Describes the development of the Virginia Community College System (VCCS), stressing the similarities between the system's goals and Thomas Jefferson's views on public education in a democratic society. Reviews five major VCCS initiatives of the 1990s: improving transfer, reducing program length, implementing information technology, ensuring…

Examines the historical role of aesthetics in higher education and student affairs. Argues that aesthetic perception provides an alternative way of thinking about student development, cultural diversity, and the assessment of programs. Such values can add passion and vision to student affairs leadership and enable individuals to develop emotional…

A study explored gifted education in Slovenia and found the following positive developments: new school legislation that provides pupils with the possibility of acceleration, pedagogically important international expert scientific conferences on giftedness, introduction of financially supported additional classes for gifted elementary students,…

This article extrapolates principles from litigation concerning students with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to establish guidelines for individualized education program teams developing appropriate special education programs for students with ASD. Principles address free, appropriate public…

A school improvement project in Turkey included 208 schools as Curriculum Laboratory Schools (CLSs). To evaluate the effectiveness of these schools, data were collected from 13 principals, 22 assistant principals, and 306 teachers from 7 primary and 4 high schools in 1 province. Findings indicated that the project provided some technical…

The evolving mission and curriculum of Black colleges are discussed. Topics include the ideological conflict between accommodationism and liberal arts education as the focus for Black college education and the contributions of various Black colleges and educators. The evolution of teacher education at Black colleges is also discussed. (IAH)

Considers the British 1988 Education Reform Act's reconceptualization of schooling and the associated process of curriculum reformulation in relation to equal opportunities. The particular focus of this article is sexual and racial inequality. Proposed curriculum reforms in mathematics, science, and English are examined within this context. (IAH)

It is wrong to assume that basic skills achievement, particularly as measured by multiple-choice standardized tests, represents a proper consensus regarding the ends of education for low-income students. Educators should reduce reliance on the positivist research paradigm underlying much of the quantitative empirical research which informs…

Describes the activities of a classroom teacher and her students at Addison Gardens British Nursery School in London, England, which was influenced by, and incorporated the tenets of, Friedrich Froebel's educational philosophy of children's learning. Discusses the application of Froebel's principles to art education. (BB)

Describes four traditions of reform in twentieth-century U.S. teacher education: academic, social efficiency, developmentalist, and social reconstructionist. Each tradition is illustrated with examples from contemporary and earlier programs. It is argued that this framework of reform traditions can help clarify differences among ideas and…

According to the view presented here, discipline-based art education (DBAE) is conceptually muddled and politically counterproductive when considered as a move to secure a place for the arts in the public school curriculum. The nature of DBAE is outlined, its shortcomings are identified, and an alternative to DBAE is proposed. (IAH)

This article examines the plight of liberal education in research-oriented institutions of higher education and proposes a model for undergraduate liberal/integrative studies that is nonindoctrinative, politically feasible, and relevant for revamping institutional life in North American culture (IAH)

Considers the need for a definition of "whole language" and difficulties involved with such a definition. Characteristic experiences in whole language learning communities are discussed. A case study is also provided. (Author/BB)

Uses a Weberian sociological approach to examine teachers' beliefs and discussions about play. Teachers held differing beliefs and their actions were related to their belief systems. Reasons for intervention fell into three Weberian constructs: cultural, social-political, and economic influences. (Author/BB)

A description is given of a college physical education course, "Non-Traditional Team Sports," in which the affective goals assume primary importance. A secondary emphasis is placed on lifelong physical fitness as a by-product of the program. Topics discussed include student responsibility, student journals, discipline, and curriculum objectives.…