The Chicago School Reform Act provided a rare opportunity for those who were involved in the development of the legislation to be primarily responsible for the initial implementation of the plan. The governance model of the Reform Act, which is the subject of this study, provided for an elected school counsel at each of 542 schools and maintained…

Three of four related papers presented at this symposium are included in this collection together with a brief descriptive introduction. These papers presented viewpoints about the social, political, and economic issues surrounding the use of computers in schools; each of the five presenters addressed a particular aspect of a critical social…

The function of qualitative research in education is examined, taking into account the curriculum development of one institution, the Escuela Normal Veracruzana, Jalapa (Mexico), which is one of the oldest teacher training colleges (dating from 1886) still functioning in Mexico. Although this academic institution never traditionally promoted the…

It has been difficult to define the work of curriculum directors for a variety of reasons related to educational structures and policies. Through the use of qualitative methodology, this study provides an in-depth analysis of the work of four exemplary curriculum directors in an effort to define their duties and responsibilities, identify the…

The political, cultural, and social factors that have influenced English language teaching in the People's Republic of China's colleges are examined. First, a brief history of English teaching in China is presented, beginning in the mid-19th century and focusing on the 1949 Revolution, the 1960 Sino-Soviet split, and the the Cultural Revolution of…

The topic of this paper is the "new sociology of education" (NSOE) and its origins in the early 1970's. One aim of this paper is to argue that the regressive return to a rigid and ahistorical academic curriculum is not the only alternative. A second theme is the suggestion that the NSOE took a highly unreflective view of the role of…

Basic elements of the higher education system are considered, along with variations across nations (the United Kingdom, Sweden, Japan, Italy, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Australia, Canada, the United States, Poland, Yugoslavia, Mexico, and Thailand). Three basic elements of the organization of higher education system are identified:…

Using as an example the development of the comprehensive school concept in the Netherlands, this paper explores the strategy for educational innovation in a centralized national educational system, the role of educational research and evaluation in educational innovation, the impact of research on policy-making, and the strengths and weaknesses of…

The economic, social, political, and pedagogical issues that surround the notion of democratization of higher education are considered, based on various approaches being undertaken around the world to open up higher education to new population groups. Conservative, liberal, and radical interpretations of democratization and the role of education…

This paper traces the development and contributions of the American academy, a type of school designed to serve the needs of the middle class by including subjects other than college preparation. The three types of 17th century American schools which existed prior to the academy are described: the petty or dame school, the writing school, and the…

The Palestinian Jewish educational system grew out of urban schools established in the 1800s through the philanthropic efforts of the European Jewish communities and out of rural schools established at Kibbutzim from the turn of the century. Standards were set first by a Teachers' Association, then by the worldwide Zionist Organization, and…

This paper examines the relationship between politics and education in developing nations in light of the question: "Under what conditions is educational reform successful?" The objective is to create a framework for investigating educational policies based on outcomes rather than objectives or needs. The author recommends that, in addition to…

The primary purpose of the 19 papers and 9 supplementary statements developed for the third conference sponsored by the Designing Education For The Future Project was to explore the planning and processes whereby needed educational changes may be effected. Areas included in the discussion were state responsibility, political influences, research…

The desegregation decision by a local school system sometimes is perceived as the result of pressure, and at other times as unrelated to overt pressure for desegregation. Contrary to both of these views, this exploratory study suggests that a positive desegregation decision may stem from the personal values of school board members. These values…

Drastic change is taking place in America today. If drastic change does indeed foster revolution then our challenge is to help bring about peaceful revolution by making those changes that give power to the powerless. Both the majority and the minority groups are presented with the challenge of developing strategies and techniques for implementing…