Five decades of international assistance for economic and educational development failed because of top-down management and the questionable premise that defined development problems, interventions, and human factors solely in economic terms. In contrast, the Inter-American Foundation (IAF) supported communities' capacity to formulate their…

Examines connections between democratization of schooling and three dimensions of social structure: political system and governance, wealth/poverty, and gender relations. Discusses nine processes and strategies for democratization in education: definition of democracy, legislation and policy, decentralization of education, teacher education,…

Discussed are the intentions and strategies needed for developing a national technology policy. A critical technologies list prepared for the U.S. is compared to Japan's priority list. The history of technology legislation is presented. (KR)

A framework is presented for applying error analysis of oral reading to decisions about placement and instruction. The focus is on assessment practices that rely on the stimulus material of daily instruction and that facilitate decision making on both what and how to teach reading. A case study illustrates application of the procedure. (JDD)

To meet the developmental needs of young adolescents, schools should provide opportunities for diversity, self-exploration, participation in decision making, positive social interactions, physical activity, and success and achievement; they must also provide structure and clear limits. (JD)

The most fundamental curriculum question is "What is most worthwhile to know and experience?" A democratic orientation leads to answers to nine other questions relating curriculum planning to a goal of personal and social growth. (nine references) (MLF)

Students' decisions to complete high school or to drop out are interpreted as rational in terms of their perceptions of the relative payoffs and costs of educational attainment. High school completion rates relate positively to comparative post-high school economic and educational opportunities and negatively to the costs of schooling. (AF)

Discusses school power structures. Cites the following examples of "bottom-up" authority: (1) vouchers; (2) magnet schools; and (3) open enrollment. Suggests a new model in which the larger school districts function as "holding companies" and individual schools function as "subsidiaries" of the parent company. (FMW)

A two-day roundtable on preparing the next generation of academic leadership convened by the Association of American Colleges is summarized. Issues relating to academic leadership and what might be done to enlarge the pool of potential leaders are discussed. (MLW)

This article considers the relationship between teachers' ideological beliefs about education and the decisions they make, focusing on beliefs regarding purpose of schooling and process of knowledge acquisition. The effects of teacher beliefs on adoption and implementation of instructional innovations, particularly cooperative learning, are…

New York's Futuring Project is responding to key social and economic changes in two ways: (1) requiring all seventh- and eighth-grade students to take Introduction to Technology and Home and Career Skills courses and (2) creating five Adult Centers for Comprehensive Education and Support Services that offer adults education and training,…

Under continuing financial stringency, the university administration negotiates concessions with full-time faculty to satisfy their interests and maintain the stability of the system. Part-timers, excluded from the collegium, remain peripheral to these arrangements. (Author/MLW)

Discussion of the use of interactive video (IV) as an instructional medium focuses on its uses in the teaching of professional interpersonal skills. Topics discussed include the use of IV for tutorials and simulations; learning theories; a model of skill acquisition; hypothesis testing; and nine principles for interactive video designs. (33…

Examines two related issues: the right of teachers to select instructional materials and to select instructional methods. Court decisions indicate that materials and methods must have educational value, relevance, and suitability to the age and maturity of the students. Prior administrative approval, while not necessarily required, is beneficial.…

Studies the complex layers making up a school culture and their effect on the routine organizational decision in handling truancy. Findings suggest school cultures, although unified at the organizational level, are inconsistent at the subcultural or individual level. Members can exercise greater flexibility within the organization but also can…