Shows how education among traditional communities in Benin is an initiatory process where acquisition of practical knowledge is interwoven with religion and custom. States that rites of passage, tests, and acquisition of appropriate forms of knowledge may mark an individual's developmental stages. Describes several specific forms of education.…

Defines and documents the interplay between indigenous folk knowledge and modern (western) curriculum practice in African schools. Raises questions of cultural identity. Explores the definition of indigenous knowledge, examines dilemmas that undermine efforts to integrate indigenous education in formal school curriculum, and outlines the rationale…

Provides an overview of published anthropological and educational information on the content, values, and methods of education in indigenous communities in Guatemala. Deals with the formation of a new collective identity in Guatemala. Examines the relationship between education in indigenous communities and official, formal education, which is…

Examines the contradictions between Islamic education theory and the Western-based education systems found in most Islamically oriented countries. Uses Egypt as a case study to illustrate the complex and delicate balance policy makers must achieve in meeting the needs of economic development while also affirming their countries' Islamic cultural…

Describes the Kanak culture in New Caledonia, a French colony located in the South Pacific. Explores the educational system in New Caledonia and the role Kanak culture, or la coutume, plays in schools. Examines the implications of didactic and customary learning and customary influences in school that affect Kanak students, learning, and culture.…

Describes the central concept of Mayan culture, the possession of the soul, or ch'ulel, in the process of forming a knowledgeable person. Soul acquisition is important to becoming the ideal person, and to the educational formation of future generations. Looks at the role language plays in culture as memory, thought formation, and learning process.…

Examines three of the apparent deficiencies in the educational system in the six Gulf Cooperation Council member states: a mismatch between traditional and modern learning, an imbalance between indigenous and expatriate labor forces, and the gap between men and women. Concludes that a fundamental change in educational quality is needed. Contains…

Describes a survey comparing the attitudes of university students in Greece and Scotland about sexual development and sex education. Students' attitudes tend to converge with regard to gender identity, sexual relations, and appropriate forms of sexual behavior. Differences exist regarding sex-education aims and the moral principles that should…

Summarizes the findings and recommendations of a study about access to colleges of further education and universities by refugees in Sydney, Australia, and the experiences of these students. Identifies examples of institutional good practice. Concludes with a series of recommendations for improving access and support for students from refugee…

Provides a case study on the quality of education in rural Ethiopia. Derives a measure for the quality of a school, which emphasizes responsiveness to household needs and willingness to try to attract students. Also derives a measure for teacher quality, based on teaching attitudes and behavior. (CAK)

Presents an analysis of the change in school-attendance figures in France in the 19th and 20th centuries. Reports a twofold interest: immediate practical interest and theoretical interest. Presents a compilation of the chronological series to prepare the statistical analysis, describes the trends observed, and provides a preliminary analysis of…

Establishes an interface between educational science and linguistics, from the perspective of applied linguistics. Asserts the need for a revision of teacher-training courses and the introduction of interdisciplinary teams. Argues that teaching methods should be based on a deeper understanding of the dynamics of the mother tongue. Contains 22…

Identifies five "paradigms" which have been dominant in comparative education from the 1950s to the 1990s. The current paradigm addresses the interrelation between universalism and cultural pluralism. Comparative education should find a fruitful balance between world-system theory and the theories postulating that cultural diversity will be a…

Investigates the impact of colonization on indigenous teaching and learning. Asserts that indigenous and western European concepts of knowledge must be placed in a framework of mutual interaction. Describes how culturally appropriate teaching and learning practices are being brought into the Australian educational systems to establish a more…

Describes the number of barriers that prevent girls from accessing education at every level in Papua New Guinea, from physical and geographical factors to psychosocial and economic factors. Proposes distance education as one of the few "second chances" for these girls. Contains 30 references. (AMA)