Opting Out of the Education Reform Industry

2016 ◽  
Vol 67 (10) ◽  
pp. 29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wayne Au ◽  
Jesslyn Hollar
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Education Reform ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Market Competition ◽  
The United States ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
High Stakes ◽  
Education Industry ◽  
Education Market ◽  
K 12

Big business has long been enamored of public education. Whether shaping systems of schooling along the lines of factory production, dictating what children should learn, or cultivating private-public partnerships to gain access to government monies, corporations and their owners have insisted on being key players in the formation of education policy and practice in the United States. Analysts estimate the value of the K-12 education market at more than $700 billion dollars. Beyond their calls for students and workers to adapt to the global capitalist economy through increased competition and "accountability" in public schools, business leaders crave access to a publicly funded, potentially lucrative market&mdash;one of the last strongholds of the commons to be penetrated by neoliberalism.&hellip; In an education industry dependent on market competition to increase profitability, there is no better tool to turn teaching and learning into products&mdash;ready to measure, compare, and sell&mdash;than the high-stakes standardized tests championed by the contemporary education reform movement.<p class="mrlink"><p class="mrpurchaselink"><a href="http://monthlyreview.org/index/volume-67-number-10" title="Vol. 67, No. 10: March 2016" target="_self">Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the <em>Monthly Review</em> website.</a></p>

One-to-One Technology in the K-12 Classroom

Education ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea H. Parrish
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
The United States ◽  
Dynamic Learning ◽  
Computing Device ◽  
Access To Technology ◽  
One To One ◽  
K 12 ◽  
The Impact

In Toward a New Learning Ecology: Teaching and Learning in 1:1 Environments (cited under General Overviews), one-to-one learning environments are described as classrooms in which every student has access to a personal computing device (such as a laptop or a tablet) and continuous access to the Internet. This model for student computing was first discussed in educational research beginning in the 1980s, most notably in the Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow (ACOT) project, a research collaborative among public schools, universities, and research teams funded by Apple and outlined in The Evolution of Teachers’ Instructional Beliefs and Practices in High-Access-to-Technology Classroom: First-fourth Year Findings (cited under Origins of One-to-One Technology: Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow [ACOT]). The original premise, based on the work of computer scientist and mathematician Seymour Papert, is rooted in the idea that ubiquitous access to technology can create more dynamic learning environments. In recent years, the proliferation of mobile technology has caused a renewed interest in one-to-one computing, as the improved portability and functionality of technology tools coupled with advances in wireless Internet capability makes one-to-one computing attainable for many schools and districts. Despite the continued debate about the impact of technology on learning, the U.S. Department of Education elevated the concept of a one-to-one technology ratio from unique innovation to moral imperative in its document, Reimagining the Role of Technology in Education: 2017 National Education Technology Plan Update (cited under Resources). Even before this, the prevalence of one-to-one computing initiatives increased, both in the United States is discussed in The New Digital Learning Playbook: Understanding the Spectrum of Students’ Activities and Aspirations (cited under General Overviews) and around the world in Large-Scale 1:1 Computing Initiatives: An Open Access Database (cited under International Perspectives on One-to-One Technology). The growth of these initiatives has been accompanied by an increase in peer-reviewed research and evaluation reports that document the impact of one-to-one technology on teaching and learning. A topic that was once dominated by white papers and evaluation reports now boasts a growing body of peer-reviewed studies, research syntheses, and government reports. The references cited in this article provide a cross-section of these various forms of literature that depict the use of one-to-one technology in K-12 classrooms, including implementation resources for districts and key empirical findings.

Guest Column—On “Learning to Read”

PMLA ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 130 (3) ◽  
pp. 539-545 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evelyne Ender ◽  
Deidre Shauna Lynch
Keyword(s):  
Education Reform ◽  
Common Core ◽  
English Language ◽  
The United States ◽  
High Stakes ◽  
Good Readers ◽  
Learning To Read ◽  
Teaching Objectives ◽  
The Common ◽  
K 12

