Notes that within certain spheres of international English language education, active student participation is seen as central to the "good" lesson and successful conference. Argues that this idea of participation is generated by a discourse of power belonging to a particular culture of professionalism and that it is ethnocentric and…

Summarizes proceedings and discussion at the National Association of College and University Business Officers' November 1997 conference on the adverse effects of state requirements and practices on institutional effectiveness. Attendees included campus leaders, state legislators, corporate representatives, and state administrators. Central issues…

The first year of shared governance in a Canadian urban elementary school and the responses of the school's 14 teachers to the system of equal rights and responsibilities for teachers and the principal were described. Shared governance worked well, although not without conflict, but the group eventually used shared governance to resolve conflicts.…

Studies of persistent poverty in rural Texas, Mississippi, and Appalachia illustrate how political economies that rely on low wages and extreme control over labor generate rigid stratification. This structure of inequality determines social interaction and allocation of opportunities in rural communities, blocking upward mobility, and undermines…

Social work educators are urged to examine the power differential between themselves and students and potential for harm to students of entering into a dual relationship (e.g., sexual partner, friend, therapist, employer). The National Association of Social Workers code of ethics is reviewed, examples of dual relationships are discussed, and…

Evolution of the relationship between academic and administrative functions in Swedish universities is traced over 30 years. Attention is given to a shift toward administrative power during a period of university democratization, and partial restoration of academic leadership in the 1990s. Two distinct patterns of administrative structure are…

Examines relationships which exist internationally between contexts, methods, and impact on institutions of external quality assessments in higher education. Argues that debates about quality assessment are frequently debates about power and change. Case studies of the University of Aalborg (Denmark), Uppsala University (Sweden), and Monash…

Traces the controversy about the medium of instruction in Pakistan, beginning with the use of English for elitist education in pre-partition days. Notes that the official policy is opposed by the indigenously educated proto-elite, who would find entry into positions of power easier if Urdu was used and nobody was educated in English. (63…

Seeks to link the rapid pace of societal change in Hong Kong over the past 50 years with changing patterns of language use there. Shows how the country has changed demographically, economically, politically, socially, and technologically. (16 references) (Author/CK)

Outlines the components of a teaching model on race that focuses on white privilege, white supremacy, and the ideology that upholds them. Recommends addressing issues of class privilege and power as a way to help white students understand this without alienating them. Discusses classroom preparation and teaching strategies. (MJP)

Examines connections between democratization of schooling and three dimensions of social structure: political system and governance, wealth/poverty, and gender relations. Discusses nine processes and strategies for democratization in education: definition of democracy, legislation and policy, decentralization of education, teacher education,…

When schools consult with students about their educational experiences, students exhibit increased self-confidence, independence in learning, and commitment to school. Teachers become aware of students' creativity, insightfulness, and responsibility. At the school level, student consultation can change assumptions about student capabilities and…

In a Nova Scotia community where the majority of the children live in poverty, the social concerns of the community are woven throughout the elementary school curriculum, which is taught as extensively as possible through the creative arts. Substantive and potentially controversial issues such as power, equity, and social justice are relevant and…

Discusses recent curricular and instructional reforms, collectively called basic skills restructuring, that have developed in urban schools. Discusses these reforms as a response to various crisis tendencies in the operation of schools by dominant power groups. Discusses the causes and effects of top-down curricular reform initiatives. (JS)

Discusses school power structures. Cites the following examples of "bottom-up" authority: (1) vouchers; (2) magnet schools; and (3) open enrollment. Suggests a new model in which the larger school districts function as "holding companies" and individual schools function as "subsidiaries" of the parent company. (FMW)