Themes discussed in reviews of seven books on educational management include the profession's changing context, management of change, managerial discourses, leadership micropolitics, the shift from management to leadership, power and values, and the education/management linkage. Educational management should stress educational goals, not…

In his book, "Illiberal Education," Dinesh D'Souza dramatizes the transformation of American campuses and the academic revolution that is allegedly toppling traditional notions of Western civilization. However, many scholars are concerned that D'Souza'a collection of examples might leave readers with a false impression of the severity of…

Reviews the 1989 report, "A Common Destiny: Blacks and American Society," which examines the anticipated and unanticipated consequences of initiatives since 1940 to improve the Blacks' social position. Criticizes the report for omitting evidence concerning racial differences in intelligence and criminal activity at the individual level. (FMW)

Book review recommends "Teachers and Teaching," edited by Tom Russell and Hugh Munby, to educators who envision a symbiosis of professional practice and research to promote teacher researchers, suggesting that the book's strength lies in its diversity of forms of enquiry--from narrative dialogs between educators, to case studies, to more…

Examines Allan Bloom's book, "The Closing of the American Mind," which angrily addresses failures in liberal and humane higher education in American democracy. The paper claims that though much of what Bloom writes is accurate, the book is often irrelevant and poorly written, distracting attention from the central concern. (SM)

Discusses Allan Bloom's "The Closing of the American Mind," focusing on Plato's influence on the problems which Bloom sees facing the university and democracy and on his proposed solutions. The paper describes Bloom's four related theses about the university and democratic life, noting some problems which his Platonic approach creates.…

Reviews three books that argue that science education should reflect global scientific contributions, use multicultural and feminist perspectives, and be grounded in everyday life experiences with science. Suggests questions of policy and practice in moving from theory to implementation of a more equitable, socially responsible science education.…

Maintains that language as humans now produce and comprehend evolved from languagelike precursors in the communication systems of nonhuman primates. The article reviews "Gesture and the Nature of Language" (GNL) (1995) and notes that GNL derives syntax incrementally without diluting it to an element not recognizable as a property of language. (37…

Asserts that use of case studies and reflection statements in Silverman and Casazza's book helps to link educational theory to practice and reinforce the TRPP (theory, research, principles, and practice) model. Concludes that this book can help learners, educators, and teachers work toward an active learning environment and that the book would…

Expresses doubts about whether the evidence presented by M. Wang, G. Haertel, and H. Walberg provides robust and consistent findings that could, or should, be used to inform educational policy and practice. Discusses five questions about the methodology of the study, and indicates that basing educational policy on their findings would be merely an…

Explores the role and purpose of research synthesis, and defends the conclusions drawn about school learning. The selection of the broad outcome "school learning" was an attempt to show that educational research and development can answer important questions about schooling. (SLD)

Three "Handbook" chapters on school leadership responsibilities conclude that educational administration is a field where people can make a difference. Research provides firm indications of what administrators should or should not do. Constructivist teaching, teacher development, and school improvement are part of the larger challenge of…

Maintains that "Beyond Quality in Early Childhood Education and Care" is the most far-reaching exploration to date of the implications of postmodern thinking for early childhood education. Notes that the book's great strength is its careful construction of an alternative way of thinking about early childhood and its institutions, and…

The one-page abstract summarizes "Brain Research: Implications for the Education of Exceptional Children," an ERIC Computer Search Reprint containing bibliographic information and abstracts of 115 documents. Citations are described in five sections: learning disabilities, autism, other learning handicaps, assessment techniques, and instructional…

"Analysing Genre," by Vijay K. Bhatia, is a timely addition to the literature on genre analysis in English for specific purposes. It is divided into three parts: the first provides theoretical background; the second explains how genre analysis works in different academic and professional settings; and the third exemplifies the…