The "National Mathematics Curriculum Framing Paper" has been released for consultation until 28 February 2009 (see www.ncb.org.au). Professional associations, teachers, teacher educators and others are taking the opportunity to organise meetings and forums to consider the views presented in the paper and to provide critical feedback and…

This paper offers a commentary upon a number of recent documents from different countries concerned with the reform of school science education. It identifies and considers in turn four issues drawn from the documents: the way in which science is defined; the reference to science as a whole rather than as discrete disciplines; the nature of…

Central questions in the 1980s social studies curriculum reform literature concern selection, organization, and presentation of academic subject materials to elementary and secondary school students. This paper reviews general curriculum and comprehensive social studies reform literature of this period and explores the 1987 Bradley Commission…

The Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry's Gerontology Curriculum Development Committee summarizes the results of a survey of institutional practice and presents its recommendations for implementing a comprehensive optometric gerontology curriculum at each member institution. (MSE)

Reviews the 1991 position paper on the teaching of English by the Australian Association for the Teaching of English (AATE). Notes the paper reads like an old-fashioned manifesto from an era of homogenized assumptions. Suggests a new paper should endorse the primacy of professional knowledge of English teachers in determining what should be…

Offers schools, state, and regional authorities a list of suggested priorities for environmental education programs. Recommends that adoption and/or adaptation of the itemized priorities can assist schools in the design, development, and implementation of each school's own particular program and policy. (ML)

Oral radiology curricular guidelines developed by the American Association of Dental Schools are provided. The guidelines describe minimal conditions under which a satisfactory educational experience can be offered. Principles of x-radiation, radiobiological concepts, radiological health, radiographic technique, radiographic quality, and darkroom…

Five social studies leaders react to the social roles proposal of Project SPAN. Seven key, interrelated social roles are delineated as an approach to teaching social studies. Engle states that SPAN ignores the problem of definition; Patrick and Ratliff find the conclusions challenging; Shaver sees the proposals as regressive; and Helburn discusses…

After a 1978 meeting, eight professional education organizations drafted a position statement on the essentials of education. The statement affirmed that the interdependence of skills and content is the central concept of the essentials of education, and that subject disciplines are interdependent. The statement also listed specific essentials of…

Based on a "Report of the Task Force on Quality in Social Work Education," established by the National Conference of Deans and Directors of Graduate Schools of Social Work, this paper notes problems confronting social work education. A definition of excellence in social work education is proposed. (Author/MH)

Points out the growing need in business and industry for managers who are knowledgeable and skilled in Data Processing. College curricula should be redesigned and taught in a professinally-oriented way with a genuine concern for developing in students competence that is relevant to the real world. (JAC)

The scope of an AADS-approved course in the management of medical emergencies at the predoctoral level is described. The dentist should have adequate training in detection of serious systemic emergencies and should be well-informed about the techniques for management of these problems both within and outside the dental office. (MLW)

The results of a study assessing departmental plans for hardware and software acquisitions, faculty development activities, and curricular modifications aimed at increasing student computer literacy at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) are reported. The study involved reviewing departmental definitions of computer literacy generated…

Guidelines developed by the Section on Endodontics of the American Association of Dental Schools for use by educational institutions as curriculum development aids are provided. Endodontics is that branch of dentistry dealing with diagnosis and treatment of oral conditions that arise as a result of pathoses of dental pulp. (MLW)

Curricular guidelines for biochemistry are presented, developed by the Section on Biochemistry and Nutrition and the Section on Oral Diagnosis and Oral Medicine of the American Association of Dental Schools for use by individual educational institutions as curriculum development aids. (MLW)