview; (2) student organization information; (3) information on substitutions for high school science, mathematics, and practical arts credits; (4) a graphic representation of suggested program sequences by grade level; (5) a table showing programs and courses along with course codes, grade levels, class sizes, and duration in number of weeks; (6) individual program and course descriptions, including Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) Code, suggested grade level, prerequisites, approved courses, and related postsecondary programs; and (7) completer requirements for vocational programs. (KC)

This two-part report presents an overview of the vocational and technical education system in Thailand. The first part is a review of the current and likely future situations pertaining to vocational and technical education in that country. An analysis of economic conditions, human resource development, and the existing technical and vocational education system is presented. In addition, the future of technical and vocational education is forecast. The second part of the report focuses on policies to promote close linkages between technical and vocational education institutions and industries, an issue linked to raising the status of technical and vocational education in Thailand. Some of the information provided includes the following: (1) 3-year, 2-year, and 1-year bachelor of technology programs are available; (2) five major areas of study are specified: trade and industry, agriculture, home economics, business, and arts and crafts; and (3) national policy places high priority on expansion of secondary education and developing technical skills that are needed in the economy. (KC)

This report represents the fifth teacher education follow-up study at Central Missouri State University (CMSU). The Teacher Education Assessment Committee (TEAC), a centralized system of data collection and assessment, conducts and publishes results of periodic assessments and evaluations of the university's teacher education programs by soliciting input from: (1) the university teacher education faculty; (2) preservice teacher education candidates; (3) inservice teachers and other graduates of the teacher education program; and (4) employers of educators who had been prepared by the university. Graduate and student teacher respondents were given questions on biographical background, current employment status, and attitudes toward the teacher education program at CMSU. Questions addressed to the other respondents asked for a broader assessment of the program. The results of all assessments and evaluations will be applied to the current teacher education program and shared with school districts that employ the university's graduates. Background information and College Basic Academic Subject Examination (CBASE) scores, part of the admission process for acceptance into the teacher education program, are provided. Survey instruments with their findings are reproduced. (LL)

Increasing levels of student diversity, and inequality, frame the conditions of schooling in the contemporary moment. Initial teacher education has also been criticised for falling short in adequately preparing pre-service teachers who can cater for the needs of diverse student learners. This paper enters this discursive field and takes a specific focus on decolonising approaches to curriculum and pedagogical practices of health and physical education (HPE) of initial teacher education. My specific focus is the implementation of a range of strategies in a fourth-year Primary/Middle (years 3-9) HPE course within a Bachelor of Education program. I first provide a contextual overview and examine furthering an understanding of settler/colonialism in initial teacher education. In the remaining sections of the paper, I report on strategies designed to build cultural confidence, competence and respect. I conclude in arguing that if pre-service teachers are to develop pedagogical practices that are responsive to the diverse cultural, linguistic and embodied practices of all students, we too, as HPE teacher educators, need to confront our own assumptions about valued knowledge and practices.

The connections between citizenship education and mathematics education have been the focus of theoretical development and attention by educators interested in issues of justice, equity, power, criticality, and citizen engagement with societal issues, across schools, universities, and adult education levels. In this survey article, we contribute to new knowledge in the field by identifying and describing three interconnected "layers of influence" on the praxis of teaching and learning: (1) perspectives from citizenship education and mathematics education (e.g., kinds of citizenship, critical thinking in mathematics education); (2) institutional factors (e.g., policy, curricula, implementation within education systems); and (3) emerging influences (e.g., changing skill demands, innovations from communities of practice). In exploring the connections between citizenship education and mathematics education, we go beyond extant theory development and point to influences such as global disruptions, societal changes, systemic structures at the national and local levels, messaging in the media, and the role of teachers and learners. The holistic analysis of these influences enables identification of tensions and dilemmas, and issues of identity, autonomy, adoption, and systemic change. Together these point to multiple implications for educators, policy makers, and researchers aiming to enable informed and engaged citizens.

Alphabet-based languages are more often researched in literacy acquisition and education than akshara languages. Languages that use alphasyllabaries including symbols, called aksharas, represent a large portion of the world's languages, including the languages of the second most populous country, India. This conceptual research paper addresses teacher education in literacy related to the akshara languages. Using the theory and research base of existing letter and akshara acquisition, with teacher education standards for literacy in alphabet-based languages, this paper presents a model for teacher education in literacy for akshara languages. This framework provides teacher education standards and other considerations, such as evaluation of teacher education curriculum and performance, to enable data-based decision making in literacy instruction. The premise of this paper is to approach the problem of dismal literacy rates by drawing into the robust research in alphabetic language literacy education by using a systematic approach to target the source -- pre-service teacher education. While this paper addresses examples of languages in India, other transparent orthographies that use symbols or aksharas can draw from this to inform their teacher education in literacy.

Management tools do more than manage and organise - they classify and contribute to the construction of education-as-concept. This article shows how tendering-based procurement, used by Swedish municipalities to outsource adult education to non-public providers, works to commensurate 'education' into measurable tender evaluation criteria. Drawing on the sociology of conventions approach and 47 procurement examples, I show that tendering evaluation criteria define what constitutes 'desirable' education through various degrees of commensuration. Further, I show how mechanisms intended to evaluate and compare bids also construct the value of education different - for example, promoting cost-efficiency as valuable; constructing education as an on-demand service; or by assuming a supply-and-demand approach and viewing value as fluid. Based on the exemplified commensurations and valuations, I discuss the consequences of education privatization via tendering-based procurement. Since competition is inherently built into the tool, it becomes valuable. Further, procurement recasts education stakeholders into market roles and reshapes their relationships. In short, the article underscores the importance of understanding how education privatization is organized and what role management tools play in shaping education, calling for critical education research to delve into their dynamics and impact.

This study explored Indonesian prospective teachers' views on the adapted (including global socio-scientific issues) and revisited (including local socio-scientific issues) versions of the scientific habits of mind (SHOM) scale and compared their SHOM levels concerning teacher education programs and grades. The sample of the study consisted of 1298 Indonesian prospective teachers drawn from departments of chemistry education, biology education, science education, elementary teacher education, and mathematics education. The adapted and revisited versions of SHOM scale were used to collect data. The result showed that the locality of socio-scientific issues (SSI), grade, and teacher education program somewhat influenced the Indonesian prospective teachers' SHOM levels. Also, their familiarity with local SSI acted as a cornerstone to make a decision about SSI via SHOM. This study suggests that teacher education programs should be enriched with undergraduate courses (e.g., integrating SSI into SHOM, measuring SSI with SHOM, ethnoscience through SSI and SHOM) to stimulate the Indonesian prospective teachers' SHOM levels via SSI.

Distance education has received a lot of attention in contemporary policy as something that makes it possible for more students to participate, but also involves a certain set of challenges. When it comes to distance education, Swedish municipal adult education (MAE) stands out with its long history of flexible education, often provided on distance. Applying Bacchi's poststructural WPR approach, the aim of this study was to scrutinise how distance education is construed, and the discursive effects of this, in comments by MAE school leaders and staff during a quality audit. The analysis shows that it becomes difficult to question or think differently about distance education within the flexibility discourse in adult education. Moreover, the blame for students' lack of goal attainment and increased dropouts seems to be put on external providers, municipalities, and the students rather than on the way that the adult education system is organised or the demands around flexibility in adult education policy. What seems to be left out is a discussion about the pedagogical and didactical implications of distance education.