Education & Pedagogy

Teacher education must become a profession by initiating significant changes, requiring perceptual shifts, in training models. Needed are a generalist-specialist training model; recognition that program graduates are not qualified practitioners of the teaching profession until satisfactory completion of a two-year residency; and coordination among educational institutions/agencies and state legislatures. (MH)

The Symposium on Special Issues for Workers' Education in Industrialized Countries covered several topics: trade union opinions, the need for public debate, development education, new trends, investments and respect for union rights, union solidarity, resources allocated to workers' education, the role of the International Labor Office, and right of access of unions to mass communication media. (CT)

In the debate on educational reform in Japan, the government's version of free choice would lead to commercialism and privatisation of education and an even more competitive system creating technocratic elites. In contrast, the Japan Teachers' Union has proposed reforms based on the people's right to justice in education. (JHZ)

The chairman of the National Governors' Association summarizes the group's report entitled "Time for Results: The Governors' 1991 Report on Education" and discusses the governors' role in the current state of public and teacher education, in the movement for change, and in maintaining momentum for continued improvement. (MSE)

Points out problems of access to schooling in Zambia, especially at the primary and secondary levels and discusses existing types of alternative schooling such as night schools and supervised study groups. Argues that recent private school initiatives are not providing educational opportunities except for a few wealthy urban families. (JHZ)

Tables of the Reagan Administration's 1988 fiscal budget show breakdown data on student assistance, graduate support, institutional assistance, education for the handicapped, aid to disadvantaged, education research and statistics, bilingual education, library resources, scientific research, health research and professions, arts and humanities, and civil rights. (MLW)

Considers barriers to education faced by homeless children. Compares the development of the rights to education of homeless children and youth to the development of rights of the handicapped. Access to education is only the first step. Services must be provided to enable success to come from access. (SLD)

Describes the development and modification of a teacher education program based on a constructivist epistemology. Among the conclusions are that systemic change is a slow process. If reforms are to be permanent, it is necessary to change the referents of the culture and empower teachers to take personal actions to overcome perceived constraints. (PR)

Comparative analysis of Canadian and U.K. national survey data examined educational attainment by gender, age group, and occupational category; extent of apprenticeship certification; and enrollment patterns for continuing adult education. Canada's higher educational attainment, flexible school-work transition, and higher continuing-education enrollments suggest a more highly qualified labor force than in the United Kingdom. (SV)

Describes a study that examined the formal reasoning abilities of 147 preservice students in elementary education enrolled in a computer education course. Use of the Arlin Test of Formal Reasoning (ATFR) is explained, and correlations between students' ages and grade point averages and their scores on the ATFR are discussed. (Contains 22 references.) (LRW)

Examines labor market outcomes of individuals with various types of postsecondary educational experiences, highlighting differences between students who have pursued technical programs, those who have pursued academic programs and those who have not pursued postsecondary education. Employs a triage model suggesting that employer-employee matches are rewarded differently for individuals from the different postsecondary tracks. (Contains 16 references.) (MLH)

Investigates the extent to which Australian teacher education institutions have responded to multicultural issues. Data are revealed showing that curricular provisions in most institutions were at a token level only. Three cases are presented which illustrate both this tokenism and the preferred model of the permeation of multiculturalism throughout the curriculum. (GLR)

Reports on a study of 217 first-year physical education majors, physical education student teachers, and established inservice physical education teachers. Finds that student teachers were most knowledgeable about issues in the field and inservice teachers were more concerned about instructional procedures and classroom management. (CFR)

Audiographics is a computer-based technology that allows simultaneous transmission of voice and graphic images across local telephone lines in a conference call format. Indiana University uses audiographics to deliver graduate coursework to practicing rural teachers and to deliver and supervise practicum projects. Particular advantages of audiographics as a distance-education delivery method are outlined. (SV)

An educator describes what our education system could look like in the next century if policymakers, teachers, and teacher educators committed to it. Strategies for achieving this vision through teacher education are discussed, and two policy recommendations are made: accreditation of all schools of education and their graduates, and minimum teacher standards. (MSE)