Full Description
A NUMBER of themes dealing with social efficacy, popular culture, and the struggle in schools are addressed in the book. The book begins with a critical analysis of schooling and education suggesting that current practice is not only demeaning and disempowering, but that it does more harm than good. Subsequent chapters suggest that critical constructivism focusing on the themes of democratic education, social efficacy, and social justice would facilitate the transformation needed. Examples of powerful themes addressed include technology, censorship and controversy, music, movies, popular culture trends, global issues, and teacher education. The book focuses on ideas for integrating a social efficacy focus with popular culture as a vital component. Film, television, music and other popular trends offer a common language that can be very powerful tools for developing social efficacy and social education.
Contents
MORE HARM THAN GOOD: AN INDICTMENT OF SOCIAL EDUCATION. Issues and Questions. More Harm Than Good. Changing Direction. WHERE TO NOW?: SOCIAL EFFICACY AND POPULAR CULTURE IN SCHOOLS. Teaching for Social Efficacy and Social Justice. Popular Culture for Social Efficacy. Introductory Possibilities. Where to Now? THE STRUGGLE FOR VOICE: CRITICAL DEMOCRATIC EDUCATION FOR SOCIAL EFFICACY (with Trenia Walker). Democracy and Schooling. The Context of Social Education. New Directions? Developing Critical and Active Citizens. Transforming for Empowerment. LIVES IN THE BALANCE: CONTROVERSY, MILITARISM, AND SOCIAL EFFICACY (with Tony Talbert). Rationale. Engaging in Controversy. A Militaristic Social Education. SAVING GRACE? TECHNOLOGY, POPULAR CULTURE, AND SOCIAL EFFICACY (with Trenia Walker). Popular Culture and Social Efficacy. Technorealism. READING THE WORLD: ENHANCING LITERACY THROUGH THE CONTEXT OF POPULAR CULTURE (with Carole Basile). The Intellectual Voice. The Emotional Voice. Social Voice. In the Classroom. HEARTS AND MINDS: SCHOOLS AND THE BATTLE FOR POKEMON AND HARRY POTTER (with Carole Basile). The Pop Culture Debate. Integrating Popular Culture. Finding Voice Through Popular Culture. Pokemon and Harry Potter Possibilities. TUNING IN: MAKING POPULAR CULTURE WORK FOR SOCIAL EFFICACY. Issues. Constructivism and Inquiry for Social Efficacy. Applications. Obstacles to the Transformation. Inquiry Procedures. LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL POPULAR MUSIC FOR SOCIAL EFFICACY. Issues. Popular Music for Social Efficacy. MTV. Rock Music and Social Efficacy. BREATHING SPACE: ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FOR SOCIAL EFFICACY (with Carole Basile). Developing Efficacy. Nurturing Respect. Facilitating Processes. Modeling Environmental Stewardship. Guiding Principles for Teaching and Learning. INVASIONS: BODY SNATCHERS AND POSTWAR AMERICA (with Neil Liss). The 1950s. The 1970s. The 1990s. THINKING GLOBALLY: SOCIAL EDUCATION AND SOCIAL EFFICACY IN NEW ZEALAND, INDONESIA AND TEXAS. Rationale for Change. New Zealand. Indonesia. Texas. PRACTICING WHAT WE PREACH: TRANSDISCIPLINARY TEACHER EDUCATION FOR SOCIAL EFFICACY. Rationale. A Model. Issues. Recommendations. Concluding Thoughts. Selected Bibliography. Web Links. Author Index. Subject Index.