A social cognition approach is taken to study social class influences on schooling as reflected in the attitudes of 74 high school students. What happens in school is discussed from the perspectives of dominant and subordinate social classes. Narratives of the adolescents in this study confirm a number of propositions of critical theory pertaining…

Researchers involved in a case study of 10 racially mixed public high schools and middle schools that have undertaken the challenge of reducing tracking saw themselves as dispassionate observers. In the middle of the study, however, they began to question this view, discovering that their very presence affected the tenor of reform in each school…

This book examines the personal, moral, cultural, and political dimensions of teaching in the context of rapid and far-reaching change within teachers' work and in the world beyond it. The chapters in Part One examine the powerful forces for change in society and how those forces are exerting pressure on existing institutions. Issues such as the…

This collection explores the political context of efforts to change urban education. The contributors examine various issues in a variety of settings, and they show how hard it is to rearrange political relationships so that they will be conducive to school reform. The following essays are included: (1) "Introduction: Urban Education in…

The change of the political system in Hungary stimulates a great deal of discussion about the consequent modification of the educational system. Almost every aspect of schooling is to be changed: the content of teaching, the basic structure of public education, the decision-making system, the dependency relationships, etc. Within this context we…

A study of the evolution of the reform of Swedish higher education is summarized. The study focuses on the goals, dimensions, and organization of the change, discussed in the context of state intervention, public policy, planning, and authority in European higher education. Three theories of the development of higher education (interventionist,…

At the conference on American high school reform sponsored by the Council for Basic Education, three themes emerged: (1) the problems facing secondary schools have been accurately identified; (2) educators know the solutions; and (3) what is needed is the political will to implement what is known. At the conference, Professor Chester Finn…

This paper is a draft of a chapter to appear in "Academic Power: Patterns of Authority in Seven National Systems of Higher Education," edited by John H. Van de Graaff. It traces the historical development of universities in Italy with emphasis on the relationships among students, professors, and towns. Consideration is also given to…

A case study of events involving the Beverly High School (Beverly, Massachusetts) circa 1860 exemplifies educational trends in mid-19th century Massachusetts. The hypothesis is that the political situation in mid-19th century Massachusetts was much more complex than has been suggested by radical revisionsts who tend to interpret educational and…

In this presentation, the authors attempt to approach the field of curriculum theory, development, innovation, and planning from the perspective of the basic principles of pedagogics. The authors use Sweden's development of a comprehensive school system as a case study of curriculum planning and development. This case study serves as an…

To discuss the ways in which a planner can specify future education needs in a changing political climate, the author focuses on Ontario, and uses tables and enrollment projections as illustrations. The author notes that the issue of how much to spend on education is political, and observes that, in Ontario, the growing demand will be for…

Substantial and rapid changes in administrative structure and governance have been effected in Portuguese universities in recent years, characterized by democratization and increased institutional autonomy. (MSE)

Summarizes the cultural and political background of the Council on Educational Reform with attention to Japan's social environment as it affects issues facing the Council. Discusses the question of internationalization of education in light of the history of foreign language teaching and looks at humanization in light of school violence. (JHZ)

It is suggested that the politics of the Reagan Administration regarding education threaten Americans' individual freedoms, prospects for a stronger and more competitive economy, and the U.S. security in a dangerous world. (Author/MSE)

Two factors have shaped the development of the secondary education system in Berlin during the last 15 years: the demographic fluctuations shifting the pressure from one stage of the school system to another and the lengthened duration of school attendance. (MLW)