The theories and methodologies feature of this issue of PMLA contains a cluster of essays devoted to the subject of reading. At a time when many states in the United States are in the throes of a major public-education reform designed to prepare better-educated, more literate citizens for tomorrow's world, we collected these essays in the belief that scholars belonging to the MLA might be interested in reflecting on this effort in the light of their research. Hence our title, “Learning to Read,” and our appeal to our contributors to consider what they, with their scholarly expertise and pedagogical experience, might contribute to the charged debates about the Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI)— debates that remind us of the high stakes involved in training good readers. We hope that PMLA readers will agree with us that the question of how the architects of the Common Core have defined the uses and measures of literacy education affects much of the MLA membership—professors, adjuncts, and graduate instructors alike.For some years now, test results have indicated that American schoolchildren read more poorly than many of their peers abroad (Heitin). A distinctive feature of the Common Core (the shorthand title for an extraordinary effort to align educational requirements and standards nationwide) lies in its effort to devise a graduated progression in the standards for the English language arts (ELA) that is anchored in the skills of close reading. Given that the changes in teaching objectives defined and prescribed by the standards might transform the way children in America learn to make sense of the written word, it is only natural that our professional body would respond. The decisive, and some might say aggressive, manner in which the architects of the Common Core have recast the fundamentals of the ELA has provoked strong reactions, not only among K-12 teachers but also in higher education. Concerns were voiced early on in sessions at MLA conventions starting in 2013, and those conversations have continued on MLA Commons (e.g., Ferguson).

Book Review: Mathematics Educators Respond to Kaput's “Algebra Problem”: A Review of Algebra in the Early Grades

2010 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-208
Author(s):  
Dan Chazan ◽  
Ann R. Edwards
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Mathematics Education ◽  
Education Reform ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
The United States ◽  
High Stakes ◽  
Algebra For All ◽  
Accountability Measures ◽  
Early Grades ◽  
Mathematics Educators

In the last few decades, mathematics education in the United States has seen a perfect storm with respect to the teaching and learning of algebra—one that is difficult for our colleagues in other countries to fathom. As part of recent largescale education reform in the United States, the increasingly widely perceived need for greater mathematical literacy and the desire to make access to college more equitable in the society have led to promotion of “algebra for all” and the codification of this desire in high-stakes accountability measures (e.g., as illustrated by Achieve's American Diploma Project (ADP, 2004)). Algebra in the Early Grades, an edited volume by a group of mathematics education researchers, is in important ways a response of mathematics educators to these developments.

Medication Administration Practices in United States’ Schools: A Systematic Review and Meta-synthesis

2021 ◽  
pp. 105984052110263
Author(s):  
Ashley A. Lowe ◽  
Joe K. Gerald ◽  
Conrad Clemens ◽  
Cherie Gaither ◽  
Lynn B. Gerald
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Medication Management ◽  
The United States ◽  
Medication Administration ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Level Of Training ◽  
K 12 ◽  
Keyword Searches

Schools often provide medication management to children at school, yet, most U.S. schools lack a full-time, licensed nurse. Schools rely heavily on unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) to perform such tasks. This systematic review examined medication management among K-12 school nurses. Keyword searches in three databases were performed. We included studies that examined: (a) K-12 charter, private/parochial, or public schools, (b) UAPs and licensed nurses, (c) policies and practices for medication management, or (d) nurse delegation laws. Three concepts were synthesized: (a) level of training, (b) nurse delegation, and (c) emergency medications. One-hundred twelve articles were screened. Of these, 37.5% (42/112) were comprehensively reviewed. Eighty-one percent discussed level of training, 69% nurse delegation, and 57% emergency medications. Succinct and consistent policies within and across the United States aimed at increasing access to emergency medications in schools remain necessary.

Accountability Challenges in Networks and Partnerships: Evidence from Educational Partnerships in the United States

2004 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 331-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhittin Acar ◽  
Peter J. Robertson
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Field Research ◽  
The United States ◽  
Public Private Partnerships ◽  
Interorganizational Networks ◽  
Access To Information ◽  
Educational Partnerships ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
K 12

The study from which this article is drawn constitutes one of the first attempts to remedy the paucity of research on accountability in the context of interorganizational networks and public–private partnerships. The data for the study were drawn from field research focusing particularly on partnerships formed between K-12 public schools and private and/or non-profit organizations in the United States. The most frequently cited difficulties associated with accountability in partnerships were the availability of and access to information, sectoral and personal differences, and frequent changes in personnel, resources, and partners.

Peace-Based Education

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-69
Author(s):  
H. B. Danesh
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Education Reform ◽  
Education Program ◽  
The United States ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
School Environments ◽  
The Core ◽  
Methodological Approaches ◽  
United States Mexico ◽  
K 12

This article proposes that the universally acknowledged need for education reform requires both new conceptual and methodological approaches. At the core of this reform is transformation from conflict-based to peace-based educational concepts and practices aimed at creating school environments that promote academic and relational excellence, are safe and nurturing, and are free from bullying and violence. The article draws from the research done and lessons learned from more than sixteen ongoing years of implementation of Education for Peace (EFP)—a comprehensive peace-based education program—in more than one thousand schools, involving thousands of educators, and several hundred thousand students (K-12) in the highly conflicted and traumatized war-torn country of Bosnia and Herzegovina and more recently in schools in the United States, Mexico, Bermuda, and elsewhere.

