Recommends curriculum clustering as a way of giving definition and meaning to secondary curricula lacking cohesiveness and academic depth. This approach involves the development of a cluster of courses outside of normal graduation requirements that form a general education core linking foundation courses and more advanced course work. Illustrates…

Examines Adler's proposal to extend the teaching of a common core curriculum beyond colleges/universities into secondary schools. Fears an intellectual drift toward some mediocre mean and the deflation of academic standards. Warns that the rejection of pluralistic curricula overlooks individual needs. (DMM)

General education is the process of developing a framework on which to place knowledge stemming from a variety of sources. Its goals are to help students think critically, develop values, understand traditions, respect diverse cultures and opinions, and, most importantly, put that knowledge to use. Even though its goals parallel socially supported…

Highlights and criticizes changes in the traditional core curriculum during the 1960s and 1970s. Points to weaknesses in the current "return to basics" trend infiltrating core curricula. Calls for a clearer definition of undergraduate curriculum goals and the adoption of guidelines in order to eliminate the formlessness of the current system. (CAM)

In analyzing the role of general education in community college vocational programs, one must begin by defining general education as part of the overall community college mission. Broadly defined, general education involves the study of the basic liberal arts and sciences; stresses a breadth of understanding of human knowledge; strives to foster…

General education is the process of developing a framework on which to place knowledge stemming from various sources, of learning to think critically, develop values, understand traditions, and respect diverse cultures and opinions. Its rationale is the freedom enjoyed by an informed citizen. General education has had an unstable history due to…

How art education has evolved to become similar to academic subjects and the art education movement trend toward core curriculum membership (CCM) is the topic of this paper. The approach to art testing methods is used as an example of how qualification, accountability, and predictability of learning outcomes are being employed to legitimate art…

Trends in curriculum reform are traced, and a number of relevant publications are critiqued. Three volumes issued by the Carnegie Council on Policy Studies deal with the problems and issues of the college curriculum. One volume, by Frederick Rudolph, is a historical survey of the American undergraduate curriculum. A second volume deals with the…