Despite national and international commitments to Education for All, and the Millennium Development Goals to assure universal primary education by 2015, over 90% of children with disabilities remain excluded from regular education in countries of the south. This book describes a three decade-long change initiative in India to enable children with disabilities to move from segregation and exclusion to inclusive education, and draws lessons for confronting global exclusion. It examines the barriers to inclusion of children with disabilities in the Indian sub-continent, estimated at 4% of the population, or 40-50 million children, and implications of the systemic failure within a human rights framework. The book concludes with setting this initiative in a broader context of inclusive education development efforts, and identifies lessons it provides for a global development agenda for inclusive education, including the importance of ensuring strategies that are culturally appropriate and context-specific.

This volume brings together an impressive array of respected scholars to examine the varied and complex ways in which peers influence adolescents' beliefs and behaviors in the school context. The breadth of peer influence on academic and social adjustment is evident in the wide variety of topics covered in the present volume. Throughout the chapters, scholars provide unique insights regarding the complex ways that the academic and social spheres of adolescents' lives are interconnected. Collectively, the chapters in this volume expand current knowledge and theory in peer relations research by (a) exploring different types of peer relations (e.g., close friendships, peer groups) and different peer dynamics (e.g., popularity, bullying) that emerge in the school context, (b) examining different processes that explain why and how peers influence each other in school, (c) considering developmental issues during adolescence that may be critical to understanding peers and adjustment at school and (d) providing information about how teacher practices or programs influence peer relations and school adjustment. Peer Relationships and Adjustment in School is an important volume for researchers and practitioners interested in social development, peer relationships and youth engagement and achievement in school.

After the unification of Germany had first been greeted with euphoria on both sides of the Wall, it did not take long for disillusion to set in when it became obvious that structures, mentality, values and outlook were very different in the Old and New Bundeslander. Moreover, whereas during the initial phase the East Germans were hoping just for a reform of their existing systems, they were soon disappointed and had to accept the fact that a fusion was out of the question; instead, East German structures were expected to assimilate to those of West Germany which led to the accusation of the latter's "colonization" of East Germany. The restructuring of the education system played a crucial role in the transformation of East Germany; consequently, enormous sums were pumped into East German schools and the training of teachers. This is the first study in any language that closely examines the process re-education and addresses such vital questions as whether the reforms were educationally sound, to what degree they meshed with local circumstances, what measures were taken to fill the vacuum in moral and social values that was left by the discrediting of Marxism-Leninism, and what happened to the notion of "equality", the key principle of a socialist society. Contrasting the old and the new regime in the East, the author addresses these and many more critical issues. Numerous case studies and substantial interview material richly illustrate the author's arguments.

School shootings are a topic of research in a variety of different disciplines-from psychology, to sociology to criminology, pedagogy, and public health-each with their own set of theories. Many of these theories are logically interconnected, while some differ widely and seem incompatible with each other, leading to divergent results about potential means of prevention. In this innovative work, leading researchers on the topic of school shootings introduce their findings and theoretical concepts in one combined systematic volume. The contributions to this work highlight both the complementary findings from different fields, as well as cases where they diverge or contradict each other. The work is divided into four main sections: an overview of current theoretical approaches and empirical models; application of these theories to international cases, including Columbine (USA), Emsdetten (Germany), and Tuusula (Finland); a critique of the influence of the media, both in the portrayals of past events and its effect on future events; and finally an overview of existing models for prevention and intervention, and measures of their success. The result is a comprehensive source for current research on school shootings, and will provide a direction for future research.

Rabbi Loew (the Maharal) of Prague remains one of the most influential and prolific Jewish thinkers of his time. Widely considered one of the fathers of Hassidic thought and a harbinger of Modern Jewish philosophy, his life and work have retained their influence and remain prevalent today. Adopting a multi-disciplinary approach, this book ranges from an analysis of the historical background to Maharal's thought, to examining the relevance of this thought in the modern era, before addressing the popular cultural and folkloristic reception of Maharal's impact on modern, Western culture. This book presents a new understanding of familiar material and will be an invaluable asset to students and scholars of Modern and Early-Modern Jewish History and Intellectual thought.

