Examines changes in the positions and concerns of South African sociologists of education as they move from an oppositional status to a more ambiguous space. These sociologists now face the prospect of choosing between criticism and reconstructive efforts. Reviews themes and issues related to this conflict. (MJP)

Questions the theory of counter selection which holds that quotas implemented after the Communist seizure of power in Hungary reduced educational inequalities based on class of origin. Maintains that social status and class-based inequalities were reproduced through the efforts of cadre administrators and professionals. (MJP)

Examines the various reasons for the rise of Botswana, from one of the poorest countries in the world circa 1966, to its current position of relative prosperity. A prime ingredient in this progress was the incorporation of external aid into a stable system defined by a cohesive ethnic identity. (MJP)

Reports on curriculum reform in Chile following the 1990 replacement of the Pinochet military regime with the democratically elected government of Patricio Aylwin. Significant reforms occurred in primary and rural education. Other improvements included increased professionalization of teaching, and funding for the Ministry of Education. (MJP)

Asserts that Russian society and Russian schools are going through a profound crisis. Maintains that the best approach to solving social and educational problems is to restore and develop national principles and group cohesion. Criticizes the United States and Japanese educational systems and calls for Russia to follow its own path. (CFR)

Maintains that the Jewish Holocaust is now part of the history curriculum for 11- to 14-year-old students in England and Wales. Argues that teachers need to know how children in this age group perceive culture and identity. Reports on a study of 72 students and discusses the policy implications of the findings. (CFR)

Discusses concepts of social agency, cultural mediation, and constitutive action for understanding inequality in schools. Describes the sociolinguistic argument about the structure of language, the interpretive school, and the demands of capitalism. Urges transcending the macro-micro or structure-agency dualism by demonstrating the situated…

Asked 3,200 Peruvian graduating secondary students to explain their choice concerning whether to attend college. Reveals human capital theory's limited applicability, showing only wealthier urban boys used cost effectiveness in their decision. Relates the heterogeneity of higher education demand factors to inherent limits in Latin American…

Provides a concise and interesting overview of the state of higher education in Cuba, specifically focusing on geography. The interests, methodologies, and programs of Cuban geographers are similar to other countries, albeit at a truncated level due to the United States embargo. Discusses international educational exchange efforts. (MJP)

Summarizes the recent changes in the highly centralized national geography curriculum in Japan. Prominent reforms include the implementation of environmental studies in the elementary schools and a broader emphasis, across the curriculum, on world geography. In teacher education, emphasis is now placed on teaching skills rather than subject…

Special education is now an established part of public education in the United States--by law and by custom. However, it is still widely misunderstood and continues to be dogged by controversies related to such things as categorization, grouping, assessment, placement, funding, instruction, and a variety of legal issues. The purpose of this…

In a study of bilingual education teachers' experiences and perceptions of bilingual education, four female trained, experienced, Spanish-English bilingual primary school teachers were interviewed in depth and observed in class. Semi-structured, open-ended interviews focused on the following: teacher background and experience; experiences with…

A brief history of education in the state of North Carolina provides a look at public schools and the individuals who were most instrumental in their development. Chapter 1 focuses on the colonial period when education for the majority of North Carolina students was almost non-existent. Chapter 2 covers the State Constitution adopted in 1776 that…

As part of the 1978 amendments to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, a comprehensive study of the Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS) was mandated by the 96th Congress. The objectives were to determine the educational quality of DoDDS, the relation of student progress to expectations, the availability of resources and…

The Center for the Study of Evaluation of the Graduate School of Education at the University of California at Los Angeles hosted a two-day conference on "Paths to Excellence: Testing and Technology" on July 14-15, 1983. Attended by over 100 educational researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, day one of the conference focused on issues in…