This study investigated who preservice teachers considered responsible for the moral development of their students. The study involved a qualitative examination of the journal responses of 30 preservice teachers to two questions: the extent to which schools are moral environments and the extent to which it is the teacher's responsibility to foster…

Recent studies have shown that school self-esteem is one of the greatest contributors to overall self-esteem among adolescents in grades 7-12. Research suggests that middle schools play a significant role in the development and socialization of early adolescents. The first purpose of this study was to examine the relations between school…

The concept of school culture offers principals and other leaders a broader framework for understanding problems and relationships within the school. School culture can be defined as the historically transmitted patterns of meaning that include the norms, values, beliefs, and myths understood by members of the school community. Researchers have…

This publication describes how teachers can begin to gain understanding of diverse students and families and their cultural values, behavioral standards, and social ideals. It presents specific examples of cross-cultural conflicts and illustrates strategies for resolving them. Data come from the Bridging Cultures action research project in…

The Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD) Standards on Ethics and Integrity, which were first presented in 1999, constituted one of three new initiatives to take the AHRD to a new level of leadership in the HRD profession. Although the initial standards were intentionally brief and easy to read, their application in specific situations may…

This book is designed to be used by school counselors to help them respond to sexual issues of adolescence. Chapter 1, "Sexual Stuff: What's a Counselor To Do?" introduces the topic of knowing the boundaries of school policy, parents, values and religion, and confidentiality. A series of case studies are presented and answers common concerns…

Noting that the term "family values" has achieved prominence in the rhetoric of political debate, this book compiles essays by philosophers, political scientists, and legal scholars exploring specific issues within the legal, ethical, and political dimensions of familial relationships. Collectively, the essays point out that many…

This book traces the evolution of job training as an educational ideal, beginning with the drive to install manual training in American schools and proceeding to vocational education and to vocationalization, which includes vocational education but also incorporates the idea that the curriculum as a whole, not just a part of it, exists for the…

The apparently simple question of whether there are commonly accepted "best practices" for infant and toddler care leads to further questions regarding the nature of childhood and the impact of cultural values. This report reviews recent theory, training, and practice in the care of children outside their homes. Section 1 of the report…

This paper presents the theoretical perspectives that supported one university instructor's rationale for teaching seminars on the Moral Classroom, examining her understanding of her experiences. The first section discusses her rationale for offering the Moral Classroom for new practitioners and experienced teachers, which stemmed from three…

Noting that the American public's concern for children is shaped by complicated and sometimes conflicting beliefs about family life, this paper examines the policy debates surrounding child care, early childhood development, family leave, and children's health insurance, and analyzes how well advocates have adapted to the new realities. Part 1 of…

The "diversity myth" is the myth that universities are doing a good job promoting diversity on campus. Universities in America have promoted this "diversity myth" which belies the actual state of affairs in the nation's schools. Instead, universities have fostered conformity on campus, and stifled true diversity. This document, sponsored by the…

This paper discusses regional accreditation, a common form of institutional quality assurance, noting its application to distance education. Six core academic values sustain regional accreditation: institutional autonomy; collegiality and shared governance; faculty intellectual and academic authority; the degree; general education; and site-based…

This study examined the potential of service learning in reform-oriented social studies teacher education, focusing on how service learning influenced one preservice teacher's understanding of social studies as a form of democratic civic education. The preservice teacher's service learning experience was incorporated into his field-placement…

Among high school students, value orientations (indicators of societal control) significantly influenced delinquency involvement, while socioeconomic status and perception of limited opportunities (indicators of social structure) indirectly affected delinquency (through their influence on value orientations). The research supported Cernkovich's…