As liberal democracies include increasingly diverse and multifaceted populations, the longstanding debate about the role of the state in religious education and the place of religion in public life seems imperative now more than ever. The maintenance of religious schools and the planning of religious education curricula raise a profound challenge. Too much state supervision can be conceived as interference in religious freedom and as a confinement of the right to cultural liberty. Too little supervision can be seen as neglecting the development of the liberal values required to live and work in a democratic society and as abandoning those who within their communities wish to attain a more rigorous education for citizenship and democracy. This book draws together leading educationalists, philosophers, theologians, and social scientists to explore issues, problems, and tensions concerning religious education in a variety of international settings. The contributors explore the possibilities and limitations of religious education in preparing citizens in multicultural and multi-religious democratic societies.

What is an inclusive school community?

How do stakeholders perceive their roles and responsibilities towards inclusive school communities?

How can school communities become more inclusive through engagement with individual perspectives?

Diverse Perspectives on Inclusive School Communities captures and presents the voices of a wide range of stakeholders including young people and their parents, teachers, support staff, educational psychologists, social workers, health practitioners and volunteers in producing a collection of varied perspectives on inclusive education.

In this fascinating book, Tsokova and Tarr uniquely assemble a compilation of accounts collected through in-depth interviews with over twenty-five participants, met throughout the course of their professional lives. The authors focus on how we can ensure all children receive the best education and social provision in inclusive school communities.

Key learning points in this book emphasise:

• links between early life and educational experiences;
• constructions of inclusion;
• an understanding of roles and responsibilities;
• the power of agency in relation to inclusive school communities.

The text contributes to current debates surrounding educational policy initiatives, highlighting similarities and differences across people and professions, and illuminating a way forward for the consideration of a broader range of insight into the concept of inclusion and ways this can be achieved. Including both UK and international perspectives that illustrate different stages of the inclusive education process, this text will be invaluable to anyone affiliated with inclusive schooling in a personal or professional capacity.

In a time of recession, the challenge of building and planning for tall buildings has become even more complex; the economics of development, legislative and planning frameworks, and the local politics of development must be navigated by those wishing to design and construct new tall buildings which fit within the fabric of their host cities. This book is a timely contribution to the debate about new tall buildings and their role and effect on our cities. It is divided into two main parts. In part one, the relationship between tall buildings and planning is outlined, followed by an exploration of the impacts that construction of tall buildings can have. It focuses, in particular, on the conservation debates that proposals for new tall buildings raise. The first part ends with an analysis of the way in which planning strategies have evolved to deal with the unique consequences of tall buildings on their urban locations. The second part of the book focuses on seven examples of medium-sized cities dealing with planning and conservation issues, and implications that arise from tall buildings. These have been chosen to reflect a wide range of methods to either encourage or to control tall buildings that cities are deploying. The case studies come from across the western world, covering England (Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle and Birmingham), Norway (Oslo), Ireland (Dublin) and Canada (Vancouver) and represent a broad spectrum of approaches to dealing with this issue. In drawing together the experiences of these varied cities, the book contributes to the ongoing debate about the role of the tall building in our cities, their potential impacts, and experiences of those who use and inhabit them. The conclusions outline how cities should approach the strategic planning of tall buildings, as well as how they should deal with the consequences of individual buildings, particularly on the built heritage.

Sexuality education has been the cause of much dissension in the Western Muslim community. Delivering sexuality education that is both Islamically inclusive and reflective of the real world of Muslim youth remains a challenge for many school communities. Through the eyes of Muslim teachers, students, and members of wider Islamic communities, this book offers a comprehensive understanding of the problems, perspectives, and possibilities of sexuality education for Muslim youth living in the West. The book explores how these youth negotiate between Muslim and popular cultural constructions of sexuality, and how teachers attempt to develop sexuality education programmes that honour Islamic teachings and culture. Based on empirical research with Australian Muslim communities, this book presents a contemporary conversation which responds to the intense battle concerning sexuality education in Western Muslim communities and will be of great interest to educational researchers, cultural theorists, and policy-makers.

