Environmental Education (EE) is described as a process of moving individuals toward stewardship and ultimately a union view of the relationship of people with nature. This document presents a general tenet of EE and explores some prevalent precepts that can be a guide to fully incorporating EE into all teaching settings. The percepts are explored…

The term curriculum model refers to a conceptual framework and organizational structure for decision making about educational priorities, administrative policies, instructional methods, and evaluation criteria. This digest discusses the role of curriculum models in early childhood education. Following a discussion of the origin of early childhood…

Economics education in elementary and secondary schools is essential in order to prepare a responsible citizenry that can cope with economic problems and issues. This ERIC Digest examines: (1) the primary goal of economics education; (2) current economics curriculum patterns; and (3) methods of improving the economics curriculum. The basic…

Labor studies are often not included or underemphasized in the elementary and secondary school curricula. This ERIC Digest examines major themes of labor studies; inclusion of these themes in the curriculum; likely positive outcomes of labor studies in the curriculum; and available resources for teachers and students. Key historical events, the…

Teaching about law-related education (LRE) in elementary and secondary schools is an important social studies trend. This ERIC Digest considers: (1) the meaning of law-related education; (2) reasons for including LRE in the curriculum; (3) methods of incorporating LRE into a curriculum; and (4) characteristics of effective LRE programs. Education…

From the academic--or instructivist--perspective, the young child is seen as dependent on adults' instruction in the academic knowledge and skills necessary for a good start for later academic achievement. This perspective is in direct contrast to the active and interactive curriculum assumed by proponents of the constructivist approach. This…

During the last two decades learning communities, which are felt to have benefits that extend beyond students to faculty and the institution, have expanded to include many different models. This digest reviews five major higher education learning community models currently in existence: (1) Linked courses, which link cohorts of students taking two…

This digest discusses how educators can integrate arts into gifted education and provides examples of activities that integrate the arts with language arts, social studies, and mathematic and science curricula. Examples include: (1) let students draw, sketch, or paint when reading a story; (2) stimulate analytical thinking and imaginative…

Aesthetics, or the philosophy of art, is perhaps the most troublesome discipline advocated in a discipline-based approach to art education. It is troublesome for many reasons, including its largely verbal nature and the lack of experience of most art teachers with its content and modes of inquiry. Nevertheless, aesthetics can serve as a basis for…

Given the global significance of Soviet-U.S. relations, elementary and secondary school students should learn about the Soviet Union, but most students graduate from high school with little knowledge and many misconceptions about this country. It is important to teach about the Soviet Union because of: (1) its emphasis in the U.S. media; (2) its…

With the purpose of highlighting the lessons to be learned from immersion programs, this digest presents selected findings from research carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of immersion programs in Canada and the United States. These lessons are related to the importance of: (1) integrating language with content instruction (when second…

Educational accountability is central to the reputation of the nation's community colleges. Some community colleges are adopting mastery learning, competency-based education, curriculum tracking, and/or minimum competency-testing as a means of remaining educationally accountable. Mastery learning programs, under which students are required to…

This ERIC Digest explores issues connected with AIDS/HIV education in public K-12 education by addressing five concerns: (1) Why are teenagers at risk? (2) What should be taught when? (3) Who should teach it and in what department? (4) How should teacher training prepare teachers to handle classroom, inservice, and community outreach HIV…

Since 1980, an increasing number of state and local education agencies have reintroduced a world history requirement into their secondary curricula. This ERIC Digest examines five key questions related to that trend. Questions raised, together with some salient points made in the discussion of each, are as follows: (1) What is the background to…

This digest discusses the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requirements which state that all students, regardless of their abilities, be given the opportunity to become involved with and progress in the general education curriculum. It describes how educators can use a curriculum that has been universally designed to ensure…