Jean-Jacques Rousseau's views on adult education

Although Rousseau describes inÉmile only his scheme for childhood education, he presents us in this work with some direct statements which can be applied to explain more fully the nature of adult education. The author surveys Rousseau's ideas on the role of the general will in adult educational philosophy, subject matter, methodology and negative education, as well as the relationships between the family, student, teacher, community and the state. He concludes that the modern Rousseau would not limit education to males and would recognize that the four Rousseauian periods of educational development — infancy, childhood, youngster, adolescence — is followed by a fifth: adulthood. Adult education is the logical continuation of the four previous phases. Throughout each phase education must permit intellectual and moral growth and always allow for creativity and diversity. Only then can adults become positive contributors to their society.

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Zusammenfassung Obwohl Rousseau inÉmile nur seine eigene Vorstellung der Kindererziehung beschreibt, präsentiert er uns in dieser Arbeit Standpunkte, die auch auf Erwachsenenbildung zutreffen. Der Autor beleuchtet Rousseaus Ideen zur Rolle des generellen Willens sowohl in der Philosophie der Erwachsenenbildung als auch in Inhalten, in Methodologien und in negativer Erziehung, sowie zu den Beziehungen zwischen Familie, Schüler, Lehrer, Gemeinde und Staat. Er schließt, daß der moderne Rousseau Bildung nicht nur auf die männliche Bevölkerung beschränken würde und zudem erkennen würde, daß zu den vier Rousseauschen Phasen der erzieherischen Entwicklung — Kleinkindalter, Kindheit, Heranwachsender und Jugendlicher eine fünfte Phase hinzukommen muß: das Erwachsenenalter. Erwachsenenbildung ist die logische Folge der vier vorangegangenen Phasen. In jeder Phase muß Erziehung intellektuelles und moralisches Wachstum beinhalten und Kreativität und Vielfalt berücksichtigen. Nur dann können Erwachsene Positives zu ihrer Gesellschaft beitragen.

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Resumen Si bien enÉmile, Rousseau describe solamente su idea de la educación de la niñez, en este trabajo nos confronta con algunas afirmaciones directas que pueden aplicarse para explicar con mayor profundidad la naturaleza de la educación de adultos. El autor investiga las ideas de Rousseau relativas a la voluntad general en la filosofía de educación de adultos, en el objetivo, en la metodología y en la educación negativa, así como las relaciones existentes entre la familia, el estudiante, el docente, la comunidad y el Estado. Su conclusión es que el moderno Rousseau no limitaría la educación a los varones y que reconocería que los cuatro períodos que Rousseau ha establecido para el desarrollo educacional: infancia, niñez, pubertad, adolescencia, deben completarse con una quinta etapa: la adultez. La educación del adulto es la continuación lógica de las cuatro fases previas. Desde su comienzo hasta su final, cada una de estas fases de la educación debe permitir el crecimiento intelectual y moral y ofrecer el espacio necesario para la creatividad y la diversidad. Son condiciones indispensables para que los adultos puedan prestar un aporte positivo a la sociedad a la que pertenecen.

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Résumé Bien que Rousseau ne décrive dans l'Émile que son modèle d'éducation de l'enfant, il fait dans cette oeuvre quelques déclarations directes que l'on peut utiliser pour définir plus amplement la nature de l'éducation des adultes. L'auteur présente les idées de Rousseau sur le rôle de la volonté générale dans la philosophie de l'éducation des adultes, les sujets, la méthodologie et l'éducation négative, de même que dans les relations entre famille, apprenant, enseignant, communauté et État. Il en déduit qu'un Rousseau contemporain ne limiterait pas l'éducation aux seuls garçons et reconnaîtrait que ses quatre périodes du développement pédagogique — première enfance, enfance, jeunesse et adolescence — sont suivies d'une cinquième, l'âge adulte. L'éducation des adultes est la continuation logique des quatre phases précédentes. À l'intérieur de chaque phase, l'éducation doit permettre une croissance intellectuelle et morale, et toujours laisser une part à la créativité et la diversité. Ce n'est qu'à cette condition que les adultes peuvent devenir des citoyens qui contribuent de façon positive à leur société.

