Generational differences in the way knowledge-makers negotiate shifts in relation to interdisciplinary knowledge-making at one Canadian university are studied. Semi-structured interviews with 20 participants in science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines were conducted. Using a Foucauldian approach, transcripts were read to…

Drawing on scholarship from the politics and history of education, narrative and archival data, and the author's emic perspectives, this article examines social and political transformations in the Birmingham City Schools (BCS) and some of the surrounding metropolitan school districts during the pre- and post-classical phases of the American civil…

This article examines the political and the media discourses concerning the Portuguese governmental program responsible for delivering a laptop named "Magalhães" to all primary school children. The analysis is based on the official documents related to the launch and development of the initiative as well as the press coverage of this…

The purpose of this annual survey developed and reported by the Friedman Foundation and our partner, Braun Research, Inc., is to measure public opinion on, and in some cases awareness or knowledge of, a range of K-12 education topics and reforms. We report response levels, differences ("margins"), and intensities for the country and a…

Justice Goodwin Liu reexamined seminal affirmative action in higher education legal cases beginning with the landmark 1978 case, "Regents of the University of California v. Bakke" and leading up to the U.S. Supreme Court's 2003 decision in "Gratz v. Bollinger." Liu argued that the "Bakke and Gratz" lawsuits were…

The American adult education and literacy movement in the early twentieth century had its roots deep in the study and practice of democracy (Ramdeholl, Giordani, Heaney, Yanow, 2010). From Lindeman, Dewey, Laubach, Horton, to Heaney and Brookfield, a persistent theme is the indispensable relationship between democracy and adult education. For…

On an Election Day filled with dozens of state races and ballot measures with big implications for the nation's public schools, state teachers' unions and charter school champions had plenty to cheer in the aftermath, even as tax measures that would help pay for schools suffered setbacks in some places. Union efforts were instrumental in…

In 2010, a series of events highlighted the intersection of globalization influences with internal needs when South Africa hosted the 2010 Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup. The mega-event afforded significant potential opportunities for displaying apparent racial harmony and enjoying global visibility, generating…

"Decades of Chaos and Revolution: Showdowns for College Presidents" is the story and comparison of two eras in the history of higher education. The first era covers the period of the 1960s through the mid-1970s, and the second is the first decade of the twenty-first century. Both decades were marked by events that shook the foundations of colleges…

"Plantation Pedagogy" originates from an Afro-Caribbean primary school teacher's experience. It provides a discourse which extends and illuminates the limitations of current neo-liberal and global rationalizations of the challenges posed to a teacher's practice. Plantation pedagogy is distinguished from critical pedagogy by its historical presence…

A president of a university in the state of Arkansas would benefit from researching the roots of the educational system within the state. Even though the state now has a number of universities that have evolved and are on the cutting-edge of advanced technology, Arkansas was slow in growth and development. Since Arkansas was slow to expand public…

Over the last three decades Indigenous people in Ecuador have faced government policies threatening their internationally recognized Indigenous human rights. Although a national social movement emerged in Ecuador in 1990, the level of mobilization has since varied. This dissertation project proposes to address the question, under what conditions…

The 2011 Occupy Wall Street protests brought countless media reports about unemployed college graduates struggling to repay their student loans and headlines sounding alarms that outstanding student loan debt will soon reach $1 trillion. Even though evidence is mixed on whether today's college graduates leave school with significantly more debt…

Through the years, educators, parents, and the general public believed that a college degree is one of the most powerful strategies for our nation's war on poverty. The increased earning power of individuals with college degrees and the contribution to our economic security were frequently acknowledged. Our commitment and attention to college…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) Education Appropriations: U.S. Department of Education Would Receive Slight Funding Increase Under Senate Committee…