(1976). Background Paper on American Indian Exceptional Children. The diversity of the American Indian population coupled with the variety of government units serving the Indian makes it difficult to determine how many Indian children need special education, but available information suggests the need is great. A 1972 Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) survey estimated that 39% of the Indian school age population need special education services. While inclusion of the handicapped child in the public education system is mandated, there remain special problems associated with educating the exceptional Indian child. Foremost among these problems are lack of: specifications for a BIA budget line item; mandatory legislation relative to special education for Indian children; Indian special education personnel; coordination between the states, the BIA, and the tribes; funding for Indian children in contract schools; and proper evaluation procedures relative to Indian special education classifications. Consequently, the Council for Exceptional Children has… [PDF]
(2003). The Multiple Meanings of Multicultural Teacher Education: A Conceptual Framework. Teacher Education Quarterly, v30 n2 p7-26. Despite the fact that most teacher education programs report that they have thoroughly incorporated diversity perspectives and multicultural content into the curriculum, external examinations often prove to the contrary. Likewise, synthesizers of the research on teacher education have consistently concluded that despite more than two decades of multicultural reform, little has really changed in the ways teachers are prepared in college- and university-based programs. Along related but somewhat different lines, institutional and governmental policies purportedly committed to the same goals of providing all children equal access to highly qualified teachers often turn out to be strikingly different from (and sometimes even diametrically opposed to) one another in implementation and ramifications. Discrepancies like these attest to the fact that there are dramatically different takes on "teacher preparation for diversity," "multicultural teacher education," and… [PDF] [Direct]
(1980). Religion and the Public Schools. OSSC Bulletin Vol. 24, No. 1. In response to recent controversy surrounding the relationship between religion and public education, this bulletin offers an examination of past and present conflicts and the legal status of each. A great diversity of religious beliefs is part of our national heritage. Conflicts resulting from differing views on the role of religion in education may best be dealt with when policies and procedures addressing such differences exist. Issues to consider include religious rituals, bible reading and prayers, observance of holy days, instructional activities, and curriculum content. Court decisions have distinguished between teaching a religion and teaching about religious matters. Moral and sex education may also be taught, though schools tend to avoid controversial content. One way districts have dealt with the separation of church and school is through the use of released time that allows students to attend religious classes. Another way is shared time between church-related and public…
(2001). Social Capital: An Analytical Tool for Exploring Lifelong Learning and Community Development. CRLRA Discussion Paper. The possibility of using the concept of social capital as an analytical tool for exploring lifelong learning and community development was examined. The following were among the topics considered: (1) differences between definitions of the concept of social capital that are based on collective benefit and those that define social capital as a resource used for the benefit of those individuals with access to it; (2) community development and community division; (3) the role of the concept of social capital in theories of community development; (4) the role of the concept of social capital in research into community development education; and (5) social capital and social cohesion. A social capital framework for analyzing community development was proposed. The framework called for considering the following items when analyzing community development, including adult education: (1) the balance between internal and external networks; (2) the presence and diversity of brokers who are… [PDF]
(1992). Curriculum Considerations in Inclusive Classrooms: Facilitating Learning for All Students. This book discusses how the curriculum can be designed, adapted, and delivered in general education classrooms that are attempting to promote inclusive communities. Chapters include: \Toward Inclusive Classrooms\ (Susan Stainback et al.); \Celebrating Diversity, Creating Community: Curriculum that Honors and Builds on Differences\ (Mara Sapon-Shevin); \Inclusive Education: Making Sense of the Curriculum\ (Alison Ford et al.); \Using Curriculum to Build Inclusive Classrooms\ (William Stainback et al.) \Using a Collaborative Approach to Support Students and Teachers in Inclusive Classrooms\ (Janet L. Graden, and Anne M. Bauer); \Integrating Support Personnel in the Inclusive Classroom\ (Jennifer York et al.); \Student Collaboration: An Essential for Curriculum Delivery in the 21st Century\ (Richard A. Villa and Jacqueline S. Thousand); \Support and Positive Teaching Strategies\ (Wade Hitzing); \It's Not a Matter of Method: Thinking About How to Implement Curricular Decisions\ (Dianne…
