Six issues in special education are analyzed: the erosion of science; the decline in the worth of special education; the lack of attention to prevention; the lack of primacy of academic instruction; the erosion of government programs; and the new racism that erodes the centrality of our common humanity. (Contains 3 references.) (CR)

A survey of 50 teachers of gifted programs (grades K-9) found they had familiarity with at least one or more theory-based models for gifted identification or education. When asked if they follow a specific model, 26 of the teachers stated they did not. Ranking of program goals varied by grades. (Contains references.) (CR)

Examines the purpose of the methodology course for inservice teacher training. After considering the difficulties arising when trainees' and trainers' goals differ, the article broadens its focus to cover a more general training context and presents a model allowing trainers who recommend a learner-centered approach to put their ideas into…

A variety of approaches to gender equity and schooling has developed in Canada over the last 25 years. The recent history of these efforts shows how they have been linked and reveals the body of research on which teachers have drawn in their work in schools. (SLD)

In English teacher education, some have seen Schon's work as justifying movement toward school-based training to bridge theory-practice gaps in teacher education. This article suggests that Schon's work, in the context of Wittgenstein's description of language, can be reinterpreted to support a wider notion of teacher education and professional…

Argues that the "reflective practitioner" concept is only a partial framework for informing teacher development. Presents an in-service teacher education program in Albania that includes consideration of the social nature of learning and how the social and cultural context influence practice. Proposes six key issues for teacher…

All college faculty have the responsibility of understanding whatever professional assessments their students must undertake to enter a profession. The results of these and other student evaluations can show faculty how to improve their own teaching by aligning curriculum and instruction with professional standards and ensuring that students can…

A model presents experiential learning as a combination lock. Outdoor environmental elements, activities, senses, emotions, forms of intelligence, and ways of learning are grouped into six "tumblers" that can be arranged into combinations that best help learners interact with the external environment through their senses, thus generating…

Questions the amount and type of knowledge about instruction expected from individuals graduating from teacher education programs in Germany. Utilizes written surveys and interviews. Suggests that knowledge and ability are not necessarily based on completely separate forms of knowledge. (CAJ)

Explores the theoretical foundations of the effort to integrate education into industrial companies during the twentieth century. Analyzes the historical building blocks of vocational education through both theory and practice. Discusses the company-internal further education pedagogy of the 1980s. (CAJ)

Theory and research provide insight into the characteristics, needs, and teaching preferences of adult learners in the college classroom. This chapter provides an overview of the literature on adult learning and education theory, along with recommendations for practice. (Contains 46 references.) (Author)

In response to a paper on effects of risperidone on behavior in people with developmental disabilities, this paper raises the issue of how clinicians determine whether treatment should target the psychiatric disorder underlying the aberrant behavior (diagnosis-based treatment) or should target the aberrant behavior directly (behavior-based…

This article provides guidance on the use of functional behavioral assessment (FBA) techniques to identify the function of problem behaviors by recording antecedents and consequences of each behavior. It includes a case study illustrating application of FBA as well as a sample form for recording observations, developing a behavioral hypothesis,…

Describes essential concepts related to the root of defining the child's motivation and the process of Montessori education. Emphasizes the "horme" (inner urge), normalization, the prepared environment, the Four Planes of Development, cosmic education, and the cosmic task in both natural and human context, and the new potential of the adolescent…

Combines insights from ecological research and Montessori theory and practice to portray the unfolding of childhood in natural places. Suggests that children's manipulation of the landscape results in optimal creative involvement. Maintains that the act of finding favorite places in all weather, combined with a positive role model, leads to…