The eight books examined in this study were the most recent editions of: Observing People and Places; Exploring Our Needs; At Home in Our Land; The Social Sciences: Concepts and Values; Communities and Social Needs; Learning About Communities: One Plus One; Investigating Man's World: Local Studies; and, Communities and their Needs. A group of six…

Directed toward media specialists and social studies teachers, this article outlines a selection process and evaluation criteria for print and nonprint social studies materials. (SJL)

Seven articles comprise an overview of social studies teaching in Indiana. Content includes a definition of the social studies, applications of Indiana law to social studies, textbook adoption procedures, K-12 curriculum trends, state organizations related to social studies, print and media resources, and suggestions for finding teaching jobs in…

This study explored the relationship between attributes of innovative social studies materials and school administrator's attitudes towards and adoption of these materials. Attributes which were studied included relative advantage, compatibility, observability, trialability, observable benefits and investment requirements. (Author/AV)

Examination of six approved biology textbooks indicates that not all the texts deal adequately with bioethical issues. A table of 25 bioethical issues and the pages on which they are discussed in each textbook is given. Suggests that scientific literacy includes the ability to apply science to relevant life situations. (MA)

Provides information concerning the development and use of the Textbook Questioning Strategies Assessment Instrument (TQSAI). (CP)

Asserts that the move to create more challenging textbooks abandons the lower-ability students, resulting in high dropout rates. Cautions that all students will not naturally gravitate toward higher academic levels simply because standards and expectations are upgraded. (MM)

Outlines the inadequacies of conventional curriculum guides. The emerging emphasis on the use of curriculum alignment is presented as a promising alternative with four major advantages: (1) local control of the curriculum, (2) textbook adoption by local needs, (3) better pupil achievement, and (4) simpler curriculum monitoring. Includes a…

Discusses the nature of mathematical induction and what constitutes a correct proof by this method and common misconceptions of induction with recommendations for their remediation. The topic is also analyzed into behavioral skills and subjected to a conceptual analysis. Criteria for analyzing and evaluating textbook treatment of induction are…

An objective index-based textbook evaluation method that can be reliably applied to large collections of introductory textbooks is described. The method was designed to help teachers reduce the pool of available introductory texts to a manageable number for more in-depth treatments. Dimensions assessed were key concepts and major theorists…

How relevant are some textbooks when professors, even in the same department, teach similar courses in different ways? Are there methods by which textbook companies can receive realistic, substantive feedback concerning the quality of communication textbook offerings? This paper details the methods by which its author/educator became a textbook…

Good citizens need good communication skills, and the task is left to departments of communication to give students the communicative skills they need to take part effectively in a participative democracy. This paper presents a short discussion of the pedagogical issue that is of supreme importance for the citizens of democracies--the issue of how…

Too frequently textbooks used in class are criticized heavily by educators. In and of itself, a textbook is neither good nor bad. If the text has been carefully chosen, there may be reasons for criticizing its use. Textbooks should always be carefully evaluated when new basals are chosen so that the very best one(s) are selected for a class.…

Presents an annotated list of textbooks in a number of vocational content areas and includes the readability level of each text. (TO)