Discusses and presents data from an examination of coverage and treatment of Native Americans in 20 secondary United States history textbooks published in the 1970s. Findings indicate that publishers are moving away from the more established historical interpretations of U.S. history and including content which promotes multiethnic education. (DB)

A framework to be used in text selection is set out as a series of questions, divided into five broad groups. The author uses the framework to analyze four texts. (MK)

Discusses 11 documents indexed in the ERIC system dealing with course organization, adolescent literature, course guides, unit plans, and ethnic studies, as these documents relate to multitext teaching. (DD)

Shows how a technique taken from the world of management can be used for selecting textbooks in such a way that involves everyone on a teaching team. Shows how selection criteria can be established and weighed, and how coursebooks can be selected using these criteria. (11 references) (Author/CK)

Presents a study that reviewed introductory psychology textbooks to examine the perception of extensive similarity. Focuses on six dimensions: (1) chapter topics, organization, and extent of topic coverage; (2) core concepts and key terms; (3) pedagogical aids and data graphs; (4) critical-thinking programs; (5) reference citations; and (6) level…

Describes how the Freshman English curriculum at Ramapo College was altered to include works by non-Western authors. Focuses on problems teachers faced in choosing texts and becoming familiar with new bodies of literature in a short period of time. Reports that students enjoyed their experiences in reading and writing about non-Western literature.…

The selection of an elementary-level reading series in a small California town caused a divisive backlash from some parents who are claiming their rights to supervise their children's reading material. The controversy is reported through excerpts from interviews with representatives from both sides of the issue. (JD)

Contends that, because of rising textbook costs and related factors, many college psychology teachers are interested in paperback textbooks. Reports on a review of 11 psychology textbooks. Includes 4 tables of comparison data and a list of the 11 texts used in the study. (CFR)

Finds that state-level textbook adoption committee members reported four major unresolved reading issues: (1) assessment of students' reading progress; (2) whole language versus basal approaches; (3) ability grouping; and (4) use of tradebooks in place of basals. Suggests that the members may lack sufficient specific knowledge of the issues to…

The author discusses with Charlotte Crabtree, principal author of the California History Social Science Framework, the place of history within the curriculum in the context of recent social studies curriculum reforms. Delineates how multiculturalism, religion, and history are treated in the framework. Describes the textbook selection process and…

A technique is presented for evaluating textbooks, using graphic organizers to represent textbook material so that it can be evaluated according to familiarity, interest, and structural coherence. Two sixth-grade social studies textbooks are graphically represented, and suggestions on using the technique are offered to publishers, state adopters,…

The accuracy of 210 college undergraduates' judgments of the relative learnability of original (Army training manuals) and rewritten (war or cultural histories) versions of 20 pairs of texts of known difficulty was studied. Students were 95 percent accurate in their judgments of learnability. Implications for college textbook selection are…

Examines the negative implications of special interest group influence on the selection of textbook content for public school students. Suggests guidelines for altering the textbook adoption process to reduce the domination of public testimony by interest groups. Argues that limiting students to one view is not conducive to critical thinking and…

This article reflects on others serialized in the same publication and the general call for a scientific pedagogy in curriculum development around the field of learning disabilities. Curriculum design, textbook adoption processes, and ongoing curriculum alignment are discussed in terms of scientific pedagogy in general and sameness analysis in…

Reports on a study trip by 13 U.S. social studies educators and publishers to Japan. Compares development, marketing, and selection of textbooks in the United States and Japan. Concludes that both nations should improve textbooks and textbook selection processes. (CFR)