A recent international conference of Internet users highlighted the empowerment the computerized information network promises to countries around the world and some of the difficulties faced in promoting access, particularly in developing countries and former members of the Soviet Union. (MSE)

This article reviews major social, technological, economic, and political trends in the United States and relates this larger perspective to the practices of speech language pathologists and audiologists in the schools. Implications of these trends for alternative futures are drawn. (Author/DB)

Evidence presented suggests that indicator systems monitor what is valued and that teachers teach what is monitored. That which is monitored is bound by time, context, and politics. Indicators should embody the best knowledge and democratic values, which has not always been the case, to result in educational improvement. (SLD)

The debate over political correctness and cultural diversity in U.S. higher education is examined, and three basic questions are raised: who is to be taught?, what is to be taught?, and who will teach it?. Higher education's contribution to social change is seen to be its ability to discuss issues with openness, candor, and reason. (DB)

If college planning is to work, planners need to accept, understand, facilitate, and use the political processes within their institutions. Rather than try to inhibit or bypass political discussions about change, planners must learn new skills to marshal support for their strategic ideas. (MSE)

Describes the role of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in the political arena, as well as in development and public welfare roles. Traces the recent history of grassroots efforts to solve social problems in Latin America. NGOs can strengthen institution building and influence national policymaking. (KS)

Bernstein argues that current criticisms of Columbus are an ideologically motivated rewriting of the past and that the point of studying history is to understand development not validate particular ideologies. Zappia criticizes the artistic community for its attempts to discredit Columbus and to eulogize the civilizations he allegedly destroyed.…

Examines the Depression era Townsend Movement that pressed for old age pensions. Compares this movement with a model social movement to explore what facilitates the development of movements and what determines their success or failure. Concludes that the political mediation model explains successes as reinforced political action with strong member…

Historical, political, and sociolinguistic aspects of the teaching of English as a Second Language (ESL) in Puerto Rico are examined. It is suggested that the apparent failure of ESL instruction is in reality a motivated failure: a society's successful resolution of a conflict between government planning for bilingualism and social pressure for…

Raises questions about an industrial, competitive model of education in Alberta, Canada with the goal of being first on international achievement assessments. Suggests that global and societal benefits derive from an education that fosters the full development of the potential of all individuals, rather than the development of excellent…

A study of Ontario (Canada) colleges examined the government fiscal policy, profitability motives, bureaucratic organizational norms, incrementalism, and political and power relationships that impede successful integration of centers of innovation and entrepreneurship into colleges. Other factors not yet researched are discussed. (Author/MSE)

Reviews works of cultural historians of the French Revolution. Analyzes interpretations of what constituted "the people" in three late eighteenth-century sources: Diderot's "Encyclopedie," contemporary political pamphlets, and Louis-Sebastien Mercier's vignettes of Parisian street life. Contends representation of "the…

This commentary responds to several issues raised in a critique of a paper on cooperative professional development. Issues include facilitation of knowledge exchange between special and general education teachers, potential politicization and competitiveness in cooperative professional development teams, and accountability of cooperative…

Universities are compounding the problems created by faculty entrepreneurship by gaining an unprecedented financial interest in the prosperity of the biomedical industry. This interferes with the institutions' other functions of critiquing social policy, explaining technical matters, and performing research for publicly decided goals. The…

A discussion of the ways in which college retrenchment planning is institution specific and political looks at how four institutions have shaped different retrenchment strategies. Challenges inherent in each strategy are examined, and practical suggestions are made for campus leaders facing retrenchment. (MSE)