Equitable Educational Opportunities in K-12 Schools: West African and U.S. Public Schools Compared

2020 ◽  
pp. 002205742096676
Author(s):  
Adekunle Lawal
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Public Education ◽  
The United States ◽  
West African ◽  
Educational Opportunities ◽  
Equal Access ◽  
Education For All ◽  
Education Policies ◽  
Elementary And Secondary Education ◽  
K 12

In an effort to promote public elementary and secondary education that meets world standards where all students have equal access to 21st-century public schools, some countries have adopted Education For All (EFA) policy. This article examines how three selected countries (the United States, Nigeria, and Gambia) are implementing the idea of giving all children the opportunity of equal access to public education. The article explores the historical trend of the concept and several education policies enacted in each country to make the program productive.

Creating Communities of Support Within Alternative Settings: Perspectives of Practicing Alternative School Administrators

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-41
Author(s):  
Richard T. (RT) Duke ◽  
Penny L. Tenuto
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Professional Practice ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Alternative School ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
School Personnel ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Traditional Public Schools ◽  
High Standards ◽  
Alternative Settings

Much can be learned from practicing school leaders, including how they describe their roles navigating between policy and practice with a focus on meeting students’ needs. This article considers how alternative school administrators work with school personnel to create communities for supporting students once considered at risk in traditional public schools. Findings include (1) creating a culture of high standards, (2) adopting a personalized or caring approach to leadership, (3) exploring and implementing innovative practices for teaching and learning, and (4) managing students as a collaborative and individualized process. For further understanding, authors apply emergent themes to a model for advancing democratic professional practice in education.

scholarly journals Religion, Democracy and the Public Schools

2009 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Davis
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
A Priori ◽  
United States Supreme Court ◽  
The United States ◽  
Religious Activities ◽  
The Public ◽  
School Prayer ◽  
Political Policy ◽  
Early School ◽  
K 12

In the six decades since it began adjudicating issues involving religion and K-12 education, the United States Supreme Court has issued numerous opinions on various aspects of that relationship. Several of the Court's viewpoints have changed over time. It explicitly reversed itself on the constitutionality of using publicly-paid specialists in parochial schools, and dramatically changed its perspective on public funds flowing to those institutions. But the Court has never wavered on issues regarding religious activities in public schools—it has struck down every policy or program it has chosen to review. No opinion was unanimous, and rationales changed. But no result has diverged from the Court's original perspective that the Establishment Clause's brightest line ran just outside the public school grounds.This piece begins with first doctrinal, then policy reviews of the Court's nine school prayer decisions. Parts I and II analyze the decisions as constitutional doctrine, dividing them along parallel lines of time and quality. In Part I, I show that the holdings and rationales of the Court's early school prayer decisions are both sound and commendable as constitutional doctrine. Part II takes a longer look at the remaining later decisions however, and reveals a struggling Court often relying on specious, fabricated or a priori reasoning to reach the apparently inevitable, but questionable, conclusion of unconstitutionality. Part III takes up the effects of the Court's decisions on social and political policy. I argue that the early decisions, though controversial, freed America from a past of sectarian domination, while the later decisions helped sow the seeds of several related and unhappy developments, especially ones promoting the very religious divisions they purported to guard against.

Teachers Left Behind

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 16-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hoda Baytiyeh
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
High Schools ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Public High Schools ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Adoption Of Technology ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
12Th Grade ◽  
Teaching Tasks ◽  
Teachers Attitudes

Nowadays, the use of computers in education is increasing worldwide. Information technology is deemed essential for the digital generation's classrooms. However, the adoption of technology in teaching and learning largely depends on the culture and social context. The aim of this research study is to evaluate the acceptance and use of technology of 12th grade teachers in public high schools in Lebanon. The theoretical framework is drawn from the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) to investigate teachers' intentions regarding the use and acceptance of technology in their daily teaching tasks. The participants were 161 teachers in Lebanese public high schools who completed a questionnaire that reflects the UTAUT. Social influence, experience and voluntariness of use appeared to have the strongest effect on teachers' attitudes regarding the use of technology, while effort expectancy and facilitating conditions had the lowest effect. These findings suggest that public schools should implement training in technology for teachers to support their teaching tasks in the context of this current digital generation of students. The study offers a discussion of the results and recommendations for policy and practice.

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