Since the 1950s, educational literature has explored the potential of translating art criticism into classroom practices. This eventually led to the emergence of educational criticism as a distinctive form of inquiry in the 1970s. However, despite its potential for exploring educational experiences and evaluating educational programs, educational…

Presents six criteria for curriculum theorizing in an attempt to help develop normative curriculum theories. (MD)

How best to prepare beginning tachers and what is meant by an adequately prepared teacher are issues that directly influence the structure and practice of teacher preparation programs. A critical review of recent research (1978-1988) on social studies methods classes, examined those with a focus on overall course design and those that focus on a…

The project staff for "Teaching Parents to Be the Primary Sexuality Educators of Their Children" designed and implemented a curriculum for use with diverse parent groups and evaluated the impact of the course. This report on the results of the evaluation includes: (1) a review of studies of the content and impact of parent-child communication…

Describes the evaluation and revision of the O-level Nuffield chemistry student and teacher curriculum materials. Includes a discussion of the rationale for the evaluation process and the methodology used. (JN)

Contends that the Commission on Graduate Education in Economics report addresses issues related to doctoral programs but does not provide information on master's degree programs. Reports on a study of 123 colleges offering master's degrees in economics. Finds a surprising lack of variation among the programs. (CFR)

Discusses increased numbers of undergraduate psychology majors and strategies to reduce them. Proposes a prediction model based on the grade point average of graduating psychology students. Concludes that student performance in introductory psychology courses may provide one predictive measure of later achievement. (CFR)

The effectiveness of strategies employed by colleges and universities to reverse a trend of declining enrollment was studied. A comparison was undertaken of 59 institutions that were successful (S) and 54 institutions that were unsuccessful (U) in reversing enrollment decline. In addition to questionnaire response data, extensive demographic data…

The Learning in Science Project (Primary)--LISP(P)--was designed to examine problems and difficulties in primary science and to explore ways of overcoming these problems. Early research led to a proposal that children's questions and explanations could form the basis of an alternative teaching approach. However, several issues were raised which…

This paper illuminates the physiological, socio-cultural, and linguistic obstacles which occur due to the interaction between American Indian cultures and the Anglo educational system and which make the identification of gifted and talented American Indian children difficult. It demonstrates the need for more culturally appropriate ways of…

The National Center for Research in Vocational Education (NCRVE) was consulted to improve the formative evaluation design for the Principles of Technology (PT) curriculum materials developed by the Center for Occupational Research and Development (CORD) and the Agency for Instructional Technology (AIT). Because the NCRVE entered the formative…

A number of changes have been made in student assessment at the University of Montana School of Law, in an attempt to assess elements of student performance as well as knowledge level. Within the educational goal of blending legal theory and practical skills, practicing lawyers were surveyed about what a good lawyer should be able to do and should…

This paper traces the evolution of curriculum reform in Mississippi from a state level, norm-referenced accountability system to a performance-based, centralized accreditation system that integrates instructional management requirements into improvement standards. Accountability legislation has primarily been concerned with quality of student…