This special issue of "Journal for Learning through the Arts" focuses on the uses of literature and arts in medical education. The introductory article addresses current debate in the field of medical humanities (MH), namely the existential question of what is the purpose of integrating humanities/arts in medical education; and then…

New science standards and reform recommendations spanning grades K--16 focus on a limited set of key scientific concepts from each discipline that all students should know. They also emphasize the integration of these concepts with science practices so that students learn not only the "what" of science but also the "how" and…

Background: The resources, needs and implementation activities of educational projects are often straightforward to document, especially if objectives are clear. However, developing appropriate metrics and indicators of outcomes and performance is not only challenging but is often overlooked in the excitement of project design and implementation.…

Internships have been used by many academic programs to augment the student's educational experience. We discuss two internship programs that have been continuously refined in recent years to provide the students with a structured learning experience. We present a model for enriching student experiences by integrating internship experiences with…

Emphasizes that the theme of safety should be built into each outdoor education course as a thread tying all the skills together. Examines the make-up of the Red Cross Basic Canoeing course as a model to illustrate this point. (NEC)

Describes an integrated approach to social studies in which students participate in literature studies by reading tradebooks. Explains that the children engage in individual and small group activities to construct meaning from the text. Suggests that children create dioramas, character charts, and a club form of activities rather than just…

Understanding situated learning requires bridging sociocultural and cognitive theories. The reconciliation of cognitive and sociocultural theories provides a basis for accounting for ways situations influence the coconstruction of knowledge. The proposed framework accounts for the complementarily of the two perspectives and shows how arrangements…

Discusses and illustrates three models for integrating literature within content studies: single-discipline, interdisciplinary, and integrative curricula. Takes one theme, "Movement in United States History" and illustrates how teachers can use literature within each model. Identifies and outlines suggested methods and materials to plan…

A research project involved a program for increasing student transfer of knowledge and skills across content areas. The problem of knowledge and skill transfer across content areas was determined through anecdotal records, researcher observation, and a survey of teachers in interdisciplinary programs. Analysis of probable cause data revealed that…

Discussed are the strengths a field-study approach brings to undergraduate education, a model for conceptualizing a full range of field settings in the community, business, and government, and sources of strain in developing and implementing a program of non-classroom-based learning. (JMD)

Describes two activities to analyze unit-cell structures from a geometric viewpoint and invite students to apply their mathematical understanding to scientific phenomena. Students form models of the simple cube, a building block of crystalline structures, and a methane molecule. (MDH)

In establishing a framework for observing and interpreting the interplay among students accumulating knowledge, their intellectual growth, and their ability to express ideas in writing, it is useful to consider the major stage theories and analyze their place in student writing. In general, cognitive stage models describe logical and psychological…

A case is made for the importance of studying literature as part of the second language instructional program. Literary criticism introduces linguistics, anthropology, metaphysics, psychoanalysis, and other areas and theories and ties them into into the study of language and literature. (CB)

Abstracting (eliminating details from a complex perceptual field to reveal underlying structures) is described as a tool of thought for developing creativity and inventiveness. The paper argues that the skill of abstracting is transferable between arts and sciences, and provides a preliminary model to teaching abstracting in a multidisciplinary…

E. Paul Torrance's Instructional Model uses an integrated approach to teach thinking skills and creative productivity along with subject content for gifted students. Thinking skill objectives include such skills as developing originality, keeping open, imagining the future, using movement, etc. Two sample lessons apply the model to creative…