Poor literacy and numeracy levels in schools have raised questions in South Africa, as they have internationally, on the quality and appropriateness of initial teacher education for preparing teachers for the complexities faced in schools generally and for the mediation of literacy and numeracy in the early years in particular. This paper profiles…

"Curriculum alignment" is the compatibility between a country's centralized curriculum determined by the ministry of education and what teachers do during the teaching process. However, it is observed that teachers do not exactly implement the curriculum. The purpose of this study is to develop a scale that will determine the factors…

The quest continues to standardise quality assurance systems throughout the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) under the auspices of the Bologna Process and led by the European Network for Quality Assurance (ENQA). Mirroring its member organisation in England, the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), ENQA identifies, as one of its core aims, the…

Summer learning experiences for school-age children can be provided in a variety of ways and settings, including summer school programs (often remedial), community-based programs (often a continuation of afterschool programs), and home-based programs (in which families are provided with information and resources to encourage reading, often run by…

With all the debate over school reform and Common Core, the issue of science performance among students that attend low performing school continues to be overlooked. These students may have developed the perception that science is either boring, too hard, or they have no interest in science due to mediocre experiences within the classroom, poor…

The crisis in Europe constitutes a major test for the very pursuit of European integration and for its legitimacy in the eyes of the citizens. In this paper a number of striking economic aspects of the crisis will be discussed next to political tensions concerning sensitive issues. Given the decline in the support for the European integration…

Contemporary perspectives of higher education endorse a work integrated learning (WIL) approach to curriculum content, delivery and assessment. It is agreed that authenticity in learning relates to real-world experience, however, differentiating and strategically linking WIL provision and facilitation to assessment tasks and collation of authentic…

Teachers are being asked to educate a variety of students, including a growing number of students from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds (Diaz-Rico, 2012. "A course for teaching English learners." Upper Saddle River, NY: Pearson). Because students from diverse backgrounds are the fastest growing population in…

The core pedagogic problem considered here is how to effectively teach statistics to physicians who are engaged in a "learning health system" (LHS). This is a special case of a broader issue--namely, how to effectively teach statistics to academic physicians for whom research--and thus statistics--is a requirement for professional…

This article explores the relationship between federal and state educational policymaking and classroom reading instruction. The past 50 years of federal literacy education policy is summarized, particularly emphasizing the connections of these policies to reading curriculum and classroom assessment. The paper concludes with a discussion of the…

This article explores the rationale for the 2011-2013 review of the National Curriculum in England, a rationale informed by the work of an Expert Panel chaired by the author. The focus is on the fundamental principles that determine the nature and content of the curriculum. The approach adopted by the review is contrasted with that adopted when…

The article provides details of the process of starting an actuarial science major at a small, liberal arts college. Some critique of the major is included, as well as some challenges that may be faced by others wanting to start such a major at their institution.

Children with the lowest oral language and early literacy skills at entry to kindergarten are the most vulnerable to poor literacy outcomes. This article describes the programmatic development of a Tier 3 early literacy intervention for preschool children who are most in need of intensive support to achieve early literacy outcomes. The…

This article offers a discourse analysis comparing selected articles in the national press over the consultative period for Phase 1 subjects in the new Australian Curriculum, with rationales prefacing official Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority documents. It traces how various versions of Australia, its…

Social studies education plays an important role in preparing students for a diverse, pluralistic democratic citizenry (NCSS 2010). While the field has made some gains in addressing the needs of various marginalized communities within the curriculum, there has been very little progress in incorporating LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,…