Examines intended and unintended results of the charter school movement, addressing both sides of the debate and explaining that increased autonomy can heighten inequalities, and choice can sometimes exclude certain members of society. Discusses: autonomy for accountability; autonomy for efficiency; competition; innovation; and choice. Notes that…

Reviews books on progressive education and educational change. "Left Back: A Century of Failed School Reforms," (D. Ravitch) traces the history of American school reform movements and shows how and why they failed to produce better educational outcomes. "When Schools Compete: A Cautionary Tale," (E. Fiske and H. Ladd) addresses…

Discusses how exploiting information technology applications can increase the competitiveness of liberal arts colleges. (EV)

Explored the effects on college students' mood and body image of a negative versus positive outcome in an opposite-sex, competitive peer interaction. Used one gender-neutral and one gender stereotypical task. There were no gender differences in reactions to winning or losing gender-neutral competitions, except marginally for depression. The…

Examines the challenges faced by employers because of a good economy, tight labor market, and low unemployment and how employers are rising to meet them. This article is based on the reports of one-on-one interviews with 688 employers, the summaries of 14 employer roundtable discussions, and the results of the National Association of Colleges…

In exchange for the exclusive right to sell their beverages at school events and on school grounds, large companies are competing avidly for schools' soft-drink business. One Ohio district negotiated a new PepsiCo contract expected to yield over $700,000 over the next 10 years. Everyone wins, including taxpayers. (MLH)

Addresses the major dilemmas or requirements of managing higher education in the task of transferring knowledge and learning to the community. Discusses global trends and challenges, such as changes in technology, customer or output requirements, and collaboration and partnerships. (EV)

Factors altering the higher education industry include radical change in the type of students, necessity of lifetime education, and new technologies. These factors are increasing the entry of private-sector players. Strategic university responses may be strengthening of accreditation, cost-cutting and efficiency measures, horizontal…

Describes how foreign enrollments in United States universities have grown, even as more countries try to attract some of those same students. Includes several data tables. (EV)

Discusses business and technology trends that affect the need for employees to have more information skills. Highlights include the globalization of commerce; competition; lower-cost digital technology; employment trends; the role of digital systems; the impact of technology; advanced information-related literacy skills; and future education…

Dodgeball, whose object is eliminating opponents by walloping them with rubber balls, brings out some kids' competitive sprit and others' fear of recess. Schools in Utah, Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania are banning the game from physical education classes because it promotes bullying and discourages some children from exercising. (MLH)

British Columbia has implemented two significant higher education reforms in the last 15 years. The first was an "Access for All" policy, and in particular, the creation of a new breed of institution--university colleges--and recognition of the right of colleges and institutes to confer "applied" degrees. The second reform,…

The authors present an example of the effect a change in the excise tax can have on retail gasoline prices. The findings provide support for standard economic theory, as well as provide a vehicle for illustrating some of the subtleties of the analysis, including the implicit assumptions regarding the implications for the buying and selling prices…

Australian universities, like their counterparts in most Western countries, have suffered a dramatic reduction in the level of public funding in recent years. One issue on the horizon that is of relevance to students and universities is the latter's exposure to National Competition Policy and, more specifically, the Trade Practices Act. Recent…

Across the U.S., urban school districts are losing students and shuttering schools. In Detroit, some 35,000 students have left the city schools in less than a decade, and the city will close 34 schools and reassign more than 10,000 students in 2006. However, the trend is not limited to Rust Belt cities like Detroit, although their problems tend to…