Education Commons^™

Confronting Pedagogy In “Confronting Globalization”: The Use Of Role-Play Simulations To Foster Interdisciplinary/Global Learning, Lesley A. Denardis

Political Science & Global Affairs Faculty Publications

With the increasing emphasis on global learning as part of the redesigned institutional mission of American higher education, there will arguably be a need for a variety of global learning experiences across the undergraduate curriculum. Efforts to incorporate global learning in course content at home by globalizing or internationalizing the curricula are already underway at many institutions of higher education. This article offers a set of recommendations for educators wishing to globalize their courses by adopting an interdisciplinary approach to global learning specifically through the use of role-play simulations. As a problem-based pedagogy, role-play simulations are uniquely equipped to deliver …

Keeping The Lid On Charter Schools: Capping And The Politics Of Education Reform In Connecticut, Lesley A. Denardis

Political Science & Global Affairs Faculty Publications

Charter schools, public schools that operate with greater autonomy than their traditional counterparts, first opened in Minnesota in 1991. Between 1991 and 2010, they spread to 40 states and the District of Columbia. In recent months, they have received renewed policy attention under the Obama administration’s Race to the Top competitive federal grant program which rewarded states for educational innovation including the creation of charter schools. While experiencing impressive growth, charter schools lag behind traditional public schools in size and in number, accounting for only 2.9% of the total public school population nationwide. State factors that are predictive of a …

Horton’S Odyssey: The Politics Of School Finance Reform In Connecticut, Lesley Denardis

Political Science & Global Affairs Faculty Publications

School finance reform has been one of the most controversial and contentious issues in public policy over the last thirty years. Public schools have served as battlegrounds over fundamental questions of equality, liberty, and access to social and economic opportunities. Since the historic decision rendered by the California Supreme Court in Serrano v. Priest (1971) equated public education with a fundamental right, a wave of legal and legislative reforms swept the nation including the state of Connecticut. Following the lead of California, plaintiffs in the Horton v.Meskill (1977) case argued that the Connecticut’s heavy reliance on the property tax to …

The Challenge Of Ethnic Diversity, Gary L. Rose

Political Science & Global Affairs Faculty Publications

As the census data reveals, the state of Connecticut will experience a sizeable increase in the percentage of Blacks and Hispanics by the year 2025. The projected increase in Blacks and Hispanics will most certainly have political and public policy ramifications in the years ahead.

Demographic trends in Connecticut pose distinct challenges for both political parties. The ability to understand the policy needs of the state's increasingly diverse population, an understanding of how policy needs translate into political behavior will be required among those who seek public office in Connecticut.

The Challenge Of Higher Education, Steven Michels

Political Science & Global Affairs Faculty Publications

The spiraling cost of education, the spread of technology, and the competitive nature of the job market have changed the very notion of what education should be and who should pay for it.

This chapter proposes a series of practical reforms, designed to work within the existing structure of higher education. The underlying assumption is that higher education in Connecticut is best served by allowing the natural forces of the market to determine the direction of growth and development. Minimal government interference will mean the greatest amount of choice and the highest quality of education for students in the state.