Public education is under attack. There is a general assault on the public sphere as a central aspect of our common existence. The problems of city schools stem from our failure to place educational reform within a broader vision of social and economic justice and our unwillingness to take political action to realize that vision. (MLH)

Discusses the environmental changes that are moving vocational education reform from the periphery to the center of general educational reform, emphasizing the mutual adaptive results between "organizational" reforms, such as theme schools, and "vocational" reforms, such as curricular integration. The author summarizes lessons for advancing…

Considers education for the elderly an important issue for the European Community. Discusses demographic, social, and political factors arising from structural changes affecting older adult education. Suggests that education of the elderly emphasize self-reliance, communication skills, experience, and life changes. Reviews literature on the…

This study of educational policy in Malta examines the academic, social, and administrative dimensions of professionalism in the Maltese context; Malta's system of corporate patronage and culture of central control; conflicts between educational administrators and practitioners; efforts to decentralize and liberalize the educational system; and…

Criticizes self-esteem movement's role in education. Suggests movement's efforts to help people "feel good" result in dishonesty, intellectual exclusion, and inhibition of genuine discussion. Genuine self-esteem is a consequence of educational achievement. Portrays movement as panacea for budget cuts in children's services. Concludes self-esteem…

Discusses the formation of a teachers' movement in Malta. Describes organizational goals such as developing participatory democracies in school communities, working as pressure groups to influence educational policy making, and linking humanistic perspectives with a critical theory of schooling. Suggests that change occurs through dramatizing…

Sociohistorical analysis of literacy among African Americans notes that acquiring access to literacy has involved continuous struggle against unrelenting opposition from most segments of society. The article traces conceptions of literacy held by African Americans from 1700-1992, concluding that lessons from the past provide insight into current…

A widespread perception about falling standards prompted Margaret Thatcher's government to pass 1988 legislation mandating a national curriculum and accompanying testing system. The worst-case scenario feared by many British teachers is coming to pass: a test-driven curriculum without significant attention to teachers' assessments of student…

Discusses two widely practiced principles of management (protecting the rear and knowing the limits of a job) as they relate to the philosophy of education. The article examines Werner Jaeger's definition of education in his 1939 book, "Paideia," as well as other definitions that have helped shape current educational management. (SM)

Discusses consequences of European unification in the Federal Republic of Germany. Focuses on the relationships between the European Community, the federal government of Germany, and the German states. Suggests that the German states are aware of their responsibility to give education and culture a European dimension. (NL)

The current interest in reflective approaches to teacher education is examined, arguing that the move toward more reflective orientations toward teaching and teacher education must be viewed in institutional contexts and structural adjustments in Western capitalist systems. A more socially, culturally, and politically reflective approach to…

Contends that the Bush Administration's "America 2000" plan is a political and ideological statement that substitutes the logic of the market for the principles of democracy and ignores the need for multiculturalism in the schools. Provides some general recommendations for educational reform. (30 endnotes) (MLF)

Over half of Canadian Native elementary and secondary students attend public schools. In Ontario, legislative restrictions and the mechanics of the electoral system work against meaningful Native representation on boards of education. Legislative precedents for the provision of group representation for Native peoples are discussed. (Author/SV)

Examination of recent reforms at three Mexican public universities suggests that university administrators have had little will or power to regulate expansion in the face of growing social demand for higher education. Discusses "populist" and "modernist" conceptions of university reform, which focus on social needs and economic…

Compares the educational systems of Hong Kong and Macau, focusing on differences related to their colonial histories and the different sizes of their populations and economies, and similarities arising from mutual influence and their impending reunification with China. Discusses educational access, finance, curriculum, language of instruction, and…