Education & Pedagogy

State education agencies (SEA's) must determine the policies most appropriate for the realization at the state level of the high priority placed on international education by the new U.S. Department of Education. The extent of international education (whether involving the study of different cultures, of foreign languages, of nations and international relations, or of some combination of these) must first be defined. SEA's can then establish statewide goals and provide consultative help and technical assistance to local education agencies as they make their decisions regarding the placement of international education in the curriculum or in district policy. Despite the priority placed on international education, however, available financial support remains limited. Some sources of further information on state-level programs in international education conclude this document. (Author/PGD)

The purpose of this document, which presents suggestions for needed changes in teacher education, is to provide guidance in the development of improved teacher education programs. Elements outlined in the document include: (1) the major functions of teaching (facilitating learning, classroom management, professional decision making); (2) learning, skills, and field-based experiences derived from the major functions of teaching; (3) setting standards for approving college of education programs at the national and state levels; (4) standards for approving college of education programs (program planning, implementation, personnel, content, and membership in the profession); and (5) characteristics and powers of proposed autonomous State Teacher Education Agencies. An evaluation checklist, designed to assess state agencies which currently approve teacher education programs, is included. (JD)

The National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) now requires teacher education programs to implement a multicultural component as part of teacher education. There is no expectation that a teacher education program would, or could, produce students with broad-based knowledge in all areas, but it is reasonable to require some depth of understanding of Third World issues generally, and perhaps one area specifically, e.g., Latin America. Students should also have expertise on United States society, a sense of the participation and contribution by minorities, and some understanding about one minority group. This paper offers a feasible design of options for implementing a multicultural education course in teacher education programs, given normal resources. An outline is presented of the goals, assumptions, historical development, teacher competencies, and a curricular process for such a course. (JD)

This speech, presented at the reception of the Julian Smith Award, provides a short history of the author and of outdoor education. Outdoor education is defined as education in, about, and for the outdoors. Several points of interest regarding outdoor education are stressed by the author. These include: (1) there is a need for the public to be kept informed about the outdoors so they can use and appreciate the outdoors; (2) outdoor education needs to be taught in the out-of-doors, not in the classroom; (3) there is still a debate between outdoor education and outdoor recreation; and (4) the job of outdoor educators is a lifelong educational process of making people work for nature. (MVL)

This book, written by science educators from nine countries, provides a summary of the strengths and weaknesses in practices of science education in schools, and of research in science education. It points out a number of directions that are likely to lead to improvements in the teaching and learning of science if applied in the future. Topics discussed include: (1) the history of science education reform from an international perspective; (2) the epistemology of science education; (3) science teaching; (4) how children learn; (5) primary school science; (6) constructivism and science education; (7) language; (8) the role of laboratories in science education; (9) gender issues in science education; and (10) science, technology, and society. (CW)

This monograph is an outcome of a request to all of Florida's universities with approved teacher education programs to submit promising models for the education of teachers. In the first section, comments are made on selected reports and proposals for reform, implications for the preparation of teachers are discussed, and a framework is suggested for teacher education. Nine model programs are described. The first three of these models describe broad approaches to teacher education, including an interactive experience-based model, an extended teacher preparation program, and a model leading to a master's degree. Three other models treat issues of field experiences and internships. The final three models deal with specific majors within teacher education, one with an emphasis on the development of master teacher skills and two on performance based vocational teacher education, and counselor education. (JD)

Designed to provide instructional technologists, policy makers, and administrators with an overview of the basic principles of distance education, this booklet comprises eight chapters: (1) Introduction; (2) A Selective History; (3) Components of Distance Education Systems; (4) Organizational Options; (5) Instructional Technologists and Staffing for Distance Education; (6) Economics of Distance Education; (7) Distance Education at Home and Abroad (describing selected examples of distance education projects); and (8) Present Issues in Distance Education (including political, legal, and regulatory problems; research and development; new applications; and organization and leadership). A list of abbreviations and acronyms, a bibliography containing 21 references, and a list of general references to centers of activity in distance education are provided. (GL)

This publication presents an overview of all educational programs approved for national dissemination by the Department of Education. The projects are divided into the following sections: (1) adult education; (2) administration/organizational arrangements; (3) alternative schools/programs/bilingual/migrant programs; (4) basic skills--language arts/writing; (5) basic skills--mathematics; (6) basic skills--multi-disciplinary; (7) basic skills--reading; (8) career/vocational education; (9) early childhood/parent involvement; (10) gifted and talented/technology/special interests; (11) health/physical education; (12) preservice/inservice training; (13) science/social science; (14) special education/learning disabilities; and (15) projects whose services are no longer available. The appendices include listings of projects by state and ERIC descriptors. (JD)

