Describes the experience of a preschool teacher who allowed her students to create curriculum with her by sharing observations of natural phenomena and the learning process. Considers the importance of preparing the environment so that children feel they have ownership of the classroom and the materials, the role of both teacher and children as…

Examines competing and conflicting approaches to curriculum (using information from an ATLAS (Authentic Teaching, Learning, and Assessment of all Students) seminar study group that investigated differences in participants' approaches), describing the four sources of authority that shape curriculum decisions, discussing different balances of…

Two Dartmouth Medical School (New Hampshire) medical students and their faculty sponsor collaborated to develop an elective course in women's health. Development and implementation of this course and the process by which it was later made part of the required curriculum are described. The success of the effort highlights the crucial role students…

In recent years, schools have been moving away from centralized decision making, granting teachers the authority to determine course content. This book explores the concept of including students in curricular decision making. Chapter 1 explains why students at all grade levels should be involved in choosing topics of study. Educational research…

Cooperative learning is defined by an emphasis on positive interdependence among students to learn course materials, face-to-face interaction, individual accountability, the development of interpersonal and small group skills, and group processing of group functioning. In the last 10 years, lower-, upper-, and graduate-level psychology courses at…

This two-dimensional, action-oriented curriculum model for teaching geography at the secondary school level provides a rationale for implementing a student-structured, process-oriented curriculum. Two diagrammed models, which are general enough to represent any learning process, illustrate the ideas developed in the rationale and accompany each of…

Articulation remains a significant problem in language education as in education in general. The particular concern is that articulation is targeted toward programs and not toward learners. Specific language teaching methods, and use of more-uniform teaching materials and testing have been used to cope with the problem. However, a broader…

Argues that citizenship cannot be learned by reading textbooks, but instead is learned through daily interactions. States that the classroom, with its rules, authority, individuals, and groups, allows students to practice citizenship daily. Suggests that instruction focus on immediate student concerns and identifies strategies for connecting…

This guide describes step-by-step the decisions necessary for designing a curriculum for learning world languages. There are eight chapters in four parts. Part 1, "Creating Curriculum," includes: (1) "Introduction to Wisconsin's Standards for Learning World Languages" (e.g., the vision of Wisconsin's standards); (2)…

Today's biology teachers are confronted with many challenges as they endeavour to maintain or improve the quality of their courses. Increasing enrollments, decreasing budgets, environmental considerations, student concerns, and curriculum changes often necessitate change. Providing a quality laboratory experience under such constraints is…

This paper analyzes a proposal for integrating computer literacy into undergraduate level philosophy study at the National Taiwan University and suggests definitions and curriculum formats. The paper proposes a new definition of language and a multi-dimensional definition of computer literacy. These are then applied to the undergraduate education…

A rationale is developed for a training program in social action. The educational objective, to increase students' ability to exert influence in public affairs, is defined and justified. Justification is based on theories of the nature of democracy, the nature of morality, and the nature of psychological growth. The proposed social action…

Curriculum integration has long been proposed as a way of organizing the "common learnings" or life skills considered essential for all citizens in a democracy. Curriculum is organized around real-life problems and issues significant to both young people and adults, applying pertinent content and skills from many subject areas or…

In 1995, the Lexington County, South Carolina School District 2 began implementing their "Technology Task Force Position Statement" for effectively incorporating technology into the curriculum. This transformed Springdale Elementary School's computer ownership from a few Apple II-E computers for the entire school to one with as many as…

Notes that to be considered literate in the age of information demands functional, academic, critical, and technological skills. Contends that technology must become an integral part of English as a Second Language (ESL) courses. Describes how to use the Internet as part of a sustained content-based pedagogy to develop ESL students' literacy…