Education & Pedagogy

Less than one third of early childhood educators have a bachelor's degree, yet national indicators of high-quality early childhood program standards emphasize the importance of higher education for these practitioners. In order to adequately serve and retain these nontraditional learners as they strive to earn their degrees, teacher education programs must go beyond the standard curriculum and strive specifically to engage these adult learners. One innovative way to engage nontraditional students in higher education endeavors is to supplement coursework with applied experiences in outdoor adventure education settings. In this study, rich descriptions are provided of the trials and successes of groups of nontraditional early childhood education students as they participate in a fixed facility low ropes and team challenges course. Furthermore, these observations and narratives are also thematically examined in order to portray key characteristics of participant experiences of "a day in the woods."

Despite differences among progressive educators, they share the conviction that democracy means active participation by all citizens in the social, political, and economic decisions of their countries. The aim of this paper is to explore how Georgia is meeting goals and perspectives of progressive education by widely implementing civic education programs in schools and how its schools are developing a civic society. The paper highlights the 2010 inaugural national needs assessment, which studied conditions and attitudes towards civic education. The qualitative and quantitative results revealed the importance of civic education to diverse stakeholders. Civic education develops civic understanding founded on liberal and democratic values and helps students to comprehend their rights and responsibilities for their family, community, and state. Civic education developments in Georgia include adopting the diversity principle, empowering teachers to select and implement educational process, and using modern educational technologies and foreign pedagogical innovations.

This article examines the role of language policies in mediating access and equity in education. By examining a range of research and case studies on language policies, the authors explore how educational language policies serve as a central gatekeeper to education itself, as well as to quality education that may fundamentally depend on language ability, not only for literacy and classroom interaction but also for textbooks, materials, assessment, and other language-related aspects of education. The analysis offers an argument for placing language policies at the center of debates about educational access and equity, as well as a broad range of sociopolitical processes that shape learners' educational achievement.

The papers in this collection were originally developed for use in Further Education Staff College (England) conferences for senior staff in further education establishments. (Further education is similar to American adult education.) The process of curriculum development in further education is viewed as operating at levels associated with the course, the subject, and the lesson. Within the levels are five skill areas: (1) establishing overall aims, (2) writing specific objectives, (3) selecting learning situations, (4) selecting patterns of assessment, and (5) student selection. Topics covered in these papers, in addition to the five skill areas, include management of curriculum development, behavioral objectives, curriculum evaluation, writing and evaluation of multiple-choice items, and training of college staff in curriculum development. Also provided are an annotated bibliography on curriculum development and two versions of a workbook on writing learning objectives, one directed towards technical subjects and the other to business courses. (Author/MLF)

In discussing the future of teacher education, several factors can be considered. The control of teacher education is exercised by college and university faculty, professional associations, government agencies, and accreditation groups. In preservice and inservice teacher education, there is a need for more discipline-based study and clinical internships, broader advisory councils, increased college education faculty involvement with school classrooms, and higher admission standards for entry into teacher education. Anticipated changes in the field of teacher education are in the areas of enrollment patterns, reallocation of resources, accreditation standards, and the supply and demand of teachers. New incentives for students and programs are needed. These can be in the areas of specialized grants or loan forgiveness, incentives to discontinue or consolidate unneeded programs, allocation of resources to high priority areas, leadership development, cooperation between schools and colleges, and attracting new persons to teaching. The new priorities for teacher education should include attention to learning research and basic school curriculum. (JD)

The document describes findings of a study of the cost of special education and related services for handicapped children, using information from a national survey taken in 1977-1978. Twenty chapters cover the following study components: objective of the study; summary of study findings; description of sample states and localities; data collection and analysis methods; personnel salaries and work years; age, handicapping condition, and type of educational placement of the handicapped student population; instructional costs of special education teachers; special education aide costs; instructional costs of regular education teachers and aides; costs for related services personnel; screening costs; assessment costs; admission and individualized education program development costs; staff inservice training costs; technical assistance costs; transportation costs; other costs of educating handicapped children; other costs of educating nonhandicapped children; total and added costs of special education; and total cost of special education by size of local education agency enrollment. Tables with statistical data are provided throughout the report. (SB)

Providing guidance to Connecticut schools and districts that are developing curriculum, this book presents curriculum frameworks in 10 disciplines for thinking about the knowledge, skills, and understandings that students should have. The 10 disciplines addressed in the book are: (1) the Arts; (2) Health and Safety Education; (3) Language Arts; (4) Learning Resources and Information Technology; (5) Mathematics; (6) Physical Education; (7) Science; (8) Social Studies; (9) Technology Education; and (10) World Languages. The curriculum frameworks in the book include the following components: program goals, which describe the broad results students should achieve by the end of grade 12; K-12 content standards, which specify what students should know and be able to do by the end of grade 12; and performance standards, which specify by grade cluster how adept or competent student performance must be to signal attainment of the K-12 content standards. (RS)

This volume summarizes projects funded by the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education, examining the various lessons learned. The 39 reports are organized in nine sections titled: (1) "Preface"; (2) "Access and Retention"; (3) Improving Teaching and Learning"; (4) "Curriculum and Instruction"; (5) "General Education"; (6) "International Education"; (7) "Teacher Education"; (8) "Performance Funding and Reporting in Colleges and Universities"; and (9) "Disseminating Proven Reforms." Each project report describes its purpose, innovative features, evaluation and project impact, lessons learned, project continuation and dissemination, and contacts for further information. Overall, most projects were deemed successful. Lessons gleaned from the projects include the fact that holding students to high standards works; passionate, creative teaching is crucial; difficulties will arise and can be surmounted; and excellent work eventually brings recognition and reward. (SM)

