new books

 

W. Norton Grubb has co-authored with Marvin Lazerson The Education Gospel: The Economic Power of Schooling published by Harvard University Press. The Education Gospel takes on the assumptions underlying current views on the role of education. From the publisher: “Grubb and Lazerson show how all levels of education were transformed over the twentieth century into preparation for vocations and professions…. The drive for personal advancement and workforce preparation has also squeezed out civic education—not to mention learning for its own sake. Worst of all, Grubb and Lazerson show, the vocational focus of schooling has reinforced social inequality. The challenges over the next century are to create forms of education incorporating both occupational and civic goals, and to reverse the preoccupation with narrow work skills, empty credentialism, and schooling as the only source of salvation.” Mike Rose of the UCLA Graduate School of Education has written of The Education Gospel, “This is a stunning book, and I hope that educators and policy makers of all stripes read it. Grubb and Lazerson’s sweep, scope, and analytical prowess are unparalleled; every chapter sparks fresh thought about tough, old problems.”

Robert Ruddell’s book Teaching Children to Read and Write: Becoming an Effective Literacy Teacher is now going into its fourth edition with Allyn and Bacon. The book is used in teacher education programs across the country as well as for inservice work with experienced teachers. The new edition was introduced at the 50th convention of the International Reading Association in San Antonio in May 2005. Teaching Children to Read and Write is the applied version of a matching theory text. The fourth edition represents a complete revision of the earlier text: “substantive changes in content and chapter organization… have made the book more concise and coherent.”

 

Mark Wilson has published Constructing Measures: An Item Response Modeling Approach with Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. From the publisher: “Constructing Measures introduces a way to understand the advantages and disadvantages of measurement instruments, how to use instruments, and how to apply these methods to develop new instruments…The author believes that the best way to learn is by doing. It is therefore recommended that the reader review the book while actually constructing an instrument.” George Englehard of Emory University writes of Constructing Measures, “This is a great resource for learning about measurement. Even an experienced researcher will benefit from the coherent and logical model based on the four building blocks.”

 

 

 

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