Variations on a theme: parents and teachers talking

This article draws upon the findings from a unique research project that provided new insights into the relationship between parents and teachers working with children experiencing difficulties in school. The article introduces ten modes of parents and teachers ‘working together’, each of which has implications for the provision for children experiencing difficulties in school, as well as their parents and teachers.     

Variations on a systems theme: Comprehensive reform in teacher education

This paper presents the results of the first phase of an analysis of the product of ten independent efforts to apply systematic planning procedures to the development of the specificataions of teacher education programs. Those efforts, sponsored by the United States Office of Education, conceptualized models of the teacher, training systems, and management, evaluation and redevelopment systems. This phase of the analysis compares the concxeptualizations of the teacher, the performance models created as the goals of the programs, as well as the alternative procedures employed to create the models.

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Résumé Dans cet article, on présente les résultats de la première phase d'une analyse qu'on fait de dix efforts indépendents d'appliqquer des processus systématiques au développement des spécificaions pour les programmes de formation des enseignants. Ces efforts, subventionnés par l'Office d'Education des Etats-Unis, ont formé des concepts de modèles de l'enseignant, des systèmes d'entraînement, et des systèmes de direction, d'évaluation, et de redéveloppment. Cette phase de l'analyse met en comparaison les concepts de l'enseignant, les modèles de fonctionnement qu'on a créés comme buts des programmes, et les processus alternatifs qu'on a employés pour créer les modèles.

     

Cyrano's nose: Variations on the theme of response

This essay responds to three articles in this issue on response to student writing. The author analyzes the consensus view of responding to student writing in order to highlight missing or misconceived elements of current theory, and then offers a speculative outline for a more comprehensive study of response. With this sketch in mind, she offers two variations on the theme of response, depicting it as “critical” and as “artful.”     

Comparative education and education sciences: Variations on an old theme

where he teaches comparative education. Until 1988, President of the Comparative Education Society in Europe (CESE). Member of the World Council of Comparative Education Societies and Vice-President of the Spanish Comparative Education Society. Publications include: Fundamentos de Educación Comparada (1982, 1986), Problemas mundiales de la educación (1982, 1986), Sistemas educativos de hoy (1984, 1987), Primary Education on the Threshold of the Twenty-first Century(published in Spanish and French; 1986 and 1987) and Pedagogía prospectiva (1989). He has published numerous articles in scholarly journals of various countries.     

Schooling Heidegger: on being in teaching

The article looks at the practice of teaching in the light of the Part One of Martin Heidegger's major work Being and time. After discussing the main themes of this work, and particularly Heidegger's argument that our fundamental way of being is not cognitive, it examines their implications for such issues as the place of theory and reflection in education. The article then considers generalised approaches to professional work, notably those of Donald Schön and Andrew Abbott. It concludes that teaching has unique characteristics which are illuminated by Heidegger's writing. It suggests that teachers’ practice exhibits a tension between instrumentality and a concernful being-with children, but is fundamentally grounded in the latter.     

Quality in Teacher Education: a suppressed theme?

With the emergence of neo‐conservative and neo‐liberal ideologies since the early eighties the formula “quality” has superseded continuously the leitmotif “equality of educational opportunities” in debates on education in most member states of OECD—initially as reaction against reforms in the secondary sector of education, then in higher education by focusing on economic and administrative aspects. Although the term “quality” has remained rather vague, it has dominated debates on education since the early nineties and some observers even speak of a “quality movement”. With a certain delay, the same applies to teacher education (TE) and one may hold the impression that TE has been surprised by discussions on “quality in/of TE” which focus on economic and administrative aspects—aspects suppressed in most systems of TE in the member states of the European Union (EU) so far. This article analyses the complex background of debates on “quality in TE” by focusing on sociological perspectives and arguments of the educational sciences. Then it defines problem areas of TE which seem to be in need of improvement. Thirdly, it discusses measures to deal with perceived problems by taking into account experiences in various European countries discussed on occasion of an all‐European seminar of experts supported by the Commission of the European Union. In dynamic societies even preserving the existing “quality” of education systems and TE calls for permanent improvement. If it is intended to increase the “quality” of TE, improvements seem to be indispensable both permanently and of a substantial nature. Based on existing strength of TE and on continuous evaluation, improvements and reforms will be necessary both in its curricula (e.g. aims contents, methodologies) and in its organisational as well as administrative areas. Research in TE as well as competencies of teacher educators will have to play crucial roles. It might become possible to deal with a suppressed theme more pro‐actively.     

Off with a theme: Emergent curriculum in action

Early childhood teachers can plan developmentally appropriate classrooms through a fusion of thematic and emergent curriculum approaches. Ernie, a preschool teacher/university professor working in a campus laboratory setting, designed and implemented a space theme which was relevant to young children, allowed them many opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge and skills and expand upon them in significant ways, and incorporated a variety of materials and resources. Overall, the use of this theme reflected the initial and emergent interests of both the teachers and children, as they interacted in the social environment.     

Performance in Home Schooling: An Argument against Compulsory Schooling in the Netherlands

International Review of Education - Although home education is a growing phenomenon in many Western countries, it is almost non-existent in the Netherlands. Under Dutch educational law, children...     

Information Technology and Armenian Schooling: a possibility for change

ABSTRACT

Following a major earthquake in Leninakan, Armenia, in 1988 the British government built a school for 400 pupils aged between 6 and 16 years. We report on some of the pedagogical, staff development, and management issues arising from the introduction and use of information technology facilities within that school. In particular, we argue for moving away from the more technical focus for information technology that prevails in the curriculum inherited from the former Soviet system. Strategies for further developments are then considered.