In the light of continuing controversy over the role of special schools in England, this paper considers the development of special education through examination of evidence from two different geographical areas. Particular reference is made to uncovering the perspectives of those who were subject to the policies--children and their…

In this article we build a theoretical framework with which to analyse trendsetting learning biographies; that is, biographies that are prototypical realisations of a cultural script about how young people learn and live in late modernity. In the current debate on lifelong learning in knowledge-based societies learners are interpreted in an…

The main aim of this project was to understand teachers' professional development by reconstructing their career experiences. The study examined the ways in which 10 experienced primary school teachers from 4 different Flemish schools experienced their careers, focusing on the personal perception and the subjective meaning of these experiences.…

An overview of the achievements of black women in sports is presented in this collection of essays, biographical sketches, and philosophical investigations. The work is divided into five chapters, the first of which focuses on prejudice (racial and sexual), absence of black women as subjects in the research base, work/home/family pressures, black…

A study conducted life history interviews with long-time adult educators regarding their career paths and choices, philosophical perspectives, influences in professional careers, changes witnessed in the field, and predictions about future trends in adult education. A literature review focused on the history of adult education in the United States…

In this paper I examine how and to what extent various elements of my biography--race, ethnicity, gender, age, social class background, and prior personal and professional experiences--influenced my relationships with students in a graduate course examining the impact of race, gender, and social class on education. My lived experiences as an…

This article discusses inductee music service teachers (to 25 years of age). It explores how their lives, as perceived, shape current identities in teaching and result in several career problems. Respondents were drawn from a comprehensive life history study of 28 Local Education Authority employees. Of this larger cohort, four were age 25 years…

Examined effects of using textbook alternatives on six fifth graders' experiences learning about American history. Found that students preferred alternative texts. Using multiple sources raised no questions for students about validity and reliability of evidence. Students used an information-quantity criterion to judge validity of evidence. Three…

Develops previous research by examining the roles of parent and teacher in the biographies of young music students. Confirms earlier findings that support by both parent and teacher motivates initial music learning and adds that over time motivation becomes intrinsic and self-sustaining. Examines the implications for music education. (DSK)

Drawing on data from a life history study of 11 women, this article explores the ways in which a group of newly qualified female physical education (PE) teachers constructed the "problem" of girls' relatively low participation in PE. It is suggested that, while these women voluntarily expressed a desire to change the gendered nature of PE, during…

Is one's age in academia a burden or a blessing? On this, the evidence is equivocal. However, the evidence is unequivocal on the increasing importance of age in the policies and administration of higher education; the workforce is ageing and what are people to do? This article contributes to existing literature by examining the role of age and…

Tenth graders (N=126) learned the chronological order of and biographical information about several United States presidents by using either a mnemonic or an individually preferred method of study. Mnemonic methods appeared to be very effective, and no negative transfer effects were detected. (TJH)

The different ways teachers represent their experiences as teachers were studied through the written expressions of six practicing Israeli teachers in an advanced teacher-education class. Their experiences demonstrate how "knowing-in-action" is converted to professional and public knowledge. (SLD)

This paper documents the translation of a performed ethnography into an anti-homophobia curriculum activity for teacher education students. The performed ethnography, called "Wearing The Secret Out", is based on the life histories of eight physical education teachers who identified as "lesbian", "gay" and "queer". Pedagogically, "Wearing The…

Combining a scientific and a humanistic approach in a series of essays that draw on both clinical and literary data, this book examines how imaginative play begins and how it develops. From the infant's first smiles and peekaboo games to the toddler's exploration of objects and participation in symbolic and social pretend play, the book traces the…