The texts of six papers presented at the Canadian Symposium on Special Education Issues are included in these proceedings. The papers' titles and authors are: "How Are We Doing? Issues and Research Related to the Integration of Students with Special Needs" (Janet Quintal); "Post-Secondary Programmes and Services for Exceptional Persons: North American Trends" (Marc Wilchesky); "The Education of Severely and Profoundly Handicapped Children and Youth: Some Issues That Currently Need To Be Resolved" (Harry Dahl); "The Future is Now: Implications for the Development of (Special) Education Leaders" (Ron Posno); "The Charter of Rights and Special Education: Blessing or Curse?" (A. Wayne MacKay); and "Computers in Special Education: Using Technology to Make Up the Difference" (Peter Lindsay). (JDD)

In 1979 the Research Institute for Studies in Education (RISE) began work to develop a comprehensive model for evaluating teacher education programs at Iowa State University. As an initial step in this comprehensive evaluation effort, RISE began compiling a profile of students in teacher education at the univesity. This profile includes descriptive data on student personal, academic, and program characteristics at three major points in their careers as teacher education students: (1) students enrolled in their first education course during the academic year 1981-1982; (2) students enrolled in and admitted to teacher education as of April 1982; and (3) students graduating from teacher education, academic year 1981-1982. Results are presented on tables accompanied by brief narrative summaries. (JD)

The Richmond City Public Schools--Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Collaborative Teacher Education Program (CoTEEP) is a collaborative integration of preservice and inservice teacher education. Phase III of this program (1984-85) planned, developed, and began implementation of collaboration in preservice teacher education, determination of generic knowledge and educational beliefs objectives for preservice teachers, and establishment of university and school cores of teacher educators. It also continued the prior collaboration of planning and inservice education. This study presents the findings related to the VCU generic elementary education program prior to the project; collaboration in planning, evaluation and inservice education; the characteristics of entering preservice candidates, and the collaborative generic preservice objectives for elementary education majors' knowledge and educational beliefs. (JD)

These notes offer an overview of the elements that must be considered in designing an effective teacher education program. Each of the following is discussed: (1) the characteristics of an effective career teacher; (2) professional knowledge capabilities and skills often identified as topics that should be included in the teacher education curriculum; (3) research support (or lack of it) for some commonly heard assertions relating to teacher education; (4) four alternative base models for a teacher education program; (5) generally accepted propositions relating to the development of effective teacher education programs; 6) relative strengths of the alternative models of a teacher education program (table); (7) evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of alternative programs; and (8) obstacles to the reform of teacher education. (JD)

There is a massive higher education expansion in Ethiopia. However, the efforts to expand higher education are characterized by great opportunities and significant challenges. The current higher education policy formulation and practice are the result of long history of traditional education in Ethiopia, the western countries' influence and the current opportunities and challenges observed in the sector. Thus, to formulate and enact workable higher education policy in Ethiopia, one must understand the trends of higher education in Ethiopia with emphasis on purposes, challenges and achievements. The article, therefore, tries to pinpoint the history of Ethiopian higher education and concludes with recommendations for current efforts to improve higher education in the country.

Online graduate programs have been increasing in number and attendance over the past decade. Ensuring that the quality of teacher preparation programs is maintained in an online learning environment is essential. After reviewing the pedagogies of both special education and online learning, it was determined that Universal Design for Learning (UDL) was the best framework for developing a new graduate online course in a distance learning program. The goal is to highlight a model for designing an online course within a special education teacher distance education program and embed UDL principles within the project. This research adds to the body of literature on distance education and the potential for future research is discussed.

As comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP) professional development becomes increasingly available to current K-12 physical education teachers, this special feature shifts attention to the preparation of future PE teachers and teacher educators for CSPAP. The purpose of this concluding article is to summarize the undergraduate- and graduate-level CSPAP integration efforts from the 12 pioneering physical education teacher education (PETE) programs presented in this two-part special feature across coursework, learning objectives, learning experiences, training/certifications, research initiatives, and future strategies. The article concludes by exploring future implications of CSPAP adoption in PETE programs.