Examines treatment of the United States in social studies textbooks used in the USSR, as reported by the US/USSR Textbook Study Project. Identifies major problems, including ideological bias, adequate coverage, balance of treatment, factual errors, distortion and bias by undue emphasis, omission of important details, and dependence on outdated…

Stresses the importance of critical reading skills for high school students in social studies courses. Suggests that educators develop social studies materials dealing with critical reading and that they undertake research to develop better methods of instruction in critical reading. (DB)

Problems in textbook content and teaching methods that need to be dealt with include excessive emphasis on conflict as a societal change agent, the supremacy of individual rights, "humanizing" historical figures, the inadequacies of American society, and gimmickry in social studies methodology. (JR)

Discusses the results of several studies which evaluated how Africa was and is presented in elementary and secondary social studies textbooks. In the past five years, the coverage given to Africa has increased in quantity and quality. However, major new problems have arisen. (RM)

Social studies textbooks of the 1930's frequently accepted the changing times and the new world leadership without criticism. Textbooks downplayed the Depression, took an uncritical approach towards Roosevelt, and showed relative neutrality toward European totalitarianism. Political, social, and cultural reasons for these attitudes are explained.…

To support the hypothesis that much misinformation and many stereotypic attitudes are presented about Africa to elementary school pupils, the article analyzes 10 readers for African content and assesses effects of an African content intervention strategy on elementary school students. (DB)

Suggestions are given for teaching students to be constructive, critical assessors of presidential decision making. The "benign leader" image presented in traditional textbooks is criticized, and a decision-making model and source materials are suggested for guiding students' discussions. (AV)

A person considering a textbook for possible adoption should consider the following questions: does the textbook include sufficient information on important females; does the textbook deal adequately with women's issues; do the photographs and illustrations in the textbook deal effectively with women; and does the textbook contain sexist language.…

Discusses the influence of textbooks on student attitudes and the right of parents to participate in textbook selection. Controversy over parental participation in one school system is described. (Author/DB)

A Texas panel created by People for the American Way found that the majority of U.S. history textbooks reviewed represented a significant improvement over history books of the past. However, current books are not without problems, e.g., uneven coverage of minorities and weak treatment of religion as a force in history. (RM)

A content analysis of secondary U.S. history textbooks revealed that texts do include discussions of women. However, the emphasis is usually on female contributions that are an extension of women's nurturing role within the family or that are supportive of male activities. Eleanor Roosevelt is the most featured woman. (RM)

Introduces a cooperative project undertaken by the USSR Ministry of Education and by various educational institutions in the United States to assess what youth in each country learn about the other country from geography and history textbooks. The objective was to minimize misinformation. (DB)

Evaluates the coverage of the Korean War in 12 high school history textbooks. Lists the books, and reviews the coverage of each in the areas of: total coverage and illustrations; Korean war background; causes of the War; the Truman response; waging the War; the Truman-MacArthur controversy; and the results of the War. (GG)

Discusses teaching about Christopher Columbus and the contact between the Americas and the Old World. Suggests that most history texts are correct in the information they include but leave much out. Describes a museum exhibit focusing on disease, corn, the potato, the horse, and sugar as agents of change resulting from the Columbian contact. (DK)