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1、Mason M. ClarkEDA 6931Book Review16 June 2002Title: The Manufactured CrisisAuthor(s): Berliner, D. C. & Biddle, B. J.Publisher: Addison-Wesley Date: 19951. Overview: The Manufactured Crisis provides Berliner and Biddle a platform upon which to discuss and refute much of the evidence of school failur
2、e disseminated in the past 20 years. The authors vehemently disagree with the widely held view that American schools are failing society. They furnish statistics comparing present and past American graduation rates and find a steady increase post-World War II. The authors also dispute the idea that
3、other developed countries education systems have surpassed the United States. Berliner and Biddle question the use of a single standardized test to measure the quality of the educational system of a nation. They note that the samples taken for each country are considerably different and suggest that
4、 many studies are flawed which do not control for those variables. Finally, they present other studies that actually laud American educational performance but have gone unreported in the media.The second half of the book deals with what Berliner and Biddle describe as the real problems facing Americ
5、as education system today. The largest of these problems is unequal funding. The authors return to this theme over and over in The Manufactured Crisis. They note that other industrialized nations provide more social benefits to their citizens. In many impoverished areas of America, the school system
6、s fund these programs. Although Americans have traditionally eschewed big governmental programs such as a national health care plan, Berliner and Biddle argue that many school systems are providing just that service, as well as day-care, adult education, and many other important services. The author
7、s argue that since these are indeed important functions, that school funding should increase, rather than decrease. They suggest that the problem is further exacerbated by the fact that there exist huge differences in funding levels between the richest and poorest school districts.2. Source of infor
8、mation/research/background study references:The Manufactured Crisis is really a meta-analysis of extant studies. As such the reference list is enormous-some 27 pages of references alone. Berliner and Biddle are life-long educators who felt compelled to refute the many half-truths they heard about ed
9、ucation during the 1980s and early 1990s.A bio about Dr. Berliner (taken from the Arizona K-12 Center website- http:/azk12.nau.edu/index.html) follows:Dr. Berliner obtained his doctorate in educational psychology from Stanford University in 1968.He has taught at the University of Massachusetts, the
10、University of Arizona and a number of foreign universities.He has served as director of research at the Far West Laboratory for Educational Research and Development.He is currently dean of the College of Education at Arizona State University where he also serves as Regents Professor of Educational L
11、eadership and Policy Studies, and of Psychology in Education.He is a past president of both the American Educational Research Association and the Division of Educational Psychology of the American Psychology Association and is a fellow of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences.He i
12、s co-author of the textbook, Educational Psychology (with N.L. Gage, now in its 6th edition); co-author of The Manufactured Crisis (with B.J. Biddle, an examination of the achievements and problems of Americas schools)(; co-editor of the Handbook of Educational Psychology (with R.C. Calfee) and auth
13、or of over 100 articles and book chapters.His interests are in research on teaching, teacher education and educational policy. A bio about Dr. Biddle (taken from the University of Missouri website-http:/www.missouri.edu/socwww/Biddle.htm) follows:Dr. Biddle is a professor in the psychology as well a
14、s sociology department. His areas of specialization include social psychology, role theory and education. Research Synopsis For some years I have worked on role theory as an integrated set of concepts, propositions, and evidence. Several integrative works have appeared: an early review monograph, a
15、text-reader, a conceptual synthesis for the field, a chapter for an Annual Review volume, and an encyclopedia contribution. This work continues in collaboration with Dr. Barbara J. Bank. Between 1958 and 1963 l led a team studying the teachers role in Kansas City, and another study began in 1964 tha
16、t compared teacher roles in Australia, England, New Zealand, and the United States. Results from these studies appeared in various forms. Recently I have been collaborating with colleagues on a handbook that will spotlight innovative work on teachers and teaching. Studies of classroom interaction we
