Portland State University has made integration of sustainability across its academic programs an institutional priority. This article describes the strategies that have been used to engage faculty in developing sustainability curricula, including adopting sustainability as one of eight campus-wide learning outcomes, incorporating sustainability…

While much discussion about student success as it relates to access, equity, and underpreparedness at the collegiate level is taking place nationally and statewide, a strong and specific concern prompted some of the faculty at Pasadena City College (PCC), a large urban community college located northeast of downtown Los Angeles, to address the…

Illustrates that teachers in Great Britain select ideas from a set of traditional ecological values, theories, and practices originally developed for rural, not urban, environments. Presents an alternative conceptual and theoretical approach. Contains 51 references. (DDR)

The emerging field of urban ecology has the potential to engage urban youth in the practices of scientists by studying a locally relevant environmental problem. To this end, we are developing curriculum modules designed to engage students in learning science through the use of emerging information technology. In this paper, we describe the impact…

Traces, through an autobiographical format, the development of a model for teaching urban studies in the primary grades which addresses eight different features including cognitive development, first hand experience, key concepts, and multidisciplinarity. Provides concrete examples of how the model may be used in practice. (DC)

Discusses a project in Barcelona (Spain) that is designed to assist teachers in preparing curricular materials that make use of the urban environment as a resource. Topics addressed include local authorities and education; the concept of the educating city; a model for analyzing the educating city; international programs; and future plans.…

It is time to free urban education from the standards of rural, agrarian America. Urban education must reflect modern family structures, utilize school buildings to a fuller extent, reflect more autonomy for schools in individual communities, and expand bilingual programs. In short, schools should become the new "settlement houses" for urban…

Examines, within the Geography Curriculum, the emphasis on rural settings in studying developing countries, and argues that such emphasis is conducive to racism. The authors argue that this emphasis is inappropriate when the largest cities are now present in these countries while Europe's cities are shrinking. A list of educational resources that…

Describes an instructional activity in which students collected and analyzed data from an urban environment. Explains that students developed an "urban attractiveness scale" and used it to rate different urban areas. Concludes that the exercise was effective as a learning activity. (CFR)