A major reason for the public's concern about curriculum and instruction at all levels of education has evolved because of the serious decline in student academic achievement. After two decades of innovation in teaching styles there are increasing complaints about academic grade inflation, functional illiteracy, and student inability to read,…

The downward trend in educational quality, as evidenced by sinking Scholastic Aptitude Test scores and other evaluatory measures, is examined. Both secondary school teachers and university faculty are held accountable for lowering academic standards, and much critical attention is paid to the precipitant implementation of innovative educational…

Reports from the popular media indicate that the public is demanding a return to the teaching of basic skills, instead of supporting educational innovations which emphasize affective rather than cognitive objectives. Concerned with declining academic achievement at all levels of education and with the inadequate job skills of high school…