Education Review: Brief Reviews from 1994 to 1997

Brief Reviews from 1994 to 1997 Ajayi, J. F. Ade; Lameck K. H. Goma; G. Ampah Johnson. (1996). The African Experience With Higher Education. Athens, OH: Ohio University Press. A good overview of the history of higher education in Africa, this readable book also outlines the challenges that lie ahead. In addition to a general overview of the forces that shaped higher education in "Tropical Africa," there is substantial country by country and even school by school information here. The authors look realistically at the effects of colonialism, but do not adopt a demagogic stance as they argue for a truly African university system. Pages: 276    Price: $39.95    ISBN: 0-85255733-7 Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Ashton, David and Francis Green. (1996). Education, Training and the Global Economy. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar. This is an examination of the relationship of education and job training to production, and the government's role in that relationship. It is both enlightening and readable. The authors examine the historic basis of the relationship, do a review of previous scholarship, look in depth at aspects of the situation in several countries, including the U.S. and offer their own "framework for policy analysis." The fact that many countries and many institutions of higher education are examining the role that job training should play in education should tempt many education professionals to step a bit out of disciplinary bounds and give this book a read. Pages: 227    Price: $67.00    ISBN: 1-85278-970-0 Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Atwater, Mary M., Kelly Radzik-Marsh, and Marilyn Strutchens (Eds). (1994). Multicultural Education: Inclusion of All. Athens, GA: University of Georgia. Somewhat deceptively titled, as it focuses on science and mathematics teaching in the K-12 classroom, this book is a collection of essays and research reports by teachers and teacher educators, most of whom have ties to the University of Georgia. Topics include teacher education for math and science instruction, varieties of learning and instruction styles and their cultural basis, assessment, and the influence of a multicultural society on student learning. The book would serve well as an introductory overview, giving the reader a feel for the variety of related issues. Pages: 297    Price: $13.00    ISBN: 0-9624818-2-3 Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Bakkenes, I. (1996). Professional Isolation of Primary School Teachers: a Task Specific Approach. Leiden, Netherlands: DSWO Press, Leiden University. This book is a reprint of the author's doctoral thesis. It contains all of the careful and somewhat stilted language one expects from a thesis, and few current (later than 1993) references. The author details communication networks at several schools to identify isolated teachers. Via questionnaire teachers identify which tasks they accomplish independently and which they do with help from colleagues. The characteristics of the tasks are then examined to see which are indicative of a teacher's overall isolation. Pages: 188    Price: $    ISBN: 90-6695-123-0 Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Banks, J. (1996). Strategies to Improve Young People's Access To, and Their Progression Within, Initial Vocational Training. Lanham, MD: European Commission Sales Agent. This book takes a brief view of who is not being served by the vocational training system, and then goes into some detail describing the various approaches being taken to deal with the problem, focusing on the schools, the training centers, the students and their instructors. The information presented is drawn from the national reports of 17 countries, but the presentation is focused on problem analysis and examination of responses, rather than cross-country comparison. Pages: 169    Price: 31 ECU    ISBN: 92-827-5654-8 Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Barton, James and Angelo Collins (eds.). (1997). Portfolio Assessment: A Handbook for Educators. Innovative Learning Publications, Addison Wesley. For teachers struggling with implementing portfolio assessment this book might be an answer to their prayers. Each chapter was written by a teacher who has used portfolios and details their experiences. There are examples from every grade level and subject area. This practical approach means the book lacks supporting citations to research and analytic commentary to tie the various chapters together. Pages: 113    Price: $10.00    ISBN: 0-201-49387-x Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Beatty, Paulette T. and Mary Alice Wolf. (1996). Connecting with Older Adults: Educational Responses and Approaches. Malabar, FL: Krieger Publishing. This book provides an introduction to the ageing process and adult education. Major concepts are outlined, common stereotypes are discussed, and brief case studies are presented to aid understanding of major points. The writing style is accessible to all, though it would be used most beneficially in a classroom setting where the activities and discussion topics provided at the end of each section could be used in a group setting. While it does not explore any one topic in depth, major ideas are footnoted and there is an extensive bibliography. Pages: 135    Price: $18.00    ISBN: 0-89464-752-0 Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Benner, Dietrich & Dieter Lenzen. (eds). (1996). Education