The author argues for English schools to develop a common five-year secondary curriculum for all their pupils, insisting that, under the current "optional" system, pupil freedom of program choice is in fact illusory, especially for lower ability students. (Editor/SJL)

Noting that the change to comprehensive secondary schools in Britain has not been accompanied by a rethinking of the former divided curriculum, the author presents a model for a compulsory core curriculum for all secondary students through the fifth year. (SJL)

Highlights and criticizes changes in the traditional core curriculum during the 1960s and 1970s. Points to weaknesses in the current "return to basics" trend infiltrating core curricula. Calls for a clearer definition of undergraduate curriculum goals and the adoption of guidelines in order to eliminate the formlessness of the current system. (CAM)

Several major trends in legal curriculum innovation in the last 30 years are considered, and it is suggested that each raises recurring and occasionally elusive problems in legal philosophy. Among the issues addressed are: compulsory and elective courses, "law and..." courses, the case method, the litigation hypothetical method, and law…

This discussion on the merits of requiring four years of general education studies for prospective teachers focuses on the philosophical ingredients of liberal arts courses. One, perennialism, advocates students learning content from great minds of the past. The other, essentialism, emphasizes that basic subject matter can be identified and taught…

Outlining procedures involved in arriving at a newly adopted curriculum for the Oak Park, Illinois, high school of which he is the associate principal in charge of instruction, the author argues the importance of developing a comprehensive vision of educational priorities before considering specific curricular components. (JBM)

The library's role in modern society is analyzed and implications for library and information science education are stated. Drawing upon recommendations of key professionals, a program is delineated including undergraduate preparation for librarianship and instructional objectives for required professional courses; elective courses are suggested.…

Reveals the dangers of the unchecked proliferation of special interest courses; e.g., overlap of course content with established offerings; ignoring major aspects of a subject in favor of minor aspects and failure to gain a comprehensive understanding; conflicting credit-granting policies; and needless competition with area schools. (AYC)

The New Jersey Education Association feels that the state proposal to set minimum graduation competencies would reduce the range of high school course offerings, erode local control of schools, and limit student opportunity. A text of the proposed state regulation is included. (SJL)

The five chapters in this monograph discuss current issues in general education. Chapter I examines the weakness of general education programming, comparing general education to a spare room that has no agreed upon function. Chapter II notes the recent surge of interest in general education; examines the variety of social and educational problems…

Arguing that recent proposals for educational reform will at best only patch up the present system without bringing about the fundamental changes necessary, the author outlines a new design dividing up American schooling into two components: (1) a required core of basic education courses and (2) elective community education courses. (JBM)

Suggests that most current college English curricula, consisting largely of required survey courses, traditional electives, and new elective courses in subjects such as film and science fiction, do not appear to students to be coherent or to meet their needs. Offers two alternative curricula: one based on knowledge of alternative worlds, the other…

Eight recommendations for school mathematics in the 1980s are given. These are based partially on results from mathematical assessments and other studies, and are intended to launch a decade of action in mathematics education. For each of the following recommendations, the document includes a short commentary and a series of recommended actions to…

Reviews curriculum reform being implemented at the Library School of Stuttgart for students planning to work in public libraries. Components of the new curriculum include core courses in library science, electives in special areas of librarianship, seminars in chosen subject disciplines, and field work in libraries and government agencies. (LRW)

The U.S. public high school should return to a core curriculum which is defined as a broad consensus on the basic information and skills to which most young students should have been exposed by the time they graduate from high school. The duty of educators is to teach the skills and general information that enable educated persons to continue…