This study documented the phenomenology of critical thinking as an outcome in institutions of higher education in Indiana. Applying a collective case study design, the study interviewed educators in three institutions of higher learning and reviewed the public documentation to contextualize critical thinking as an educational outcome in each case.…

Parents, educators, and students have criticized the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects for expecting students to regurgitate evidence from assigned texts rather than think for themselves. This article argues that this popular critique is accurate and that…

In societies that respect our right to decide many things for ourselves, exercising that right can be a source of anxiety. We want to make the right decisions, which is difficult when we are confronted with complex issues that are usually the preserve of specialists. But is help at hand? Are thinking skills the very things that non-specialists…

This article operates under the assumption that social studies teachers must teach for democracy, as democracy is not something that occurs or maintains without citizens who have the capacities and demeanors for democratic renewal and growth. In an effort to argue for a democratic ethos towards schooling in general, and for social studies teachers…

Professor Roy Harris (2009) criticises me for ignoring freedom of speech in order to focus on "soft" issues, such as game theory, decision theory and chaos theory. In this response, I accept most of his arguments relating to freedom of speech, but argue that, in order to develop better systems of education, we need to pay more attention to the…

Considering social justice to be founded on human rights, which, in turn, are grounded in freedom of thought, expression, and assembly, this essay reviews efforts by art educators to engage with public space as a form of social justice pedagogy. Public space, whether actual or virtual, is understood to be inherently devoted to contestation in the…

Just about everything that librarians do as professionals carries ethical implications. Matters of intellectual freedom are most commonly recognized as loci for ethics-based decision making, but the totality of individual and collective conduct is in need of practical, normative ethical structure. What is argued for here is a framework founded on…

This paper examines Dewey's notions about an intelligent theory of education, focusing on a college student who explored the question of why scientists and schools accept evolutionary science rather than creation science, and discussing what a democratic education system can do with an alternative epistemology. (SM)

Discusses aspects of Foucault's philosophy that demonstrate the intensity of his concern for freedom. The paper examines the significance of freedom regarding teacher agency and suggests that Foucault's project of freedom can inform current discussion about educational reform and school restructuring, particularly regarding teachers' roles as…

This paper traces librarianship's notions of intellectual freedom to a widely analyzed concept in law and political science known as the marketplace of ideas. A stewardship orientation in librarianship is described, changes in the profession are examined, emotional factors and democratic values are discussed, and self-actualization is considered.…

Describes the development of the Library Bill of Rights and adoption of revisions to it in 1948. As the McCarthy era unfolded, librarians aligned themselves with an ideology of pluralist democracy and championed intellectual freedom. Highlights include specific intellectual freedom cases of the time and the involvement of the American Library…

Contends that many Russian schools have begun to use democratization by including more emphasis on aesthetic values, interdisciplinary instruction, and cooperative learning. Includes descriptions of classroom activities exemplifying Russian efforts at educational democratization. (CFR)

The author discusses what he sees as a decline of democratic values caused by the dominance of cultural relativism in the teaching of social studies for the last 50 years. (SK)

Arguments offered in discussion by today's college students are not intended to persuade but are rather expressions of solidarity with the politically correct. Healthy democracy requires appreciation of the importance of public argument as a means of persuasion. Higher education needs a renewed commitment to this principle. (MSE)

Reviews the general climate of demands for censorship of library materials, and argues that librarians must follow the Code of Ethics and accept the responsibility for resisting censorship pressures. Suggestions for the promotion of a positive climate for intellectual freedom by librarians in public libraries are offered. (23 references) (CLB)