A 2-year British project aimed to foster greater understanding and skills in democratic education among lecturers and students at the School of Education, The Gambia College (Gambia). Project workshops were very well received and appeared to affect participant attitudes but had widely varying impacts on classroom behaviors and school culture. The…

Reviews "Education and Democratic Theory: Finding a Place for Community Participation in Public School Reform" (A. Belden Fields and Walter Feinberg) and "The Color of School Reform: Race, Politics, and the Challenge of Urban Education" (J. Henig, R. Hula, M. Orr, and D. Pedescleaux). Both books examine the political aspects of…

Describes the present impossibility of receiving a liberal education in the United States, except by chance. Calls upon Catholic institutions of higher education to begin rectifying this problem. Cites the work of Allan Bloom, Richard Neuhaus, Aristotle, and Thomas Jefferson. (CH)

Investigates Israeli students' comprehension and opinions of democracy. Explores the extent to which their level of comprehension is related to maturation, socioeconomic background, political partisanship, and schooling. Results indicate that most have a positive opinion of democracy but have trouble characterizing it and applying democratic…

Describes the impact of social and political reforms in Russia during the 1860s on the role of the Imperial Public Library. The discussion covers the changes in library organization and operations that reflected a willingness to adapt to changing social conditions, and the resulting perception of the library as a vital tool for progress. (80…

This article describes and analyzes the encroachment of economic interests, ideologies, and procedures into the educational system, and discusses the impact of this encroachment on social equality in our society. (IAH)

Criticizes the American Federation of Teachers publication, "Education for Democracy." Argues that the terms democracy, freedom, and rights are not clearly defined. Emphasizes the political nature of the document and the ethnocentrism represented by the writing. Makes suggestions for improvement. (KO)

Presents a view of democracy as a cultural form that goes beyond political participation and civic responsibility to include the notions of community, participative decision making, critical thinking, historical awareness, and equitable distribution of resources. (TE)

Describes the sharp contradiction between the ideal of autonomy in democratic educational thought and the prevailing closed school structure, indicating the contradiction as having stemmed from considerations valid in industrial societies. Suggests a model of a flexible school designed to operate according to the considerations of postindustrial…

Describes the Chita Institute for the Improvement of Qualifications which employs 120 specialist trainers for Sourthern Siberia. The institute uses a block-circle system for improving teacher qualifications (referring to the combined subject matter specialties and cyclic nature of the process). The system helps teachers realize creative…

Summarizes the University Council for Educational Administration knowledge base project's "Social and Cultural Influences on Schooling" domain. Illegitimate forms of exclusion underlie schooling's social and cultural influences. The focus should be on creating a true democracy. Schools are local, national, and public entities. Students'…

Charter schools are appealing because they focus on results, subscribe to a democratic philosophy, enhance choice options, permit true decentralization, enable local school boards to emphasize policy, and provide a more market-driven educational system. Charter schools are serving at-risk students and providing unique learning environments,…

A University of Tulsa project to improve campus leadership development focused on encouraging communication among nonacademic staff. From this experience came valuable proposals for institutional change, but the process itself was even more significant, empowering employees to accept a voice in campus governance. Some frustration has also…

The concept of public education is on national trial and is being exploited by interests intending to train our children to be good customers, rather than good citizens. Market terminology cannot express ideals of a free, universal education. The real choice is whether all children will receive an excellent education irrespective of their place of…

Reminds teachers that American Indians played a major role in shaping the modern world. Notes that the indigenous peoples of the Americas introduced European American settlers to a variety of foods and agricultural methods. Argues that American Indians also contributed to U.S. concepts of democracy and federalism. Provides guidelines for teaching…