The purpose of this dialogue was to begin grappling with notions of neutrality and academic development in three non-western contexts: (1) Jamaica; (2) Ethiopia; and (3) Japan. The authors were asked to describe the political geography of academic development in their countries and to explore questions of neutrality. This dialogue therefore tries…

The author shares a story told to him by a colleague more than thirty years ago. The dean of a midsized American university was explaining the path to tenure to a roomful of newly appointed assistant professors. "We know you boys can all "field"," he declared. "Now we want to see if you can hit." A lot has changed over the intervening decades. If…

Critiques ontological, epistemological, psychological, and axiological elements of Froebel's educational thought. Identifies valuable and important aspects of his work and characterizes Froebel as a prophet, healer, and visionary. (RH)

Reviews books considered to advance methodological and conceptual issues pertinent to comparative and historical educational research. (Author/DB)

This paper draws on studies from around the world to examine the impact of school reform over the last 30 years. It claims that there is little or no evidence that recent education reforms necessarily lead to improved student outcomes for all students. In fact, findings indicate that some reforms promote a rapid increase in the variation in…

This examination of implications of African economic conditions for educational policy considers problems which arise in the attempt to relate economic circumstances to education. The first of three parts compares product levels of about 50 African countries with selected developed countries and a number of developing countries outside Africa,…

Advocates restructuring of public school systems in order to better accommodate the needs of students in more efficient and effective ways. Calls for parental and political support in moving away from predominately staff-oriented systems and towards more patron-oriented alternatives. (JD)

This paper presents representative aspects of the preparation of educational administrators in South America, using information collected from a series of documents presented in 1977 at an Organization of American States conference. The situation in each of 10 South American countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador,…

The 1950s and 1960s were formative years for comparative education societies in different parts of the world, including the United States and Soviet Union. In need of finding a noncapitalist source of inspiration, socialist authors resorted to N. K. Krupskaia (Lenin's wife) as a discursive founder of Marxist-Leninist comparative education. Until…

Data gathered by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) can be used to analyze the relative effects of educational systems in different countries. A simplified example of such analysis utilizes variations among countries, among age cohorts within countries, and between subject matter competencies within…

To complement a volume of case studies, these four papers and an introduction discuss the problem of regional disparities in educational development from several different perspectives. Varying points of view are presented on the relationship between regional educational disparities and socioeconomic, political, and cultural development; the…

Compares the 10 most critical community college problems of the late 1970s with those of the mid-1960s. Points out improvements, declines, and changes. Predicts problems and developments likely to be seen in the 1980s. Suggests guidelines for community college development in the future. (CAM)

Education in the United States differs from that in other countries in the attitude of U.S. students and their lack of motivation. Americans must override the differing education values held by distinct social classes, races, and language groups and recreate the sense that education is valuable. (MLF)

Stressing the application of progressive thought as a possible innovation toward development in developing countries, the paper discusses three major educational philosophies: romanticism, cultural transmission, and progressivisim (emphasizing the cognitive-developmental theory). Educational innovation and strategies for reform in the Soviet Union…

There are few long-term studies in which the development of vocational education and training (VET) is placed in a larger societal framework. Consequently, there is limited understanding as to why VET has evolved quite differently even in countries with similar economic and social development. In his reflections on a possible theoretical framework…