This volume assembles essays addressing the recurring question of the "subject," understood both as human person and school subject, thereby elaborating the subjective and disciplinary character of curriculum studies. After examining scholarship on the "subject," Pinar critiques its absence in the new sociology of curriculum,…

The changing role of research in curriculum development since the late 1950's is reviewed. Factors are discussed that have affected the prevailing attitudes toward research and its value, including its role in fields other than education and the mixed success with which various research and development models have met in education. Particular…

Outlines the program "Language Arts in the Primary School" which was developed by the National Institute for Curriculum Development in the Netherlands. Focuses on three areas of that project: (1) the school and its language education; (2) the projects research activities; and (3) the school's curriculum. (BR)

The advocates for change in the elementary social studies curriculum have offered curriculum revisions without providing a convincing argument for content change. The advocates attack the "expanding environments" sequence, established in 1916 and still used today, and want to include an equal balance of history, economics, geography, and…

Several different philosophical approaches to general educational development in higher education are discussed and compared, including (1) positivist epistemology, a pragmatic, empirical perspective; (2) development of curricula promoting interpretation based on understanding; and (3) critical theory, which espouses development of people in…

A series of articles focuses on artificial intelligence research and development to enhance information systems and services. Topics discussed include knowledge base designs, expert system development tools, natural language processing, expert systems for reference services, and the role that artificial intelligence concepts should have in…

Describes the use of the Children's Television Workshop (CTW) research and development model in adapting the "Sesame Street" educational television series for use in foreign countries. Licensing standards and policies are explained, several case studies of foreign adaptations are included, and differences in curriculum goals are…

Action research is a rigorous, systematic approach to clearly defining problems and specifying plans of action to improve curriculum. This paper examines the evolution of curriculum action research as a scientific enterprise, discusses key concepts of action research, and presents a practical model of the action-research process. (TE)

The Los Angeles Community College District's Core Curriculum Development Laboratory (CCDL), a task force of faculty members and resource staff, was established to identify successful teaching practices and programs within the district, sponsor curricular projects, assist in designing new instructional models, and make recommendations to promote…

This paper explores various issues related to the allocation of resources to science teacher education on the basis of research implications. Areas addressed include: (1) establishment of valid science teacher training content; (2) science teacher education research (providing information on the average effect of some general practices used to…

Reports on case studies in English Language Teaching (ELT) of the "four-skill hypothesis" in order to show that an empirically grounded ELT theory is possible. Several hypotheses which control pedagogical decision-making (but for which substantial evidence of their efficacy is lacking) are uncovered. (SED)

Proposed educational reforms of instruction and the curriculum are briefly examined, and ways that research and practice can be better coordinated are discussed. Experiences in grade three mathematics instruction are shared to illustrate how blurring the boundaries between teaching and research might enhance both endeavors. (SW)

The following recommendations on curriculum development are presented: (1) Federally sponsored research and development in education has had a beneficial effect on American schools, and promises to be even more effective if responsible, long-term policies can be established and followed; (2) Freedom of choice and cultural diversity can be…

Describes how general systems theory was used to develop a system for infusing computer technology into teacher education at the University of Houston-Clear Lake (TX). Topics include strategic alignment; curriculum development; distance learning programs using the Internet; assessment of preservice and inservice teacher performance; and an…

While small-scale initiatives in educational innovation do have advantages, problems are often encountered during the process of project replication or extension. Increased awareness of potential hazards with regard to pilot projects is a prerequisite for successful educational planning and development. (RM)