Discusses the Hessian General Guidelines for Social Education and the Guidelines for Political Education of North Rhine-Westphalia which have led to curricular innovations since the mid-1970s. Also discusses advantages and limitations of integration of history, politics, and geography or history, politics, and social sciences. (KC)

Describes a series of exercises which were developed to teach the basic methodologies involved in analyzing and evaluating the effects of alternative public policies. The exercises, intended for use on the college level, deal with determining causation in policy analysis, finding optimum choices with different probabilities, and finding an optimum…

Examines Canada as a neglected area of political study. Suggests the inclusion of Canada in the comparative politics curriculum because it offers rich comparative opportunities with its cultural pluralism, parliamentary system, and authentic federalism. Lists associations and funding sources for Canadian studies and recommends several textbooks.…

Presents eight exercises which involve budgeting skills. These can be incorporated into political science courses to illustrate the way in which city governments raise, allocate, and manage their financial resources. (Author/AV)

Reports findings of a 1976 survey of political scientists concerning curriculum development in intergovernmental relations. Compared with a 1968 survey, responses show expanded treatment of topics related to American federalism, and an increase in intergovernmental relations content in introductory political science courses at larger colleges and…

Suggests that political science teachers on the college level use their free summer months constructively by leading workshops for government officials and interested citizens on political science theory, research techniques, and practical political knowledge. (Author/DB)

This paper examines the undergraduate beginning political science course offered in colleges and universities in the United States--what it has been, what research reveals it is, its relationship to the undergraduate curriculum, and its role in the discipline of political science as a whole--and especially speaking to the relationship between…

Argues that social studies educational reforms fail because their goals of promoting active citizenship education through the social studies curriculum are inconsistent with citizenship educational functions of the school. Identifies conditions which encourage and inhibit change and recommends change strategies. (Author/KC)

Advocates a conceptual approach, rather than a country-by-country format, for teaching about industrial democracies because this approach is conducive to generalizations. Notes the neglect of studying small democracies such as Belgium and the Netherlands, which may serve as exceptions to the conventional wisdom about effective democracies. (LS)

Reviews the current state of European studies and gives reasons for including more material on the European community in political science courses. Describes resources for the study of the European community and identifies ways of implementing such a program. (Author/AV)

Recommends that college teachers of comparative European politics attempt to broaden the geographic scope of the subject matter, integrate fact and theory, and make the course interesting and relevant to undergraduate students. (Author/DB)

Discusses instruction on communist systems and questions whether they should be taught as isolated groupings, given the resulting tendency to distortion. Suggests alternative integrative categories for these systems. Explores the difficulty of teaching these systems in a hostile and polemical environment and offers suggestions to compensate for…

This is a report on a study conducted at Knox College that investigated two factors involved in undergraduate political science performance: 1) usage of the discipline's fundamental skills, and 2) directed counseling and selected course offerings. (Author/ND)

A description of the activities of an ongoing curriculum development project aimed at preparing an alternative program for political science education is provided. (Author/DE)

Investigates high school student exposure to education about state government by examining student enrollment, course offerings, textbooks, and curriculum guides. Concludes that there is a need for more extensive treatment of state government politics and political behavior, and less coverage of details of institutional structures. (Author/DB)