Australian (n=332) and British (n=234) students were asked what influenced their choice of academic or vocational education before they were employed, during employment, and for the future. Internal factors influenced academic choices; employers and funding influenced vocational choices. Some between-country and gender differences were found.…

Examines differences in the public-policy objectives and financing of school expansion efforts in North and South Korea. Institutionalizing credentialism and reliance on financing private education dominates South Korean school expansion, while the financing of public schools and greater government control of education dominates North Korean…

This article investigates how certain doctoral practices come to count as scandalous and with what effects on universities. To do so, it engages with a number of recent media allegations that relate to doctoral practice in Australia and elsewhere. The analysis of these allegations is developed in terms of three broad categories, namely allegations…

Using a nationally representative sample of 1,475 special education teachers, researchers used factor analysis to test five teacher quality factors with empirical and theoretical grounding in general education research: experience, credentials, self-efficacy, professional activities, and selected classroom practices. These factors were combined to…

Comments on articles appearing in the 2001 theme issue of Sociology of Education. Considers the nature and impact of the widespread cultural commitment to educational equality. Discusses other aspects of education not emphasized in this issue, such as the implications of racial inequality, credentialism, and educational organization (CAJ)

The issue of whether the federal government should outline and enforce an accountability system for states, school districts, and schools was essentially settled the day that George W. Bush took office as president. Bush had made "accountability" a cornerstone of his education platform, using his stated goal of ensuring equity for poor…

China's educational reform from the late 1990s, has substantially increased university capacity. This has been most evident in undergraduate enrolments. As an increasingly large cohort of university graduates enters the job market yearly, the demand for university graduates has not caught up with supply. Some university students plan to pursue…

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to analyze traditional duties of academic administrators in light of fundamental changes in the ways universities operate, increasing demands in teaching, research and costs management, and a looming shortage of qualified faculty, to determine need and opportunity for a better administrative design.…

California public schools face a number of challenges, including low academic performance and a shortage of fully credentialed teachers. One way to address these particular challenges is through teacher retention. Experienced teachers are more effective at raising student test scores, on average, than are teachers in their first year or two of…

Teachers certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards are for the most part no more effective in producing student academic progress than teachers without the special status, a long-awaited study concludes. The research, which draws on one of the largest data sets used so far to examine the credential, was completed well…

The purpose of this study was to analyze professional art librarian position announcements. Using the methodology of content analysis, 157 position announcements appearing in 4 major journals, "American Libraries,""Library Journal,""College and Research Libraries News," and "ARLIS/NA Update" from 1990…

This paper describes the development of the National Skill Standards for Community Based Human Service Practitioners and reports on a survey of states' training and certification requirements. The standards are grouped into 12 broad competency areas: (1) participant empowerment; (2) communication; (3) assessment; (4) community and service…

This book discusses elements of six major areas of controversy which occur between different types of helping professionals. Theme 1 involves identity for the mental health professions. Questions are addressed related to the professional status of various mental health occupations, and who among them shall provide mental health services. Theme 2…

Community College of the Air Force, established at Randolf Air Force Base, Texas, is an accredited institution which acts as a centralized "broker" to keep track of student progress through a program of technical education oriented specifically to the professional preparation of noncommissioned officers by combining Air Force and…