Education & Pedagogy

Because public schools are serving an unjust reproductive function (according to social class, race/ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation), teacher education must be reformed fundamentally to equip students to see problems and possibilities more holistically and become committed to democracy, equity, diversity, and a moral economy. The paper emphasizes the value of social foundations of education in understanding such issues. (SM)

Science education reforms grounded in the male, Anglo cultural perspective are centrally faulty in that they expect females and minorities to participate in an educational and political structure that devalues them. Presents four recommendations for creating a "new science" education that values multiple perspectives and teaches students to look at science programs with a critical eye. Contains 33 references. (TD)

Conditions on Canadian Native reserves are often blamed on a lack of education, the assumption being that education automatically leads to a better life. On the contrary, reserve conditions are partly due to assimilationist education. Successful Native education depends on both Native control and content based in Native culture. Contains 24 references. (TD)

Known primarily for its tutoring and testing of grade-school and high-school students, for-profit Sylvan Learning Systems has developed interests in distance education, teacher education, English-language training, and college-level study outside the United States. The company is consciously stepping up its presence in areas associated with higher education, claiming it aims at cooperation, not competition. (MSE)

The traditional dichotomy in higher education between the world of knowledge and that of pedagogy also defines the role of the field of teacher education. Recent initiatives to improve undergraduate teaching have ignored potential contributions of teacher preparation programs and education departments to campuswide discussions of learning, leaving education students and faculty and their curricula isolated and demeaned. (MSE)

Schools of education suffer criticism from the public for producing poorly prepared teachers and inadequate curricula. University faculties see the schools as a scapegoat, allowing blame for problems with schools to fall on teacher education rather than on higher education in general. Education schools have not been successful at melding theory and practice, nor have they been rewarded for trying. (MSE)

Provides a brief historical background for the current character education movement. Identifies mandates and support for character education in California's schools and shares implications of the character education movement for California teachers. Includes a list of California's Standards for the Teaching Profession regarding character education. (MJP)

Discusses difficulties colleges of education encounter with students who have special needs. A case study at one university explores dilemmas resulting from efforts to mediate between educators concerned with providing equal opportunities and educators concerned with upholding standards of excellence. An analysis of their dilemmas draws implications for democratic practice in teacher education. (SM)

The Dutch government conducted a project to promote information and communication technology (ICT) use in education. To systematically gather data on ICT use in other countries, the government began a continuous survey of best practice ICT use in education via printed and electronic resources and site visits. The final report is available on the Internet in Dutch. (SM)

Distance education has potential to overcome barriers to rural women's participation but must consider women's attitudes toward technology and ways of knowing. Strategies are outlined for developing gender-friendly models of distance education. "Value-added" distance education requires rethinking traditional instructional settings and techniques. Contains 18 references. (SAS)

Discusses a method of teaching a concepts-based fitness course to preservice physical educators, describing five themes that form the course's conceptual framework: what fitness education is and why it is needed, developing a concepts-based fitness course, teaching cognitive aspects of fitness education, teaching physical aspects of fitness education, and promoting fitness education. (SM)

Provides a critical analysis of some of the social and political contexts of mathematics education in the adult and vocational education and training sectors with particular reference to gender issues. Presents a brief overview of recent policy developments and reviews selected papers from the literature on gender equity. Compares constraints of previous and current political eras. Contains 64 references. (Author/ASK)

Reviews some of the basic tenets of postmodernism's approach to art education and argues for a more tolerant and ubiquitous acceptance of these views. Postmodernists believe that art education should include cultural critique as well as aesthetic experience and that popular art measures culture in ways high art cannot. (MJP)

This study aimed to discover the existing obstacles to environmental education in Kenya and to suggest solutions for providing better environmental education. Teachers in primary and secondary schools answered a questionnaire about their perceptions of various aspects of implementing environmental education including teaching approaches and government role. Results indicate high awareness for environmental education. Includes questionnaire. (PVD)

Traces the development of distance education and compares similarities with the same evolution in library and information science education (LISE). Topics include correspondence and extension in LISE; telecommunications; audioconferencing; videoconferencing; current uses of technology and distance education in LISE; and non-ALA (American Library Association) accredited programs. (LRW)