Contends that Garrison (1996) overlooks evidence that points to the transactional nature of Dewey's theory on learning and uses Dewey's reconstruction of William James's theory of emotion to support the author's claim that Dewey emphasized activity. Following a brief discussion on intellectualism--that ideas represent the only mode of knowing--the…

Describes a survey in and around Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, which focused on the steady trickle of speakers of Xhosa into English-medium schools in the area. Examined the underlying reasons to send Xhosa children to these schools and the subsequent socio-psychological effects of the move on children. (Author/VWL)

Describes the student interactions of second-year medical students at the University of Natal (South Africa), until recently an historically black institution. Notes student associations are predominantly along racial/ethnic and gender lines, and offers an analysis from historical, political, and cultural perspectives. Also discusses the impact of…

Interviewed ten Hong Kong secondary school teachers to highlight the difficulties caused by the recent influx of children from China into Hong Kong. These include difficulties for the immigrants themselves, for the teachers, and for the schools. (Author/VWL)

Principal component analysis of indicators from the 1991 Census was used to characterize the social context of school-age Welsh speakers in south east Wales. The growth of Welsh-medium education was responsible for net gains in numbers of younger Welsh/English bilinguals. The interrelationships between figures for Welsh speaking in the Census and…

Examines how the evolution of Cantonese dialect is continually influenced by contact with English and Putonghua, as well as by the internal dynamic of language change. Concludes that the wish to preserve a Hong Kong cultural identity distinct from that of mainland China, may be a factor in also retaining a unique linguistic identity. (Author/VWL)

The international literature suggests the use of indigenous knowledge (IK) and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) contexts in science education to provide motivation and self-esteem for indigenous students is widespread. However, the danger of alienating culture (as knowledge) from the language in which the worldview is embedded seems to have…

"As far as all the universities in today?s Chinese societies are concerned, the fundamental problem of universities operated by Chinese is that basically there can be no mention of cultural self-confidence or cultural consciousness; or in other words, they have far from established a Chinese idea of university." The fundamental mission…

This paper is an examination of the pedagogical and cultural impact of the PROPELCA (Operational Research Project for the Teaching of Cameroonian Languages) mother-tongue education program being implemented in the Bafut, Kom and Nso' language communities of the Northwest Province of Cameroon. Using research carried out in 2002-2003, the author…

This article presents an overview of the education system in Malaysia and highlights some issues pertaining to higher education. In addition, this article also looks at some issues specific to the teaching and learning of mathematics both at school and in the universities. Some data on students' achievements in mathematics examination at public…

This study focuses on the characteristics of discourse between Latino immigrant children and their teacher during science instruction. Peer interaction was analyzed to identify the use and importance of the native language (L1) for the development of content knowledge during group collaboration. In addition, the interaction between teacher and…

The state of public education debate, which to a great extent only reflects policies and practices ab road, is examined. The process of learning from others should replace the process of borrowing (of usually inappropriate policies/practices) from others. Two examples of the issues involved in the debate on public education, namely, Outcomes-Based…

The purpose of this study was to determine which model of instruction is better for English Language Learners (ELL), English immersion or bilingual education. Two research articles were selected, compared, and analyzed. One was for English immersion and the other for bilingual education. Results are inconclusive, but it is important for educators…

In light of a major study on educational outcomes, this paper explores how Aboriginal language dominance and virtually exclusive use of oral communications in one Aboriginal group has been affected by its interaction with Western institutions. For several years negotiations have been undertaken among the Innu Nation of Labrador, the province of…

The present paper explores the extent of Irish language use in networked communications, and attitudes towards the language by 125 schoolchildren from three backgrounds in Ireland: (1) an Irish-speaking area (Gaeltacht) and Irish medium of instruction, (2) an English-speaking area and Irish medium of instruction, and (3) an English-speaking area…