Taking Sides : Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in Educational Psychology

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ISBN: 9780072480481 | 0072480483
Cover: Paperback
Copyright: 10/10/2001

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This debate-style reader is designed to introduce students to controversies in educational psychology. The readings, which represent the arguments of leading educators, psychologists, and social commentators, reflect a variety of viewpoints, and have been selected for their liveliness and substance, and because of their value in a debate framework.

Preface

Introduction

PART 1 MEETING THE DIVERSE NEEDS OF A DIVERSE CLASSROOM

(156)

Are Single-Gender Classes the Only Way to Ensure Equal Educational Opportunities for Boys and Girls?

(22)

from ``An Exploratory Study of Risk-Taking and Attitudes in a Girls-Only Middle School Math Class,'' The Elementary School Journal (September 1997)

(11)

Janice Streitmatter

from ``Gender Balance: Lessons From Girls in Science and Mathematics,'' Educational Leadership (September 1995)

(9)

Ann Pollina

Janice Streitmatter, a professor of educational psychology, argues that the culture and practices of the coeducational classroom limit educational opportunities for girls in a way that can now be overcome most easily (or perhaps only) through gender segregation. Ann Pollina, head of the Department of Mathematics at Westover School in Middlebury, Connecticut, analyzes the unique characteristics of pedagogy and classroom organization in girls-only mathematics and science programs. She argues that these characteristics can be re-created in coeducational classrooms and that such reform will lead to improved instruction and academic outcomes for boys as well as for girls

Should Ability-Level Tracking Be Abandoned?

(14)

from ``Detracking for High Student Achievement,'' Educational Leadership (March 1998)

(5)

Jeannie Oakes

Amy Staurt Wells

from ``Equal Does Not Mean Identical,'' Educational Leadership (November 1998)

(7)

Sally M. Reis

Jeannie Oakes and Amy Stuart Wells, both professors in the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, argue that tracking ensures that low-achieving students will be exposed to a watered-down curriculum, have access to fewer educational resources, and experience a less-than-stimulating school environment, all of which will prevent them from ever escaping their low-achieving track. They argue that all students should be expected to master the same curriculum. Professor of educational psychology Sally M. Reis and her colleagues argue that detracking leads teachers to adopt a middle-of-the-road curriculum that fails to challenge the best and brightest students in the class. They argue that tracking is critical for the success of the best and brightest students

Should English Immersion Replace Bilingual Education?

(24)

from ``Structured English Immersion: Breakthrough in Teaching Limited-English-Proficient Students,'' Phi Delta Kappan (November 1998)

(8)

Keith Baker

from ``Cultural Hegemony: The Politics of Bilingual Education,'' Multicultural Education (Winter 1998)

(14)

Josephine Arce

Educational consultant Keith Baker argues that empirical evidence indicates that Structured English Immersion, which provides academic instruction in Engish, leads to larger gains in academic achievement and English mastery than bilingual education, which provides academic instruction in the students' native language. Josephine Arce, an assistant professor of elementary education, argues that the anti-bilingual-education movement sweeping the country has resulted from a conservative political agenda designed to oppress racial and ethnic minorities. She asserts that the empirical evidence supports the superiority of bilingual education over Structured English Immersion

Is Full Inclusion Always the Best Option for Children With Disabilities?

(26)

from ``Full Inclusion as Disclosing Tablet: Revealing the Flaws in Our Present System,'' Theory Into Practice (Winter 1996)

(10)

Mara Sapon-Shevin

from ``Full Inclusion for Students With Learning Disabilities: Too Much of a Good Thing?'' Theory Into Practice (Winter 1996)

(14)

Naomi Zigmond

Janice M. Baker

Mara Sapon-Shevin, a professor of education at Syracuse University, argues that all students, whatever the nature of their disability, are best served within the ``regular'' classroom alongside their typically developing peers. Naomi Zigmond, chair of the Department of Instruction and Learning at the University of Pittsburgh, and Janice M. Baker, an assistant professor at Vanderbilt University, argue that the accommodations that teachers make are seldom tailored to the needs to the particular students with disabilities enrolled in their classes. They maintain that meaningful remediation requires some form of ``pull out'' from the regular classroom

Should Instruction Be Matched to Student Learning Style?

