This article addresses the issue of what the process of participating in educational criticism feels like. Certain intellectual and emotional pleasures and perplexities that were confronted by the author while taking part in an educational criticism project are discussed. (CJ)

This paper presents reflections and reconsiderations of notions about educational criticism. Several issues about the process of educational criticism need to be explored: (1) the metaphor of criticism; (2) exemplifying and elaborating methods for criticism; and (3) exploring the critic's role. (CJ)

An experimental group of 34 Pennsylvania school districts that had experienced a strike were matched with a control group of 34 nonstrike districts. Statistical analyses of grades five, eight, and 11 revealed significant strike effects in grade five scores of self-esteem, mathematics, and interest in school and learning. (MLF)

Over a three-year period (1977-1980), the first national study identifying and describing problems of illiteracy and lack of high school completion among adult American Indians, Aleuts, and Eskimos was conducted by the National Indian Management Service of America, Inc. providing information on functional literacy educational attainment and social…

This study was designed to examine teacher and learning environment variables that were believed to be the most powerful causal determinants of mathematics attitude and employed an emerging model for explaining these and other factors. Over 2000 students in grades four, seven, and nine participated. (MP)

Reports results of two national literacy and numeracy testing programs in Australia revealing that there is a sizable fringe group of people unable to function effectively because they cannot meet minimal demands of reading skills. (JL)

Through a retrospective study, the methods of investigative journalism are analyzed as they are applied to a statewide evaluation of student achievement and to a local school evaluation of new student registration procedures. The benefits and shortcomings of the journalistic approach are illustrated. (Author/AL)

Reviews perceptions of community colleges that have appeared in recent literature. Suggests alternative criteria for judging the effectiveness of community colleges. Proposes a revised community college mission and offers alternative strategies for general and vocational education. Considers changes that will be required to fulfill the revised…

A survey found that the majority of learners enrolled in literacy schemes in Great Britain were making progress in their acquisition of reading and writing skills and that most tutors and learners were satisfied with the rate of progress being made. (CT)

Explores reasons for the current ineffectiveness of moral education and offers an alternative perspective on the proper purpose and methods for moral education. This ideal moral education is based primarily on the belief that social interactions during childhood are highly significant in the development of morality and on the functionalist…

Takes stock of current achievements and problems in the Soviet educational system. Identifies issues of the present decade, including lowering the school-starting age; strengthening preschool education; and improving educational facilities, curriculum, textbooks, assessment, and labor training. (Author/WD)

Discusses findings from a survey of 286 public school teachers in major American cities which indicated that students' lack of basic skills is a major problem in teaching. Teachers also expressed concern over lack of community and administrative support, lack of necessary financial resources, and shortage of qualified personnel in the teaching…

Six articles discuss top priorities of Soviet education policy. Topics discussed include labor training, revision of the curriculum for the 10-year general education program, quantitative v qualitative demands on the educational system, and extended-day programs for the children of working mothers. (DB)

This paper outlines some of the general characteristics of current LEA (Local Educational Agency)-inspired self-evaluation schemes and suggests that they may be usefully viewed from an organizational development standpoint. The construction and use of a self-evaluation instrument which was informed by such a perspective is briefly described.…

National assessment data on student performance in several phases of algebra are reported. It is noted that this performance has not reached the point of mastery even for most students with two years of algebra and a year of geometry. However, the data are not thought to suggest complete failure. (MP)