Investigates the concepts that could be used to develop geography lessons based on the ideology of indigenous people. Uses the Maori of New Zealand as an example and discusses how such concepts as "Maori Mind,""Maori Land,""Founding Ideologies," and "Cultural Artifacts" could be incorporated into an…

Summarizes the most important economic factors that have had an impact upon kindergartens in Kazakhstan in recent years. Provides city-specific data detailing the effects of the collapse of communism and the rise of market-oriented economic reform on kindergarten closures. Discusses policy responses to declining enrollments and school closures.…

Examines the development and implementation of the Minority Language and Culture Teaching (MLCT) model in the Netherlands. MLCT allows non-indigenous pupils to receive instruction in the language of their country of origin for a limited time during their regular Dutch education. Outlines various theoretical arguments for and against the program.…

Considers the increase in research on adolescence, with attention to its transitional aspects during the adolescent period and as a bridge between childhood and adulthood. In addition, discusses the effort to examine interactional processes between parent and child and between environment and genes, with respect to the articles of this special…

Discusses the "Epic of Sundiata" which chronicles the rise of the Empire of Mali in the grasslands of northwestern Africa in the 13th century. This work is a compelling drama that bears comparison to such other hero tales as "The Iliad" and the Arthurian legend. Includes suggested teaching activities. (MJP)

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a pedagogical approach in which students encounter a problem and systematically set about finding ways to understand the problem through dialogue and research. PBL is an active process where students take responsibility for their learning by asking their own questions about the problem and in this paper we explore…

Ninety children from South Korea and 119 children from the United States were observed in early childhood programs, and differences in classroom environments and teachers' and children's behavior in the two countries were identified. In both countries, there was evidence that preschool education is guided by ideas about "developmentally…

The authors introduce readers to the research documenting racial and ethnic gaps in school readiness. They describe the key tests, including the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT), the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS), and several intelligence tests, and describe how they have been administered to several important national samples of…

This qualitative study explores the factors that contributed to limited interactional involvement in a telecollaborative project linking two groups of participants: 12 advanced-level students of English in northeastern Germany and 9 advanced-level students of German in the southwestern United States. Drawing on data from online transcripts,…

This article approaches the concept of culture from an anthropological perspective. It places various culture concepts in their historical contexts and discusses several models that are utilized in research in international education. It is argued that the lack of a theory is a major reason for the culture concept's proliferation. A theory is…

Purpose: This article considers the extent to which a corporate university transcends national boundaries through an examination of the operation of Motorola University in China. The aim is to extend understanding of the role and function of a corporate university and the human resource management (HRM) convergence/divergence debate within an…

Colleges and universities increasingly employ commercial Web-based course management systems (such as Blackboard and WebCT). How is it, then, that these institutions unquestioningly allocate a unique Web site to each class? Why establish one Web site for one course when other options provide so many benefits? Why isn't there a clamor for…

The work of Vygotsky (1987) on everyday and scientific concept formation has provided a useful theoretical framework for considering the nature and connectedness of learning between the home and the early childhood centre. This paper will present the findings of an investigation which sought to examine the potential connections made between home…

It is by now well established that telecollaborative exchanges frequently end in "failed communication" and do not automatically bring about successful negotiation of meaning between the learners. Instead, the intended pedagogic and linguistic aims of online interaction are repeatedly missed, and projects may end in low levels of participation,…

Recent research has documented silence/reticence among East-Asian international students, including Chinese students, in Western/English classrooms. Students' communication competence and cultural differences from the mainstream Euro-American society have been identified as two primary barriers to participation. Placing emphasis on individual…