Starting from Illich's identification of the compulsory schooling process with the rational initiation rite to the modern, free-market, society, the paper aims to detach the philosophical premises this expensive and unequal ritual is grounded in. After having referred to Van Gennep's conception of the rites of passage, we shall show that the…

Gamification is becoming more and more popular in education. The consequences of the use of games for learning are not sufficiently investigated yet, although it is known that using games for learning does not always have a beneficial effect on students. Besides, practical rather than theoretical problems related to use of gamification in…

A systems approach to behavior analysis through a common analytical premise. (Author)

This study examined value differences of violent and nonviolent youthful offenders. Previous research indicated that high rates of violent crime were related to the subculture of violence hypothesis. The data suggested that value systems of violent and nonviolent youthful offenders were basically the same. (Author)

TO COUNSEL ADULTS WITHIN THE NEXT 20 YEARS, ADVANCED PLANNING AND ACTION BASED ON LONG-RANGE ASSESSMENTS MUST TAKE PLACE NOW. HIGHLY RATIONALIZED MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGIES, CYBERNATION, SOCIAL ENGINEERING, AND BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING CAN POTENTIALLY AFFECT THIS PLANNING. SOCIAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC CONDITIONS INTERACTING WITH THESE TECHNOLOGIES WILL…

After defining technology and technology transfer, the author discusses product-embodied, process-embodied and person-embodied technologies. The five major antagonisms at play in international technology transfers are related and the manner by which a country may select, choose, and adopt the appropriate technology is investigated. (BT)

This paper describes the beliefs and values of a pluralistic approach to social change and of four competing approaches: social Darwinism, functionalism, militancy, and conflict theory. Stressing the alienation and dogmatism of the competing approaches, the authors relate each approach to its operation in community action projects. Social…

The flow diagrams in this document provide cognitive maps to aid in synthesizing diverse areas of knowledge in a special brand of field theory. A model is presented which highlights the domains of structural functionalism (with concepts of cultural, personal and societal systems) and symbolic interactionism (with the concepts of self, sentiments…

The computer is perhaps the most sophisticated tool mankind has yet developed but it has often been misused with man made to serve the tool rather than vice versa. This paper attempts to examine the genesis of this chaos, contrast the present situation with the ideal, and present a reasonable alternative. A humanized data service in education is…

This report summarizes the preliminary findings of the Educational Policy Research Center in the area of alternative future histories and analyzes the implications for educational policy. The analysis is based on the overall finding of the study that "of some 40 feasible future histories, there are very few that manage to avoid a period of serious…

Certain representations of basic scientific knowledge can be coupled with traditional micro-economic analysis to provide an analysis of rational research planning or agenda setting in basic science. Research planning is conceived of as a resource allocation decision in which resources are being allocated to activities directed toward the solution…

Describes in six articles the status of the present family, and examines various aspects of family counseling including: dynamics of various family problems; ecological and strategic psychotherapy; impact of organizational systems on families; parental role in moral education; development of surrogate family systems; and counselor values. (RC)

The notion of optimal population is recast as a problem of optimal scale (population times per capita resource use). Considers bioeconomic limits to scale. Discusses the choice between many people at low resource use per capita versus fewer people at higher resource per capita and suggests a policy that serves both efficiency and sufficiency.…

This symposium report contains various statements of the theory of change and societal growth and maintenance viewed from the perspectives of major social disciplines. Comparative theories in these areas can provide guidelines for predicting, planning, and carrying out social development programs. The theme of the symposium was the problem of…