Over the past two decades in Australia, the field of gifted education has expanded considerably. The term "giftedness" has effectively entered mainstream discourse. The field of gifted education, which nowadays operates as a compensatory function of mass education, is comprised of groups of people who broadly share in the concept of…

Working collaboratively is complex and therefore draws upon a broader spectrum of concepts, behaviors, and skills than educators and other professionals may be accustomed to. This new era of transformational collaboration expands the traditional domain of working together to one of linking all kinds of groups, leaders, and supporters who…

The ability to balance cooperative and competitive behaviors has important implications for a child's overall development. While socially competent children appear to learn highly successful strategies for entering peer groups and negotiating access to limited resources, the development of this level of social competence can be challenging for…

From time to time, the International Commission on Mathematical Instruction (ICMI) mounts studies to investigate in depth and detail particular fields of interest in mathematics education. This paper is the Discussion Document of the forthcoming ICMI Study 16, "Challenging Mathematics in and beyond the Classroom."

Why does it cost so much? is a question often asked about university construction. On college and university campuses, the cost of new construction and renovation will appear high relative to other construction efforts in our communities. Part of the explanation of the high construction cost lies in the complexity of what we build, the codes…

This article synthesises the social and economic dynamics of both non-market and market production in national education systems, drawing primarily on Marx's analysis of the commodity and Hirsch on positional competition. Market production has six principal aspects: a defined field of production, protocols governing entry/exit, the production of…

In this article, the author states that people games and contests have always occupied a special place in the traditional physical training of the native people in northern Russia. This article is prepared on the basis of materials obtained as a result of expeditions conducted from 1990 through 1993 into Siberia's "Khanty-Mansyyski" and…

German universities are taking part in a competition that supporters believe will reshape the country's higher-education system by funneling billions of dollars to institutions identified as the best in the nation. The competition, known as the excellence initiative, aims to improve research performance and increase the international…

The Indian fair is that rare example of a government program for Indians gone terribly right. Implemented by the Office of Indian Affairs on reservations in the early 1900s, Indian fairs allowed Native people to exhibit their crops, livestock, and domestic handiwork in competition for prizes much the same way whites did at their numerous county…

This paper examines institutional change in universities from the perspective of the notion of "boundaries". The paper asks: how can some of the most important regulatory and administrative changes in universities be understood in the framework of evolving boundaries? Two areas are studied empirically. First, the third mission of…

This paper examines health workforce and migration policies in New Zealand, with a special focus on the international recruitment of doctors and nurses. The health workforce in New Zealand, as in all OECD countries, plays a central role in the health system. Nonetheless, maybe more than for any other OECD country, the health workforce in New…

In July 2005, 15 of America's most prominent business organizations joined together to express their deep concern about the ability of the United States to sustain its scientific and technological leadership in a world where newly energized foreign competitors are investing in the capacity for innovation--the key driver of productivity and…

In July 2005, Business Roundtable and fifteen of America's most prominent business organizations--Tapping America's Potential, the TAP coalition--issued a report stating that "one of the pillars of American economic prosperity--U.S. scientific and technological superiority--is beginning to atrophy even as other nations are developing their own…

Privatization of school support services is a time-tested means for lowering educational costs. The three major services that school districts in Michigan contract out for are food, custodial and transportation. The Mackinac Center for Public Policy's survey of privatization is the longest running and most comprehensive source of school support…

The meaning of equality has been radically altered since the Enlightenment. In the 18th century, equality acquired political and economic meanings specifically in the contexts of democracy and capitalism. Today, the context in which equality is understood and practiced is technology as our most immediate and compelling environment. Moreover, the…