(1997). Exploring America's Communities: In Quest of Common Ground. Iowa Central Community Final Report. In 1996, Iowa Central Community College participated in the Exploring America's Communities project sponsored by the American Association of Community Colleges. The project worked to strengthen the teaching and learning of American history, literature, and culture at U.S. community colleges. Due to the limited scope of the students' understanding of American "identity" and the differences and commonalties between different groups of Americans, the focus of the college's action plan was the development of a course that integrated American history and American literature and emphasized the quest for common ground in assessing American identity. The course is slated to be taught for the first time in the fall of 1997. Students enrolled in the team-taught course will participate in discussions and volunteer in the community. The effort made by team members, faculty, department heads and administration have allowed the planning and development of the course to run smoothly…. [PDF]
(2001). Sharing Teacher Education Curricula Electronically. Pennsylvania's Clarion University plans to implement an electronic visit for the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education's (NCATE's) 2003 continuing accreditation visit. The College of Education and Human Services is committed to selecting and graduating outstanding candidates who are empowered with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to assume responsibility for the exercise of professional judgment and continued professional growth to meet the needs of diverse students in a changing society. It is developing a conceptual framework which defines the preparation of effective, dedicated, and competent professionals. Learners are the center of the conceptual framework, emphasizing individual variations, cultural diversity, and societal influences. The framework identifies the process of knowledge construction, authentic learning and assessment, and learning interactions and includes learners outcomes (professionalism, decision making, and life long… [PDF]
(2000). Integrating Technology into Teacher Education: A Review of Bank Street's Project EXPERT. This paper examines the Bank Street College of Education's efforts to infuse technology into all aspects of graduate teacher education. Entitled Project EXPERT (Expanding Educational Repertoire through Technology), the effort called for graduate school faculty to learn to use technology in their own classrooms and to redesign their courses, students' supervised fieldwork experiences, and students' culminating projects to effectively use technology. Project goals were to prepare classroom teachers to use technology wisely with students and to provide leadership in the area of instructional technology and assessment. Project EXPERT was a whole-school model for technology integration in the context of curricular reform. This paper describes the development and first-year implementation of Project EXPERT, noting lessons learned (e.g., curriculum reform and technology integration seem ideally matched in theory, but can present problems in practice; online discussion forums were the first… [PDF]
(2006). Para-Teacher Scheme and Quality Education for All in India: Policy Perspectives and Challenges for School Effectiveness. Journal of Education for Teaching: International Research and Pedagogy, v32 n3 p319-334 Aug. Improvement in the quality, efficiency, and equity of education, to a considerable extent, depends on the nexus of teaching and learning, which is in turn influenced by the quality of teachers. The teacher has been identified as the single most important factor influencing the quality of education by the Indian Education Commission and the National Policy on Education. Consequently, the government of India, like that of many other developing countries, has been trying to meet the challenge of improving the quality of education by improving teacher quality on several fronts–by raising pre-service education requirements, improving teacher training, increasing the diversity of the teaching force and promoting stronger participation by local government and community organizations. However, the appointment of contract teachers, popularly termed as "para-teachers," in the primary education sector at a mass level raises serious question regarding the quality of education at… [Direct]
(1992). Creating a Gender-Fair Multicultural Curriculum. The creation of a gender-fair multicultural curriculum is the necessary basis for the equitable schooling of all girls and boys in the United States. The key to success in curriculum reform is the inclusion of everyone with a stake in the schools in an effective, productive process. Defining the term multicultural education illustrates the different meanings that have evolved. The national curriculum policy debate over the standards-setting and assessment-design processes focuses on five controversial issues: (1) the measurement of performance; (2) the use of national standards; (3) the effect of national standards on local control of education; (4) the knowledge included in national standards; and (5) the development of a national core curriculum through national standards and assessment. In order to achieve a gender-fair multicultural curriculum, the changes must address national policy, state and local curriculum designs, textbook and materials adoption, classroom practices, and… [PDF]
