Criticizes the prevalence of trivial and noninformative content in two primary grade social studies expanding environment textbook series. Extends earlier study, adding three additional analytical categories to its framework. To teach citizenship effectively, recommends (1) eliminating redundant, superfluous, and text-inappropriate content; (2)…

Asserts that student attitudes toward history textbooks are important because the perceptions may affect how much or how well they learn. Describes how 17 11th-grade U.S. history students evaluated their textbook. Found that 71% of the students perceived the book to be a presentation of knowledge. (CFR)

Reports on the treatment of the Progressive Era of U.S. history in eight college-level introductory history textbooks. Finds that text authors are divided into two groups: the "unitarians," who portray the progressives as a homogeneous, purposeful phenomenon; and the "pluralists," who focus on Progressivism's varieties,…

The first essay in this publication reports on an assessment of the way Asian culture is portrayed in nearly 300 textbooks in common use in the United States. The assessment revealed that the texts fail to represent Asia fairly; the most serious problems are the underlying, purely Western yardsticks with which the majority of the texts approach…

Some educators, especially those engaged in minority studies, are historically disenchanted with textbooks. They have sought alternative sources of information in multimedia. To test the effectiveness of a multimedia approach to change students' attitudes and increase factual knowledge, the Lawrence, Kansas, schools designed an experiment to…

Discusses the cursory treatment of Mexican Americans and Mexican American History in United States History textbooks and classrooms. Identifies instructional methods useful in engaging student interest. Argues that the present inadequacies of education and educational tools in this area perpetuate existing stereotypes and contribute to cultural…

Reviews five composition textbooks, assessing their attempts to integrate the reading and writing processes through literature and composition. Examines the textbooks' theoretical instantiation and notes their lack of success in achieving the reading/writing connection. (MM)

Discusses U.S./USSR Textbook Study Project and the concerns of its director, Howard Mehlinger. Among the criticisms of Soviet treatment of U.S. history are the overriding ideological biases and the inadequate coverage of such topics as political parties and reform movements. Among Soviet complaints are stereotypes of economic underdevelopment and…

Noting that textbooks in the United States contain misleading, inaccurate, and biased information on South Africa, this article provides an annotated bibliography of elementary and secondary curriculum materials which may be used to provide a more balanced and accurate treatment of South Africa. (JDH)

Frances FitzGerald's critique of American social studies and history curricula in "America Revised" is reviewed. The conclusion drawn is that censorship, special interests, and marketability exercise too great an influence on the textbook industry. (JMF)

Content analysis of American government textbooks published in the post-McCarthy and post-Watergate eras demonstrates that, although underlying interpretations of constitutional issues remained constant, the overall textbook presentations shifted. This finding highlights the danger of overemphasizing current events, distorting overall presentation…

Traces the history of ethnocentrism in European education, contending that ethnocentrism is on the rise. Discusses the reasons for the resurgence of nationalism, citing textbook research and public opinion surveys revealing the existence of ethnocentrism. Focuses on ethnocentrism in history and literature and concludes with a discussion of…

Delineates bicultural and multicultural settings that can enhance meaning in teaching and acquiring anthropological insights and addresses the underlying assumptions that dispel rather than reinforce ethnic biases. Examines contributions or impediments that standard anthropological texts and ethnographic materials bring to the experience of…

Using content analysis, presents a study of 14 U.S. history textbooks. Analyzes textbook treatment of the Declaration of Independence, the atomic bomb, and the Holocaust. Examines nontextual materials. Finds errors of omission, boring writing styles, and a basic similarity between the textbooks. (RW)

An analysis of 50 textbooks used in the elementary schools of the former Belgian Congo reveals an overt attempt to propagate colonial ideology. Fundamental themes included the legitimacy of the colonization, denigration of the indigenous culture, and establishment of colonial authority. Three books, however, resisted this indoctrination and one…