Intended for administrators and policy makers, as well as teachers, this digest examines the current state of humanities instruction and the evolving place of humanities in the high school English classroom. The digest first explores differing definitions of the humanities, and discusses reasons for the decline in emphasis on humanities…

Talking with others, especially people with different viewpoints, about matters of public and common concern is a basic pro-democracy skill and act. For that reason, teaching young people how to participate more effectively in discussions of controversial public issues (CPI) has long been a major goal of social studies educators. In most social…

Labor studies are often not included or underemphasized in the elementary and secondary school curricula. This ERIC Digest examines major themes of labor studies; inclusion of these themes in the curriculum; likely positive outcomes of labor studies in the curriculum; and available resources for teachers and students. Key historical events, the…

Tech prep is an articulation partnership between secondary vocational-technical schools and postsecondary institutions. It can be described as an "advanced skills" articulation model because it enables students to use the time saved through coordinated course work to acquire the more advanced occupational knowledge and skill required by…

In May 1990, the Republic of Latvia declared the restoration of its independence from the Soviet Union. After that declaration, many Latvians began to reform their schools' curricula and teaching methods. They replaced Soviet-era citizenship courses with new teaching materials and methods appropriate for educating the young citizens of a…

This Digest reviews the literature on recent attempts to incorporate technology into the instruction of journalism and mass communication. It first discusses the four main categories of current technology use in journalism and mass communication: classroom instruction; online syllabi/materials; distance learning; and technological literacy. It…

This ERIC Digest examines (1) treatment of the U.S. Constitution in the curriculum of secondary schools, (2) public opinion and knowledge about the Constitution, and (3) guidelines for improvement of education on the Constitution. Although included in nearly every secondary school curriculum, education on the U.S. Constitution has suffered from…

It is important to reaffirm the teaching of recent United States history in secondary schools. Diane Ravitch and Chester E. Finn state: "If we think it important that they (17-year-old students of 1986) understand the three decades between the Second World War and their own sixth birthdays (in 1975), we cannot expect this instructional job to…

In 1991, the 50th anniversary of the United States' entrance into World War II was observed. This is an opportune time to reevaluate and renew the teaching of this cataclysmic event. Most people have been affected by the political, economic, and social consequences of the War. But perhaps the most important reason to rededicate ourselves to…

Communities, frequently with government and school assistance, can implement programs that help teenage and young adult males develop into caring and responsible fathers. This digest briefly describes program components shown to be most effective. Effective programs take account of ethnic differences and use culturally sensitive outreach…

Until 1993, the discussion of teacher education reform in the literature was limited to individual authors' suggestions for a vocational education response to reform initiatives and comments on the problems posed by pressures for reform. Debate on how to pursue excellence in vocational teacher education programs focused on vocational education's…

A number of recent educational reform reports have stressed the need for increased cooperation among educational institutions to address such problems as high dropout rates, a workforce without the job skills needed by high-tech industries, and the absence of clearly defined career goals among high school and college students. For community…

To find vocational education curriculum materials, educators can contact their State Liaison Representative (SLR) to the National Network for Curriculum Coordination in Vocational and Technical Education (NNCCVTE), regional Curriculum Coordination Center (CCC), state vocational education resource center (SVERC), and/or one of the consortia that…

This ERIC digest discusses meeting the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered school youth, i.e., supporting their ability to learn while maintaining an environment for them that is free from physical and psychological abuse. It describes the various policy initiatives protecting the rights of lesbian and gay students and indicates…

Recent events in Europe suggest that the pattern of global ideological struggle that provoked the division of Korea is apparently dissolving, giving way to nationalist movements. The division of the Korean people now appears anachronistic. There are signs that reunification is possible. Despite the importance of the Korean peninsula in world…