Initiatives for outdoor education have gained popularity because of their capacity to boost teacher well-being, foster better mental health in instructors, and enrich the learning environment for students. We demonstrate the influence that outside education programs have on the achievement of students and how they create a vivid tapestry of…

This report presents topics addressed at the December 2000 seminar on Capacity-Building for Curriculum Specialists from East and South-East Asia. Part 1, "Rethinking the Framework and the Capacities Needed for Curriculum Reform," gives some perspectives on trends and issues in curriculum change for the 21st century, both internationally…

This two-part document serves as a guide to basic materials on Asia. The first part provides the teacher of Asian studies with nonserial examples of pertinent professional materials and reference books in print since 1979. Criteria used in selecting the items are given and a brief comparison between materials available in 1969 and 1985 is made.…

Two recent visitors to the People's Republic of China report on dramatic changes in that nation's educational system. Besides experiencing some student problems similar to those in the U.S. (such as disobedience, early maturity, and reluctance to attend school), China faces the major problems confronting any Third World nation emerging in a…

Describes kites and kite flying in different countries and throughout history, including the New York Kite Festival. Notes that principles governing kite behavior control the flight of airplanes. (MH)

Describes the Mang Kung Dice Game, popular in China, which uses six special dice. Discusses the probability distribution of possible outcomes. Poses questions about the game to help students understand statistical concepts. (MKR)

These 33 lesson plans were designed to accompany "Contemporary China: A Teaching Workbook," a collection of class activities, primary source selections, student readings, and role-play exercises. The lesson plans are based primarily on materials in the "Workbook," although materials from other sources also are recommended. Some…

This document, designed to introduce all ages to a selection of popular Chinese games, describes these games and provides instructions and materials for making the items needed to play most of them. Section 1 suggests class activities that can be related to some of the games. Section 2 presents instructions for the physical or outdoor games of:…

American students perform poorly in mathematics compared to their peers in other countries, especially Japan and China. This article examines underlying causes for these deficiencies, including American complacency (in contrast to Asian diligence) and differing educational practices and expectation levels. Includes four references. (MLH)

This resource handbook for educators is divided into three broad sections: "Curricular Ideas and Support Materials"; "About Tibet"; and "Suggested Sources for the Study of Tibet." The handbook's first section, "Curricular Ideas and Support Materials," contains the following subdivisions: "Thematic…

Examines how ancient Chinese mathematicians attempted to correct an error concerning the volume of a sphere in the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art, a compendium of the mathematics known and used in China in ancient times. (MKR)

Teaching about countries and regions of Asia is the topic of this annotated bibliography. The following kinds and amounts of materials are cited: (1) 11 citations from "Resources in Education" (RIE); (2) 13 citations from "Current Index to Journals in Education" (CIJE); (3) 22 commercially available "Student and Teacher…

Overviews a section in the same "Educational Leadership" issue on improving teaching productivity. Highlights Harold Stevenson's article comparing mathematics education in the U.S., China, and Japan and Bruce Joyce's summary and analysis of the research literature on effective instructional strategies. (MLH)

Reviews current Asian educational systems, pointing out that comparison with the United States system is not possible. The educational systems reflect the societies' needs, which differ from culture to culture. (MD)

Provided are the full texts of the teaching outlines for each of the five new political courses established by the Chinese Ministry of Education in the secondary school grades. Also included are articles from a new Chinese journal "Teaching of Secondary School Politics Course." (RM)