One of the greatest obstacles to mastery of science and other analytical genres in school is excessive curricular emphasis on reading and hearing those genres without practice at speaking and writing them. In science, the curriculum tends to insure that only students with privileged social and linguistic backgrounds master the genre structures…

Nine years after the 1973 oil embargo and the outpouring of educational materials and strategies developed in response to the energy crisis, the extent and content of energy education in the classroom were assessed. Seven thousand randomly selected teachers and principals were surveyed at the end of the 1981-82 school year (1000 each of elementary…

A project to adapt learning materials and provide support services for severely disabled persons 22-76 years old in Australia is described and evaluation data presented. Disabilities of the eight students included total blindness, severe physical disability, and partial deafness. Three courses were chosen for adaptation: "Images of…

The effects of the mandated quarter system and the expanded and revised high school curriculum were assessed in Austin, Texas, based upon achievement test scores, attendance records, and objectively collected opinion data in seven areas of concern. The seven decision questions which affected allocation of funds, personnel, time and material…

Outlines the school board policy and guidelines developed by the Fairfax County Public Schools for dealing with controversial issues. Discusses how to develop such guidelines and prepare staff for their implementation. Includes a sample form and a four-step review process. (MD)

This document reports on a study of two approaches to an analytical chemistry course: (1) a structured active learning approach; and (2) a step-by-step lecture style problem solving approach. The purpose of the study was to assess and compare the outcomes of these approaches. The data consisted of open-ended interviews with students, open-ended…

In Taiwan, the moral curriculum has been part of the elementary school curriculum for decades. The 1993 edition of the Taiwan curriculum standard has a new subject titled "Morality and Health" that integrates previous "Life and Ethics" and "Healthy Education" subjects. This study explored the curriculum-development…

The Catalyst project at Indiana University sought to increase awareness of research ethics questions among the faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates, and to develop and disseminate instructional materials. The participating departments were biology, history, and psychology, representing, respectively, the natural sciences, the humanities,…

The American Association of Community Colleges commissioned this study of remedial education in community colleges as a framework for describing context, generating discussion, and encouraging improvement. The study reviews current research about open-door policies, underprepared students, faculty, and remedial programs. It also argues that…

The purpose of this paper is to report on the progress of work done by the Consortium for Policy Research in Education on developing valid yet efficient measures of instructional content and its relationship to assessment and standards. The goal is to help develop new methodologies to assess the relationships between what is taught and what is…

Participant observation of an innovative art teacher's classroom technique suggested that, despite his popularity with students, this teacher did not fully engage his students' attention. His attempt at using cognitive dissonance to bring about attitudinal change in the classroom left many students baffled despite the effort expended to involve…

Training programs for college administrators in New Zealand, Canada, and the United States are evaluated for their design and content. Among the observations: traditionalism predominates; a perennial dichotomy of theory v practice exists; program strength is in staff quality; interpersonal competence is not adequately addressed. (MSE)

Reports on results from 260 aerospace engineers and scientists in United States, Europe, and Japan regarding their opinions about professional importance of technical communications; generation and utilization of technical communications; and relevant content of an undergraduate course in technical communications. The fields of cryogenics,…

Discusses the use of Total Quality Management (TQM) in education and describes the use of a database management system to evaluate and monitor university course effectiveness. Principles of TQM and feedback from students, faculty, administration, alumni, and employers to monitor the content and structure of various courses are included. (13…

Discusses objects, methods of instruction, content, and accomplishments of the undergraduate major in economics. Recommends a strong introductory sequence stressing application of economic tools, rigorous intermediate theory courses, background courses in quantitative methods, and a minimum of five economics electives. Suggests synthesis through a…