for the New Europe. Providence RI: Berghahn Books. This is a rather disjointed collection of papers from the 1994 meeting of the German Association for Educational Research. While the lack of a systematic approach to the issue is disappointing, these papers offer valuable research and historical insights into European unification issues, especially in the area of education. Chapter titles include: Education and Training for Europe?; Hungarian Adolescents of the 1990's; Youth at Risk: Attitudes and Value Concepts among Young People in Europe at a Time of Social Change; School Reform between the Dictatorships: Pedagogics and Politics during the Early Years in the Soviet Occupation Zone of Germany; Democratisation and Europeanisation: Challenges to the Spanish Education System Since 1970; School Effectiveness; The New Generational Contract: Frome Private Education to Social Services; Tendencies Toward Pluralisation in Society and the Pedagogical Control of Risk; The State of Research into Economics Education. Pages: 184    Price: $29.40    ISBN: 1-57181-074-9 Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Bertrand, O. (1996). Assessing and Certifying Occupational Skills and Competences in Vocational Education and Training. Paris, France: OECD. In 1990 the OECD began its program to look at the changing role of vocational and technical education and training. In 1992 it held a seminar to examine assessment, certification, and recognition of skills in the vocational and technical areas. This book is a report of that seminar. It discusses curricular and pedagogic implications, portability, and implementation implications and the role of assessment in training and in the labor market. Some country specific discussion is also presented. This is more a status report than an action plan. Some sections contain fairly lengthy bibliographies. Pages: 205    Price: $    ISBN: 92-64-14690-3 Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Harris, Gill, & Cynthia Blackwell, (eds.). (1996). Environmental Issues in Education. Brookfield, VT: Arena/Ashgate Publishing. This book is very clearly a product of the United Kingdom. All the studies it reports were conducted in the U.K. by U.K. researchers. Several discuss the National Curriculum and specific British institutions. That said, there is still much here for readers from other countries. Essays report children's ideas about their own and the global environment, how other cultures in Europe and around the world look at environmental issues, and some model programs that give the environment a more central role in education. Pages: 207    Price: $46.95    ISBN: 1-85742-331-3 Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Buzzell, Judith Brachman. (1996). School & Family Partnerships: Case Studies for Regular and Special Educators. Albany, NY: Delmar Publishers. This is truly just a book of cases, with brief introductory material and an extensive, current bibliography at the end. The cases are well presented and offer a spectrum of discussion topics. There are discussion questions and suggested activities after each, but the author offers no insights or unifying discussion. Pages: 156    Price: $17.00    ISBN: 0-8273-7163-2 Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Canieso-Doronila, Maria Luisa. (1996). Landscapes of Literacy: An Ethnographic Study of Functional Paris, France: Unesco Institute for Education. The result of an Unesco funded study of Philippine literacy, this book ponders the measurement of literacy in developing countries, and it's relationship to the development process. The author looks at the literacy status and ways of using literacy and numeracy in a variety of Philippine communities. She then suggests that the capacity for abstracting knowledge from practice, willingness to continue to strive for a written literate knowledge, and the presence of a common social project to provide a focus for the community effort, are the key factors in determining progress toward literacy. The research suggests that only when a community has progressed to the point that its members need to be literate to preform their daily jobs, will literacy develop and be sustained. Pages: 206    Price: $22.95     ISBN: 1-898942-42161 Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Cech, Maureen. (1996). GlobalSense: A Leader's Guide to Games for Change. Innovative Learning Publications Addison-Wesley. GlobalSense provides descriptions of fifty-seven interactive games for adolescents. All are aimed at exploring personal and societal biases and discrimination. Many are thought provoking enough that they seem sure to raise eyebrows if used in a school or similar compulsory setting. The author does provide a background reading list (pre 1994 materials) and sample letter to parents to help the user forestall negative responses. Pages: 140    Price: $14.00    ISBN: 0-201-49488-4 Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Clegg, Luther B. (1995). Celebrating Diversity: A Multicultural Resource. Albany, New York: Delmar Publishers. This curriculum guide is intended for middle school level teachers, although some of the suggestions could easily be adapted to other levels. It offers ideas for enriching the curriculum with information about a variety of cultures. It does not offer information about teaching children from diverse backgrounds. The organization is by month, starting with September. For each month there is a multi-page calendar of holidays, anniversaries and