Discusses puzzling statements by second graders in a classroom literature discussion. Argues that, by considering children's sociocultural backgrounds in examining their responses to stories, teachers can better understand and appreciate their students' critical thinking dispositions and abilities in the classroom setting. (SR)

Discusses demographic trends that will affect what future campers are like, including population growth, ethnic diversity, effects of migration, changes in the family unit, problems of children at risk, and social influences such as changing values and work patterns. (LP)

The purpose of this article is two-fold: (1) to describe a model for understanding how students' responses to science are related to the degree of congruency between their worlds of family, friends, school, and science; and (2) to explore the implications of this model for practice and policy in science education. (LZ)

Three widely accepted assumptions about literacy education are discussed: (1) literacy is a social practice; (2) there exists a plurality of literacies; and (3) literacy educators must address issues of power. Implications for defining second-language composition ideology, research, and pedagogy are examined. (54 references) (Author/MSE)

Discusses technological and computer literacy in relation to solving present and future problems in society. Examines the relationships between computers and ideas, between computers and children, and between technical literacy and the future. (MDH)

Discusses the role of information technology in libraries and suggests that more questions need to be asked about its proper role. Topics discussed include the relationship of technological advances to social progress; private versus public sector control; changing values of librarianship; social and political implications; and access to…

Ways in which to incorporate education on francophone western Africa into French second-language courses are discussed. Geography, language role, and common themes to be explored are examined, and more complex aspects of the societies, such as beliefs and customs, are also considered as they may be appropriate for inclusion. (MSE)

Discusses the shifting population of Quebec Province; the cultural, social, and political issues regarding the province's low fertility rate; and how these affect immigration policy. Along with policies encouraging immigration, Quebec encourages enrollment of immigrant children in French-speaking schools. (SLD)

Analysis of governmental promotion of out-of-home child care (OHCC) versus parental child care indicates no superiority of OHCC based on children's welfare or families' economic requirements. Ways are needed to support parental care of young children and to counterbalance day care subsidies with equivalent subsidies to parents raising their own…

Examines multiple perspectives and multiple communities involved in the study of drinking and driving and traffic safety. Discusses the following aspects of the question: (1) informal social controls on the driving event; (2) contexts of traffic safety; (3) institutional aspects; (4) social movements; (5) the social and cultural environment; (6)…

Describes research on the prevalence of alcohol, drug, and mental (ADM) disorders and the characteristics of homeless substance abusers and persons with mental illnesses. Reviews methodological problems. Finds prevalence rates of ADM disorders, extreme poverty, isolation from support network, and contact with correctional agencies higher in…

This counterpoint to a comment (EC 601 662) about the authors' original paper (EC 600 431) argues that some educators' lack of tolerance for pupils who are socially maladjusted is not a valid reason for excluding those students from public schools and that change should be accomplished through system improvement more than through system…

Among 1,077 Puerto Rican male adolescents in New York City, familism (values emphasizing family bonds and obligations) was a powerful contributor to the avoidance of deviance, whereas acculturation was positively associated with participation in interpersonal violence and theft and negatively associated with illicit drug use. The pattern differs…

Recent reforms in vocational education in Sweden and Finland reflect economic, academic, and practical concerns common to many countries today. Two issues of particular interest are continuity of vocational training after late secondary school and establishment of parity between vocational and general education. (MSE)

There is a need for research that depicts better-differentiated social contexts for science education in their full complexity. Social scientists have developed a promising model for research in context. Three critical conceptual and methodological strands of the model are discussed, along with their implications for science education research.…