To promote a justice-oriented approach to science education, we formed a research-practice partnership between middle school science teachers, their students, curriculum designers, learning scientists, and experts in social justice to co-design and test an environmental justice unit for middle school instruction. We examine teacher perspectives on…

Using a mixed-methods approach, this study uses an Internet survey to investigate the curricular freedom reported by Prekindergarten through Grade 8 teachers in the United States concerning the inclusion of children's literature into their classrooms and curriculum, particularly in the current sociopolitical climate. Drawing upon Bronfenbrenner's…

Liberal Studies (LS), a high-stakes senior secondary school subject in Hong Kong, has evoked widespread debate in recent years concerning the curriculum content about Mainland China. Highlighting the deregulated textbook policy on this subject as adopted by the Hong Kong Education Bureau (EDB), this paper compares how specific socio-political…

The Israeli occupation and its strategies employed for controlling the Palestinian Territories have reflected negatively on all aspects of Palestinians' lives. The occupation has also created a closed environment where people have little room to act and react freely. This article highlights the importance of drama and theatre making for…

Discussion of the impact of popular music on studying historical and contemporary experiences of U.S. life focuses on the use of music to help social studies teachers convey the controversial nature of the Vietnam War. Songs with related themes are listed, and views of social studies education in popular music are also discussed. (LRW)

In this article, Eric Freedman examines the extent to which critical pedagogy can be considered a democratic form of education. Comparing Paulo Freire's notion of dialogue to Jurgen Habermas's "ideal speech situation," Freedman argues that such dialogue cannot realistically occur in educational situations where the teacher remains in an…

The theoretical and practical issues involved in teaching peace studies are debated and modes of action suggested for the classroom teacher. (Author/KM)

Some of the major concerns regarding competency-based education (CBE) and ways of dealing with them are discussed. CBE is viewed as an opportunity for educators to work for real improvement in the teaching and learning process. (MP)

Presents an overview of school inclusion programs for students with disabilities and describes specific strategies for designing and implementing successful programs which prepare students for the real world. Outlines strategies involving organizational change, curriculum and instruction modification, and school culture transformation. (GR)

The purpose of this guide is to help study circle leaders design a study circle course and develop the reading material for the discussions. Benefits for the participants and the sponsoring organization are discussed. Three issues in planning the study circle program are addressed: goals, participants, and time frame. Key characteristics of…

THIS PROJECT REPORTED ON PUBLIC CONFLICT AND POLITICAL CONTROVERSY AS CONTENT ELEMENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOL, SOCIAL SCIENCE PROGRAMS. PART 1 DISCUSSED CRITERIA FOR CONTENT SELECTION IN THE SOCIAL STUDIES AS GENERAL EDUCATION AND AS AN ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL VALUES. PART 2 DESCRIBED A FRAMEWORK FOR ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC CONTROVERSY IN AMERICA. PART 3 DEALT…

A DISCUSSION WAS CONTINUED IN THIS REPORT ON IMPLEMENTING AN APPROACH AND ON DEVELOPING AND EVALUATING A TRIAL PROGRAM FOR USING ISSUES OF PUBLIC CONFLICT AND POLITICAL CONTROVERSY AS CONTENT ELEMENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOL SOCIAL SCIENCE PROGRAMS. CONCLUSIONS WERE PROVIDED FOR THE VARIOUS TOPICS DISCUSSED. THE INFORMATION WAS PRESENTED AS VOLUME TWO OF…

Aging is often thought of as an essentially biological process and therefore a matter for the natural sciences, but that notion constitutes a very narrow view of aging. The longevity revolution of the past century and how it affects each individual and all societies can only be understood if we also draw on the social sciences. When the young…

Attempts to apply D. Lawton's concept of curriculum as a selection from a culture to planning curricula for post-Apartheid South Africa. Examines which groups might do the selecting, choosing from which cultures, and the possibility of a common curriculum for a country divided along racial and ethnic lines. (JB)

Based on students' generally shallow knowledge of geographic concepts on the one hand and a new and almost universal awareness of man in his milieu on the other, the author seeks to draw attention to the discipline of geography, and more specifically, political geography as an essential, fundamental component of international studies. The…