(22)

from ``An Interview With Rita Dunn About Learning Styles,'' The Clearing House (January/February 1998)

(8)

Michael F. Shaughnessy

from ``Different Strokes for Different Folks? A Critique of Learning Styles,'' American Educator (Fall 1999)

(12)

Steven A. Stahl

Professor of special education Michael F. Shaughnessy interviews Rita Dunn, director of the Center for the Study of Learning and Teaching Styles at St. John's University in New York, who argues that learning style differences are measurable and that teaching to a student's learning style leads to improved student outcomes. Steven A. Stahl, a professor of reading education, maintains that learning styles have not been adequately measured and that when attempts have been made to match type of instruction with student learning style in the area of reading, no benefits have been documented. He also questions the wisdom of continuing to invest educational resources into learning style---based instruction

Should Schools Try to Increase Students' Self-Esteem?

110

(18)

from ``The Neurobiology of Self-Esteem and Aggression,'' Educational Leadership (February 1997)

112

(5)

Robert Sylwester

from ``Caution---Praise Can Be Dangerous,'' American Educator (Spring 1999)

117

(11)

Carol S. Dweck

Robert Sylwester, an emeritus professor of education at the University of Oregon, argues that self-esteem is rooted in brain biology and that low self-esteem can result in impulsive and violent actions. He sees schools as a particularly important mechanism for delivering the positive feedback and successes that are requeired for the development of high self-esteem. Carol S. Dweck, a professor in the Department of Psychology at Columbia University, argues that programs to boost self-esteem have not had the hoped-for positive effects on student achievement. She argues that the indiscriminate use of praise makes students passive and fearful of losing the favorable opinion of others

Should Moral Education Be Part of the School Curriculum?

128

(29)

from ``Character Education: Seven Crucial Issues,'' Action in Teacher Education (Winter 1998)

130

(8)

Thomas Lickona

from ``How Not to Teach Values: A Critical Look at Character Education,'' Phi Delta Kappan (February 1997)

138

(19)

Alfie Kohn

Thomas Lickona, a professor of education at the State University of New York College at Cortland, argues that U.S. schools must return to the teaching of character, or morality. He also proposes a set of core values that should be the basis of such teaching and outlines a plan for implementation. Alfie Kohn is a professional writer and lecturer who frequently addresses psychological and educational issues and controversies. Kohn questions whether current programs of moral education can have a lasting impact and, if they do, whether they have the outcome that is best for a democratic society

PART 2 THEORIES OF LEARNING AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE

157

(114)

Should Schools Adopt a Constructivist Approach to Education?

158

(32)

from ``The Challenges of Sustaining a Constructivist Classroom Culture,'' Phi Delta Kappan (June 1999)

160

(9)

Mark Windschitl

from ``Reality's Revenge: Research and Ideology,'' American Educator (Fall 1996)

169

(21)

E. D. Hirsch, Jr.

Mark Windschitl, an assistant professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Washington, argues in favor of constructivism, a child-centered approach to education that is defined by student participation in hands-on activities and extended projects that are allowed to ``evolve'' in accordance with the students' interests and initial beliefs. E. D. Hirsch, Jr., a professor in the School of Education at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, argues that child-centered approaches have failed and points to research demonstrating the superiority of fact-based, teacher-centered approaches

Is IQ a Useful Educational Tool?

190

(16)

from ``IQ: Easy to Bash, Hard to Replace,'' Roper Review (June 1996)

192

(7)

Michael C. Pyryt

from ``The Bell Curve: Getting the Facts Straight,'' Educational Leadership (April 1995)

199

(7)

Reuven Feuerstein

Alex Kozulin

Michael C. Pyryt, an assistant professor of educational psychology, defends IQ against criticisms that the intelligence tests on which it is based are culturally biased, that it does not predict achievement in or out of school, and that intelligence is not a unitary ability. Pyryt also points out some advantages of IQ, such as its use in identifying students who need special educational programs. Reuven Feuerstein, director of the International Center for the Enhancement of Learning Potential in Israel, and Alex Kozulin, director of research and development at the center, argue that IQ is of limited utility in predicting human performance and social achievement, each of which depend on far more than cognitive ability

Can Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences Transform Educational Practice?

