Although often labelled obsolete and ethically dubious, twentieth-century behaviourist principles of learning have been central to the development of instructional technology and the design of modern learning environments. Using Andrew Pickering's philosophy, this article addresses behaviourism as a mangle of practice to highlight the conceptual…

Against the background of the Deweyan tradition of "Democracy and Education," we discuss problems of complexity and reductionism in education and educational philosophy. First, we investigate some of Dewey's own criticisms of reductionist tendencies in the educational traditions, theories, and practices of his time. Secondly, we explore…

In "Badges and Incidents," Michael J. Kaufman undertakes an interdisciplinary investigation of American education law and pedagogy. By weaving together the invaluable insights of law, education, history, political science, economics, psychology, and neuroscience, this book illuminates the ways in which the design of the American…

Educators are often overcome by the daily concerns of the classroom so they tend to focus on what has worked in the past. It seems a luxury to take the time to ask the more fundamental question: what is learning? Yet this question lies at the fore of our profession and defines our choice of teaching methods. It has become a truism that social…

This article attempts to trace the origins of competency-based training (CBT), the theory of vocational education that underpins the National Training Framework in Australia. A distinction is made between societal and theoretical origins. This paper argues that CBT has its societal origins in the United States of America during the 1950s, 60s and…

This investigation displays the findings of a 5 year longitudinal survey which uncovered a trend in data via a sample of 2600 pre-service education students. Each year 520 pre-service student teachers who were enrolled in a one-year full-time, after degree professional Bachelor of Education program in Ontario, Canada completed the survey.…

Replies to Trevor Maddock's philosophical critique of the authors' work. Explains authors' attempts to develop a new science of administration that incorporates values and human subjectivity and a new view of knowledge termed "naturalistic coherentism." Science is still being equated with a positivist version of empiricism. Maddock…

Questions whether materialist pragmatism is more coherent than alternative accounts of educational administration. The criteria provided by materialist pragmatists lack overall coherence; there is no way to choose between first- and second-order theories. Arguments against separation of factual and evaluative realms are unconvincing, and…

Five cooperative learning methods are described with the theories that support them. The five methods are: (1) Group Investigation (GI), developed by S. Sharan and others; (2) Jigsaw, developed by E. Aronson and others; (3) Student Teams Achievement Divisions (STAD), developed by R. E. Slavin and others; (4) Learning Together, developed by D. W.…

To the debate between the Rortyan pragmatic model of scientific research advocated by Cleo Cherryholmes and the scientific realism espoused by Ernest R. House is added another model for educational research based on the realism of John Dewey's pragmatism. Constructivist and behaviorist aspects of Dewey's philosophy are explored. (SLD)

This article contrasts the philosophies of early childhood special education and early childhood education and discusses a service delivery approach, known as activity-based intervention, which combines strategies for both fields and utilizes behavior analytic techniques within child-directed activities. (Author/DB)

How do we encourage teachers to adopt Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) so that it becomes part of mainstream practice in physical education and community-based sports programmes worldwide? Why do some teachers adopt a TGfU instructional model and others stick to a technique-based approach? What happens to PETE students when they attempt to…