Showing papers in "Canadian Journal of Education in 1988"
TL;DR: In the process of becoming a universal term of positive evaluation, the concept of creativity has lost its connection with its origins, and as a consequence, most attempts to foster creativity in educational practice have been misleading and dangerous.
Abstract: Creativity has become a popular slogan in contemporary education and society. We are urged continually to be creative in all our endeavors. Ascribing creativity has become one of the principle means of praising, approving and commending. Yet in the process of becoming a universal term of positive evaluation, the concept of creativity has lost its connection with its origins. We have forgotten what creativity has to do with creating, that it is connected with great achievements and quality productions. And as a consequence, most attempts to foster creativity in educational practice have been misleading and dangerous. We have come to settle for the encouragement of certain personality traits at the expense of the encouragement of significant achievement. This book is meant to clear up thoughts and concepts of creativity.
133 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, an extensive overview of teacher effectiveness research can be found, which should be of particular interest to teacher educators, classroom teachers, and school administrators, as well as administrators.
Abstract: This article provides an extensive overview of teacher effectiveness research. Over 150 primary and secondary sources are represented. Results reveal immense strides since the first major inventory some 17 years ago (Rosenshine & Furst, 1971). Indeed, 20 instructional research factors are identified, of which 17 are well documented. Despite present criticism, empirical investigation yields valuable insights into specific aspects of teaching and learning. The review should be of particular interest to teacher educators, classroom teachers, and school administrators.
54 citations
29 citations
TL;DR: This article found that, compared with students from single-sex schools, co-educational school students would have more positive attitudes toward teachers, more positive self-concepts of academic ability, and stronger preferences for the type of school (coeducational or single sex) in which theywere enrolled.
Abstract: Four hypotheses about differences in educational attitudes of students in coeducational and single-sex high schools were derived from previous research on the socialpsychological environments of such schools These hypotheses were that, compared with students from single-sex schools, coeducational school students would have more positive attitudes toward teachers, more positive self-concepts of academic ability, more positive attitudes toward high school, and stronger preferences for the type of school (coeducational or single-sex) in which theywere enrolled The research participants included 2,029 grades 10 to 12 students from five coeducational, four allfemale, and four all-male separate high schools The students completed a questionnaire that included scales relevant to each of the hypotheses The results provided support for the second and fourth hypotheses and partial support for the first and third
24 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors discuss two issues in need of research, the generalizability of critical thinking, and the evaluation of critical-thinking ability, and argue that the combined expertise of philosophers, psychologists, and subject matter specialists is needed to do the work well.
Abstract: The teaching of critical thinking, long held an important goal of education, is finally being taken seriously in schools, colleges, and universities. However, much research remains to be done on questions that Robert Ennis said over two decades ago were in need of answer. This paper discusses two issues in need of research, the generalizability of critical thinking, and the evaluation of critical thinking ability. Some of the conceptual and empirical work required on these topics is indicated, and it is argued that the combined expertise of philosophers, psychologists, and subject matter specialists is needed to do the work well.
24 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examine principals' roles in large urban secondary schools as they initiate comprehensive classroom-based curriculum change, and identify eight themes that highlight both the complexity of curriculum change in the high school and the potential for further change.
Abstract: Most research on the principal's role and on classroom-based instructional change has been confined to the elementary school. This article examines principals' roles in large urban secondary schools as they initiate comprehensive classroom-based curriculum change. Based on case studies of three urban high school principals in one district, the article traces formal and informal events that affected adoption and implementation of the 4Mat system of instruction over a two-year period. In particular, we link the three principals' roles as managers of curriculum change to goals, strategies for involvement, sources of pressure and support, the roles of teachers and of district personnel, and the overall impact of the change on the three schools. We identify eight themes that highlight both the complexity of curriculum change in the high school and the potential for further change.
20 citations
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12 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, two sets of data were collected to assess the effects of having different environmental contexts for teaching and testing, and they found that there was a neglible effect on test performance when teaching and test rooms were minimally different.