206

(28)

from ``Reflections on Multiple Intelligences: Myths and Messages,'' Phi Delta Kappan (November 1995)

208

(11)

Howard Gardner

from ``Multiplying the Problems of Intelligence by Eight: A Critique of Gardner's Theory,'' Canadian Journal of Education (vol. 22, no. 4, 1997)

219

(15)

Perry D. Klein

Howard Gardner, a professor in the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University, discusses what he considers to be seven misunderstandings, or myths, that have surrounded his theory of multiple intelligences. He also discusses the implications of the theory for educational practice. Perry D. Klein, a member of the Faculty of Education at the University of Western Ontario, argues that although a number of diverse pedagogical practices have been inspired by Gardner's theory, the theory is really too broad to be particularly informative about education

Will a Push for Standards and Accountability Lead to More Motivated Students?

234

(20)

from ``From Aptitude to Effort: A New Foundation for Our Schools,'' American Educator (Spring 1999)

236

(6)

Lauren B. Resnick

from ``Standards, Accountability, and School Reform: Perils and Pitfalls,'' Teachers College Record (Fall 1998)

242

(12)

Kennon M. Sheldon

Bruce J. Biddle

Lauren B. Resnick, a professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh, argues that setting clear achievement standards for all students, not just those who are assumed to have the highest academic aptitude, will motivate students to work harder and, thus, increase achievement by all students. Kennon M. Sheldon, an assistant professor, and Bruce J. Biddle, a professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Missouri, argue that an emphasis on standards is inconsistent with the mission of schooling because it rewards (and punishes) students and teachers for achieving a narrowly defined set of outcomes

Do Recent Discoveries About the Brain and Its Development Have Implications for Classroom Practice?

254

(17)

from ``Revisiting Effective Teaching,'' Educational Leadership (November 1998)

256

(6)

Pat Wolfe

from ``Brain Science, Brain Fiction,'' Educational Leadership (November 1998)

262

(9)

John T. Bruer

Pat Wolfe, a private educational consultant who has written extensively about the relationship between brain research and pedagogical practice, argues that current research on brain function supports several previously proposed theories of teaching and learning. John T. Bruer, president of the James S. McDonnell Foundation, argues that although scientists have recently learned many interesting things about the developing human brain, this research currently has little direct application to education

PART 3 EFFECTIVE TEACHING AND THE EVALUATION OF LEARNING

271

(125)

Is the Whole Language Approach to Reading Effective?

272

(20)

from ``Sixty Years of Reading Research---But Who's Listening?'' Phi Delta Kappan (March 1999)

274

(9)

Steve Zemelman

Harvey Daniels

Marilyn Bizar

from ``Why Reading Is Not a Natural Process,'' Educational Leadership (March 1998)

283

(9)

G. Reid Lyon

Steve Zemelman, Harvey Daniels, and Marilyn Bizar, faculty in the Center for City Schools at National-Louis University, argue that there is substantial empirical evidence supporting the effectiveness of a whole language approach to teaching reading. G. Reid Lyon, chief of the Child Development and Behaivor Branch of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), argues that becoming a skilled reader requires explicit, systematic, and direct instruction and practice

Is Cooperative Learning Effective?

292

(20)

from ``Cooperative Learning: Listening to How Children Work at School,'' The Journal of Educational Research (May/June 2001)

294

(11)

Andrea Mueller

Thomas Fleming

from ``Gifted Students Talk About Cooperative Learning,'' Educational Leadership (October 1992)

305

(7)

Marian Matthews

Andrea Mueller and Thomas Fleming, both members of the Faculty of Education at Queen's University in Ontario, Canada, report on their observations and interviews with cooperative work groups of sixth and seventh graders, with the aim of providing insights into the ``internal mechanisms'' of such groups. They conclude that although there are frustrations, false steps, and inequities in such groups, the accomplishments of the groups and their participants' reactions are generally quite positive. Marian Matthews, an associate professor of elementary education, reports on the results of a series of interviews she conducted with gifted sixth and eighth graders who participated in mixed-ability cooperative groups. Matthews reports that the gifted students reported highly negative reactions to the cooperative groups and suggests that although they may have a limited utility when they are more homogeneous in terms of student ability, cooperative groups are not a panacea

Should Schools Embrace Computers and Technology?

