Schools and Industry: Some Organizational Considerations (Part 2)

In this article the author argues that the somewhat laissez‐faire attitude to curriculum reforms of the 1960s and 1970s led to their demise. The Bains Report (1972) marked recognition of the need for management techniques to promote corporate objectives successfully. A synthesis of the work of Schwab (1969), Everard (1982), Shipman (1983) and Dalin (1978) leads the author to suggest a simple ‘systems approach to management’ as a realistic framework for curriculum innovation. In conclusion, the author stresses that this model will not guarantee success, but provides a systematic approach for would‐be innovators.     

Community‐based early intervention for children with behavioural,emotional and social problems: evaluation of the Scallywags Scheme

Scallywags is a community‐based, early intervention programme for young children (aged 3–7) with behavioural, emotional and social problems, which integrates work in the home and school with a parenting curriculum and direct work with children. A pre‐post intervention study across multi‐sites of 340 participants is reported. Using standardised measures, the study found statistically significant reductions in problems at home and school experienced by children who completed the programme, and in parental stress levels. Participation was found to be high and the project acceptable to parents, many of whom would be described as hard to reach. The rigorous evaluation of this real‐life service and its positive outcomes highlight the potential of such programmes to tackle the needs of these children and families, and help prevent longer‐term problems associated with early onset behavioural problems, including social exclusion, antisocial behaviour and educational failure.     

Shaping Democratic Identities and Building Citizenship Skills Through Student Activism: México's First Gay-Straight Alliance

In democratic societies schools play a large role in helping students learn the values and skills necessary for adult participation in a free and open society. This article is a case study of a group of students who started a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) at a private American school in México City. The students' struggle to form and keep their GSA, in light of opposition from a school board member and conservative parents, is analyzed within a framework of critical pedagogy, the goal of which is the expansion of rights for oppressed groups through activist education. The author was co-advisor to the GSA and offers suggestions for others working with similar student groups. This student-led struggle illustrates lessons about democratic values, navigating bureaucracy, effecting social change, and working with others who have diverging opinions.     

BOOK REVIEWS

Every so often, it is important to stand back and look at the whole context of our field of research and practice. In this article, I do this by shedding light on the ways we view the term vocations and the consequences of those views for education and training in community colleges and adult and community education providers of all kinds. I ask the question: What is Vocational Education and Training (VET) for? I ask this particular question because I know the answers are contested, staking out claims for territory in research and practice. The answer to the question that this article explores is that vocational education and training ''serve industry.'' Using Australia as a specific example of such a Western country, the article argues that the entrenched meanings for VET as serving industry have disenfranchised a large proportion of the population - especially small business and the rural sector. The article is pointing out that the resulting version of VET is gendered, classed, and urban-specific. This structurally entrenched position is then contrasted with data reported from empirical studies currently examining (among other things) the nature of vocations and work at a community level and the manner in which they are created there. The article raises three important implications: the convergence of Adult and Community Education with VET, learning pathways, and the effects on small business.     

THE ROUNDTABLE ON HIGHER EDUCATION: CREATING A NORTH DAKOTA UNIVERSITY SYSTEM FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

The Roundtable on Higher Education brought together the key stakeholders of the North Dakota University System (a unified system of 11 colleges and universities, including 5 community colleges) to establish consensus on a common vision, a clear set of expectations and the results for which the system would be held accountable. The roundtable effectively engaged these stakeholders at the front end of the process in a manner that made them active participants and led to the stakeholders taking ownership of the effort. Although there was an element of risk in this approach, the benefits have far exceeded expectations. This initiative is resulting in the development of a new relationship between the University System and the state's executive and legislative branches, as well as a new relationship between the University System and the private sector. Roundtable members refer to this new way of doing business as "public and private partnerships built upon mutual trust and a common purpose." Building these meaningful partnerships has taken a considerable commitment in North Dakota, but the results will likely have a major impact on the future of the state. The Roundtable on Higher Education has reached a level of accomplishment beyond the expectations of the State Board of Higher Education, the college and university presidents and those directly involved in the roundtable. For example, the landmark and comprehensive legislation passed during the 2001 legislative session was virtually identical to what was submitted. The State Board of Higher Education has authorized an entirely new funding model for the University System (as recommended by the roundtable), and the legislature granted the University System "flexibility with accountability"--a change that will be vitally important to the system's ability to play an expanded role in growing the state's economy. One challenge will be to maintain the momentum of this initiative, as well as the engagement of key stakeholders, especially since the initiative does not have an anticipated end date. Rather, it will be an evolving process with continued involvement by the key stakeholders. As targets are met and needs change, new recommendations will need to be defined. A high level of commitment will be essential to realizing the full potential of the roundtable. It is anticipated, however, that the project's success will help sustain it. The fundamental concept of engaging key stakeholders in developing consensus upon which to build a visionary plan is not original, nor is it unique to this initiative. Executive and legislative branch leaders in a number of states are attempting to better connect the tremendous resources and power of their higher education systems to the public agenda of their respective states. What is original and somewhat uncommon about this initiative is the application of effective leadership principles that help transform "knowing what needs to be done" into "making it happen." This leadership component is, undoubtedly, the most critical factor in the success of the Roundtable on Higher Education to date.     

Misbehavior or Missed Opportunity? Challenges in Interpreting the Behavior of Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are increasingly being included in early childhood classrooms that include typically developing peers and in general education classrooms once they enter school. Many of these learners have the requisite academic skills to be successful, yet their social communication and behavioral challenges often impede their successful inclusion in general education settings. The challenges educators may experience when interpreting and responding to some behaviors exhibited by young students with ASD are explored and analyzed using an illustrative case vignette of a Kindergarten child with ASD. Recommendations for analyzing the communicative function of children’s behavior and for embedding social communication opportunities in inclusive classroom settings are described.     

The Teaching Community: Recreating university teaching

Over the past 5 years, in two Australian universities, a model for the professional development of university teaching staff has been evolving. In the Faculty of Computing and Information Technology (FCIT) at Monash University and in First Year Engineering at Swinburne University, the Teaching Community approach has resulted in remarkable changes in university teachers' understanding of their role, their teaching skill and, most importantly, their enthusiasm and motivation for the teaching component of their work. At Swinburne the rapid uptake of the model has exceeded expectations, while at Monash FCIT the model continues to grow and evolve years after the initiating project expired. The Teaching Community model has proved effective in bringing educational development and in coping with imposed change. This paper traces the growth of the Teaching Community model, elaborates some of the successes experienced, makes some suggestions as to why it has been so powerful in bringing about change in an area well known for resistance and proposes conditions required for this on-site, low cost approach to improving tertiary teaching.