From seggiolini to discussione: the generation and extension of peer culture among Italian preschool children

In this paper the origins and development of peer culture are charted through the identification and analysis of children's peer routines in the Italian asilo nido and scuola matema. In the asilo nido the children produced several primarily nonverbal play routines which had identifiable participant structures and were produced consistently over the course of the school year. In the scuola matema the children produced a variety of both verbal and nonverbal routines. The authors give a detailed analysis of one routine, the children's construction and participation in verbal debate or discussione. They then compare features of the routines in the asilo nido and scuola matema in an attempt to capture the origins and development of peer culture in the Italian preschool educational system.     

Transnational Factors Influencing the Establishment of Educational Standards for Professional Licensure

The purposes of this paper are to derive a connection between the quality of accreditation and education in one country and the public protection function of professional regulation in another and to highlight the critical importance of international standards for quality assurance of accreditation and education for consumer protection. Using the United States as a case study, the author outlines the forces influencing the setting of educational standards. These forces include multinational factors such as NAFTA and GATS, the economics of professional regulation, and immigration reform in the United States. The conclusion of this paper is that the critical key to ensuring public protection within and across nations is the quality assurance of education and accreditation through international standards.