The paper analyses the pedagogical dimension of the process of Participatory Budgeting in the State of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil), taking into consideration the local and regional culture as well as the wider political milieu. The question this paper engages with is whether, in this social movement involving around 400,000 people in 2001, there…

In the study of compulsory education for transient children, Beijing Xingzhi School for the Children of Transient Workers is a good example. There is no question that this is the most well-known school to date for transient children in China, and it has to a certain extent become a symbol of this social issue. The initial reports regarding this…

The purpose of this study was to determine effectiveness of a problem-solving curriculum for transition-age students with mental retardation. The interactive training program Solving Your Problems (Browning, n.d.) was used to teach a five-step process for solving problems. Results indicate participants in the training group were able to use the…

In this study, Spanish and US secondary science teacher data is used to address the relationship between what science teachers teach and the science and technology based environmental problems/threats faced by the world. The results of a two part questionnaire indicated that teachers of both countries are worried about the problem of pollution of…

This article examines the particular strength of theater to raise questions about relations of gender and race. The authors consider the "rights" of youth and teachers in schools to use drama to critique their cultural contexts and connect these educational struggles to those of broader political, cultural, and social democratic life.…

This study examines how student practice of scientific argumentation using socioscientific bioethics issues affects both teacher expectations of students' general performance and student confidence in their own work. When teachers use bioethical issues in the classroom students can gain not only biology content knowledge but also important…

It is estimated that 3.2% of Cuba's population of 11.4 million persons has a severe disability of some kind. Recent economic difficulties have, it may be assumed, had a negative impact on health service provision--which is free to all--and thus, on population health outcomes and nutritional levels. There is a traditional culture of family care for…

This report provides testimony from children and adolescents who have experienced violence, along with testimony and comments from child advocates, legislators, government officials, educators, and youth leaders on violence and its effects on American youth. The report includes background information on the Children's Express Foundation (CE), a…

This report discusses the increasing incidence of divorce and unwed parenthood in the United States, arguing that the "divorce revolution" of the last several decades has created terrible hardships for children, generated poverty within families, and burdened the nation with unsupportable social costs. It calls for a fundamental shift in cultural…

This paper focuses on the complexities of health care in Coober Pedy (South Australia) and the nearby Umoona Aboriginal community, and highlights the vital role of Aboriginal health workers in the implementation of primary health care principles. The Aboriginal population in this "outback" area is characterized by considerable economic…

This report examines child poverty in the United States, discusses its cause and persistence, and makes recommendations for solutions. Areas examined involve the historical roots of social-welfare policy in the United States; the facts behind the mythologies and misperceptions concerning child and family poverty; the children and families to be…

This monograph presents a sampling of papers delivered at a multidisciplinary conference focused on two dominant entities in African American cinema: religion and music. Papers in the monograph are grouped into three sections: the scholar's involvement in the filmmaking process, early Black theater and film, and contemporary issues in Black cinema…

The American system of higher education consists of public and private institutions, of which there are three segments: universities, four-year institutions, and two-year colleges. Further, there are three types of two-year colleges: comprehensive community colleges, offering a broad array of programs and services; junior colleges, focusing on…

Today's children are bombarded with images of violence in cartoons, news reports, television shows, computer games, movies, and other media. In growing numbers, they are also exposed to real-life violence in their own homes and communities--as witnesses, victims, and increasingly, as perpetrators. Emphasizing the need for early intervention and…

Recent American educational research focuses on the differences between urban and nonurban schools. Ideas such as "inner city" are taken as self-evident and are imposed as a way to achieve a more just and equitable national system of schooling. The urban environment is singled out as violent. This essay takes the position that the…