Data reveal that insufficient progress has been made in increasing the number of students with severe disabilities who are educated in general education classes. Agran et al. asked why this is happening and discussed determinants that may be affecting placement decisions that serve to segregate students from their peers. This article is a review…

In April 2013, "NEJHE" launched its New Directions for Higher Education series to examine emerging issues, trends and ideas that have an impact on higher education policies, programs and practices. In this installment, DiSalvio interviews Pamela Tate, president and CEO of the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL). Topics…

As educators, we must do more than present information and test for its accumulation. We must prepare each mind to learn--to receive and organize information for later application. This requires both an awareness of the learner's capacities and specific action to build a "cognitive set" to receive new material. (Author/SJL)

Resource persons who help adults learn are more effective if they are knowledgeable about subject matter and adult development and are capable in the use of program development procedures. (Editor)

The expertise of special educators can aid in providing justice for criminal defendants with mental retardation in such areas as identification of mental retardation, evaluations and habilitation concerning competence to stand trial or enter plea agreements, and provision of services to defendants in corrections programs. (Author/DB)

Identifies the construct of teacher efficacy--the extent to which teachers believe they can affect student learning--and describes how it influences classroom behavior. The following major variables are considered in terms of development and enhancement of teacher efficacy: teacher education and socialization, personal teacher variables, school…

Discusses the critical role of peer review in defending academic freedom and tenure, focusing on the origins of peer review in the United States, the role of the American Association of University Professors in defending free inquiry and speech, standards of ethics and competence, and the need to educate current faculty on their rights and…

Inspired by the early childhood schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy, offers six challenges to American educators to reclaim the image of the competent child, promote conceptual integrity of programs for children, refine the definition of developmental appropriateness, balance standard-setting with questioning, reflect on professional development, and…

This article traces the development of the training officer's job from the early 1960s until the beginning of the 1980s by examining views, attitudes, and research in the field of training. It highlights major points of growth and suggests future areas of change necessary to enhance the credibility and effectiveness of training as a profession.…

Argues that the teacher's most significant contribution is to help children believe in their capabilities. Several rules of thumb for teachers are mentioned: avoid negativism, create success opportunities for students, relate to students as individuals, encourage risk-taking, communicate help with social needs, and build student feelings of…

The author argues that ethical college teaching requires that teachers focus on ideals: goals and aspirations reaching beyond merely correct behavior that satisfies basic moral requirements. This includes the obligation to be professionally competent, fair in grading, fair in making recommendations, and fair to their colleagues. (MSE)

Students of all abilities and backgrounds need to be involved in planning responsibilities at every level of their education. This involvement in the teaching-learning process is seen as a step to developing students' fullest potentials and to transferring learned skills to practice in adult life. (Author/DS)

The problem of grade inflation and explanations for this phenomena are considered. Grade inflation is described as the positive change in grade point average of large numbers of students generally, over an extended period of time. The following array of causes or explanations are discussed: awarding high grades so that a student could go to…

Discusses the influence of culture and family and the importance of self-esteem in the development of competency in young children. Describes the role of the teacher in creating a developmentally appropriate environment that fosters self-initiated learning and a personal locus of control. (SH)

Contrasts the author's experiences teaching mathematics in Russia and as an immigrant to the United States. The author is particularly critical of the emphasis on grades and formal records in American higher education. American education is often guilty of confusing good grades or a degree with competence. (SLD)