Examines the possible impact of information technologies on individual privacy and democratic values and outlines 10 principles that should be observed to ensure the protection of individual rights. The areas discussed include information legislation, the costs of information rights, the role of the private sector, and international issues. (42…

A human rights thread is an essential part of the social studies curriculum for (1) developing citizens with a global perspective; (2) fostering social studies goals in the areas of knowledge, abilities, valuing, and social participation; and (3) contributing to the development of democratic attitudes. (RM)

Some educators applaud this effort to provide guidance to school systems; others, however, are not pleased with the guidelines. Reasons for negative reactions include: lack of rationale, narrow scope, conservative tone, lack of attention to research concerning developmental learning stages, and the reactionary nature of the report. (RM)

The assumption that education should be democratic is criticized, and how schools and universities in a democratic state should be governed is discussed. (Author/ND)

This paper analyzes changes in decision-making in France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom and tries to identify trends in these countries' reforms. In general, the reforms initiated by these five countries redesigned the loci of decision-making between the government levels, modified the modes of decision at these levels, and…

This booklet features articles that explore the roles and relationships in partnerships for enhancing reading and writing in the elementary years. The authors communicate how voices outside the reading profession--parents, community members, and state and federal policymakers--are affecting literacy instruction, and how educators must establish a…

This paper describes how one faculty member worked toward becoming a more democratic teacher educator. The instructor proved that by re-examining one's teaching practice and working with students to create a more democratic higher education classroom, this can be achieved. The goal was to scaffold student learning by constructing a democratic…

This paper presents information and strategies designed to enable teachers and counselors to understand, practice, and utilize the group process known as open classroom meetings. It considers the types of classroom meetings that can be utilized, such as social problem solving meetings, open-ended meetings, and educational diagnostic meetings. The…

Report of a primary school principal's decision to use the Clark and Guba classification scheme to enlist the co-operation and collaboration of teachers in changing the existing graded" organization of pupils. (Author/JH)

The relationship between moral thinking at the level of specific rules and precepts and at the abstract, universal level is discussed, and it is argued that the first-level virtues are as necessary as those based on abstraction. The demands of education for moral life in a pluralistic society are considered. (PP)

Instruction in democracy is not primarily a matter of arbitrarily imposing our society's ways on immature individuals. For Dewey, the interests of a democratic society lie in maximizing the potential of the individuals constituting it. Both the social system and the educational process are responsible for contributing to individual development.…

No longer is it enough that schools teach students to be independent thinkers. Because our democracy gives precedence to group judgment over individual conviction, independent schools need to offer students experience in forming a consensus as well. (Editor)

Describes an undergraduate course on democratic theory where that theory was modeled and incorporated into the course design. Students choose the curriculum, means of instruction, and methods of evaluation. The positive results demonstrate that most students are capable of assuming more responsibility for their own education. (MJP)

Identifies and compares the values emphasized in instruction, according to middle-school students and teachers in five private schools, two public schools of choice, and two public attendance-zone schools in San Antonio, Texas. Public and private schools stressed similar values--the importance of learning and developing a sense of right and wrong.…

In the midst of a fragmented society, colleges and universities can provide living models of how a more inclusive democratic civil society can work. All colleges have this potential and must develop it. Trustees, presidents, provosts, deans, and faculty can all use specific techniques to foster a civic-minded community. (MSE)