Abstract: Two sets of data were collected to assess the effects of having different environmental contexts for teaching and testing. There was a neglible effect on test performance when teaching and test rooms were minimally different. There was, however, a significant decrement in test performance when teaching and test rooms were substantially different. Implications for further study and applications in educational situations were noted. Deux series de donnbes ont ete collectbes en vue d'evaluer les effets de contextes environnementaux diff6rents sur l'enseignement et les examens. L'effet sur les resultats des examens etait negligeable lorsque les salles de cours et d'examens etaient tres peu diff6rentes. Les resultats des examens etaient toutefois considerablement moins bons lorsque les salles de cours et d'examens etaient nettement diff6rentes. On note les implications possibles de ces observations dans des recherches portant sur d'autres contextes pedagogiques.
11 citations
TL;DR: Dewey and Thorndike are taken to be the fountain heads of the new academic fields of philosophy and psychology of education at the start of this century as discussed by the authors, however, the two fields have each gone their own way.
Abstract: Dewey and Thorndike are taken to be the fountain heads of the new academic fields of philosophy and psychology of education at the start of this century. Their general programs as scholars and applied researchers in education remain crucial in the ways philosophers and psychologists approach philosophy and psychology of education. Although the substantive ideas and even specific paradigms of research have changed radically in both fields during this century, philosophers and psychologists of education pursue general goals similar to those of Thorndike and Dewey. Nevertheless, the two fields have each gone their own way. The final argument calls attention to their similarities and that claims we have more to gain by merging their purposes than by keeping them apart.
TL;DR: The Long Road to Reform analyses attempts to change the sectarian nature of schooling in Quebec, focusing on the fate of the radical proposals advanced by the Parti quebecois in their White Paper of June 1982.
Abstract: The Long Road to Reform analyses attempts to change the sectarian nature of schooling in Quebec, focusing on the fate of the radical proposals advanced by the Parti quebecois in their White Paper of June 1982. The then minister of education, Camille Laurin, proposed to reform the existing system of "confessional" school boards, with its separate networks of schools for Catholics and Protestants, replacing it with school boards divided along regional lines. Under this plan, individual schools would have had considerable organizational autonomy through councils composed of parent and teacher representatives. Widespread opposition to this proposal led to its eventual modification and to the substitution of a much scaled-down version of thse reforms, Bill 3, which was declared unconstitutional by the Superior Court of Quebec in May 1985. In reviewing this effort at reform, Henry Milner describes the political and historical context in which the Quebec educational system developed and show how existing forces preventsed its modification. Milner shows that, when challenged, vested interests were still capable of erecting formidable obstacles to change and that churches were not the only institutions committed maintaining the status quo. His study not only examines why this attempt to restructure public education in Quebec failed, but also provides a fascinating picture of Quebec's turbulent and often contradictory political evolution during this period.
TL;DR: The study strongly supports the view that education in a second language does not impair native-language education and writes that writing in two modes, narrative and argumentative, by Englishspeaking grade 8 students educated in French-speaking schools with that done by a group of similar children in a regular English program.
Abstract: This paper compares writing in two modes, narrative and argumentative, by Englishspeaking grade 8 students educated in French-speaking schools with that done by a group of similar children in a regular English program. The students' papers are compared for overall quality as measured by holistic scoring, for syntactic maturity as measured by T-unit analysis, and for surface feature control as measured by frequence of selected errors. In addition, the scores for syntactic maturity are compared to those presented in major studies of this aspect of writing development. Fifty writing variables do not differ significantly at the .05 level. The study strongly supports the view that education in a second language does not impair native-language
TL;DR: The authors distinguish between transcendental senses of "philosophy" and "education" and empirical senses, and argue that philosophy is uniquely important to education because the enterprise of education is bound up with concepts and values and philosophy is concerned to clarify these (not to promote any ideology or substantive position).
Abstract: We have to distinguish between transcendental senses of "philosophy" and "education" and empirical senses. In principle philosophy is uniquely important to education because the enterprise of education is bound up with concepts and values and because philosophy is concerned to clarify these (not to promote any ideology or substantive position). In practice, philosophers are being squeezed out of practical educational decision making; but, if they are prepared (like Socrates) to function as and where they can, they can still do much good.
Abstract: Educators too often rely upon misleading models to account for educational phenomena. These models owe their existence, at least in part, to the failure of philosophy and psychology to work together.