Imagine having to draw dots each time we wanted to do a sum like 3+4. Or having to sound out every word we read, no matter how many times we've seen it before. Having well-consolidated memories for how to do these things can help us avoid these difficulties, which is why consolidation should be a key goal of effective teaching. Helping students consolidate knowledge is a crucial stepping stone in allowing them to navigate problems and develop their knowledge. Building on the hugely influential paper by John Dunlosky, Amarbeer Singh Gill looks at ways teachers can use recommendations from 'Strengthening the Student Toolbox' to consolidate knowledge and enhance the learning that takes place in their classrooms. Each strategy is looked at in detail, delving into the conditions needed to help the strategies work, how they might look in classrooms, things to be mindful of when translating research into practice, and case studies from current teachers who describe how they've used these strategies. By harnessing the power of these strategies we can make it more likely that our students will succeed not just whilst they're in our classrooms, but also well beyond by giving them the tools they need for lifelong learning.

This book provides an illuminating account of teachers' own reflections on their experiences of teaching in urban schools. It was conceived as a direct response to policy-related and media-generated concerns about male teacher shortage and offers a critique of the call for more male roles in elementary schools to address important issues regarding gender, race and the politics of representation. By including the perspectives of minority teachers and students, and by drawing on feminist, queer and anti-racist frameworks, this book rejects the familiar tendency to resort to role modeling as a basis for explaining or addressing boys' disaffection with schooling. Indeed, the authors argue, on the basis of their research in urban schools in Toronto and Australia, that educational policy concerned with male teacher shortage and the plight of poor, disaffected minority boys would benefit from engaging with analytic perspectives and empirical literature which move beyond the singularity of gender and race as a basis for entertaining an urban school reform agenda that emphasizes the transformative potential of the male teacher as a role model. Presented within is a compelling case for the need to disarticulate discourses about role modeling from a politics of representation that is committed to addressing the reality of the impact of racial and structural inequalities on both minority teachers and students' participation in the education system. This book also provides insight into the persistence of gender inequality as it relates to the status of elementary school teaching as women's work.

This book provides a contemporary overview of school effectiveness and improvement. It charts the development theory and research in this area and looks at the contribution made to policy and practice. It also challenges some assumptions that have become ingrained into the theoretical and methodological traditions of the field. By challenging these orthodoxies, it provides a framework that sets a new agenda and repositions the field to meet the emerging challenges of the twenty-first century. It argues that traditional measures of school effectiveness are challenged as systems have attempted to adapt to a complex range of emerging agendas. New theoretical perspectives are required which consider 'education' and a 'broader set of outcomes'. This shift requires a rethink of how effectiveness and improvement have been understood by the field, and a reconstruction by policy makers and practitioners. Attention must be given to promoting equity as well as effectiveness so that one school or student's gain no longer means another's loss. The field must develop new methodologies if inequities are to be challenged and a broader set of outcome measures are to be developed. The two questions guiding this book are: How can educational effectiveness and improvement research and practice support the development of a more equitable education service? What are the key indicators of educational effectiveness and improvement and what are the new methodologies required to facilitate a shift from 'school' effectiveness and improvement to 'educational' effectiveness and improvement? This book uses lenses of research, policy and practice to explore these key questions and articulate what such a repositioning may look like and how it may be achieved. It will prove invaluable for teachers, school leaders and anyone involved in policy and educational research.

Theoretical Foundations of Learning Environments provides students, faculty, and instructional designers with a clear, concise introduction to the major pedagogical and psychological theories and their implications for the design of new learning environments for schools, universities, or corporations. Leading experts describe the most important contemporary theories that form the foundation of the conception and design of student-centered learning environments and new applications of educational technologies. This book is well suited as a textbook for courses in instructional design, educational psychology, learning theory, curriculum theory and design, and related areas.

The rise of constructivism and its associated theories represented a paradigm shift for educators and instructional designers to a view of learning as necessarily more social, conversational, and constructive than traditional transmissive views of learning. This bestselling book was the first to provide a manageable overview of the altered field, and the second edition has been fully updated to include expert introductions to metacognition, Argumentation, and other key contemporary theories.

