AED SCHOLAR DISCUSSION OF CRITICAL ISSUES

John I. Goodlad has identified thirty individuals as Agenda for Education in a Democracy Scholars. These college and school based educators have received their designation as a result of their long-time and continuing scholarly contributions to the Agenda. As one of their initiatives they are developing a set of papers and other tools that address four critical issues that are powerfully influencing education. All conference participants are invited to share in the conversation about and critique of these papers.

INTRODUCTION (Madrona Fri 11 am) The first presentation will provide an overview of the seemingly nonretractable issues that frustrate our efforts to develop the good society: one in which the people are both healthy and wise and the culture as a whole – a democratic culture – is supportive.

Arturo Pacheco, University of Texas El Paso
Nick Michelli, City University of New York
Nadine Ball, Marysville University
Bill Mester, Snohomish WA School District
John Goodlad, Institute for Educational Inquiry

Link to paper (pdf): The Creation of a Wise and Healthy People and a Culture
for Sustaining and Renewing  this Populace

INEQUITIES (Madrona Fri 2 pm) Gross inequities in virtually every component of this nation's system of public education accompanied by a large element of nonintentional education: financial support; beginning school; advancement through the grades; segregation by race, academic performance, curriculum, and instruction; diversity of opportunity; deliberate intent; and more.

Dianne Bath, Georgia Southern University
Elizabeth Urban, Colorado State University
Josie Tinajero, University of Texas El Paso
Nick Michelli, City University of New York
Ann Foster, NNER

Link to paper (pdf): Inequities in Public Education

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES (Madrona Fri 3:15 pm) Inattention to the huge body of information we have about individual differences among humans and about human development in general. In addition to the inattention are the disrespect addressed to individuals who appear not to fit cultural norms and the tyrannical behaviors of so-called leaders in many of our corporations and institutions.

Nathalie Gehrke, University of Washington
Jennifer Robinson, Montclair State University
David Keiser, Montclair State University
Paul Chaplin, University of South Carolina
Bonnie McDaniel, Institute for Educational Inquiry

Link to paper (pdf): Failure of Education to Accommodate Individual Learning Differences

POLICY/PURPOSE (Madrona Friday 4:30 pm) The general failure of policymakers, professionals, and the general public to work together in a common purpose such as the public democratic purpose of schooling and the continued and little-challenged bureaucratic structure and leadership of our entire system of elementary, secondary, and tertiary schooling.

Bernard Badali, Pennsylvania State University
Steve Baugh, Brigham Young University
Audrey Kleinsasser, University of Wyoming
Dennis Potthoff, University of Nebraska Kearny
Cori Mantle Bromley, Washington State University

Link to paper (pdf): Finding a Common Purpose for Schooling in the United States: Why Do We Educate in a Democracy?

OTHER FORCES (Madrona Sat 8:30 am) The continued failure of our society, especially at the policy level, to comprehend that the conventional wisdom and dominant behavior of our people stem from nonintentional and intentional educating by forces other than our schools.

John Anderson, University of Nebraska Kearny
John Rosenberg, Brigham Young University
John Skillings, Miami University (Ohio)
Leslie Wilson, Montclair State University
Alan Wood, University of Washington Bothell

Link to paper (pdf): Society's Failure to Comprehend the Educational Influence of Forces Other than Schools