The emergence of the market as a regulatory tool for the public sector and the promotion of competition among institutions are based upon the idea that they promote institutions' responsiveness to society and a more efficient use of public funds. However, autonomous institutions forced to compete under market-like conditions may follow strategies…

Values and ethics are automatically incorporated into any teaching/learning environment or endeavour, whether or not they are consciously stated objectives. The focus on "quality of education" has sharpened as people have become concerned about a perceived rise in materialism as standards of living have improved; materialistic ambitions…

Although much is known about the features that contribute to the effectiveness of professional learning activities these are often not incorporated into the design of professional learning initiatives. This paper describes a mathematics professional learning process that was carefully designed to incorporate such principles, and illustrates its…

A teacher recently said of her own education, "When I went to school, we knew a lot and understand nearly nothing. We had no idea how what we learned related to the world beyond the classroom. What a waste!" This teacher is right. Knowing, which is important, is not the same as understanding. Simply cultivating knowledge is, as the teacher said, a…

This article explores the development of policy in quality assurance in higher education. While it briefly examines the broader context of quality assurance in South Africa in terms of the National Qualifications Framework as one of the political levers for establishing a quality assurance system in education and training systemically it focuses…

Massachusetts is heralded nationally for being the first in the nation to enact a state policy to redesign and expand the learning day for all students to advance academic achievement, broaden enrichment opportunities, and improve instruction. The Expanded Learning Time (ELT) Initiative has gained momentum over the past several years due to the…

This article outlines a learning intervention which the authors call Learning by Design. The goal of this intervention is classroom and curriculum transformation, and the professional learning of teachers. The experiment involves the practical application of the learning theory to everyday classroom practice. Its ideas are grounded in pedagogical…

Writing on contemporary culture and social life, sociologists and cultural theorists have been describing new or changing forms of movement, variously described as cultural "flows," "liquid life," or a "networked society." The change in such movements or mobilities of people, media, material goods, and other social phenomena, including the reach…

This paper discusses postmodern philosophical conceptions of time as they might inform educational theorizing, and it challenges the underlying assumptions about time in current educational reform literature, especially the 1994 Report of the National Commission on Time and Learning entitled "Prisoners of Time" (U.S. Department of Education,…

In 1988, Illinois entered into a 5-year commitment, called the Illinois Alliance of Essential Schools (IAES), to implement the Coalition of Essential Schools (CES) philosophy in several secondary schools. This paper presents findings of a study that examined how IAES schools defined the program's nine Common Principles and the implementation…

Educators hold varied opinions about the nature of the social foundations of education. The social-foundations perspective generally characterizes education as an integrated multidisciplinary approach to the study of education, which focuses on the relationship among social conditions, values, and educational policies. This paper supports the…

Since its inception in 1941, Outward Bound has retained certain core values, but some instructors and administrators have been concerned that these principles are no longer being conveyed in practice. With the collaboration of 13 experts, the 11 principles of Outward Bound programs in the United States were identified and defined. These principles…

It is the thesis of this work that the intellectual and social movements of the sixties beyond conservatism, classical liberalism, new liberalism, and various versions of Left philosophy have generated a space for the construction of a neoteric philosophy. The neoteric influence of today's reality points out that philosophy must move beyond…

The literature on methods for educating students with special needs, including disabilities, from culturally diverse backgrounds is reviewed. The paper addresses what cultural diversity is, changing demographics in the United States, special education issues, assessment recommendations, parental involvement, and teacher commitment and training.…

The volume contains papers presented at "Winds of Change: A Colloquium in Music Education," and examines the current need for reform in music education. Assessments of music's failure to achieve central curricular status, and outline scenarios for reform and improved status for music education are presented. The reform plans emphasize the value of…