In the 1960s Soviet regime in Lithuania introduced through education a concept of "a new man". This "new man" represented the idealistic vision of the Soviet citizen, thus he had to be indoctrinated with the specific set of values. History as a value-oriented discipline at schools, including both humanitarian and social…

Past and present trends in cognitive assessment in the USSR should be viewed within the context of Soviet psychology and Soviet developmental theories. This theoretical framework views cognitive abilities as an integral part of socio-cultural evolution. Pedology emerged as a strong movement in the 1920's. Its stated purpose was to identify and…

The structures of primary and secondary general education in a number of industrialized countries are compared to show that there are all possible combinations of educational "systems" that are, in most cases, the outcome of a remote historical legacy. This legacy, regardless of its merits, should not be considered as inviolate, but…

Reform of the Soviet Union's educational system was begun again in the 1980s under Mikhail Gorbachev with the goal of educating the Soviet citizen to function effectively in a newly restructured economy. This paper takes stock of the efforts to reform Soviet schools undertaken between 1984 and 1990. Soviet educators recognized that reconstruction…

This paper describes Secretary Gorbachev's efforts to reform education by introducing experimentation and freedom of expression through "glasnost." A brief educational history demonstrates the lingering effect of the "continuity phenomenon" that has plagued attempts at liberal educational reform. Essentially, the continuity…

This historical review describes the expansion of elementary and secondary education in the Soviet Union during the decade of the 1930's under the Stalinist regime. This study explores how teachers participated in shaping the relationship between education and Stalinist political culture by examining how teachers made sense of their position in…

Current trends in ethical/moral instruction are placed in context by tracing educational and social change from the 19th century to the present. The focus on religion for salvation and on good behavior lasted in modified form well into the 19th century. In the late 19th century curriculum in the schools changed due to immigration, industrialism,…

This paper describes some aspects of the transition taking place in Czech educational efforts since the "Velvet Revolution" of 1989, particularly changes in the teaching of civic education in the schools. The paper takes the position that governments find it important to mold new generations in areas of civic responsibility, whatever the…

This paper outlines the history of Czech higher education, changes after the 1989 "Velvet Revolution," and possible future directions as the society as a whole adjusts to non-Soviet, democratic government. An early section describes the early development of higher education beginning with the founding of Charles University in 1348. The…

The history and structure of education in the Netherlands, the relationship of that structure to educational systems in selected other countries, and the current status of educational innovation in the Netherlands are the major topics of this paper. The author discusses briefly the development of national educational policy, the place of private…