Education & Pedagogy

This position paper by the Illinois Association for Personalized Learning Programs (IAPLP) argues that developmental education programs provide the means for improving the quality of education while maintaining equal opportunity and access to higher education. First, a summary of the IAPLP's position on developmental education is presented, along with recommendations concerning statewide and institutional support for developmental education, and the involvement of support services personnel in state and institutional decision making. After a section examining the resurgent national concern for excellence in education, the paper defines developmental education as learning assistance services, special assistance programs, and compensatory education; highlights the place of personalized learning programs within and beyond developmental education; looks at variations in developmental programs; and offers assumptions about developmental students as learners. The next section of the paper focuses on the issue of measuring quality, highlighting measures such as program completion, certification, and job placement rates; increases in grade point averages, test scores, and student persistence, and lowered attrition rates. Next, study findings are cited revealing the extent to which developmental programs in Illinois have achieved quality. A discussion is then provided of the unacceptable alternatives to academic assistance for underprepared students. Finally, the paper stresses the need for the support of developmental education programs as part of Illinois higher education's commitment to quality with equity. (AYC)

This paper: (1) reviews the goals and directions of United States marine education; (2) reports the findings of three surveys which were designed to provide a perspective on current Canadian efforts in marine education; and (3) presents a set of proposed goals and future directions for marine education in Canada. Federal agencies with a "functional area" related to management of marine and aquatic resources were contacted in the first survey. Individuals within these agencies completed a questionnaire pertaining to the type of K-12 involvement it had in formal education and in nonformal and information learning initiatives. Science, environmental education, or social studies consultants in the 10 provinces and two territorial ministries of education were contacted in the second survey to ascertain the extent of their involvement in marine education. Elementary and secondary teachers who had taught marine/aquatic education were contacted in the third survey to assess the status of marine education programs and to identify future directions. The results of these surveys (which are discussed separately) do not provide definitive answers. Rather, they suggest starting points, such as developing a newsletter and network to facilitate the exchange of materials and information among interested individuals. (JN)

This catalog of adult education projects for fiscal year 1982 is the fifth in a series of annual listings of education projects funded by states under Section 310 of the Adult Education Act. Included in the catalog are descriptions of 255 developmental activities in the following program areas: adult basic education, administration, adult performance level and life skills, assessment and testing, counseling, competency-based adult education, community linkage, correctional education, dissemination and diffusion, evaluation, employability, English as a second language and bilingual education, general educational development, high school diplomas, adults with learning disabilities, older adults, recruitment, staff development, and tutoring. Each abstract contains the following components: the project's title, the name and address of a project contact person, program objectives, a brief description of the project, funding information, the target audience of the project, descriptions of any project-developed products, and an evaluation. Appended to the report are indexes of project titles, subjects, projects by states, and project-developed products. (MN)

The question of whether a liberal arts education is the best or the most useful kind of schooling is considered through a historical perspective. While education may be viewed as instrumental to the development of the individual and the overall society, some believe education should provide specific job training. In the first view, the needs of future generations are considered in terms of human competence, civic responsibility, professional ability, and individual fulfillment. In the second case, education is valued as leading to a particular opportunity for a given kind of work and life. Views of the liberal arts have varied from ancient times and the Renaissance to the 1980s. In the 1980s, there is a return to the view that education has become too fragmented and that in the late 1960s curricula lost their coherence and teachers their convictions. The character of education within the university requires educators who demand breadth in the approach to their subjects, self-conscious reflectiveness, thoughtfulness, and a respect for rigorous intellectual activity. Although a "core" curriculum may be a good approach to general or liberal education, liberal education is a particular approach toward education rather than a specified syllabus or curriculum. (SW)

Papers presented at two institutes held in Australia to discuss multicultural education are presented. Topics discussed include demographic background of Australia, principles of Australian pluralism, problems and issues for teachers making decisions on curriculum, the educational experience of children of migrant origin, the objectives and implementation of multicultural education, a case study of an Aboriginal school, the experience of the Strelley Station school, which has provided a model and inspiration for bilingual education and community involvement, a case study of a school where the children are predominantly Anglo-Saxon, a description of St. John's Greek Orthodox College, key issues raised by a national survey of ethnic schools in Australia 1981-82, implications of multicultural education for teacher education, a national language policy, commonwealth initiatives in multicultural education, educational theories and practices, cultural and linguistic factors affecting the educational achievements of Aboriginals, influences of ethnic community organizations on multicultural education, strategies for the development of a multicultural education curriculum, ethnic and racial prejudice in Australia, and policies and programs for the teaching of languages. A list of participants is included. (RM)