(1978). Counter-Stereotypy as the Basis of Multi-Ethnic Education. If one accepts the premises that the school is obliged to develop respect for the right of choice regarding ethnic behavior and attitude, and that the individual has a right to be judged on his/her own merits, then it is appropriate to use a counter-stereotypic curriculum in multi-ethnic education. This approach may be defined as: (1) devotion of curricular time to an ethnic/racial entity in proportion to the pervasiveness of the stereotypy directed against it; and (2) selection in the curriculum of elements of history and culture of a given group which refute the stereotypes attached to it. This sort of educational model will enhance ethnic diversity and solidarity while changing stereotypic misconceptions. To promote effectiveness, the counter-stereotypy approach should be supplemented by incorporation of ethnic history within the framework of American History, introduction of events and personalities of ethnic significance into a variety of topics studied (not just the specific…
(2004). Authenticity in Assessment: Reflecting Undergraduate Study and Professional Practice. European Journal of Engineering Education, v29 n2 p193-202. The literature suggests that assessment is a powerful tool for influencing student study habits. It is also recognized that there is a tension between traditional forms of assessment and newer forms of assessment that offer a more authentic representation of practice, but are more complex and expensive to administer. The international trend in undergraduate engineering course accreditation to move to demonstration of attainment of graduate attributes poses new challenges in assessment of learning. A case study based on integrating assessment practices across the year levels of an engineering management studies stream in an undergraduate course is presented. Key features of the assessment portfolio include: the use of assessment in the first year as a foundational tool to establish student study habits and skills; the evolution of assessment tasks by the fourth year to reflect the world of professional practice and to allow students to demonstrate their integration of knowledge and… [Direct]
(1998). The Care and Feeding of a Successful Collaborative Partnership. In this document, representatives from the four partners involved in a self-directed distance learning program for developmental aides responsible for caring for persons with developmental disabilities and/or mental retardation (the City University of New York, a labor union, an executive employee relations office, and a state agency involved in health care delivery) share their insights regarding why their collaborative partnership has been so successful. The document begins with a description of the Distance Learning Project, which was designed to help learners develop needed reading, writing, math, problem-solving, and reasoning skills. The remainder of the document examines the following reasons for the partnership's success: racial, gender, educational, and employment diversity of the members of the program's central guidance team; philosophy that everyone's contribution is important; appreciation and acknowledgment of all team members; commitment to the project; minimum of… [PDF]
(1991). Street Gangs and the Schools: A Blueprint for Intervention. Fastback 321. Schools cannot approach the problem of street gangs with the same strategies as law enforcement agencies, but rather must create a nurturing environment for all students, where success in school and life becomes the only attractive option for gang members. Street gangs represent the racial, cultural, and economic diversity of American society. Gangs are similar to other organizations in that they have a name, claim territory, have a continuous membership, and distinguish themselves from other groups. However, to qualify as a gang, the organization must be involved in criminal activity. Gang involvement can range from simple admiration or identification with someone who is in a gang to classification by a law enforcement agency as a documented full-participant. The following factors contribute to gang involvement: (1) power; (2) pride; (3) prestige; (4) peer pressure; (5) adventure; (6) self-preservation; (7) money; and (8) limited life options. Schools must avoid the unproductive… [PDF]
(1997). Australian Literacies. Informing National Policy on Literacy Education. This book, which is intended to inform Australia's education community about various aspects of the national literacy debate and the policy development process, reviews the literature on literacy teaching in secondary and postsecondary education and the workplace and describes the sociocultural and educational context for development of literacy policy and programs in the 1990s. Among the topics discussed in the book's six parts are the following: part 1, broad context of literacy education (the powers of literacy; literacy levels among Australians; and citizenship, social equity, and competence); part 2, necessary content of a national policy on literacy (policy context; purpose and scope; definitions; considerations in defining literacy; teaching cycles); part 3, Australia's learners (Australian English speakers, language diversity and English literacy, indigenous Australians, special needs, socioeconomic disadvantage); part 4, school literacy education (the early years, the… [PDF]