The recently released New Zealand Curriculum Draft for Consultation (Ministry of Education 2006a) sets out the Government's expectations of what school students should be able to achieve by the time they leave school. The writers explore the vision and intentions of the New Zealand Curriculum Draft, to prepare students for the future, within the…

This paper reports on an investigation into the quality of the learning experiences for 4-5-year-old children in Northern Ireland schools in the context of the debate about play-based and formal approaches to learning and teaching. Detailed observations were carried out in 70 Year 1 classes: 38 in traditional Year 1 classes where the Northern…

This guide complements the two other social studies documents at the Senior 4 level for the social studies curriculum sequence for schools in Manitoba, Canada. The primary focus of this document is to explore the impact made by significant historical developments, movements, and individuals that shaped and influenced Western Civilization…

The institutional view of literature in the National Curriculum of Great Britain shows a dramatic belittlement in its revised version. It lacks a coherent literary or pedagogical rationale and substitutes a functional one in which over-simplification purports to be clarification. The institution is primarily concerned to define English literary…

Perceptions vary between researchers and the British government as to the adequacy of initial teacher education in England and Wales. Based on the data from the Modes of Teacher Education (MOTE) project the researchers find a higher level of satisfaction from teachers than that claimed by the government. The MOTE project studied the origins,…

The purpose of this annual publication is to report, evaluate, encourage, and help guide progress in Environmental Education (EE) in the United Kingdom and to provide information on important initiatives and comparative international developments. Issues and priorities are identified with an emphasis on current EE philosophy rather than practice…

Data from a larger study reveals how policy-directed change is perceived and experienced by teachers and pupils in early years of primary school in England between 1990 and 1993. Data from PACE: Primary Assessment, Curriculum and Experience, a study of educational change under reform of the National Curriculum, included interviews with 94 teachers…

With the advent of the British National Curriculum, computer-based modeling has become an integral part of the school curriculum. This book is about modeling in education and providing children with computer tools to create and explore representations of the world. Members of the London Mental Models Group contributed their research: (1)…

This report, the second of two follow-up studies, compares time usage of 105 infant teachers in England and Wales with the workloads of teachers surveyed in 1990 (the pilot study) and 1991. The report presents findings about the nature of the sample, working conditions, and teacher perceptions; time spent on work overall and time spent on…

The program for City Technical Colleges (CTCs) draws on ideas and resources from government, private industry, and education to focus on the educational needs of inner city and urban children. Mathematics, science, and technology are at the center of the CTCs' mission, in a context which includes economic awareness and a commitment to enterprise…

The experience of an elementary school implementing the Touchstones Program--an approach to assessment within the proposed National Curriculum (NC) in England--is described, after which teacher reaction to the NC and fundamental beliefs about the nature of education are considered. The Touchstones assessment consist of 10 cross-curricular group…

This book aims to: (1) provide information that sets places of worship in their religious, historical and social contexts; (2) explore interdisciplinary links; and (3) offers ideas for study, projects, and follow-up work. "Church" is a word with two senses: a body of believers and a building where people worship. This book is about the…

This handbook aims to help teachers use archaeological remains and historical evidence in and around Colchester (England). Investigations supplement studies at Key Stages 2 and 3 of the British National Curriculum and can also be used for cross-curricular topics. The book contains suggestions for work on the town walls, the British site at…

This handbook aims to: (1) introduce teachers and pupils to Charles Darwin, his life and work at Down House, his voyage on the Beagle, and his evolutionary theory; (2) set his ideas within the wider context of the 19th century; (3) link the subject areas to the British National Curriculum, particularly in history, science, and English at various…

This study examined the classroom experiences of teachers and pupils in 12 primary schools in Scotland. In each school, researchers spent a week with one class, observing the teachers and six target pupils selected to represent the ability range within the class. Through interviews with teachers and pupils, the researchers aimed to identify the…