It is possible to approach, but not to achieve, the goal of perfection. To the three traditional philosophical values of truth, goodness, and beauty it is appropriate to append the important values of wisdom, humanness, and grace. Among the resources available toward the perfection of behavior are ethics, morality, and mores. The first chapter of…

Noting that the word "phonics" has become so politically charged that it is probably the most widely misunderstood and misrepresented aspect of language education today, this book takes a fresh look at the debate about the use of phonics in reading instruction. After defining phonics, the book addresses the science, teaching, and…

In the first section of this monograph, the reasons why the personal nature of teaching makes it relatively impervious to outside influences are explored. It is suggested that change in education occurs only when the individual teacher changes. Educational innovation is viewed as a matter of facilitating and sustaining modification in the…

This study examined the career development experiences of 33 college professors from the schools of business, science, engineering, and arts at Bendigo College of Advanced Education (Australia). The time frame was 1965 through 1989, which encompassed a period of strong growth in the whole higher education system followed by a period of drastic…

A variety of methods are presented for developing skills for critical thinking, which is described as reflecting on assumptions underlying actions and considering new ways of looking at and living in the world. Critical thinking is viewed as not just an academic exercise, but a productive process enabling people to be more effective and innovative…

This collection of essays gives the reader intimate views of the author's perspectives on topics ranging from social justice and education to service learning. The book is divided into four parts. Part 1 focuses on the general nature of the author's social and cultural critique of education. Relationships between educational policies and…

This book sets out to prove that the progressivist tenets that have become the foundation of American education are mistaken. The author does not argue against progressivism on the basis of the usual alternatives of liberal or traditional theories of education because it is not adequately attuned to preparing students for jobs. The author sets out…

Adventure education is filled with "doers," which improves practice but does not necessarily enhance theory. This book addresses that gap by examining the philosophy of adventure education. Chapter 1 examines foundational principles, which have their roots in the ideas of philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Rousseau, and Dewey, and…

This book digs into the tensions, contradictions, and uncertainties of teaching. The book explores how to "read" teaching, which involves the application to practice and research of "simple if neglected things" like noticing, wondering, reflecting, and holding an impression in the grip of an idea. The first chapter discusses the productive…

This monograph presents an analysis of the central characteristics of self-image held by a group of graduates during their experience as primary school teachers in England, and the ways that they sought to preserve their sense of identity during their first decade of work. Data were gathered from personal accounts of 99 teachers through in-depth…

The essays in this book explore the balance between the communal and the individual aspects in the development of human beings and relates theories of education and learning to this development. In the introduction, Peter J. Sheehan offers a critical discussion of the ideas presented in the text. Part I contains two chapters on values and…

This volume contains a collection of essays on the issues and concerns that face women from working-class backgrounds who enter academic careers. Following an introduction and transcript of a dialogue between Kate Ellis and Lillain S. Robinson, the essays are as follows: "What's a Nice Working-Class Girl Like You Doing in a Place Like…

Developing policies and practices to create higher education environments that will foster broad-based development of human talent and potentials is the focus of this fully revised and updated edition, which adds findings from the last 25 years to a classic work. The volume begins with "A Current Theoretical Context for Student Development," which…

This book explores how learning is the lifetime quest to understand personal identity, purpose, and meaning while conforming and adapting to the perceived and real confines of a paradoxical society. It examines the complex social experience of learning, revealing how culture, gender, race, and other societal factors shape and mold an individual's…

Women describe their personal journeys to top positions of leadership in higher education in the 20 essays collected in this book. Ten American and 10 British college and university heads tell their unique stories about passing through the "glass ceiling" that limits the career leadership opportunities for women in academe. Essays…