Discusses the use of Shirley Brice Heath's "Ways with Words" in teacher education courses. Suggests that an important part of the meaning lies in the rhetorical form. Uses Bakhtin's analysis of the "adventure novel of everyday life" to illuminate Heath's use of form. (EVL)

Considers bias and subjectivity in ethnographic research. Since researchers cannot eliminate biographical determinants, the makeup of the researcher is critical to research quality. This article suggests ways to move this "bias in biography" toward a new era in anthropology and education. (Author/LHW)

The nearly 100 citations here refer to material cited in the 11 preceding articles. Together they make up this special issue, entitled "Teaching Fieldwork to Educational Researchers: A Symposium." (GC)

Argues that peer group academic orientation is a reaction to the expectations and constraints of a specific educational structure. Analyzes the impact of one structure, tracking, on the peer group and explains the emergences of contrasting high and low track patterns. (Author/MK)

Reviews the contributions of G. Spindler and L. Spindler to anthropology in "The American Cultural Dialogue and Its Transmission" (Falmer Press, 1990), "Interpretive Ethnography and Education: At Home and Abroad" (Lawrence Erlbaum, 1987), and "Education and Cultural Process: Anthropological Approaches" (Waveland…

Analyzes nine ethnographic educational evaluation studies and shows how the theories chosen resulted from a negotiation of values among three participant groups: evaluators, funders, and practitioners. The studies reveal that the funder-evaluator relationship can become explosive when value differences are pronounced. Therefore, the evaluator…

Presents three exercises that encourage active participation in cultural anthropology classes: (1) use of a puzzle to demonstrate focal issues about culture; (2) discussion of a specific piece of fieldwork to demonstrate the relationship among fieldwork, ethics, and cultural relativity; and (3) use of study questions in ethnographic films to allow…

Sees Dobbert et al's model of cultural transmission (this issue) as generalizing, structural, mechanical, predetermined, formal, digital, and etic. Posits an alternative approach that is idiographic, processual, organic, open, nonformal, analogical, and attentive to emic data. Argues that the Dobbert model accounts inadequately for the implicit,…

Argues that ethnography, because of its holistic, cross-cultural perspective, provides an inquiry process by which open-ended questions can be asked that will result in new insights about American schooling. Discusses why traditional ethnography is inadequate to the study of schools and sketches first steps of the field work inquiry process. (CMG)

This essay, based on field observation and interviews centered in California, examines the aims and activities of both school ethnographers and school administrators, concluding that the methods and resources of the former could greatly benefit the latter. (DM)

Reviews research on minority school failure. Contrasts work of microethnographers, which has resulted in"cultural difference" explanations, with more comprehensive work of Ogbu, who advocates a multilevel macroethnographic approach. Describes research in South Texas that does not support certain aspects of Ogbu's caste theory. Advocates…

One critical function of anthropology is to use ethnography to describe, analyze, protest, and interrupt oppressive social practices. A process of systematic negative critique allows the ethnographer to confront cultural hegemony and opens ways to transform the ideologies of schools and other institutions. (VM)

Critiques Dobbert et al's holistic systems analysis approach to cultural transmission, as presented in this journal. Argues that there is no substitute for the ethnographic narrative as the cornerstone of cross-cultural comparison and that the model is mainly useful as a mnemonic for other scientists trying to generate comprehensive models. (RDN)

The term "educational ethnology" suggests an anthropological approach to schools. This research approach would be cumulative with regard to individual schools, would compare similarities and differences among schools, would entail the mutual participation of anthropologists and members of the schools studied, and could remedy limitations of much…

Examines the relationship between the development of authority and the voice in which it is expressed in ethnographic writing. Argues that ethnographic research provides a way of helping students gain the authority that comes from the inquiry process. (FMW)