Education & Pedagogy

Educational gains made by Cuban women since the revolution are described. (DE)

English educators must be specialists; myth of liberal education should be abandoned. (JH)

Article investigated the inequality of opportunity for women in higher education. (Author/RK)

Balanced development of compulsory education is not only the cornerstone of education equity, but also the fundamental part for realizing a harmonious society. There have been several achievements in balancing the development of compulsory education in China, such as narrowing the gaps in compulsory education between rural, urban, and other areas. However, the development of compulsory education is still confronted with several issues, including the gaps between rural and urban schools, the gaps between teacher's situations in rural and urban area, higher drop-out rates of rural compulsory education than that of the national average level, etc. Based on the analysis of these issues and reasons, the suggestions for the policy-makers are as follows: (1) it must be further clarified that governments at all levels must take all responsibilities for the balanced development of compulsory education so as to integrate local authorities' input and the central government's subsidies; (2) the allocation mechanism of resources for compulsory education should be set up with "qualitative and fair growth" as its aim; (3) The quality standard for compulsory education based on the national curriculum standard should be worked out for playing the role of quality inspection in the fair development of compulsory education, and a relevant system of responsibility should also be established; (4) A national unified card for compulsory education should be adopted, which would help abolish extra fees for non-permanent-resident students receiving compulsory education in other places and (5) civilian-sponsored schools should be encouraged to offer compulsory education.

University physical education teacher education (PETE) programs in many states face unique challenges in the preparation of pre-service elementary school physical education teachers. In some states such as Arizona, the majority of elementary schools employ full-time physical education specialists, while, in other states such as California, the majority of elementary schools do not employ a physical education specialist. When elementary schools do not employ physical education specialists, classroom teachers have the primary responsibility for physical education instruction. Schools without physical education specialists present an additional challenge for university PETE programs; not only must they prepare PETE majors to become elementary school physical education specialists, they also have the critical responsibility of preparing future K-6 classroom teachers to provide quality physical education instruction. Furthermore, when local elementary schools do not employ physical education specialists, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to provide high quality elementary school physical education field experiences for pre-service teachers. One approach university PETE programs may use to insure high quality elementary school physical education field experiences is to develop partnerships with elementary schools where there is sufficient support for physical education, as well as openness to university leadership. The university PETE faculty, working together with district leaders, elementary school administration, and school faculty, may create a reciprocal partnership through which pre-service teachers conduct on-site physical education instruction and physical activity and fitness assessment with elementary school students. This article describes the framework of a model for establishing such a partnership consisting of the following: (1) purpose; (2) need; (3) description; (4) development; (5) implementation; and (6) benefits.

The starting point for this article is the lack of a clear or emerging consensus of what is generally understood by the term "health education", or its role as a component of the school science curriculum which requires a particular research focus. One of the purposes of this article is to explore the concept of health education as one in which a number of associated ideas and concepts, to do with aspects of health literacy and health promotion, together with notions of healthy schools and standards, appear to have become fused and confused. A second purpose is to open dialogue about what the particular contribution of science education to health education might be, and how that contribution might be more fully evaluated, and more widely reported in the literature on science education research. The author explores some current concerns about the nature and purposes of the science curriculum in school. A framework of questions for curriculum planning is introduced that may be used to ascertain the extent to which planning caters for the wider goals of science education, drawing in goals of health education. This framework also provides a link to a concept central to this article: the "Health Promoting School". Meanings behind the term "health education" are discussed to illustrate the importance of a "personal-development" model of health education for science educators. A range of health education studies and evaluation strategies are described, focusing on three key topics: (1) nutrition; (2) reproduction and sexuality; and (3) drug education. The Discussion section addresses associated pedagogical issues and the use of expert-driven intervention studies to suggest directions for further health-related research within science education. (Contains 2 figures.)

This article is a sociological study of postdiploma professional education. The authors state, that under the conditions of the mounting dynamics of social and economic processes, the only way that an individual can retain and increase the level of his professional and social competence and, consequently, his ability to compete in the domestic and international labor markets, is to take active part in various forms of postdiploma professional education. Postdiploma professional education can be defined as a systematically organized process, implemented over the entire span of adult life, for the purpose of enriching the knowledge, abilities, and skills of individuals with a basic professional education, a process designed to develop their personal economic culture and enhance their active social and professional involvement. In this article, the authors carried out a sociological (questionnaire) survey of college students who were acquiring a second higher education, enrolled in programs of higher professional education based on a profile secondary professional education, trainees in the President's Program for the Training of Management Cadres for Organizations of the National Economy of the Russian Federation, and also people participating in other programs for the retraining of specialists. The main purpose of the survey was to determine people's leading motives for continuing their professional education, the factors that have an influence on the formation thereof, and the characteristics of the educational needs of people of different ages who had different levels of education. And the results of the survey shows that the level of education that the subjects have achieved is a significant factor serving to form their need to continue their education, inasmuch as it influences the value aspects of their attitudes toward education and willingness to invest their resources in education. (Contains 2 tables and 1 note.)

The "Report on the Condition of Education" is a congressionally mandated annual report from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Using the most recent data available (at the time this report was written) from NCES and other sources, the report contains key indicators on the condition of education in the United States at all levels, from prekindergarten through postsecondary, as well as labor force outcomes and international comparisons. There are core indicators that are updated every year and spotlight indicators that provide in-depth analyses on topics of interest to education agencies, policymakers, researchers, and the public. At the broadest level, the Condition of Education Indicator System is organized into five sections: family characteristics; preprimary, elementary, and secondary education; postsecondary education; population characteristics and economic outcomes; and international comparisons. The Report on the "Condition of Education 2023" encompasses key findings from the Condition of Education Indicator System. The full contents of the Indicator System can be accessed online through the website or by downloading PDFs for the individual indicators. [For "The Condition of Education 2023": At a Glance, see ED628291. For the "Report on the Condition of Education 2022. NCES 2022-144," see ED619870.]

The arts disciplines (visual arts, music, theatre, and dance) merit and require formal study. Policy makers should support studies in the arts as core disciplines, as specified in the "Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)," the federal legislation that sets policy and appropriations for public education. The arts merit and require study in school: (1) as means of communication; (2) as historical components of civilization; and (3) as providers of unique forms of knowledge. The goal of all elementary and secondary education in the arts -- no matter what the career direction of the student -- should be the development of basic knowledge in dance, music, theatre, and the visual arts. The National Art Education Association (NAEA) advocates for the importance of visual art education in public and private schools, higher education, museum education, and community-based settings. Following a preface on the value of education in the arts, this document presents platform statements in the following categories relating to the arts: (1) Students; (2) Art Educators; (3) Relationships; (4) Curriculum; (5) Instruction; and (6) Assessment. Each platform statement consists of: (1) statements of NAEA's understanding of what the category is; and (2) one statement which articulates NAEA's beliefs in that category. Each platform statement is followed by NAEA position statements in that category. [Title varies: "NAEA Platform and Position Statements."]