Theoretical Foundations of Learning Environments provides students, faculty, and instructional designers with a clear, concise introduction to the major pedagogical and psychological theories and their implications for the design of new learning environments for schools, universities, or corporations. Leading experts describe the most important contemporary theories that form the foundation of the conception and design of student-centered learning environments and new applications of educational technologies. This book is well suited as a textbook for courses in instructional design, educational psychology, learning theory, curriculum theory and design, and related areas.

The rise of constructivism and its associated theories represented a paradigm shift for educators and instructional designers to a view of learning as necessarily more social, conversational, and constructive than traditional transmissive views of learning. This bestselling book was the first to provide a manageable overview of the altered field, and the second edition has been fully updated to include expert introductions to metacognition, Argumentation, and other key contemporary theories.

A volume in Research on Religion and Education Series Editors Stephen J. Denig, Niagara University and Lyndon G. Furst, Andrews University Two major real-world problems prompted this study: maintaining the Catholic identity of the Catholic schools, and increasing interest in character education. Traditionally, Catholic schools in the United States were staffed exclusively by priests, sisters, and brothers. Today, they are predominately staffed by laypersons. This change has influenced the essential religious character and culture of Catholic schools. While Religious filter their teachings through their own religious training and emphasize the mission and charisma of Catholic education, lay staff often lack the same intensely religious experiences to bring to the teaching/learning environment. This qualitative interview study explored the influence that a series of spirituality and virtue seminars had on lay teachers' perceptions of the Catholic school and character education.

This volume is a result of the conference "Islamic Textbooks and Curricula in South East Europe" held in Sarajevo, 21st to 25th October 2010. One of the aims of the conference was to critically assess the existing curricula and textbooks for Muslim education in Europe and to discuss the directions textbook and curricular development needs to take in the near term. This critical assessment and visioning took place in dialogue with the experiences of long-established churches and religious communities. The conference concluded that an emphasis on the European characteristics of Islam is essential in religious education.

This book provides a contemporary overview of school effectiveness and improvement. It charts the development theory and research in this area and looks at the contribution made to policy and practice. It also challenges some assumptions that have become ingrained into the theoretical and methodological traditions of the field. By challenging these orthodoxies, it provides a framework that sets a new agenda and repositions the field to meet the emerging challenges of the twenty-first century. It argues that traditional measures of school effectiveness are challenged as systems have attempted to adapt to a complex range of emerging agendas. New theoretical perspectives are required which consider 'education' and a 'broader set of outcomes'. This shift requires a rethink of how effectiveness and improvement have been understood by the field, and a reconstruction by policy makers and practitioners. Attention must be given to promoting equity as well as effectiveness so that one school or student's gain no longer means another's loss. The field must develop new methodologies if inequities are to be challenged and a broader set of outcome measures are to be developed. The two questions guiding this book are: How can educational effectiveness and improvement research and practice support the development of a more equitable education service? What are the key indicators of educational effectiveness and improvement and what are the new methodologies required to facilitate a shift from 'school' effectiveness and improvement to 'educational' effectiveness and improvement? This book uses lenses of research, policy and practice to explore these key questions and articulate what such a repositioning may look like and how it may be achieved. It will prove invaluable for teachers, school leaders and anyone involved in policy and educational research.

This book presents six different charter schools that explicitly embrace a compelling civic mission and that foster an excellent academic environment. This volume makes the case that the rediscovery of the civic mission of schooling is not at odds with the broader education reform movement. These charter schools all have widely different approaches to teaching and fostering civic-mindedness, but each charter system links good behavior, character formation, and the practical aspects of citizenship with classroom performance.

Dr Dylan Wiliam is the world's foremost authority on formative assessment and has worked for years to improve the state of education in the US and abroad. Through his experience teaching in classrooms, leading schools, and directing research, Dr Wiliam has found there is no simple solution to school improvement that works in every classroom every time - but there are measures that can improve the odds of success. In Creating the Schools Our Children Need, Dr Wiliam breaks down the methods schools use to improve, and the gaps between what research tells us works and what we actually do. Dr Wiliam analyzes the three real, implementable improvements that are proven to be factors in school success: Building a curriculum focused on developing knowledge Supporting a culture where every teacher improves Applying a framework for evaluating new district initiatives Solutions to the problem of improving education for our children require each school district to make smart decisions about what will make the most difference in their district. In order to create the schools our children need, leaders must understand why what we're doing right now really won't help much, and critically, what we can do instead.