17、re begun at Missouri in 1963 and have involved collaboration with several colleagues. Selected works from this effort have included a book on teacher effectiveness, a study of classroom social systems, a monograph that reviews research on teaching for educators, and a book on the effectiveness of te
18、aching. In the mid-1970s Dr. Barbara Bank and I began studying young persons decision and behaviors with colleagues in Australia, France, and Norway. Our research has focused on drinking, other forms of problem behavior, school achievement, undergraduates values, and the causes and effects of droppi
19、ng out of school. Comparative research has been conducted, and longitudinal studies of career decisions and university re-enrollment have been completed. For several years I have also been exploring relationships between social theory, research, and social policy impact. This work has produced sever
20、al papers, a handbook chapter, and an edited book concerned with social research impact in education. A book reviewing evidence bearing on a the recent, ideologically-driven attack on American education was recently co-authored with a colleague of another University. At present, l am completing the
21、study of the effects of research-generated knowledge on school principals with two colleagues in Australia. Other interests have included a study of schools as social systems, the semantic analysis of discourse, the impact of educational media on society, sex roles, the learning of values, and resea
22、rch methodology. Research I have also been conducting comparative research on the attribution of perceived causes for success and failure among Australians and Americans.3. Essential qualities of effective leaders (descriptive bullets): ISSLC Standard #1: The administrator has knowledte and understa
23、nding of information sources, data collection, and data analysis strategies: Berliner and Biddle note that educators are too often quiet about their successes. They argue that we must communicate better with the public in order to avoid another Manufactured Crisis. ISSLC Standard #2: The administrat
24、or facilitates processes and engages in processes ensuring that all individuals are treated with fairness, dignity, and respect: The authors note that in many impoverished neighborhoods, the concept of dignity is absent. Education means little to many of the students in these areas because there is
25、so little opportunity around them. Berliner and Biddle suggest that increased investment in these at-risk districts is the only way to provide the motivation and support that is lacking in the surrounding community. ISSLC Standard #3: The administrator believes in, values, and is committed to high-q
26、uality standards, expectations, and performances: Berliner and Biddle suggest that schools need to move past the back-to-basics movement that plagued much of the 1980s school reform. They argue that high standards are indeed necessary, but that schools must hold high standards across the curriculum-
27、including curricula in non-traditional subjects. ISSLC Standard #4: The administrator facilitates processes and engages in activities ensuring that available community resources are secured to help the school solve problems and achieve goals: Berliner and Biddle would take this quality a step furthe
28、r. They suggest that the state community or federal community also has a responsibility to assist impoverished schools in solving their problems and achieving their goals. ISSLC Standard #5: The administrator believes in, values and is committed to the common good: The authors argue that education I
29、S for the common good, and that investing in quality education for all Americas can decrease the amount of poverty and crime that are correlated to lower levels of education. ISSLC Standard #6: The administrator believes in, values, and is committed to education as a key to opportunity and social mo
30、bility.4. Components of effective/efficient organizations (specifically public schools in The Manufactured Crisis): Appropriate funding levels: Schools are expected to play a transformative role in society today. If they are to right past wrongs, then they must have the resources to accomplish that
31、task. Responsive to community needs: Although Berliner and Biddle note a startling lack of national coordination in our education system, they are not proponents of a national education system. Each individual school must be able to respond to the needs of the community. Responsive to student divers
32、ity: Within an individual schools organization, leaders must consider individual differences when structuring curriculum and school policies. For example, at Estero High, some of our students come here due to our districts school choice program. Many of them must catch the bus at 5:45 to arrive at s
33、chool on time. Many of them are often late to school because they miss the bus. Perhaps the administrative team might want to create a sheet of School Choicers who are in that situation, so that the Student Affairs Specialists can consider that information when determining what to do with a student
