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Education Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Selected Works

2010

Education Policy

Commercialism

Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Education

Uncovering The Coverings: The Use Of Corporate-Sponsored Textbook Covers In Furthering Uncritical Consumerism, Deron R. Boyles Oct 2010

Uncovering The Coverings: The Use Of Corporate-Sponsored Textbook Covers In Furthering Uncritical Consumerism, Deron R. Boyles

Deron R. Boyles

In this article, I explore the various kinds of book covers that exist to see if a metanarrative can be discerned. I also wish to question the degree to which the various covers indicate, inscribe, or otherwise represent cultural values that might be problematic. In a basic and general sense, my intent is to investigate what symbols are actually represented on the dust jackets. What meanings do they foreclose or 'cover' over? What messages might they send? This article highlights and describes a series of textbook covers, from over one hundred that have been provided to me by various students, …


Taking Care Of Business: Advertising, Commercialism, And Implications For Discourse About Schools, Deron R. Boyles Oct 2010

Taking Care Of Business: Advertising, Commercialism, And Implications For Discourse About Schools, Deron R. Boyles

Deron R. Boyles

This essay challenges the long-standing notion that the overriding purpose of U.S.A. public schools should be to produce future workers for corporate America. It questions the current discourse-the language we use when we talk about schooling, teaching, and learning. In effect, this essay takes exception to the undergirding assumption that public schools are primarily in existence as avenues for private gain. The claim is that a new language of inquiry and critique is needed in order for teachers and students to realize a significant, if untapped potential for U.S.A. schooling: namely, critical analysis of the taken-for-granted.