These materials from a forum to discuss education-work issues include summaries of three working groups and excerpts from four presentations. General conclusions reached during the 2-day forum appear first. They address the need for (1) joint remedial efforts between business and higher education, (2) shared education and business responsibility for human capital development, (3) strengthening of cooperative education, (4) sharing of state-of-the-art technology, (5) identification and elimination of barriers to educator/employer interaction, and (6) improved labor market information. The summaries of the three working groups present general recommendations for improving the working relationship between the business and education communities. Excerpts from the opening remarks call education and its problems one of the economic problems of America and state that education is not changing to meet business needs and does not produce work-ready people. The focus of the second presentation is the need for investment in human capital development. Guidelines for strategic planning are given, and the notion of "revitalization centers" is offered. The third presentation considers the role of higher education in human capital development and suggests changes to provide quality continuing professional education. In the final presentation the role of the human resource development manager is addressed. (YLB)

These proceedings contain the agenda, discussants' reports, and 30 papers from the 1983 National Agricultural Education Research Meeting. A discussant's report precedes each group of three papers on one theme and critiques the strengths and weaknesses of the research reported. The 10 themes and representative topics of papers are adult education (exemplary program policies and practices, an adult education program in agriculture); teacher education (occupational market analysis of vocational agriculture teacher education positions, developing and maintaining researchers in agricultural education, national assessment of agricultural education student organizations); vocational agriculture students (leadership and personal development abilities, job placement, horticulture programs for special needs students); supervised occupational experience (relationship to establishment in an occupation, factors associated with participation); a look at vocational agriculture and its components by students, administrators, and teachers (administrator attitudes, student satisfaction); agricultural education graduates (predicting whether graduates will teach, competencies needed to utilize microcomputers); instructional materials (evaluation of materials); vocational agriculture teachers (placement and retention factors; trends in preparation, demand, and mobility; role perceptions); teaching methods/strategies (tolerance and disciplinary effectiveness, teaching livestock skills); and how to improve research in agricultural education (sample size, path analysis). (YLB)

Questionnaires were completed by 85 high school administrators, 87 high school special education teachers, and 103 general education teachers; and interviews were conducted with 48 special education students. Data are presented according to each sample group. Special education teachers responded to questions on such issues as courses taught, program effectiveness, desired class size, and specific strategies within the district related to mainstreaming. General education teachers voiced their perceptions of mainstreaming success, adequacy of support services, need for extra time to accommodate mainstreamed handicapped students, and effects of mainstreamed students on quality of instruction. Administrators responded to questions regarding their degree of responsibility in high school special education programs, time devoted to special education activities, and ranking of inservice topics. Students were asked about their experiences in regular classrooms, difficulties with other students, and suggestions to improve the special education program. Nine conclusions were drawn including the need for increased training in high school teaching for special education teachers assigned to high school positions, the importance of written goals and objectives for the secondary special education program, and the role of special education teachers in facilitating the acceptance of mainstreamed students. (Sample questionnaires are appended). (CL)

This guide provides ideas and recommendations from the business and education communities of Wisconsin to help provide an opportunity for all students to reach their fullest career potential. The first part deals with the need to restructure the educational system in order to concentrate on education for employment and on the procedures entailed in planning for education for employment. The second part of the guide consists of chapters devoted to each of the seven elements of education for employment. Each chapter describes the components and/or competencies of each element and gives sample activities. The seven elements are business and education partnerships; practical application of basic skills; career exploration, planning, and decision making; employability skills and attitudes; school-supervised work experiences; knowledge of business operations and economics; and contemporary vocational education programs. (Appendixes include the text of the Education for Employment Administrative Rule, teacher preparation standards, a demonstration grants report, guidelines on collecting and using labor market information, a sample student follow-up survey form, school-business partnership resources, economics education resources, questions and answers about education for employment, and a suggested reading list.) (MN)

The contents of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965 are summarized, with attention to competing interests and policy areas of concern to the California Postsecondary Education Commission. Current provisions and proposed changes are reviewed for: Title I, Continuing Postsecondary Education Program and Planning; Title II, College and Research Library Assistance and Library Training and Research; Title III, Institutional Aid; Title IV, Student Assistance; Title V, Teacher Preparation; Title VI, International Education; Title VII, Construction, Reconstruction, and Renovation of Academic Facilities; Title VIII, Cooperative Education; Title IX, Graduate Programs; Title X, Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education; Title XI, Urban Grant University Program; and Title XII, General Provisions. Among the proposed changes are the following: support to institutional development and operation of adult learner programs if colleges can show that the programs relate to state plans for adult and continuing education; grants to small libraries with financial need to improve their technological capacity and grants to more advanced libraries to promote the state of the art through research and demonstration projects; and sustained support for historically black institutions. (SW)

