Globalization has become a household word, permeating workplaces and communities, while internationalizing the curriculum has become common practice, not just in higher education, but also reaching into the primary grades and outward into program planning efforts in the non-formal sector. Few fields, however, can claim two international bodies…

This commentary looks at the contributions and future research implications of the four articles in this Special Issue of "Thinking Skills and Creativity" to the fields of creativity and creativity education, both in culture-specific and culture-general terms. The articles included in this Special Issue draw attention to issues of…

A review of the European Union's adult continuing education (ACE) and training policies concludes that most national systems of ACE are already multifaceted and flexible; the European Union's policy focus on economic growth and competitiveness intensifies environmental degradation and economic inequities; and European Union financial support may…

Citing the nation's need for an environmentally aware citizenry, the author discusses federal and international efforts toward environmental education, particularly UNESCO's First Intergovernmental Conference on Environmental Education, held in Tbilisi in October, 1977. She proposes methods by which the United States could implement the…

This paper briefly defines parent involvement in education, outlines several factors that are fueling new state interest in programs to strengthen families, describes programmatic initiatives in several states, and examines some of the issues states have faced in their efforts to craft effective community-based programs that are responsive to…

The purpose of this paper is not to discuss particular policy issues in aesthetic education but rather to address the process of and problems in policy formation: the context of policy, power structures, policy implementation, effectiveness criteria, and policy justification. (Author/SJL)

This three-part paper develops a position on early childhood education in Philadelphia that is based on historical development and policy analysis. Reference points used throughout the discussion are Guba's (1984) concepts of policy-in-intention, policy-in-action, and policy-in-experience. Part 1, which focuses on the past, briefly reports on the…

The Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory's depiction study of early childhood education and care programs in the Northwest and Hawaii documents the extent of program development in the region. In four sections, this report of the study: (1) describes the emerging structure of early childhood services, reviewing key findings and projecting…

Analyzes the final report of the President's Commission on Foreign Languages and International Studies, pointing out that the main thrust of its recommendations and proposals for funding is toward development of international studies with or without a foreign language component. Views this as a potential threat to foreign language programs. (MES)

The recent conservative trend in educational policy is addressed in this paper which begins with a description of 10 specific types of threats to the instructional development movement that can evolve from an excessively conservative environment. These threats are named as follows: (1) scapegoat; (2) baby-with-the-bathwater; (3) chronological…

Because of the critical importance of education to the productivity and competitiveness of business, the Ad Hoc Committee on Education, comprised of senior executives from major corporations, was established in November 1987 to identify actions the Business Roundtable could take to improve the quality of elementary and secondary education in the…

Responds to the report of the National Commission on Excellence in Education, taking issue with the two major themes of the report: the poor condition of American schooling and what to do to effect improvements. Comments on several of the report's recommendations for action. (RH)

State-level policy support for teacher induction programs can help teachers realize their full potential, keep them in the profession, promote greater student learning, and save money. Higher education institutions and school districts must work together to provide high-quality and well-designed induction programs. This issue of "Policy Matters,"…

The Maricopa Community College District's (MCCD's) Commission on Student Assessment and Initial Course Placement was formed to assess the current status of student assessment for initial course placement across the district, to review the available instruments that assess student skills for placement, to discover what other community college…

Estimates of the true extent of illiteracy among the United States's adult population vary widely. The Department of Education has estimated that there are 23 million illiterate Americans and an additional 46 million American who function only marginally in an increasingly technological society. Federal support for adult literacy began in 1965…