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Developing technical expertise in secondary technical schools: The effect of 4C/ID learning environments

In this study, the effectiveness of learning environments, developed in line with the specifications of the four components instructional design model (4C/ID model) and the additional effect of ICT for fostering the development of technical expertise in traditional Ghanaian classrooms, was assessed. The study had a one-by-one-by-two pretest–posttest quasi-experimental design. Three functionally equivalent classes of students from three similar (secondary technical) schools were randomly exposed to three different treatments. The sample consisted of 129 students. The treatment groups consisted of one control group with a regular method of teaching and two experimental groups: a 4C/ID learning environment with ICT; and a 4C/ID learning environment without ICT. The content for the treatments was selected from the secondary technical education syllabus. Technical teachers were trained to implement the interventions. After the pilot study, the materials were validated by experts and revised. Teachers were retrained. The main study, consisting of six sessions, was conducted in regular classrooms in three schools. Results indicated that a 4C/ID learning environment promotes the development of technical expertise in secondary technical education better than teaching designed in line with a regular method of teaching. Moreover, results reveal no significant difference in learning gains for the 4C/ID learning environment between the group with ICT and the group without ICT. In the final section, the theoretical, research and practical implications of the results for the instructional design and technology community as well as for educational practice, are discussed.     

In Search of an East Asian Identity in Mathematics Education

East Asian students have consistently outperformed their counterparts in Western countries in recent international studies of mathematics achievement. However, these countries do not seem to have an established theory of mathematics education, and their teaching has been criticized as traditional and old fashioned. In search of an East Asian identity in mathematics education, this paper discusses the features of the East Asian mathematics education and their underlying values in contrast to features and values in the West. These are presented in terms of six dichotomies,namely, product versus process; rote learning versus meaningful learning;studying hard versus pleasurable learning;extrinsic versus intrinsic motivations;whole class teaching versus individualized learning; and competence of teachers:subject matter versus pedagogy. It is argued that these features are based on deep-rooted cultural values and paradigms. A characterization of these features and an analysis of the underlying values are essential in this search for an East Asian identity in mathematics education. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A study of the relationship between child abuse and drug addiction in 178 patients: Preliminary results

Social histories and demographic data were collected on 178 patients—101 in the United States and 77 in Australia—in treatment for drug/alcohol addiction. The purpose of the study was to determine the degree to which a correlation exists between child abuse/neglect and the later onset of drug/alcohol addiction patterns in the abuse victims. The questionnaire explored such issues as family intactness. parental violence/abuse/neglect, parental drug abuse, sibling relationships and personal physical/ sexual abuse histories, including incest and rape. The study determined that 84% of the sample reported a history of child abuse/neglect.     

Counseling Children in Crisis Based on Maslow's Hierarchy of Basic Needs

This article addresses how Maslow's hierarchy of basic human needs can be used as a framework for cross-cultural counseling with children in crisis; that is, children of the world who are unable to fulfill adequately their basic human needs because of extreme circumstances such as natural disaster, violence, various forms of child abuse, extreme poverty, lack of school and community resources, and emotional abandonment. Assessment of child needs is discussed and counseling strategies are presented; strategies that include supportive counseling techniques, crisis intervention techniques, program development, delivery of social services and resources, referral to helping agencies, and counselor consultation with parents and other significant adults in the lives of children.     

A Useful Example when Teaching Hypothesis Testing

This article describes an example which is useful when teaching hypothesis testing in order to highlight the interrelationships that exist among the level of significance, the sample size and the statistical power of a test. The example also allows students to see how what they learn in the classroom directly affects the content of some of the commercials that they watch on television.     

Scientific practice and the tradition of advocacy in special education

The purpose of this discussion is to describe and contrast several tenets of scientific behavior and practice with the behaviors and practices associated with advocacy. We argue that scientists must focus their efforts on solvable problems, consider their efforts to be uncertain, and present their findings dispassionately, so that others might judge the evidence for themselves. Advocates, in contrast, must confront the problems facing the people for whom they have concern over whether the problems appear to be solvable or not. Furthermore, advocacy requires a certainty of conviction that leads to the promotion of particular positions and their adoption by others. We suggest that although special education's roots are more closely aligned with advocacy than with science, its future depends on its ability to adopt a more fully scientific approach to practice. We conclude with a discussion of how the assignment of test accommodations to students with disabilities illustrates the tension between science and advocacy.     

Mathematics achievement of Mainland immigrant students in Hong Kong

One of the main features of globalization is the increasing mobility of population. As an immigrant society, Hong Kong has witnessed waves of Mainland Chinese arrivals and assimilation into her mainstream, particularly around the change of sovereignty period. School-aged children constitute a substantial fraction of the new population. Given their potential impact on Hong Kong's present and future, how these immigrant youngsters perform in school has always been a concern to the public as well as the government. This study compared Hong Kong 8th-graders' mathematics performance in the four rounds of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study by their immigrant status. The results showed that the first-generation immigrant students' performance had obvious retrogression compared to native students in the past years. Among the natives, non-local-born students with only their father born in Hong Kong had the most similar performance as the first-generation immigrants. The causes for the differences are explored from both internal and external perspectives.