A pioneering book about everything

It is important for academics in any country to have access to a publication that contains information on all spheres of knowledge. Poland, for example, already has seven unique publications like this. In contrast, Ukraine only has one, the Encyclopedia of Education , but this new book has already triggered a veritable celebration among our academics. This is the first publication that explains concepts in various fields of education, and the online and multi-volume versions of the encyclopedia are already in the works.

Ukrainian scholars are proud of the fact that they managed to prepare a publication of this magnitude within a short span of time - in just two years. The encyclopedia entries were written by 290 scholars from every part of Ukraine. In addition to entries on teaching, psychology, philosophy, and other classic sciences, the encyclopedia offers information on the history of museums, penitentiary methods, libraries, remedial education, and even child rearing. This publication is accessible not only to academics but also to educators, students, and pupils. During the preparation of the articles, the authors drew on the experience of 24 countries.

The main problem is the small print run. There are only 3,000 copies, which must be sent to over 20,000 Ukrainian schools, institutions of higher education, and libraries. According to Vasyl Kremen, president of the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine, only libraries have received free copies of the encyclopedia.

“The publication of the Encyclopedia of Education is an important step in the development of scholarly research in Ukraine,” said deputy editor-in-chief Oleksandra Savchenko. “It is a review of contemporary education. In the past few years information technologies have been developing at a frantic pace, giving rise to a host of new terms and concepts that require scholarly explication. This is the task that the Encyclopedia of Education is intended to fulfill. Our book also allows one to compare the contents of previous Ukrainian encyclopedias with current ones. Our publication is not just a folio or a collection of terms and concepts. It is a glance at the past, present, and future of Ukrainian education.”

A distinguishing feature of the encyclopedia is that every article is signed by its author. Olena Onets, head of the Association of School Principals of Ukraine and one of the first users of the publication, is convinced that readers should know the names of those scholars who are working for the benefit of Ukrainian education. The encyclopedia is well designed, which is very important for schoolchildren, the youngest category of potential users. One could list many other virtues of this groundbreaking publication. But its editors are urging readers not to delay but begin using it in order to get their bearings in the modern information world.