Examines the relationship between instruction, technology, and the product of education. Summarizes the post-Fordist debate in distance education. Explores the labor process in higher education and its relationship to democracy and technology. Discusses sociopolitical implications of constructivist models of educational technology. (Author/AEF)

"Where Art Meets Ed" is an annual four-day conference in Hazel Green, Kentucky, which is based on the belief that art is a crucial educational tool that provides an experiential dimension to learning. Describes workshops on Appalachian literature and African dance that demonstrate the links between culture, experience, and learning. (TD)

The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) humanities model in the Cambridge (Massachusetts) public schools has significantly affected curricular reform and teacher development. The endeavor is in its third year at the Pilot School, a program within the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School. The article describes progressive reform experiences…

Describes Oglethorpe University's Exceptional Educational Experiment, launched in 1939 to demonstrate that students, required to manage their time wisely, could undertake twice as many courses and maintain an "A" average. Draws from the recollections of four former program participants about their experiences and reactions to discuss…

Describes the University of Hawaii Community Colleges' attempt to meet student needs by transforming selected programs into noncredit, career-ladder modules, or "chunks." Describes the initial implementation, problems encountered, and the outlook for future applications. Highlights the need to guarantee accurate records and maintain full…

Reviews literature on studies of distance learning in military settings, including distance learning delivery systems, effectiveness studies comparing distance learning and resident training, and future outlooks. Reports results of interviews conducted at military sites and universities with experience in distance learning. (Author/AEF)

Notes that staff at Hannah More School, private, nonprofit psychoeducational day school for seriously emotionally disabled adolescents, exhibit high energy, morale, and dedication to students. Explains that creating this positive climate has been goal of staff-recognition program providing ongoing nurturance for caregivers. Discusses how program…

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…

A Particulate Nature of Matter Evaluation Tests was used to explore the effect of computer animations depicting the particulate nature of matter on (n=400) college students' mental models and comprehension of chemical phenomena. Treatment groups received significantly higher conceptual understanding scores than did the control group. (30…

Ph.D. program at California Institute of Integral Studies trains Native Americans and other indigenous peoples to deepen their traditional knowledge and strengthen its environmental impact. A parallel program helps Euro-Americans discover their own indigenous values. Both programs focus on integrating Earth-based knowledge with Western science.…

Discusses the "qualifications" required of young people to enter the adult world, and the role of education as gatekeeper. Suggests that rapid technological advances and accompanying worldwide social changes will force educational changes, away from industrialized models and toward alternative forms of "postcompulsory" education and lifelong…

Describes Minnesota's experience with expanded school choice. Explores individual students' experiences with alternative educational choices. Includes a history of school choice in Minnesota. Discusses findings of student surveys. Concludes that many students who have not succeeded in one school will flourish in another. (DK)

Current educational reform proposals are fixed on modifying existing structures and lack imagination. Cooperative learning and individualized instruction are time-worn "innovations" treating the symptoms of a terminally ill system. This article presents 32 transitions to transform education into a world-based, teacherless experience featuring…

Compulsory education may be counterproductive for many students. Most children enter school curious/confident/enthusiastic. Successful students exit bored/obedient/passive by simply "getting through," and others perform poorly because of environmental/societal factors. Also, the current emphasis on formalized accountability methods distorts…

Brown University's Coalition of Essential Schools offers alternatives to traditional routines and practices. The article observes three Essential Schools teachers who have begun changing their classroom practices. Information is presented from an ongoing, three-year study of teacher change sponsored by the coalition. (SM)