Although humanities courses in secondary schools can be used to introduce valuable curricular and pedagogical reforms, certain dangers are inherent in such courses: (1) the superficiality of the "Great Works" course organization which stresses broad coverage rather than depth of understanding, (2) the neglect or loss of distinctions between…

Focusing on a wide range of interdisciplinary themes and ideas for humanities instruction, the 17 articles in this journal issue discuss the following topics: (1) literature, humanities, and the adult learner; (2) the role of the humanities in educating for a democracy; (3) humanities in the marketplace; (4) literature versus "great books" in high…

TO TEST THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A CURRICULUM GUIDE TO BE USED AS THE BASIS FOR HUMANITIES COURSES, THE PENNSYLVANIA HUMANITIES COMMISSION ENCOURAGED VOLUNTARY AND SELF-DIRECTIVE PILOT STUDIES IN 10 SCHOOLS DURING 1965-66. CLASSROOM SESSIONS WERE OBSERVED AND SCHOOL PRINCIPALS, HUMANITIES TEACHERS, AND SMALL GROUP OF PARTICIPATING STUDENTS WERE…

While ability to read and think critically is the very basis of post-secondary education, increasing numbers of college students lack these skills. A sequence of two courses in critical reading and thinking are currently offered in the Concentrated Studies program at Duquesne University in Pennsylvania. In these courses, students who are…