Argues that the concept of quality is permeated by values and socially constructed to embody a modernist belief in the possibility of definitive and universal criteria that will offer certainty and order. Outlines other choices for evaluating early childhood services and their pedagogical work. (JPB)

Investigates the construct validity of the Clark-Trow typology and its two dimensional substrate with principal components analyses, clarifying their relationships to a variety of higher educational variables. Study provides a conceptual basis for understanding student objectives in the pursuit of higher education. (Contains 20 references and 2…

Online assessment must measure both learning objectives and application of knowledge. Many current assessment techniques can be modified for online use. Multiple methods, including assessment of interaction and student self-assessment, should be used. (SK)

Explores what morally reflective educational practice might look like, focusing on education as a relational human activity that has a moral dimension. Discusses: (1) instructional goals (development of character, cognitive skills, and disciplinary skills, and reintegration of knowledge); (2) pedagogy (for example, the hidden curriculum in…

Purposes several questions to help teachers and principals collaborate to find effective alternatives to traditional staff development, such as: What are our goals for our students? What is the best design for this learning? Briefly describes three alternatives: Teacher study groups, discussion of student work, and teacher-to-teacher coaching and…

Claims the argumentation or argumentation and debate course in American colleges and universities would be bolstered by a dual focus on possibilities for argumentation. Suggests a unit on negotiation would provide students with instruction and activities of clear potential benefit for public-sphere deliberation and professional development. (NH)

Presents assumptions, advantages, and disadvantages of three curriculum positions for teaching gerontology: (1) transmission (conveying facts); (2) transaction (developing cognitive skills and problem-solving abilities); and (3) transformation (facilitating personal and social change). Offers considerations for choosing positions: audience…

Conceptions of how best to educate students with disabilities have shifted toward one of two extremes: denying that disabilities exist or accommodating them to the extent that there is no expectation of student progress toward realistic goals. In this article, the authors contend that both attitudes defeat the primary educational aim of helping…

Young people from all backgrounds have high expectations for both themselves and their schools, as do their families and communities. But for too long, schools have not lived up to their responsibilities to students. They have focused disproportionately on either those students who are traditionally high-achieving or on overall performance…

In this theoretical article, we distinguish two stages of learning a new mathematical concept--participatory and anticipatory. We use a recently developed mechanism for explaining mathematical conceptual learning--reflection on activity-effect relationship--as well as von Glasersfeld's tripartite model of a scheme, to explain qualitative…

The Ready School, a concept endorsed by the National Education Goals Panel, focuses on getting schools ready for children to supplement the traditional approach of getting children ready for school. The author cites 10 qualities associated with Ready Schools and describes the eight-dimension Ready School Assessment project now being tested by the…

Since passage of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, thinking about America's schools has been taken over by something like philosopher Rene Descartes's malignant demon of doubt. The act's exclusive focus on assessing student achievement and faculty accountability in terms that can be "proved" mathematically has cast into doubt a…

Educational accountability is a fundamental right of citizens in a democratic society serving the public interest. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 holds states, school districts, public officials, educators, parents, and students accountable through auditable performance standards. At the same time, the lack of discussion about how to decide…

In 1897 Gauguin painted "Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?", which now hangs in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. In typical Gauguin style, the painting depicts primitive Tahitians looking in wonder at the tropical paradise surrounding them. There is sunlight and freedom, the vibrant colors of Tahiti, a river in the woods, a…

In his essay, "Aims in Music Education: A Conceptual Study," Constantijn Koopman criticizes the lack of attention to the aims of music education and the confusion of aims and methods in some music education writing. Leaving aside questions relating to the philosophical merits or otherwise of blurring boundaries between aims and methods or the…