312

(16)

from ``Attacking Literacy With Technology in an Urban Setting,'' Middle School Journal (January 1999)

314

(8)

Michael R. Blasewitz

Rosemarye T. Taylor

from ``The Shadow Play: How the Integration of Technology Annihilates Debate in Our Schools,'' Phi Delta Kappan (October 1998)

322

(6)

R. W. Burniske

Michael R. Blasewitz, a high school principal, and Rosemarye T. Taylor, senior director for research and solutions in the Orange County Public Schools in Orlando, Florida, describe an interactive, computer-based program for improving reading achievement in middle-school students in urban schools. R. W. Burniske, of the Computer Writing and Research Lab at the University of Texas, Austin, argues that schools have been too uncritical in their acceptance of technology and that computer-based education, in many instances, may actually contribute to the very problems it is intended to correct

Will Performance Assessment Lead to Meaningful Education Reform?

328

(26)

from ``Transforming Student Assessment,'' Phi Delta Kappan (September 1997)

330

(13)

D. Monty Neill

from ``Performance Assessment and Education Reform,'' Phi Delta Kappan (May 1999)

343

(11)

Edward H. Haertel

D. Monty Neill, associate director of the National Center for Fair and Open Testing, argues that performance assessment is consistent with the emphasis on standards and accountability of the high-stakes testing reform movement but avoids many of the pitfalls of traditional approaches to testing. Edward H. Haertel, a professor in the School of Education at Stanford University, argues against the philosophy of ``high-stakes testing and accountability'' and contends that performance assessment does not make this philosophy any more palatable or successful than does the use of traditional standardized tests

Can a Zero-Tolerance Policy Lead to Safe Schools?

354

(24)

from ``Restoring the Connection Between Behavior and Consequences,'' Vital Speeches of the Day (May 15, 1995)

356

(10)

Albert Shanker

from ``The Dark Side of Zero Tolerance: Can Punishment Lead to Safe Schools?'' Phi Delta Kappan (January 1999)

366

(12)

Russ Skiba

Reece Peterson

The late Albert Shanker, long-time president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), advocates for a policy of zero-tolerance for violence and other disruptive behavior in school. He argues that such a policy is necessary because disruptive and violent behavior denies euqal access to educational opportunities for the nonoffending students in a class or school. Russ Skiba, director of the Institute for Child Study at Indiana University, and Reece Peterson, an associate professor in the Department of Special Education at the University of Nebraska, argue that despite several recent, highly publicized incidents of violence, there are no data to support the contention that there has been an increase in school-based violence, nor are there data demonstrating the effectiveness of zero-tolerance policies in deterring violence and crime

Should U.S. Schools Be Evaluated Against Schools in Other Countries?

378

(18)

from ``World-Class Schools,'' The American School Board Journal (May 1997)

380

(6)

Richard M. Haynes

Donald M. Chalker

from ``Comparing U.S. and German Education: Like Apples and Sauerkraut,'' Phi Delta Kappan (June 1999)

386

(10)

Ernest G. Noack

Richard M. Haynes and Donald M. Chalker, professors of administration, curriculum, and instruction, summarize the results of their analysis of the educational systems in 10 countries, including the United States and several countries considered by many to have successful, or ``world-class,'' schools. They identify eight dimensions of difference between U.S. and world-class educational systems---dimensions that they feel explain the relative lack of success of U.S. schooling. Ernest G. Noack, an assistant professor of education, argues that comparisons between the U.S. educational system and the educational systems of other countries are not useful because schooling serves a role in the United States that is different from that in other countries

Contributors

396

(6)

Index

402

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Taking Sides : Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in Educational Psychology

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials