Examined whether the opportunities for higher education in Cyprus were equally accessible to all social groups, particularly repatriated students. Surveys of repatriated high school students and their parents, as well as repatriated college students, indicated that repatriated students were at a disadvantage, mainly due to their limited competence…

Investigated how school choice policies implemented by the Spanish government (introduction of a right to enroll in any publicly-funded school and establishment of a system of finance where user choice directs government funds) have functioned in practice. Data on the Catalan community collected from a group of school inspectors indicated that…

Examines contradictory images of the student's role and childhood in general that appear in discourses concerning educational reform in Spain. Draws upon interviews with diverse participants in the politics of Spanish education that were conducted as part of a research project, also analyzing Spanish education politics since 1996. Discuses the…

Describes the introduction of an Education Management and Information System in the West Bank and Gaza Strip (led by the Palestinian Ministry of Education) in terms of educational goals targeted, usefulness of this system for rational organization and management of an educational system, and the impact of the availability and sound use of data on…

Study of the distinction between the notions of the normal and the pathological among Moroccan high school students and their teachers of biology found that students confused the registers of the normal/abnormal with the healthy/pathological, a fact that is at odds with current teaching in biology. It also found a possible link to the values held…

Describes a project by representatives from three monotheistic religions from around the Mediterranean to produce a teaching text to help adolescents learn about and reflect on the knowledge and beliefs of the three Abrahamic religions, promoting UNESCO values regarding the responsibilities of current generations toward future generations.…

Examines major influences on the life of Abdallah Nadim, a 19th century Egyptian social reformer who experimented throughout his life with educating the nation. Reviews his life history, discussing the educational terrain of 1890s Egypt with a focus on girls' education, and noting specific articles authored by Nadim on Muslim youth and European…

Surveyed Egyptian secondary science and mathematics teachers following a 12-week inservice in the United Kingdom regarding their views on barriers to changing their classroom practice and what changes they have introduced or can introduce to their practice. Overall, demands of final examinations were the most important inhibitor, and the…

Used metaphoric pictures to investigate Greek preservice teachers' perceptions of the school psychologist's role in the school community, teachers' and psychologists' perceptions regarding that role, and variability of working conditions. Most respondents considered school psychologists members of the school community, felt their role was…

Describes Palestinian teachers' and students' emotional and cognitive conflicts when introduced to a problem- and case-based approach to democracy education. Observation and case study data indicated that participants sometimes held initial beliefs about democracy, student-teacher interactions, and appropriate classroom behaviors reflecting an…

Analyzed factors influencing Turkish students' transitions to high school. Student surveys indicated that socioeconomic status had little or no impact on academic achievement. Previous academic achievement and student aspirations positively related to academic achievement. School type and attending preparatory schools negatively related to…

Offers an analysis of the condition of education in developing countries such as Morocco, where, according to the author, educational improvements will not occur as a result of adopting European educational models. Argues that educational progress in developing regions should embrace humanistic values and be founded upon the concepts of the right…

Presents reflections on a 2-day international conference, held in May 2002, entitled "Exploring Possibilities of International Cooperation in the Field of Adult Education in the Eastern Mediterranean Region." Notes significant differences in importance attached to, attention given to, and funding available for adult education in the different…

Introduces a special issue on the complex relationship between multilingualism and education in the Mediterranean region. Articles examine Maltese bilingual education; teaching English in Algeria; shifts in environmental literacy in Lebanon; multilingual education in Lebanon; cognitive-academic language proficiency and language acquisition in…

Examines the relationship between language use in Maltese bilingual classrooms and societal contexts within which the classrooms are embedded, explaining that the use of Maltese and English for instruction reflects the functions of each language in society. Discusses code switching and terminology switching and explains how the discursive and…