At the core of standards-based reform are content standards--statements about what students should know and be able to do. Although it is "state" standards that are the focus of much public attention and consume substantial resources, many local school districts have developed their own content standards in the major subject areas.…

In view of the present state of affairs in the field, it is time for reassessment and professional debate about what sexuality education can and should be. There have been significant cultural shifts brought about by recent technological development, global awareness of sexual issues, and the characteristics of the current younger generation.…

The focus of the present paper is on the relationship between national identities and foreign-language education policies and practices. The paper examines this relationship through a juxtaposition of three sociohistoric contexts in which sociopolitical events led to major changes in foreign-language education: post-World War I United States,…

After gaining its independence, the government of Slovakia created a new educational system incorporating career and technical education (CTE). The purpose of this study was to examine the Slovakian system of CTE within the nation's educational system and how the political, cultural, and economic conditions existing in Slovakia influence the…

This study focuses on the impact of the political situation in Northern Ireland and geography teaching in schools. Student teachers on the PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) Geography Course at the University of Ulster (UU) conducted discussions within their geography departments whilst on teaching practice and reported the outcomes to…

A small group of Boston Public School teachers met for a year to explore the question of what keeps teachers going, a question that bears asking because of the precarious situation of public education today. In this article, I describe the work of the What Keeps Teachers Going? inquiry group as a way to challenge current notions of what it means…

Examines the increasingly Orwellian inaugural addresses of the last two decades and how these speeches make use of the mythical principle of "unification," leading to a sacralization of American society and its placement into a cosmic order. Offers these mythic elements as an example of the pervasiveness of Oldspeak and mythic rhetoric…

Church and state is discussed in four articles: "Religion, Separation, and Accommodation: A Recipe of Perfection?" (Delos B. McKown, Clifton B. Perry, pp. 2-7); "Public Religion: The Republican Banquet" (Martin E. Marty, pp. 8-9); "Religion in the 1980s" (Ernest van den Haag, pp. 10-11); and "Education in…

Brings together the literature of school-based evaluation, teacher appraisal, and effective schools and links those studies with the idea of the culture of the school. Analyzes curriculum needs in relation to eight cultural systems existing in every society: sociopolitical, economic, communication, rationality, technology, morality, belief, and…

African governments have immense power over their universities and are often tempted to tinker with the workings of these institutions, ostensibly to make them more responsive to the requirements of the nation. Such interference can be dangerous. Academic freedom is vital if the university is to truly serve society. (JHZ)

A visiting professor of linguistics to a provincial Chinese university describes aspects of his experience in China, the structure of the college curriculum and university experience, the influence of communism, and university students. (MSE)

Introduces four papers presented at the 1985 Newberry Seminars on the History of American Indian Leadership. Emphasizes need for recognition of rich political traditions and distinctive modes of governance in breaking down barriers between Indian history and history of other American groups. Points out dynamic nature of native institutions. (LFL)

The systematic intervention of Latin American youth in their societies sets them apart from young people in other world regions. The reasons for the distinctiveness of the Latin American student movement are discussed. The attitudes that the different kinds of Latin American political systems take toward youth participation are examined. (RM)

Evaluation research is no longer taught solely as a technical-scientific pursuit, but is now moving toward a policy-oriented discipline. Psychological skills in a political context can strengthen technical contributions of evaluators. (LMO)

The Penn State Seminar grew out of the need for quality research in art education. Art was viewed in a broad, interdisciplinary context. The Getty Institute sought to establish visual art, defined as including art history, art criticism, studio production, and aesthetic perception, as a discipline-based subject in elementary schools. (Author/RM)