This paper is about the notion of conflict in the work of John Dewey. Special attention is given to "Democracy and Education" (1916) because of its centennial and its acclaimed status of "magnum opus". After depicting "conflicts as gadflies" that stir thinking--reflection and ingenuity--and relating it to Socrates, in…

This issue of the "Journal of Curriculum Studies" presents a symposium on the recent work of Michael Young. Contemporary curriculum theory has little specific to say about how knowledge is selected, organized and transformed into curriculum content for teaching and learning. Over the last two decades, Young has taken a rather different…

This paper examines Plato's Philosophy of Education asking what he would say about the current Common Core initiative which is to better help students to become college and career ready. Plato would be in favor of the common core in as much as the standards are tied to specific skills needed in various career jobs as he was a proponent of…

This article presents an argued case for making sustainable development a policy obligation for the European Training Foundation (ETF) and for vocational education and training (VET) reform in the partner countries that are served by ETF. In relation to ETF it points out that no major emphasis has been put to date on combining economic, social and…

This pamphlet offers information on high school dropouts and the role of vocational education in dropout prevention. References are provided for each section. Characteristics of dropouts, reasons for dropping out, and 12 factors that contribute to retention in high school are listed. Indicators from research are cited that show that vocational…

Gregson expands on critical theory to advocate vocational teachers' role in making programs and workplaces democratic and emancipatory. Asche argues that there are barriers to critical pedagogy in the system and the role of public education must be considered. (SK)

The skills most often mentioned in definitions of critical thinking are the ability to think creatively, make decisions, solve problems, visualize, reason, analyze, interpret, and know how to learn. Vocational education should be involved in developing thinking skills for the following reasons: occupations are becoming more reliant on cognitive…

Expert reports about integrated learning (IL) and vocational-technical education (VTE) activities in Organisation for Economic Cooperation Development (OECD) English speaking member countries, on France, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Portugal, Finland, papers of the relevant OECD seminars in Phoenix, Arizona, and in Marseille, France were…

Students in higher education are faced with rapidly changing societal conditions. As the nature and structure of the workplace and the family have changed, the specific knowledge and skills people need for the future have become less predictable. Teachers can address these changing conditions by applying cognitive theory to learning and…

Ethics and social responsibility are the subject of both curriculum materials and research in adult and vocational education. State academic standards and curriculum frameworks address citizenship and personal and social responsibility. Ethical and legal issues for specific occupations are addressed in curricula issued by states, professional…

Asserts that enormous public resources are being expended to teach over specialized disciplines that are useless in a market economy. Calls for educational changes including updated curricula and training materials in economics; inservice education and retraining; and a national network of entrepreneurial education. (CFR)

This guide is a developmental document that contains working definitions of terms and commentaries on them. Intended for those working or interested in vocational education and training (VET) at any level, the guide introduces the concepts and terminology associated with work-based learning in VET, offers assistance to readers trying to understand…

This report charts a brief history of the comprehensive high school in the United States designed particularly to highlight those key decisions that make them what they are. The first and longest part of the paper is organized chronologically into sections with the following headings: 1600-1890--Getting Started; 1890-1920--Basic Reform/Social…

The main publications of the United Kingdom's Learning and Skills Development Agency (LSDA) on vocational skills and economic development issues since 1997 were reviewed. The primary purpose of the review was to identify key messages and useful sources of further reading on a range of skills and economic development topics. The materials presented…

A total of 146 students enrolled in 21 programs in 11 vocational-technical (VT) schools participated in a 9-month qualitative study. Focus group interviews were conducted throughout Connecticut; all interviewees were students enrolled in shops nontraditional for their gender. Females reported four reasons for attending a VT school: family legacy,…