This book addresses the challenges faced by arts organizations, schools, and community-based settings when designing program evaluations and measuring artistic engagement and experience. With contributions from leaders in the field, this volume is an exemplary collection of complete program evaluations that assess music, theater, dance, multimedia, and the visual arts in a variety of contexts.

An exploration of how educational institutions have been portrayed in horror film, this book examines the way that scary movies have dealt with the issue of school violence, focusing on movies set in high schools, colleges, and summer camps.

Can we teach others how to lead a fulfilling life? The notion of personal well-being has recently shot up the political and educational agendas, placing the child's well-being at the heart of the school's task. With his renowned talent for distilling the most complex of philosophical arguments into accessible laymen's terms, John White addresses the maze of issues surrounding well-being, bringing clarity to this dissension and confusion. This accessible book expertly guides you through the conflicting perspectives on well-being found in the educational world by * Examining religious and secular views of human fulfilment and of a meaningful life. * Analysing the appeal of celebrity, wealth and consumerism to so many of our children. * Asking what role pleasure, success, autonomy, work, life-planning and worthwhile activities play in children's flourishing. * Showing how proposals to encourage children's well-being impact on schools' aims and learning arrangements. Whether you have little background in education and philosophy or are reading as a teacher, student or policy maker, this engaging book will take you right to the heart of these critical issues. It will leave you with a sharply-focused picture of a remodelled educational system fit for our new millennium, committed to helping every child to enjoy a fulfilling life.

Islamic schools, especially madrasahs, have been viewed as sites of indoctrination for Muslim students and militants. Some educators and parents in the United States have also regarded introductory courses on Islam in some public schools as indoctrinatory. But what do we mean by "indoctrination"? And is Islamic education indoctrinatory? This book critically discusses the concept of indoctrination in the context of Islamic education. It explains that indoctrination occurs when a person holds to a type of beliefs known as control beliefs that result in ideological totalism. Using Indonesia as an illustrative case study, the book expounds on the conditions for an indoctrinatory tradition to exist and thrive. Examples include the Islamic school co-founded by Abu Bakar Ba'asyir and the militant organisation Jemaah Islamiyah. The book further proposes ways to counter and avoid indoctrination through formal, non-formal, and informal education. It argues for the creation and promotion of educative traditions that are underpinned by religious pluralism, strong rationality, and strong autonomy. Examples of such educative Muslim traditions in Indonesia will be highlighted. Combining philosophical inquiry with empirical research, this book is a timely contribution to the study of contemporary and often controversial issues in Islamic education.

David Reynolds is recognised internationally as one of the leaders of the school effectiveness and school improvement movement, and Failure Free Education? brings together for the first time many of his most influential and provocative pieces. Drawing on the author's work from over three decades, these extracts from his seminal books, chapters, papers and articles combine to give a unique overview of how the movement developed, the problems involved in the application of the knowledge and the disciplines' potentially glittering future now. The book also covers the issues raised by, and lessons learned from, his close involvement with English government educational policymaking from the mid 1990s to date. This book is essential reading for those who seek to understand how we can make every school a good school, and what the obstacles may be to achieving that goal.

The revival of madrasas in the 1980s coincided with the rise of political Islam and soon became associated with the "clash of civilizations" between Islam and the West. This volume examines the rapid expansion of madrasas across Asia and the Middle East and analyses their role in society within their local, national and global context. Based on anthropological investigations in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Iran, and Pakistan, the chapters take a new approach to the issue, examining the recent phenomenon of women in madrasas; Hui Muslims in China; relations between the Iran's Shia seminary after the 1979-Islamic revolution and Shia in Pakistan and Afghanistan; and South Asian madrasas. Emphasis is placed on the increased presence of women in these institutions, and the reciprocal interactions between secular and religious schools in those countries. Taking into account social, political and demographic changes within the region, the authors show how madrasas have been successful in responding to the educational demand of the people and how they have been modernized their style to cope with a changing environment. A timely contribution to a subject with great international appeal, this book will be of great interest to students and scholars of international politics, political Islam, Middle East and Asian studies and anthropology.