Provides a broadened historical perspective on literacy instruction in Russia by focusing on the development of the Russian "bukvar," the first text typically placed in the hands of Russian children as they begin schooling. Discusses origins of the bukvar; religious, social, and cultural influences; pedagogical and scientific influences;…

Describes retraining of Russian teachers in Vygotskian perspectives as an educational innovation. Contextualizes movement toward Vygotsky in Russian education and begins assessing its implications for the Western context. Implications include rethinking the teacher's role in the classroom as socially constituted and reconsidering the nature of…

This paper explores the historical formation of the teaching profession in Scandinavia in the 19th and 20th centuries, with special reference to developments in Finland. It focuses on the process by which mass education has assigned teachers a crucial role in the initiation ceremonies characteristic of modern society in relation to changing models…

A sociointellectual profile is presented of the academic intelligentsia in tsarist Russia, including statistics that demonstrate the uniqueness of the educational structure and provide a basis for comparison with other national systems. The evolution of Russian educational institutions is shown to offer insight into the ways in which institutions…