This book provides a comprehensive and practical resource for raising the expectations and level of instruction for gifted minority students. The volume contains case studies of multicultural gifted education in practice, suggests methods for "best practice" for classroom teachers, supplies sample activities, and provides guidelines and a checklist to evaluate multicultural education programs. The chapters are: (1) "Racially and Culturally Diverse Students and Families"; (2) "Historical and Legal Perspectives on Educating Gifted and Minority Students"; (3) "Multicultural Education and Gifted Education: Goals, Objectives, and Theoretical Perspectives"; (4) "Assessment: Multicultural Considerations"; (5) "Multicultural Curriculum and Instruction"; (6) "Counseling Students from a Multicultural Perspective"; (7) "School Personnel Preparation in Gifted Education and Multicultural Education"; (8) "Minority Families and Gifted Education"; (9) "Research and Evaluation from a Multicultural Perspective"; and (10) "Case Studies and Scenarios for Reflection." Appendixes contain a bibliography of multicultural and gifted resources, sample multicultural activities, and multicultural program evaluation guidelines. (Contains 15 tables, 16 figures, and 264 references.) (SLD)

This report investigates whether higher education systems across Europe recognise and validate learning outcomes from non-formal and informal learning. Specifically, the report looks at whether non-formal and informal learning can enable alternative access to higher education; the extent to which non-formal and informal learning can contribute to the fulfilment of higher education study requirements by substituting formal degree courses; the type of learning that can be validated; and the quality assurance mechanisms underpinning validation practice. The report finds that the validation of non-formal and informal learning for the fulfilment of higher education study requirements is more common than the validation for accessing higher education studies. At the same time, permissive regulations cover very diverse realities. The report covers 37 European higher education systems (all EU Member States, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Türkiye).

The notion of "inclusive education" represents a dilemma in terms of universalization and particularization of the educational experience for all children. This notion, and dilemma, also translates into the international space, with "inclusive education" situated within the international human rights agenda in places such as the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Sustainable Development Goals. Despite its prominence as a universal human rights topic, inclusive education is also a deeply and richly contextualized, localized, and relational phenomenon. In this chapter, the authors aim to explore current trends in research and practice of inclusive education from a comparative and international perspective, and offer some potential future directions for research and practice on inclusive education. [For the complete volume, "Annual Review of Comparative and International Education 2018. International Perspectives on Education and Society. Volume 37," see ED667018.]

While a lot of research has been done on the role of philanthropy in the United States' higher education system, there is considerably less literature on U.S. and non-U.S. foundations that have funded international scholarship and fellowship programs that focus on social justice, particulary in the last two decades. This study shares findings and reflections about recent initiatives and offers recommendations on what we know is working effectively in this growing landscape. This paper aims to investigate three key questions: (1) Why are U.S. and non-U.S. foundations increasingly interested in investing in international higher education?; (2) Why are philanthropies currently focusing on higher education as a form of international development for social change?; and (3) What can we learn from recent higher education programs that have brought about positive change in social justice through scholarships and fellowships?

Every student receiving special education services in a school must have an Individualized Education Program describing all supports and services needed to support the student. An IEP is the avenue for students with disabilities to have access to education. Ensuring that special education teachers are competent in writing and implementing sufficient IEPs is crucial. The literature has shown that the quality of written IEPs for students with disabilities is low. This study explored the effect of Special Education professional development on 30 Special Education teachers' ability to align Present Levels of Educational Performance to Measurable Annual Goals, write Measurable Annual Goals, and collect data to progress monitor Measurable Annual Goals. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This book provides a scientific foundation for the design of physical education and movement education in early childhood, focusing on the key development stage between 3 and 6 years of age. Drawing on cutting-edge contemporary research, the book examines physical education as a process for promoting holistic development and well-being of children from 3 to 6 years old and introduces developmental milestones across motor, cognitive, social, and emotional competencies. It examines the evidence base in core areas including teaching strategies for each of the main competencies, health, and inclusion, and explores advanced topics in early years education as applied to movement, including the use of technology and artificial intelligence in early childhood. This book is important for teacher educators, trainee teachers, and in-service practitioners with an interest in early years education, in general, and in physical education in early childhood, in particular.

Immigrants and refugees often face a complex landscape of challenges and opportunities when pursuing education in their host countries. Language barriers, economic constraints, and cultural adjustment can hinder access to quality learning and limit academic achievement. Education offers a powerful pathway for integration, social mobility, and economic participation, fostering community engagement. By addressing systemic inequities and leveraging culturally responsive practices, educators and communities can transform these barriers into opportunities, creating inclusive learning environments that empower newcomers to thrive both academically and socially. "Barriers and Opportunities in Education for Immigrants and Refugees" explores the dynamics of educating immigrants and refugees. This book aims to make a significant contribution to the fields of migration studies, education policy, and human rights. Covering topics such as educational leadership, cultural education, and language barriers, this book is an excellent resource for educators, policy makers, and international organizations.