Explores impediments to the use of multimedia courseware in higher education and the factors required for multimedia to thrive. Impediments include the smug culture of higher education, finances, standards, the need for multiple talents, and time. (CK)

Looks at teachers' reluctance to engage in self-assessment, and the consequences in terms of public attitudes and policy. Includes a checklist of professional behaviors. (ET)

This reprint of a 1937 conference paper discusses the role of education in bringing about world peace, focusing on the need for a student-centered, nurturing curriculum to replace the authoritarian, teacher-directed curriculum based on punishment and rewards. Argues that greater emphasis needs to be placed on education in all societies. (MDM)

Interviews with 27 low-literate adults and 16 community members elicited the following: (1) low-literate adults viewed learning as separate from literacy; (2) most deterrents related to participation in literacy education rather than learning; (3) practical applications and challenges were motivating; and (4) women who rarely left the home had…

Australian farmers have traditionally been opposed to sending their sons to agricultural colleges, an attitude that partially changed after Victoria introduced a farm apprenticeship scheme. Structured interviews with apprentices and employers in the scheme and nonparticipating young farm workers and employers clarified their motives and…

Underscores the need for change in contemporary Hong Kong education and factors making change problematic, including the power of local business elites, teachers, and parents in the educational system; British colonial educational philosophy and responsibility; and the nature and educational attitudes of Hong Kong society. (DMM)

This study explored child and parent perceptions of the purposes of nursery education. The study's theoretical underpinnings were ecological systems theory and phenomenography. Participating British nursery classes differed in openness to parents, buildings and resources, and styles of teaching. Findings suggested different adult and child…

Examines the debate over creation and evolution in Wilmington, North Carolina's principal newspapers in order to consider the ways in which this debate exemplifies patterns of public discussion among academics and non academics, including conflicting attitudes about education, authority, and persuasion. Proposes ways to read and intervene in such…

This introduction to a special section of writings by elementary and high school students highlights critical issues students raised about testing, assessment, and accountability and discusses how teachers who use a variety of teaching methods and connect with students engage them in learning. (SK)

Discusses three factors contributing to the criticism of middle school education: the demographic success of middle schools; the growing public attitude that education is a private privilege; and the way middle school educators confuse organizational elements with intended student outcomes. (JPB)

Recommendations for educators were offered by Chaldean (Catholics of Babylonian descent, majority immigrated from Iraq) adolescents. Themes from focus group interviews related to communication with family, peers, and in the academic setting. Recommended educational strategies included sustaining students' first languages, showing understanding of…

Presents preliminary findings about practitioners' attitudes to postgraduate education in journalism and public relations. Discusses implications for university education, vocational specialization and continuing professional development in light of current debates on professionalization, the tertiary education sector, and the nature of knowledge…

Addresses the origins of the American school readiness myth, arguing that Americans are far too preoccupied with readiness. Concludes that early childhood professionals need to address and demystify this myth by defining early childhood education in the content-oriented context of what young children should know and be able to do. (SD)

Considers the opinions about the communication department as perceived by the author's colleagues both from the communication department and from other departments. Reflects his academic inferiority complex in response to those opinions. Suggests a return to more a basic, primordial attitude--one which demands "continuity and change," but which…

A study of rural adult learners in northern England found that 96% had not been involved in learning in the past 5 years; transportation and child care difficulties hinder participation; a stigma is attached to participation in literacy programs; and inability to pay is a significant barrier. (SK)