Reforming National Accreditation in Teacher Education
I must admit that I was taken aback by the conclu­ sion of Richard Manatt, the College Department Edi­ tor, in his article, "What's Wrong with NCATE?" (July, 1992 , pp. 307-312) . After spending over half of the artic le pointing out the positive strides made in the form and redesign of the only national accrediting body in teacher educa­ tion , he recommends that institutions of higher learn­ ing drop out of NCATE. Not seek to improve it . Not work to see that changes which may be needed are instituted . Drop out . Is that reform? Or is it retreat? It occurred to me that I would probably not have read an argument following this logic in a medical (or law) journal : e.g. , the American Medical Association (or American Bar Association) has some controversy over the standards and/or processes by which medical (law) schools should be approved ; they've done some very good things in strengthening an historically weak process, but there are stil l some points of controversy ; ergo, the best thing for medical (law) schools to do is to drop out . The logic escapes me, as it probably would escape those involved in the preparation arm of the so-cal led "mature" professions. Leaders in medical (or legal) education understand that by abandoning their national approval processes, the medical (law) schools become subject , and vulnerable, only to the rules and regula­ tions of the particular states in which they happen to be located and far more at the mercy of the whims and vicissitudes of potentially parochial state legislative or bureaucratic interest . They lose the perspective, sup­ port and potential protection that national accredita­ tion can provide (for a discussion of the detrimental impact of state policy on teacher education in one par­ ticular state, see Warner, 1990a, 1990b) . This piece is offered less as a response to Professor Manatt than as an update to the current state of affairs with NCATE from the perspective of one who has been intimately involved in the governance of the Council since 1981 as a participant-observer in the NCATE redesign . To place that redesign in context, though , it is useful to begin by reviewing the unique aspects of accreditation in the United States; to discuss aspects of the reform effort ; and to report even more recent actions taken as this aspect of reform continues to evolve.
Documenting Critical Mass for the Use of Interactive Information Technologies in Schools, Colleges, and Departments of Education.
Abstract : The purpose of this study was to advance the knowledge base of critical mass for the use of information technologies within Schools, Colleges, and Departments of Education (SCDEs). Additionally, this study examined the contingent innovation decision of SCDE faculty users and SCDE student users in light of the existence of the required infrastructure for the use of interactive information technologies.
Philosophy of Education
LIST OF FIGURES PREFACE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1 Philosophy of Education Before the Twentieth Century Socrates and Plato Aristotle Rousseau Pestalozzi, Herbart, and Froebel Summary Questions Introduction to the Literature 2 The Philosophical and Educational Thought of John Dewey Dewey's Philosophical Orientation The Meaning and Aims of Education Dewey's Psychology Dewey's Theory of Knowledge Democracy and Education The Place of Subject Matter Dewey Today: An Assessment Summary Questions Introduction to the Literature 3 Analytic Philosophy Philosophical Analysis in Education The Analysis of Teaching Current Analyses of Teaching Summary Questions Introduction to the Literature 4 Continental Philosophy Existentialism Phenomenology Critical Theory Hermeneutics Postmodernism Summary Questions Introduction to the Literature 5 Logic and Critical Thinking Formal Logic Informal Logic McPeck's View of Critical Thinking An Alternative Approach Summary Questions Introduction to the Literature 6 Epistemology and Education Justified True Belief Foundationalism Truth Nonfoundational Theories of Knowledge Epistemology and Education Constructivism Summary Questions Introduction to the Literature 7 Philosophy of Social Science and Educational Research How Does Science Grow? A Debate in Educational Research Some Examples Summary Questions Introduction to the Literature 8 Ethics and Moral Education Pre-Enlightenment Ethics Enlightenment Ethics Utilitarianism Deweyan Ethics Moral Education Cognitive Developmentalism Summary Questions Introduction to the Literature 9 Social and Political Philosophy The Current Debate Justice and Equality in Education Summary Questions Introduction to the Literature 10 Problems of School Reform Equality Accountability Standards Testing Summary Questions Introduction to the Literature 11 Multiculturalism and Cosmopolitanism Multiculturalism Cosmopolitanism The Educator's Dilemma Summary Questions Introduction to the Literature 12 Feminism, Philosophy, and Education Feminist Critiques of Philosophy Epistemology Philosophy of Social Science Ethics Care and Education Summary Questions Introduction to the Literature NOTES BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX