This paper argues that the social foundations of education, and particularly the disciplines of history, philosophy and sociology of education, must continue to play an integral role in programs of teacher education. We report on the decline of the study of history of education within Faculties of Education in Canada as an example of the…

Responds to Mahoney and Lyddon's review in previous article and notes that it clarifies differences between rationalist and constructivist approaches to cognitive theory. Asserts that principles of constructivist therapy are highly consistent with principles of experiential therapy. (NB)

Explores the sociopolitical implications of the new epistemology and the Milan approach, concluding that, while second order cybernetics has greater potential to incorporate a radical social analysis, it has, nevertheless, failed to do so. The application of second order cybernetics in family therapy appears to be constrained by the sociopolitical…

Responds to Shields' paper (1986) on the structure of new epistemologies in family therapy. Contends that Shields is being reductionistic in his criticism and obscures the importance of epistemology in family therapy. Also sees problems in Shields' assumptions of objectivity and veracity. (Author/ABB)

Asserts that individuals are limited in knowing by the threshold of their available means of perception. Everything exists in relation to other things; a person's assumptions and methods participate in creating results he or she sees, thus social science research problems are part of a pattern of interaction. Advocates isolating not entities, but…

The complex relationships between knowledge development, economic development, and democratic life are examined in the context of recent developments in three industrially advanced societies (Canada, Great Britain, United States) with a long history of democracy. It is argued that economic development and epistemology must be subordinate to…

Presents stories describing one teacher's knowledge in practice, arguing for the epistemological role of caring in teaching. The teacher's narratives describe what she knows from having caring relationships with her students and how that alters her pedagogy. The paper suggests that complex relationships between caring and knowing involve constant…

Examines one theory used to justify science teaching on the basis of goals that transcend learning the content of science. Focuses on the goal of intellectual independence from science for nonscientists. Provides a brief overview of other content-transcendent goals in science education. Contains 45 references. (DDR)

The choice between the fusion of literature and life and a pedagogy of engagement, on the one hand, and the separation of literature and life and a pedagogy of detachment, on the other, is a painful one. Philosopher of education James Gribble would rather risk some form of aestheticism than allow that a great work of literature could be viewed in…

A literary communication model cannot adjudicate the conflicting claims of transformation and enculturation: that literature is intrinsically educational, that it conduces to psychic growth as a process, irrespective of subject matter and free from the dangers of indoctrination, but that the imperative to make it instrumental to political ends…

This paper advocates the use of social constructivist perspectives in developing collaborative educational research studies. The perspectives were developed during a Canadian project on curriculum and context in the use of computers for secondary classroom learning. The paper explores the interrelated epistemological and ethical implications of…

Argues that school systems should tolerate, accept, and promote diversity in both the formal curriculum and informal policies of school management. Contends that citizens have the primary responsibility for pressuring school officials to develop curricula that promote diversity. (CFR)

Western European forms of discourse have been foisted upon the world as the universal value-neutral reference point. External standards have been used to assess aboriginal discourse, particularly in public contexts such as schools and courtrooms. These standards assume that there is one single correct way to proceed (to talk, write, argue, teach),…

The education of First Nations people has been used primarily for assimilation purposes. The last 30 years have witnessed the beginnings of First Nations' control of education with the primary impetus being self-determination. Achieving self-determination through education has been hindered by the social and cultural problems associated with…

This paper makes a critical exploration into the core epistemological assumptions of mainstream television effects research and explains why the mainstream study of the cognitive impact of television on children suffers from two reductionist tendencies, i.e., television is understood by most researchers to be solely a technical medium, and most…