Top 100 Urban Thinkers The poll was active for one month, from August 7th to September 7th, 2009. We would never claim that this is a definitive list; voters were given free reign to submit and vote for whomever they liked. Our only caveat is that we cleared out a couple of submissions that were clearly in jest, such as "Jesus" (although I'm sure someone could make a legitimate argument for his influence on urban planning). The other significant issue with this list that will surely be raised is the lack of women: only 9 out of the top 100 are female. This is countered somewhat by the impossibly wide lead by which Jane Jacobs takes the top spot. Those women who are included are an impressive crew, but of course, there are a significant number of women making a big difference in urban planning issues that aren't on the list. As of now, we've only just begun filling in these biographies.
CITE Journal Article Volume 1, Issue 1 ISSN 1528-5804 Print Version Commentaries Submit A Commentary Carroll, T. G. (2000). If we didn't have the schools we have today, would we create the schools we have today? Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education [Online serial], 1 (1). If We Didn’t Have the Schools We Have Today, Would We Create the Schools We Have Today? Thomas G. We have a unique opportunity in education today. The investment of resources on this scale is comparable to the space program. When the Wright brothers were going to make the first flight, there was no flight school to prepare them. “If We Didn’t Have Today’s Schools, Would We Create Today’s Schools?” The question in the title of this article is a trick question, because I want readers to really think about it. If a surgeon from the 1800s walked into an operating room today where arthroscopic surgery was being performed, could that surgeon step in and perform the surgery? Can Technology Be Used to Improve Education?
Deschooling Deschooling is a term used by both education philosophers and proponents of alternative education and/or homeschooling, though it refers to different things in each context. It was popularized by Ivan Illich in his 1971 book Deschooling Society.[1][2] Concept[edit] Philosophically, it refers to the belief that schools and other learning institutions are incapable of providing the best possible education for some or most individuals. Some extend this concept beyond the individual and call for an end to schools in general. This is based on the belief that most people learn better by themselves, outside of an institutional environment, at a self-determined pace. Another common criticism is that institutionalized schooling is used as a tool for the engineering of an ignorant, conformist working class through constant schedules and prearranged time blocks and one-size-fits-all teaching methods. Practice[edit] References[edit] External links[edit]
Deborah Meier Homepage Alternative Education Resource Organization | AERO | Learner-Centered Education Diane Ravitch Website Education reform Education reform is the name given to a demand with the goal of improving education. Small improvements in education theoretically have large social returns in health, wealth and well-being. Historically, reforms have taken different forms because the motivations of reformers have differed. A stated motivation has been to reduce cost to students and society. Related reforms attempted to develop similar classical results by concentrating on "why", and "which" questions neglected by classical education. Many reformers focused on reforming society by reforming education on more scientific, humanistic, pragmatic or democratic principles. The reform has taken many forms and directions. History[edit] Early history[edit] Classical times[edit] Modern reforms[edit] In the modern world, economic growth and the spread of democracy have raised the value of education and increased the importance of ensuring that all children and adults have access to high quality and effective education. H. Dewey[edit]
The California Department of Education says you have a right to a bad education | Melissa Griffin click to enlarge S.F. Examiner file photo What kind of education is meaningful? Straight from the “careful how you defend yourself” file is this insight from the California Department of Education, which recently defended itself from allegations that our kids are receiving a substandard education by arguing that, “There is no constitutional right to a ‘meaningful’ education.” In May, lawyers representing eight children sued the state of California, the California Department of Education and several school districts. The constitutional right to an education requires more than a brick-and-mortar schoolhouse, plaintiffs say. Students have a right to a “meaningful education” that allows them “basic tools necessary to compete in the economic marketplace or to participate as a citizen in our democracy.” In response, the state tried to get the case thrown out for several reasons, including the grounds that a “meaningful education” is too vague to define.
Chicago's teachers could strike a blow for organised labour globally | Richard Seymour Last month, approximately 90% of Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) members voted for strike action. Only 1.82% voted against. This was a shock to the local administration. Not only is this the heart of Obama country, where unions are expected to play ball with the Democrats in an election year. It is also a city where, thanks to Mayor Rahm Emanuel, teachers are not allowed to strike unless more than 75% of union members vote for it. Yet it is not just the local establishment that will be unsettled here. The basis of this dispute is what is innocuously termed "school reform". Chicago intends to open 60 new privatised, non-union "charter" schools in the next five years. But the final provocation was when the "reformers" increased teachers' working hours by 20%, while cutting a promised 4% pay rise in half. In fact, the victory of these "rookies", from the Caucus of Rank-and-File Educators (CORE), demonstrated two things. But this is just one aspect of a general problem facing the union.
Texas Republican Party Seeks Ban on Critical Thinking, Other Stuff Texas Republican Party Logo It seems more like a headline from the satirical newspaper The Onion, but the Republican Party of Texas recently published its party platform, a report that - among other things - calls for a ban on teaching critical thinking skills in Texas schools because of its "focus on behavior modification" that has "the purpose of challenging the student's fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority." That's just one of the many startling positions adopted by the state's Republican Party at its recent convention in Fort Worth. Among the usual calls for constitutional amendments declaring life begins at fertilization, outlawing gay everything, and granting all citizens who own firearms the ability to "legally exercise their God-given right to carry that firearm," this year's platform has a few other gems of government policy positions worth mentioning: