Our increasingly knowledge-based economy and business enterprises depend on education to produce experts who combine knowledge with depth of understanding. Current teaching methods produce students with superficial verbal and technical knowledge, but who may lack the insight of experts. To become experts, learners must have the opportunity to be…

This volume of an annual collection presents 10 essays relating to instruction in the basic communication course. The essays are: "The Basic Course and the Future of the Workplace" (Andrew D. Wolvin); "Predictors of Self-Perceptions of Behavioral Competence, Self-Esteem, and Willingness to Communicate: A Study Assessing Impact in a Basic…

This book compiles specially commissioned articles about early childhood education written by experts in the field and students enrolled in the Early Childhood Studies Scheme at the University of North London. The book is divided into seven parts. Part 1 concerns how young children learn and includes articles on a developmental approach to the…

This document, which is intended for adult educators in Victoria, Australia, outlines a conceptual framework for a further education (FE) curriculum based on the principle of transformative learning. First, FE is defined as "general education for adults that gives priority to foundations, preparedness, and pathways," and curricula is…

Siempre Adelante, a support organization for Central American and Mexican immigrants and refugees in Los Angeles, provided adult Spanish literacy classes inspired by Freire's practice of critical pedagogy. A 13-month ethnographic study of intermediate Spanish literacy classes examined how "critical student agency" was fostered or…

While transfer of information to practice is a goal of professional development programs for educators, the gap between learning of new information and application to practice continues to be problematic. Synthesizing theoretical viewpoints of innovation adoption and diffusion theory, normative re-education strategies, self-efficacy theory and…

Presents a thoughtful and balanced analysis of the effects of public opinion polling on elections and the political power structure. Generally refutes the revisionist criticism that polling acts as a preemptive strike curtailing political expression in favor of the power elite. Considers issues related to the tyranny of the majority. (MJP)

Reviews a study that used a collaborative action research model to explore ways to integrate music authentically into the curriculum of a particular whole-language first-grade classroom. Presents a more differentiated definition of integration, identifying five types: topical, associated skills, conceptual, higher-level thinking, and pedagogical.…

Discusses the barriers that impede special education teachers from adopting research findings in the field of special education. The lack of communication between educators and researchers, the need to teach teachers how to evaluate research using scientific criteria, and teacher resistance to change are discussed. (CR)

Argues that a combination of communication difficulties and differing agendas hamper educational endeavors between social science researchers and educators. Recommends creating formal positions at the state or local level to facilitate linking basic and applied research to educational policy. (MJP)

Interviews examined whether white students' shifts in thinking about themselves as racial beings and about systems of oppression during a multicultural education course were evident in later teaching practice. Though students initially resisted learning about their own racism, they eventually became more willing to take some responsibility for…

Examines the utility of applying selected elements of the social-learning theory to the examination of youth gangs. Studying ninth-grade public-school pupils, researchers discovered that the social-learning perspective provided insights into gang membership. Group-context offending was related to both social-learning theory and gang membership.…

Proposes a variety of conversational training that maximizes learner autonomy and focuses on sociocultural competence in speaking. Students recorded role-plays that required good sociolinguistic knowledge and then compared the discourse generated with native speaker equivalents. The future of conversational training at third level is discussed in…

Starting from the premise that the education provided to Teachers of English as a Second Language (TESL) in Ontario is going from bad to worse, this article discusses the concept of professionalism, suggests some basic principles and components of sound teacher education, and ends by suggesting that the present undesirable situation could be seen…

Presents results of a case study that examined the different perspectives of university faculty ("applied scientist" instructors) and reflective practitioners (experienced teachers employed as college clinical faculty). Applied scientist instructors demonstrated a view of prospective teachers' microteaching as autonomous school learning whereas…