miscellaneous observances from around the world. This is followed by a "Teaching Unit" which develops one major theme for the month. The "Teaching Unit" includes several pages of textual background for the unit. There are brief activity suggestions and reading lists, but these are not fully developed, off-the-shelf ready, lesson plans. There is one detailed plan for each month and these are well done and reflect current research (for example a February mini-play about Rosa Parks avoids the "tired Rosa" myth). Pages: 270     Price: $25.00    ISBN: 0-8273-6209-9 Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Collett, Jonathan and Stephen Karakashian, (eds). (1996). Greening the College Curriculum: A Guide to Environmental Teaching in the Liberal Arts. Washington, D.C.: Island Press. This is a how-to curriculum guide for the college professor who would like to incorporate environmental analysis into an existing or specialized course within a traditional discipline. The disciplines covered include: Anthropology, Biology, Economics, Geography, History, Literature, Media and Journalism, Philosophy, Political Science, and Religion. Each section includes an overview of how environmental concerns could be approached and specific course and unit suggestions for accomplishing this. Contributors to this volume, which was partially sponsored by the Rainforest Alliance, cannot be accused of a lack of enthusiasm for their topic. This open and pervasive advocacy (how many literature classes will include an examination of the ecological impact of the steamboat in their discussion of Huckleberry Finn?) does result in a wealth of ideas, some rather outlandish, but many quite useful and worthy of consideration. Pages: 328    Price: $33.50     ISBN: 1-55963-421-9 Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Collis, Betty, Iliana Nikolova, and Katerina Marcheva, (eds.). (1995). Information Technologies in Teacher Education: Issues and Experiences for Countries in Transition. Paris, France: UNESCO. This is a collection of papers from a 1994 conference held in the Netherlands, whose aim was to bring together educators from Eastern and Western Europe for an exchange of ideas, and an exploration of partnership possibilities. The initial section offers overviews of computer technology in various aspects of teacher education presented by faculty of the University of Twente. Later sections are papers by scholars from various European countries, some offering national or regional summaries, others case studies of particular programs. Many of the papers describe on-going projects, there are few bibliographies. Persons interested in the subject would find the list of participants helpful. Pages:     Price: $    ISBN: 92-3-103072-8 Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Croll, Paul and Nigel Hastings. (1996). Effective Primary Teaching: Research Based Classroom Strategies. London: David Fulton Publishers Ltd. A collection of contributed chapters, offering what the editors call "middle range strategies" (not overly broad or specific) for dealing with issues such as seat arrangements, behavior management, group work, etc. Each chapter presents a overview of research in a given area and discusses the pros and cons of various possible responses. The research review has a decidedly British emphasis. The editor's have done their job to assure that each chapter is readable and builds on the overall theme. Pages: 156     Price: $21.00    ISBN: 1-85346-394-9 Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Five, Cora Lee and Marie Dionisio. (1995). Bridging the Gap: Integrating Curriculum in Upper Elementary and Middle Schools. Portsmouth NH: Heinemann. This book recounts in depth the collaborative experience of its two authors. The women worked together so that they could each integrate their teaching into the broader curriculum of their schools (one elementary, one middle school). Nearly half the book is devoted to lists of resources that would allow the reader to duplicate the two integrative theme units. The detail can be overwhelming, the reader is offered day by day synopses of classroom activities, followed by the phone call by phone call synopses of the collaborative process. After each author has an initial chapter to detail her journey, the remainder of the book switches between the two voices, sometimes paragraph by paragraph. While this writing approach is consistent with the authors' wish to enable their students critical thinking skills, it can be daunting reading. Pages: 265    Price: $19.75    ISBN: 0-435-08853-x Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Roberts, John M. (Merton J. England, editor) (1996). Buckeye Schoolmaster: A Chronicle of Midwestern Rural Life 1853-1865.Bowling Green, Ohio: Bowling Green State University Popular Press. This book is the edited diaries and journals of John Roberts, a rural Ohio schoolmaster and farmer from 1853 to 1865. He details his life, including his school experiences, in a quiet, matter-of-fact voice. While some of his concerns, like wages and attendance, will resonate with current teachers; others, like finding a good "shingle tree for making shingles for the schoolhouse," will remind us of how far we've come. Pages: 308    Price: $45.00    ISBN: 0-87972-695-4 Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Silverman, Stephen J. and Catherine D. Ennis, (eds.). (1996). Student Learning in Physical Education: Applying Research to Enhance Instruction. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. The editors aim to offer an synthesis of research knowledge as it impacts physical education professionals. They cover diversity and special needs issues, curriculum planning and integration with other curriculum areas, teacher effectiveness, assessment, teacher training, and other similar issues. The writing is clear and jargon free, the content timely and insightful. Each chapter contains a lengthy bibliography for further reading. Pages: 403    Price: $39.00     ISBN: 0-87322-714-x Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Epstein, Ann S., et al . (1996). Models of Early Childhood Education. Ypsilanti, MI: High/Scope Press. This book offers a comparative analysis of six different models for early childhood education: Bank Street, Creative Curriculum, Direct Instruction, High/Scope, Kamii-DeVries, and Montessori. These models discussed in terms of their curriculum, including documentation, comprehensiveness, developmental appropriateness, and developmental effects. Training and dissemination issues are also examined. Readers get a clear picture of all six of these programs; the book is not just a clever ad for High/Scope. Pages: 257    Price: $25.95     ISBN: 0-929816-95-1 Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Giagnocavo, Gregory, (ed.). (1996). Educator's Internet Companion: Classroom Connect's Complete Guide to Educational Resources on the Internet. Lancaster, PA: Wentworth Worldwide Media Inc. This is a guide to utilizing the internet in the classroom. It is aimed at beginners and presents information in enough detail that most beginners will not feel lost. While there are a number of lists of sites also included, persons already familiar with the internet will not find many surprises here. The attempt is to present the best rather than to be complete. Included are detailed lesson plans for a variety of subjects and grade levels, in depth looks at a few sites, lists of other sites to explore, and suggestions for obtaining funding to get started. There are also detailed instructions for using the various internet tools. The book comes with a video and disks. Pages: 271    Price: $54.00     ISBN: 0-932577-10-5 Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Girard, Suzanne. (1996). Partnerships for Classroom Learning: From Reading Buddies to Penpals to the Community and the World Beyond.Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. This book examines four types of partnering programs for K-12 schools. It includes buddy programs within a school; partnering with a non-school community organization; pen pals using various types of mail technology; and twinning in which two classrooms from two different geographic areas collaborate extensively. Within each of these topics the authors discuss how to find a suitable partner, plan organization and curriculum, evaluate the project and record it for future use. A chatty style with lots of sample letters and journal entries makes the book easy reading, but may also limit its usefulness for all but the beginning teacher. More experiences teachers will want more examples of collaborative projects and fewer samples of teacher thinking and planning processes. Pages: 128    Price: $15.00     ISBN: 0-435-07230-7 Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Griff, Merle D. et al. (1996). LinkAges: Planning an Intergenerational Program for Preschool. Innovative Learning Publications, Addison-Wesley Publishing. This "how-to" guide is an outgrow of the findings of the McKinley Centre Intergenerational Research Project based in Canton Ohio. It is divided into two parts; the first explores in detail various options for program development. The McKinley project studied interactions between preschool children and three groups of elders; frail elders, community elders, and persons in the early and middle stages of Alzheimers disease. The advantages and challenges of working with each of these groups are presented. The second part presents the various suggested activities for intergenerational programs. There is little here in the way of research report or literature review to help with program outlines, but the practical implementation information is thoroughly and clearly presented. Pages: 98    Price: $11.95    ISBN: 0 201 49427 2 Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Perry, Phyllis J. (1996). Rainy, Windy, Snowy, Sunny Days: Linking Fiction to Nonfiction: Grades K-5. Englewood, CO.: Teacher Ideas Press. This book is an elementary level suggested reading list for an integrated unit on weather. For each book listed there is descriptive information, suggested grade level, and suggestions for activities related to the subjects discussed. I estimate there are 100 books listed here, enough, the author suggests, to allow students to pick their own selections for individual reading beyond the whole class activities. Pages: 147    Price: $18.50     ISBN: 1-56308-392-2 Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Grineski, Steve. (1996). Cooperative Learning in Physical Education. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. The first section of this book provides an overview of physical education teaching methods. The author favors the cooperative style and he explains his reasoning clearly and forcefully. The second and larger portion of the book provides suggestions for specific cooperative activities that will meet various learning goals. This is the section of the book that users will refer to repeatedly, and the author has helpfully provided an "Activity Finder" which allows the reader to indentify potential activities based on the age level, "Psychomotor Goals," and "Cooperative Learning Structure." While the activities are rated for use as either Primary (preschool and early elementary) or Intermediate (upper elementary and middle school) the discussion in the book shows that the author has successfully used some of these activities with his elementary education students at the college level. Author Grineski has been active in the physical education literature and may be known to many readers. Those who discover his work for the first time here are in for a treat. Pages: 136    Price: $15.00     ISBN: 0-87322-879-0 Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University McIntyre, Donald and Hazel Hagger, (eds). (1996). Mentors in Schools: Developing the Profession of Teaching. London: David Fulton Publishers Ltd. This is a collection of research reports, unified by their funding under a joint proposal. Education of teachers within the schools is mandated in Britain and mentors play a large role in this process. The book is readable and relatively free of British specific language and abbreviations. The content is wholly British, in that the issues in mentoring, such as types of relationships, skills of mentors, administrative concerns, and responsibilities of mentors, are all dealt with within the British teacher training context. While the research results reported may very well be transferable to other situations, no attempt is made here to address that issue. Pages: 170    Price: $25.95     ISBN: 1-85346-411-2 Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Hall, Valerie. (1996). Dancing on the Ceiling: A Study of Women Managers in Education. London: Paul Chapman Publishing. Hall's research, which she reports here, involved an extensive study of six women head teachers at the elementary or secondary level. In addition to her observations, she interviewed both the women and those who work with them. The author has deliberately avoided a case study reporting style, choosing instead to discuss leadership issues topicallyand summarize findings rather than quote from interviews. This method facilitates the exploration of complex issues, but leaves the reader with only the author's interpretation of exchanges. Despite this reservation the book offers valuable insights. Pages: 214    Price: $    ISBN: 185396-287-2 Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Harber, Clive, (ed). (1995). Developing Democratic Education. Ticknall, Derby: Education Now Publishing Cooperative. This is a collection of essays detailing the British experience with democratic education. The essays I sampled were well written and offered enough depth to be thought provoking without being prescriptive. The British influence is strongly felt in references to laws and practices not faced in the U.S., but the topic is one that has appeal on both sides of the Atlantic. An American reader should not have trouble making sense of the points being made, even if the examples are unfamiliar. The book begins with a background on the democratic education movement in Great Britain, looking at each level of education. The later essays are more specific, looking for example, at the role of school size, or the head teacher. Pages: 115    Price: $16.00    ISBN: 1-871526-22-1 Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Harris, Cheryl. (1996). An Internet Education: A Guide to Doing Research on the Internet. Belmont, California: Wadsworth Publishing. This little handbook has much to recommend it. It is quite readable and covers all of the Internet tools most researchers would need. The emphasis is on understanding how the tools work and using them effectively. This is not list of sites to explore. It presumes the use of a SLIP/PPP account and a Windows based machine. Some of the instructions sections are rather brief and do not provide enough information go allow a reader to use the described software (e.g. WhoIs on p. 73) but generally the discussions are adequate without going into so much detail as to overwhelm the user. The emphasis on research uses is also helpful, in that it provides examples and encourages creativeuses without setting up unrealistic expectations. The reluctant academic might find this just the information needed to help overcome the fear of surfing. Pages: 165    Price: $25.00     ISBN: 0-534-25851-4 Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University Hart, Susan. (1996). Beyond Special Needs: Enhancing Children's Learning Through Innovative Thinking. London: Paul Chapman Publishing. Hart advocates the use of a five step process she calls innovative thinking to guide teachers in assessing school problems and choosing a course of action. The process involves making connections by looking at the context of the problem behavior; contradicting this negative view by examining the norms that lead to it's perception as problematic; taking a child's eye view to examine their perspective; taking note of the feelings the behavior elicits; and suspending judgment while further resources are explored. This process is a result of a year's study, Hart does not say when, but the bulk of her references are from the 80's and before. This is largely a prescriptive book, little space is devoted to discussion of other approaches or evaluative comparison. Pages: 138    Price: $24.94     ISBN: 1-85396-301-1 Reviewed by Kate Corby, Michigan State University