This document, prepared for the use of the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives, focuses on general provisions for education, beginning with the full text of the Department of Education Organization Act of 1979. This is followed by antecedent legislation, including the General Education Provisions Act; the Inspector General Act of 1978; Titles IV and VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (covering desegregation of public education and nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs, respectively); Title III of the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; Titles VIII and IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (provisions relating to student assignment or transportation and prohibition of sex discrimination); Title I, Part H of the Elementary and Secondary Education Amendments of 1966 (relating to racial imbalance and compliance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964); the Elementary and Secondary Education Amendments of 1969; Title II of the Education Amendments of 1974 (equal educational opportunities and the transportation of students); and Titles XIV and XV-C of the Education Amendments of 1978 (relating to overseas defense dependents' education). The volume concludes with the National Summit Conference on Education Act of 1984. (TE)

In 1981-82 a questionnaire was sent to member countries of UNESCO by the International Environmental Education Programme (IEEP) to determine current needs, priorities, and major trends in environmental education. Of particular interest to the IEEP were developments since the 1977 Intergovernmental Conference on Environmental Education held in Tbilisi, Russia. This document contains the preliminary analysis of results of the questionnaire, along with information collected through other recent publications and documents. Part 1, which is devoted to world trends, needs and priorities, is divided into three chapters. These chapters focus on: (1) descriptions of action undertaken by UNESCO with a view to developing environmental education since the Tbilisi conference; (2) discussions of progress and trends in the development of environmental education throughout the world today, on the basis of national experiences and guidelines; and (3) identification of the most pressing needs to be fulfilled concerning environmental education and member state's priorities for action in this respect. Part 2 consists of two chapters which focus on regional particularities in the discussion of the problems of environmental education. (TW)

Fall 1985 and Spring/Fall 1986 issues of the History of Higher Education Newsletter are presented. Contents of the two issues include: comments by Lester F. Goodchild on George Keller's article on research about higher education that appeared in 1985 in "Change" magazine; a guest editorial by Lewis B. Mayhew on the field of higher education; a discussion on the evolution of the book "Learning to Heal," by the author Kenneth Ludmerer, based on his observations about learning approaches in medical education and practice; a list of 88 dissertations related to the history of higher education between 1984 and 1985; descriptions of the history of higher education sessions at the 1985 and 1986 meetings of the Association of Higher Education (ASHE), as well as history of higher education papers scheduled for presentation at the 1987 meetings of ASHE and the American Educational Research Association; new book announcements; information about the "History of Higher Education Annual"; and a bibliography of research on the history of higher education from January 1984 to November 1985, including books and articles on institutional histories, curriculum, and general and topical issues. (SW)

The Richmond City Public Schools-Virginia Commonweath University Collaborative Teacher Education Program (CoTEEP) is a collaborative integration of preservice and inservice teacher education. Phase IV of this program (1985-1986) planned and developed collaboration in school-based preservice education and continued prior collaboration in inservice education. This study presents both qualitative and quantitative findings related to the themes of the concept of teacher development and program ownership, and assesses the collaborative planning, school-based teacher education activities, inservice teacher education, and perceptions of the developing program by preservice teachers. Chapter one describes the concept of collaboration and school-based inservice teacher education in the teacher education literature and analyzes the innovative aspects of the project from this framework. Chapters two and three present the findings on collaborative planning and development of school-based teacher education activities. Chapters four and five present the assessment of the workshop-seminar series and the graduates' perceptions of the collaborative program. Chapter six describes CoTEEP dissemination and Phase V planning. A summary of 1985-86 accomplishments and implications for Phase V are stated in chapter seven. Six pages of references are provided; the appendices provide numerous survey forms used in the study. (Author/JD)

Since 1979, the Education Information Network in the European Community (EURYDICE) has been conducting seminars designed to improve understanding of the different educational systems of the member states and to facilitate network cooperation. The papers in this document were given by speakers both from the Irish Department of Education and other educational institutions and cover a variety of educational issues in Ireland including recent developments and data. Topics included are: "School Administration in Ireland" (primary and secondary); "Curriculum, Examinations, Schools, Inspection" (primary and secondary); "Special Education in Ireland"; "Teacher Training and Recruitment" (primary and secondary); "Vocational Guidance in Ireland"; "Transition from School to Working Life";"Temporary Grant Scheme for Youth Employment"; "Youth Employment Agency"; "Overall View of State Involvement in Higher Education"; "Higher Education and the Role of the Higher Education Authority"; "Third Level Education Outside the Universities"; "The National Council for Educational Awards"; "The Teaching of French in Ireland"; "Instituid Teangeolaiochta Eireann/The Linguistics Institute of Ireland"; and "Adult Education in Ireland." (BZ)