The educational beliefs of Supreme Court Justices in the 1980s are examined, i.e., the explicitly stated beliefs, rather than any inferred beliefs based on legal decisions. In particular, the focus is on beliefs expressed only in the major Court opinions rendered in the 1980s. Issues discussed include the definition of education, its relation to…

Censorship is the removal, suppression, or restricted circulation of literary, artistic, or educational material--of images, ideas, and information--on the grounds that these are morally or otherwise objectionable in the light of standards applied by the censor. Few in our society advocate the banning of all but a tiny handful of materials from…

This case study describes a rural school district's problems with its program for academically gifted and talented students and illustrates the process and outcome of a program evaluation. The program came into being in a hasty and expedient manner that satisfied the superintendent's desire for the notoriety accompanying school improvement while…

In this discussion of ethics instruction in a distance education course the question is raised of how to develop a "fit" between the objectives of a course and the strategy for instruction, interaction, and evaluation. The paper discusses specific problems confronting distance education course planners. First, while the objectives of…

This paper describes an ethnographic study of how fundamentalist Christian parents new to home schooling are socialized to norms, beliefs, and values of the Christian home schooling organizations with which they are affiliated. Research involved participant observation and interviews with "home schoolers" and educators over an 18-month…

In spring 1985, a survey of Native American students attending Mesa Community College (MCC) was conducted to determine whether Native American students were significantly different from the general MCC population; the age, special interests, majors, degree objectives, socioeconomic status, and career plans of these students; tribal representation…

Neither the design of information systems and networks nor the delivery of library services can claim true user centricity without an understanding of the multifaceted psychological environment of users and potential users. The complexity of the political process, social problems, challenges to scientific inquiry, entrepreneurship, and…

The Civic Achievement Award Program (CAAP) was established by the U.S. Congress in response to national concerns about the need to increase civic literacy among the nation's young people. The program was designed to provide elementary and middle school educators with interdisciplinary materials that focus on providing a base of civic competence,…

Three dimensions of education--development of knowledge, training of mental abilities, and development of character--and their implications for social and individual good are discussed in this paper. Education is described as the process that prepares young people for their social inheritance through the transmission of societal values. A…

Evaluation affects the people who participate and the situation studied, and there is no guarantee that the effects will be democratic, constructive, or equitable. A case study illustrates that even the most scrupulous attention to ethical principles and procedures for the release of information cannot always protect the interests of participants…

At Orchards Elementary School (Idaho), curriculum inquiry is focusing on the nature of a democratic school. As democracy is more of a process than a specific content, the Orchards faculty have concentrated more on changes in methods of delivering curriculum than on changing specific items of curriculum. Questions of worth and value have all…

Making training work has always been a critical issue and will become more important in the coming decades. Definitions of effective training range from training that promotes growth and enthusiasm among employees to a bottom-line approach with emphasis on whether the training makes employees produce more. Variables that affect training include…

The twentieth century has been an era of rapid, world-wide industrialization. Very little is known about the psychological impact of this process, and traditional assessment methods which universalize Western values are largely inappropriate. A prime example of universalizing Western characteristics is Inkeles' and Smith's popular Modernity Scales…

Religious services and programs have been a feature of U.S. broadcasting since regularly-scheduled radio began in the 1920s. With the emergence of television, broadcast religion is more pervasive than ever before. It has also become the focus of debate over its role in United States politics. Televangelism is best regarded as a dialogue between…

This book provides practical ideas and information for volunteer tutors and teachers about teaching numeracy, as well as a reference section that concentrates on specific content areas. The first part of the book considers teaching techniques, the planning and presentation of numeracy material, evaluation of progress, reinforcement of newly…