THE CHALLENGE OF THE TWENTY‐FIRST CENTURY

Two Oregon “baby boomers” now serving in the U.S. House of Representatives consider issues vital to the future of their cohort as it ages and describe the role they would like the federal government to take in that future.     

SIXTEENTH‐CENTURY HUMANISM AND THE EDUCATION OF WOMEN

Until now Dutch historical youth studies have not focussed on the family as an educational environment. However, since World War I pedagogues have had high hopes of parents as educators of their teenage sons and daughters. On the basis of research into advice literature the author shows how family educationalists contributed to curtailing the ‘dangers’ of adolescence. Parents were recommended to loosen the reins on their adolescent children. This advice was based on different psychological theories. At first a physiological interpretation dominated educational thinking. During the twenties Adler's Individual‐psychology shifted attention to the relational aspect of the parent‐child interaction as well as to continuity in the educational relationship. In the thirties new psychological development theories gave birth to the concept of a ‘negative phase’ at the start of adolescence, followed by a neutral and even a positive phase concerning individual mental growth. This brought about a less negative appreciation of adolescence, regarding it as just one of the ‘troublesome phases’ in childhood. Only after World War II psychoanalysis made family educationalists shift their attention more exclusively to young children. Adolescence was no longer regarded as pathogenetic.

     

SECURING FIRST‐HAND DATA AS TO THE RELIGIOUS DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN

Ritual theorist Ronald Grimes notes a lack of rites of passage in Western society, yet a parallel longing for them. Although Grimes hesitates to invent new rites, such invention is the interest of this article. Building on research that juxtaposes ritual theory and Evangelical values, this work narrates the invention and implementation of a rite of passage into womanhood for undergraduates. It is based on Grimes’ markers of effectiveness and four relationships that form the essence of an Evangelical woman. Qualitative markers of its efficacy suggest that this is a viable method of encouraging Christian maturity in women.     

“REINVENTING” TECHNIQUES FOR THE ESTIMATION OF THE AREA OF IRREGULAR PLANE FIGURES: FROM THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY TO THE MODERN CLASSROOM

The issue of the area of irregular shapes is absent from the modern mathematical textbooks in elementary education in Greece. However, there exists a collection of books written for educational purposes by famous Greek scholars dating from the eighteenth century, which propose certain techniques concerning the estimation of the area of such shapes. We claim that, when students deal for an adequate period with a succession of carefully designed tasks of the same conceptual basis—in our case that of the area of irregular shapes—then they “reinvent” problem-solving techniques for the estimation of their area, given that they have not been taught anything about these shapes. These techniques, in some cases, are almost the same as the abovementioned historical ones. In other cases, they could be considered to be an adaptation or extension of these.     

GERONTOLOGY CAREER PREPARATION AT THE ASSOCIATE DEGREE LEVEL FOR THE COMMUNITY‐BASED PRACTITIONER

This paper presents a 2‐year, associate degree curriculum as a basic model for training in gerontology. The curriculum was designed to assure that each student would gain the necessary background to pursue either a paraprofessional career in the field or advanced education at a 4‐year institution leading to a professional career. The curriculum accomplishes the first objective by incorporating courses that train students in the specific skills they will need, as determined by an investigation of the employment needs in the community. It accomplishes the second objective by including courses from traditional academic disciplines, such as the social and biological sciences, which provide a broad base of knowledge. The program is closely coordinated with and transferable to a university and can be initiated with a minimum of new personnel.     

DO UNIVERSITIES HELP THE ECONOMY? THE CASE OF THE DEMOCRITUS UNIVERSITY OF THRACE

This article analyses the relationship between a dispersed‐campus regional university in Greece, the Democritus University of Thrace, and the local economy. The author is led to conclude that little connection or balance exists between the financial consequences of the operation of the university and regional development. The presence of the university has increased consumption without having created new jobs or research areas linked to the social structure or to the economic needs of the region.

     

MICROCOMPUTERS AND THE ELDERLY: NEW DIRECTIONS FOR SELF‐SUFFICIENCY AND LIFE‐LONG LEARNING

Since the development of the microcomputer in the early 70's, computer technology has expanded into the eductional lives of increasing numbers of persons. Computers, once seen only in wealthy industries, are now nearly as common as pencils and paper in our nations' schools. In addition to the rapid development of computer training programs at the post secondary level, the proliferation of such programs is now manifest at the secondary, elementary, and even preschool levels. While computers appear to offer a great deal of educational potential for our youth, their benefits have not as yet been explored among older adults.     

BETTER COLLEGE INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS: THE ROLE OF THE STATE TWO‐YEAR COLLEGE AGENCY

Prospective two‐year college students often lack adequate information on the range of educational alternatives available to them. Increasingly, state level agencies are playing a role in responding to that need. This article reports on a. national study of state two‐year college agencies to determine the extent and comprehensiveness of the postsecondary educational information they provide to students. Results indicate that most states have information they send to prospective students, but it varies widely in quality and often overlooks information students say they want to know. States with model information are identified.