Antonio Gramsci’s impact on critical pedagogy

This paper provides an account of Antonio Gramsci’s impact on the area of critical pedagogy. It indicates the Gramscian influence on the thinking of major exponents of the field. It foregrounds Gramsci's ideas and then indicates how they have been taken up by a selection of critical pedagogy exponents who were chosen on the strength of their identification and engagement with Gramsci's ideas, some of them even having written entire essays on Gramsci. The essay concludes with a discussion concerning an aspect of Gramsci's concerns, the question of powerful knowledge, which, in the present author's view, provides a formidable challenge to critical pedagogues.peer-reviewe

Metatheory of actions: beyond consistency

Consistency check has been the only criterion for theory evaluation in logic-based approaches to reasoning about actions. This work goes beyond that and contributes to the metatheory of actions by investigating what other properties a good domain description in reasoning about actions should have. We state some metatheoretical postulates concerning this sore spot. When all postulates are satisfied together we have a modular action theory. Besides being easier to understand and more elaboration tolerant in McCarthy's sense, modular theories have interesting properties. We point out the problems that arise when the postulates about modularity are violated and propose algorithmic checks that can help the designer of an action theory to overcome them

A pedagogy for work-based learning at level 5 for foundation degree studies in architectural technology and construction management

The central Government agenda towards widening participation in Higher Education and its target of 50 % of adults to be involved by 2010 is amongst the drivers towards innovative and changing modes of learning and teaching. A by product of this is the number of students adopting a part-time route toward academic qualification. The ramifications of this involve limited time for personal attendance at teaching institutions and a requirement for directed learning within the framework of the workplace. The interpretation both nationally and internationally of work based learning appears to be inconsistent. The research involved in this paper concludes with a recommendation to identify that model appropriate for students studying toward the awards of Foundation Degree in Architectural Technology and Construction Management at Northumbria University

Failure of the market, state and economics from the perspective of the financial crisis

The debate between the advocates of market and interventionist solutions, primarily based on pitting the market against regulation, has escalated as a result of the financial crisis. The objective of the paper is not only to analyze the advantages and drawbacks of alternative regulatory mechanisms in the light of the global economic downturn, but also to evaluate the modern economy from this perspective. The paper focuses on three hypotheses. 1. It is illegitimate to pit the market against regulation. 2. The crisis resulted from the violation of the principles of classical liberalism, which was precipitated both by inadequate policies and by modern economic methodology. 3. Critical analysis of the methodology and logic of the development of 20th century economic thought reveals the existence of a systemic failure of the dominant doctrines in mainstream economics.Spór między zwolennikami rozwiązań rynkowych i interwencjonistycznych, oparty zazwyczaj na przeciwstawianiu rynku i regulacji, uległ zaostrzeniu wskutek kryzysu finansowego. Celem artykułu jest nie tylko analiza zalet i zagrożeń alternatywnych mechanizmów regulacji z perspektywy kryzysu w gospodarce światowej, ale także próba oceny z tej perspektywy współczesnej ekonomii. Rozważania skoncentrowane są wokół trzech hipotez. Po pierwsze, błędne jest przeciwstawianie systemu rynkowego i regulacji. Po drugie, u podstaw kryzysu leży pogwałcenie zasad klasycznego liberalizmu, które ma źródła zarówno w polityce, jak i metodologii współczesnej ekonomii. Po trzecie, krytyczna analiza metodologii i logiki rozwoju myśli ekonomicznej w XX wieku może uzasadniać tezę o systematycznym błędzie doktryn, który zdominowały główny nurt ekonomii

Ethical and Political Implications of Reflective Practice among Preservice Teachers

This study investigates the ethical and political implications of reflective practice among preservice teachers. The author reviewed previous research which suggests the need for a more critical analysis of teacher education programs to implement more intensive reflective methodologies that foster authentic, caring, dispositional development as a moral obligation toward socially just practice rather than mere audited compliance with standards-based technical training. This position paper then analyzes preservice teacher education as an interdependent process of methodological development, perceptive development, and cognitive/affective development. Finally, the author makes recommendations for program modification to better prepare preservice teachers to conceptualize their transformative role in society