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- Message-ID: <EDPOLYAN%93010709433912@ASUVM.INRE.ASU.EDU>
- Newsgroups: bit.listserv.edpolyan
- Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 11:05:47 EST
- Sender: Professionals and Students Discussing Education Policy Analysis
- <EDPOLYAN@ASUACAD.BITNET>
- From: TJPUGH@SUVM.BITNET
- Subject: Education's Great Books
- Lines: 64
-
- In response to Bob Stonehill's request for reaction
- and suggestions for compiling a list of books the
- response thus far has focussed on books about how to
- teach (am I wrong?).
-
- I'd like to respond more broadly to his specific
- questions.
-
- 1. "Is this activity worth doing?"
- It might depend upon the scope and process of the
- activity. I did not assume that you only meant "How
- to Teach" books. I also am unsure about the "every
- student" qualification. What if the activity were conceived
- in terms of areas of knowledge? SO, you might generate
- lists on moral education; institutional and social
- history of education and schooling; philosphy of
- education; education psychology; curriculum development;
- educational administration; and the like.
- The development of such a group of canons may be worth
- doing. (By the by, "canon," among other things, is defined
- as standard of judgment; perhaps more fluid than an immutable
- list.)
-
- 2. "Are you familiar with such lists..."
- A few years ago the History of Education Society
- surveyed its members as to which texts they used in
- teaching. I believe the results showed a few books
- used relatively widely, but also a great diversity.
- The survey was intended to be descriptive and not
- prescriptive. Though such activities provide a certain
- cross-pollinization.
-
- 3. "Is it possible to reach agreement on who the
- most eminent scholars in a given education field are..."
- Depending on who is asked it is always possible,
- but the lists will be quite different. (Paulo Freire
- on one list; perhaps Diane Ravitch on another.)
- I would think it more useful to survey the membership
- of professional organizations as to what texts they would
- suggest as truly outstanding. True, it would certainly
- be faster and easier to contact a limited number of eminent
- scholars, but I think it would be difficult if not impossible
- to get agreement as to who they might be; and the results
- would not be as interesting as a survey of the field.
-
- Does ERIC have the time, inclination, and resources for
- conducting such a survey? If not, then I am not sure if the
- project is worth doing. Of course worth must be measured
- against intent. A lock-step national curriculum in any
- education field is unlikely and I think undesirable.
- Information about who is using what may be interesting,
- provide the basis for cross-pollination, and stimulate
- some thoughful discussion affecting judgment.
-
- --tom m-p
-
- * * * * * * * * * * * *
- Tom Mauhs-Pugh
- Cultural Foundations of Education
-
- 259 Huntington Hall TJPUGH@SUVM.BITNET
- Syracuse University TJPUGH@SUVM.ACS.SYR.EDU
- Syracuse, New York
- 13244 (315) 443-3343
-