34、who is frequently late, but a very good student otherwise. Research: Berliner and Biddle really showed what can happen to organizations that do not have a strong research base. If an organization is not conducting research, or at least following current research, it leaves itself indefensible agains
35、t public criticism based on information propagated by the popular media. Compassion: Berliner and Biddle end The Manufactured Crisis with a note about compassion. They consider this an ideal that every educational organization should possess. Obviously, with todays diversity and challenges in the sc
36、hool system, a little empathy for those different from you will go a long way!5. Student reflection: My own personal philosophy of leadership is that of the Aristotelian Mean. More often than not, there is a middle path that is closest to the truth. Although I enjoyed reading The Manufactured Crisis
37、, I believe that Berliner and Biddle would be the first to say that it isnt a truly scholarly work. The authors sought to right some of the wrongs caused by A Nation at Risk and the subsequent bad press suffered by the education system. As such, they took a strident and angry tone in refuting some o
38、f the arguments. Many times in the book, Berliner and Biddle were guilty of some of the same flaws in interpretation that they charged to their counterparts! They often made jumps in logic that could not be made based upon the evidence available. Certainly, they had a right to do so, given the edito
39、rial nature of their work. For me, The Manufactured Crisis is a road sign rather than a road map. Road signs often warn a driver of upcoming danger, and that is exactly what Berliner and Biddle were attempting to do: They saw a clear threat to our nations public schools and sought to provide a wake-
40、up call to the educational community. I would suggest, however, that the book should not be a road map for any leader. One should examine the issues brought up by Berliner and Biddle and read more of the references that they cite themselves. If anything, The Manufactured Crisis has given me a height
41、ened respect for the media. Every leader should remember the power of the media and seek to use it to the benefit of his/her school or district. Education in general needs to utilize the media better in trumpeting its successes. Knowledge is power, and we need to ensure that the public has the most
42、correct knowledge about education so that they exercise that power to the benefit of schools and children.6. Recent Publications (courtesy of the EBSCOHost search engine):For David C. Berliner:Funding in the United States. By: Biddle, Bruce J.; Berliner, David C.; Educational Leadership, May2002, Vo
43、l. 59 Issue 8, p49, 11p. Small Class Size and Its Effects. By: Biddle, Bruce J.; Berliner, David C.; Educational Leadership, Feb2002, Vol. 59 Issue 5, p12, 12p The Awful Alliance of the MEDIA and PUBLIC-SCHOOL CRITICS. By: Berliner, David C.; Biddle, Bruce J.; Education Digest, Jan99, Vol. 64 Issue
44、5, p4, 7p. Educational psychology meets the christian right: Differing views of children, schooling. By: Berliner, David C.; Teachers College Record, Spring97, Vol. 98 Issue 3, p381, 36p.Reality-based education standards for all. By: Berliner, David C.; Biddle, Bruce J.; Education Digest, Nov96, Vol
45、. 62 Issue 3, p23, 4p. Is the reported decline in public education quality largely a myth? By: Berliner, David C.; Stedman, Lawrence C.; CQ Researcher, 7/26/96, Vol. 6 Issue 28, p665, 1p.By the numbers: Ideal high school size found to be 600 to 900. By: Berliner, David C.; Education Week, 4/24/96, V
46、ol. 15 Issue 31, p10, 3/5p.Program evaluation. By: Berliner, David C.; Educational Administration Abstracts, Oct93, Vol. 28 Issue 4, p498, 1/2p.International comparisons of student achievement. By: Berliner, David C.; National Forum, Fall93, Vol. 73 Issue 4, p25, 5p. Mythology and the American syste
47、m of education. By: Berliner, David C.; Phi Delta Kappan, Apr93, Vol. 74 Issue 8, p632, 8p.For Bruce J. Biddle:Funding in the United States. By: Biddle, Bruce J.; Berliner, David C.; Educational Leadership, May2002, Vol. 59 Issue 8, p49, 11p. Small Class Size and Its Effects. By: Biddle, Bruce J.; B
48、erliner, David C.; Educational Leadership, Feb2002, Vol. 59 Issue 5, p12, 12p. The Awful Alliance of the MEDIA and PUBLIC-SCHOOL CRITICS. By: Berliner, David C.; Biddle, Bruce J.; Education Digest, Jan99, Vol. 64 Issue 5, p4, 7p. Book reviews. By: BIDDLE, BRUCE J.; Teachers College Record, Winter98, Vol. 100 Issue 2, p454, 7p. Standards, accountability, and school reform: Perils and pitfalls. By: Sheldon, Kennon M.; Biddle, Bruce J.; Teachers College Record, Fall98, Vol. 100 Issue 1, p164, 17p. Foolishness, dangerous nonsense, and real correlates of state differences in achievement. By: Bi
