A review of previous issues of the journal that focused on the nature of disciplines and college curriculum looks at the treatment of two themes: the interplay between predominantly sociological and predominantly epistemological accounts of knowledge communities; and the factors affecting the content and aims of university curricula, including…

Data from General Social Surveys and Census Bureau sources, 1964-94, indicate that nonmetropolitan and metropolitan areas are similar in married women's labor force participation and gender differences in earnings. Nonmetro areas have higher occupational sex segregation and slightly less egalitarian gender attitudes. Gender stratification has…

Summarizes the objectives, guidelines, and skills sets contained within the 1994 National Geography Standards. Concise examples illustrate the implementation of broad objectives. Discusses how each stage of the curriculum is connected to developmental growth. Recommends increased cooperation and coordination between secondary and higher education.…

Centrists believe education is initially a right for every young person. When youngsters demonstrate no interest in doing schoolwork, obeying school rules, or respecting school staff, they forfeit this right and must re-earn it. Centrists believe values should be addressed openly; reject polarized curriculum ideologies; and hold teachers, parents,…

Postsecondary education in Australia has undergone major structural change in recent years, accompanied by increased awareness of and policy response to the needs of students with disabilities. The nature of these changes, legislative background, and policy initiatives directed at improving successful participation of these students are described.…

Surveys past graduate-student administrators (now in professional and academic careers) involved in the consensus-based management system of a composition program. Finds that such involvement exposed graduate students to the most challenging aspects of university life, in all its political, structural, and interpersonal complexity; and was central…

Democracy in education has many facets: mass access to education, democratic governance of schools, education about citizenship, and education for citizenship. The skills and dispositions necessary for effective democracy can only be learned by practicing them, yet most secondary students have neither political rights nor a political role. Student…

Introduces six articles that form this issue's feature section on international higher education. Uses the articles to explore issues of globalization in higher education, including the danger of a global convergence in models of higher education that may poorly serve the needs of different institutions. (EV)

Describes the socioeconomic and political context of the formation of the government's free primary-education policy in Malawi. Assesses the impact of the policy on educational access, equity, and quality. Reviews and critiques policies related to free primary education. (Contains 22 references.) (PKP)

Rural school district reorganization and school consolidation are put into perspective by reviewing the large population increases that fueled small-school growth in the Great Plains, 1870-1930. Since the Dust Bowl and Great Depression, population losses, improvements in transportation, and arguments advocating economies of scale and increased…

Mainstream education forces an adult-centric agenda onto young children which is developmentally inappropriate and educationally unnecessary. Parents can nourish their children's love of learning by challenging current educational practices and by letting their children play and experience nature. The 3 R's should be replaced with the 3…

During a 1998 National Rural Education Association symposium, participants indicated that urban-style standards improve rural schools with adequate resources, cause confusion and concern, and conflict with local decision making. To match education standards with rural communities' values, many questions must be resolved in public political forums.…

Presents a collection of articles on current issues related to African Americans in higher education. Some of the topics include the following: Congressional opponents of educational opportunities for blacks, the harm in college rankings, important news events of the 20th century, black faculty, actions of white supremacists, aspirations of…

Policy makers are turning away from individual performance pay, favoring school-based rewards that expand curriculum or fund other improvements. Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina, and Texas have adopted performance-based rewards and sanctions. Policy makers must balance state and local control and align performance indicators with school…

Analyzes competing legal issues and requirements regarding California's English language learners. Because of legal wording that attempted to hold teachers and administrators personally liable in noncompliance civil suits, many districts interpreted the new law as conservatively as possible. Other districts made changes site by site depending on…