Understanding the work of international organizations requires an understanding of the relationship between language and culture, a relationship evident in the activities of the international organizations. This relationship is partly responsible for the negative image of such organizations. Research in the sociology of international organizations…

Considers educational technology in the context of the political and ethical nature of schooling, including the official discourse of schooling, social justice, and community; the contradictions and uncertainties of schooling based on postmodernism and modernist thinking; and a sociocultural perspective of schooling. (Contains 11 references.) (LRW)

After conducting a survey to obtain a personality profile and descriptive analysis of a typical substance abuser enrolled in a treatment center, the average individual is a third-born, 31 year-old male with nonprofessional parents who became involved in substance abuse because of peer influence and feelings of boredom or unhappiness. (JPS)

Describes briefly the condition of the nation's forests and the rise of the concept of sustainable forestry. Contains the views of a cadre of experts on forestry lessons learned so far in the quest to make forestlands sustainable. (LZ)

Relates the history of credit cards, their evolution to current forms, and innovations (debit cards, token cards, smart cards). Considers their sociocultural impact. Provides a design brief, including objectives, resources, evaluation criteria, outcomes, and a quiz. (SK)

Suggests that Margaret Mead's distinctions among three kinds of culture--here referred to as "traditional,""transitional," and "learning"--are useful in understanding the current controversy over how much the Western tradition should be emphasized in the curriculum. (EVL)

Numeracy involves a set of social practices situated within a particular culture and ideology. The concept has implications for definition of math standards. A social practice approach to adult numeracy in South Africa is recommended. (SK)

Examines the place of the body in the dress-reform movement, a social movement that focused on fashion as a vehicle for achieving social and political equality. Discusses how fashion became one arena in which definitions of gender were contested. Suggests the dress-reform movement's failure in redefining femininity indicates the depth of…

Develops a new framework for career exploration research based on four perspectives: the identity formation process, human motivation and self-determination, sociocultural context, and historical context. Proposes a research agenda. (SK)

A comparative analysis of defined benefit pension plans that were more common before 1980s and the defined contribution plans is presented. It is observed that defined benefit pension plans offered age related incentives thereby encouraging people to retire earlier. In contrast, defined contribution plans encourage people to continue with jobs…

The focus of this study was the problem of the high dropout rate among African American and Hispanic students enrolled in Westchester, New York, high schools during the 2003-2004 school year. A mixed method was used to collect data in this study. The 90 participants consisted of minority and non minority high school students who had dropped out of…

The strabismus conception of masculinity and power with its manipulation as reflected in the consequences of actions endorsed and demonstrated by leaders, followers, citizens as individuals and groups at different times in the past, and present has been a major source of the seemingly quiescence and underdevelopment in Africa. Masculinity has…

This study is an ethnographic account of the brief career of an Argentine former engineer without pedagogical experience who was hired as a middle school Spanish teacher in a small, conservative community in the northeastern United States. The focus of the case study is on how his attempts to become a teacher on the job both affected his own…

Background/Context: Teaching, leading, and learning are inextricably connected to emotions. Yet, the significance of emotions is rarely addressed in educational settings, and when it is, the relationship between emotions and curricula is most often framed by of an overly individualistic behavior model that focuses on the management and regulation…

The general background of this study is an interest in how digital tools contribute to structuring learning activities. The specific interest is to explore how such tools co-determine students' reasoning when solving word problems in mathematics, and what kind of learning that follows. Theoretically the research takes its point of departure in a…