This monograph describes and analyzes recent efforts to develop measurable units for human services in the social services and mental health services areas. The issues surrounding the "unit of service" are examined along with the problems encountered by the system designer or information user in past projects, and some of today's more…

Discusses the California History/Social Science Standards that organize historical and social science skills into three different categories: (1) chronological thinking; (2) research, evidence, and point of view; and (3) historical interpretation. Addresses the year-long planning guide and includes two worksheets, one for year-long planning and…

Examines common sources of error for scholars using mission registers to study California Indian history. Draws examples from mission register studies of the Chumash tribe to illustrate problems resulting from missing entries, name changes, linguistic errors, and cross-cultural confusion about naming taboos and kin relationships. Contains 34…

Offers excerpts from a California State Education Department publication on curriculum reform ("It's Elementary!") that describes what elementary school students should be learning in subject areas and highlights character education. The subject areas covered are language arts, mathematics, history-social science, and science. (JB)

A recent study compared hands-on scientific inquiry assessment to assessments involving lab notebooks, computer simulations, short-answer paper-and-pencil problems, and multiple-choice questions. Creating high quality performance assessments is a costly, time-consuming process requiring considerable scientific and technological know-how. Improved…

Describes historical precedents and current trends in the incorporation of gardening into the school curriculum in South Carolina and California. In these outdoor classrooms, children plan and implement specific projects related to nutrition, environmental awareness, and community beautification, as well as an appreciation for nature. (SAS)

In matrix teaching, teachers utilize elements of cooperative learning and project-based learning, but all students are held responsible for their own final products. A hypothetical story illustrates a worst-case scenario for cooperative learning, then the story is analyzed for its difficulties. Offers strategies for avoiding ineffectual group work…

Santa Clara University's Robotic Systems Laboratory conducts an aggressive robotic development and operations program in which interdisciplinary teams of undergraduate students build and deploy a wide range of robotic systems, ranging from underwater vehicles to spacecraft. These year-long projects expose students to the breadth of and…

This article looks at how behavioral research can be an effective tool to use during the redesign process of university plazas. It also summarizes the research that was conducted at University Union Plaza at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), a 30-year-old plaza that is scheduled to be redesigned. Through the use of behavioral…

Two-thirds of schoolchildren in America attend class in states with mediocre (or worse) expectations for what their students should learn. That's just one of the findings of Fordham's The State of State Standards 2006, which evaluates state academic standards. The average state grade is a "C-minus"--the same as six years earlier, even…

An educational ePortfolio usually contains work that a student has collected, reflected, designed, and published to demonstrate personal learning and growth over time. However, previous studies have shown that traditional ePortfolio systems lack flexibility, peer review, and group collaboration. Without these features, ePortfolios do not have the…

This guide is intended to assist California educators responsible for implementing the state's K-8 history-social science curriculum and provide practical ideas for bringing this curriculum into alignment with the History-Social Science Framework for California Public Schools, Kindergarten through Grade Twelve. The guide puts forth 10 principles…

This field guide gives pictures and descriptions of plants that can be found along the San Francisco Bayshore, especially along the Hayward shoreline. The plants are divided into three categories, those of the mud-flat zone, the drier zone, and the levee zone. Eighteen plants are represented in all. The guide is designed to be used alone, with an…

Project MER (Marine Ecology Research) is aimed at improving environmental education in the San Francisco Bay Area schools. As part of meeting this goal, it is hoped that students and teachers can see the results of their efforts being put to practical use. This guide is the first of a series produced to help the students and teachers gather data…

Community services programs for the Foothill Community College District are described and statistics indicating their level of activity for 1970-71 are presented. This progress report also includes a 5-year budget projection and future program plans. The recreation program includes structured and unstructured athletic and recreational events. A…