In this article, the author states his belief that community based learning among adults can be a powerful force for encouraging personal development and for strengthening democracy in this multicultural, globally interdependent, battered world. To do so, however, it needs to pervade all the curricula, degree programs, learning contracts, and…

Presented is a teaching unit which acquaints students with the once-in-a-decade U.S. census. Included are ideas for activities which demonstrate how the census is crucial to the workings of a democracy. (KC)

The historic events of 1989 changed the political map of the world. Students and workers in China rose up to demand democracy. Democracy bloomed in Chile, Brazil, and other Latin American countries where freely elected governments replaced repressive rulers. Communist dictatorships in Poland, Hungary, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, and Rumania were…

The importance of studying Athenian democracy is emphasized. Suggestions and source materials for teaching Athenian democracy are presented, and a teaching method is detailed. (SW)

Argues that rationales for citizenship education in a democracy and findings from empirical research provide persuasive reasons for putting controversial issues at the center of economic education. Summarizes research findings on the development of political interest and efficacy in students. Offers suggestions on how to handle controversial…

Contends that "The Federalist" has been an intellectual beacon for the U.S. Constitution since it was written in 1787. Presents a secondary school lesson plan that focuses on the Constitution's ratification process, particularly the development of and campaign for the Bill of Rights. (CFR)

Says political writings such as "The Federalist" have generated multiple interpretations and the framers assumptions must be deduced. Provides a typology for such interpretations based on the terms, antidemocratic, liberal, republican, and constitutionalist. Recommends students be taught about the lack of consensus among scholars and key…

A conception of citizen decision making based on participatory democratic theory is most likely to foster effective citizenship. An examination of social studies traditions suggests that reflective thinking as a teaching method is congenial to this conception. Simulation gaming is a potentially powerful instructional strategy for supporting…

Discusses the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a vehicle for learning democratic and humanistic values. Provides goals for instruction about the Declaration. Compares the Declaration to U.S. Supreme Court cases and congressional acts, and suggests classroom activities using it. Includes an appendix on Supreme Court cases and…

Lists some of the documents and journal articles on history education reform in the ERIC database. Includes items on the teaching of history, curriculum development, textbooks, student achievement, and constraints of teaching methods. Gives a brief summary of each work listed. (DK)

Provides a partial listing of documents and journal articles in the ERIC database on the status of U.S. history instruction and history education reform. Includes items concerning curriculum guidelines and development, the study of democracy, teaching methods, and history versus social studies. (DK)

This research involves case studies of four public high school teachers handling and modeling the problem of inclusion in their social studies classrooms. In interpreting and implementing social studies curriculum, teachers represent to their students particular images of citizenship, leadership, and the political system in which these are…

Participatory democracy should replace protectionist democracy as the organizing principle for civic education. An outline of a curriculum for democratic participation is presented. One facet of this curriculum, the teaching of democratic values, is examined in detail through the example of a study of the nuclear freeze movement. (Author/RM)

Because most countries in the western hemisphere have rejected authoritarian governments and economic policies for more democratic governments and freer economies, schools have a responsibility to help maintain democracy by teaching their students to take an active role in deciding both their political and economic futures. Healthy democracies…

Empowering education is defined as a critical-democratic pedagogy for self and social change. It is a student-centered program for multicultural democracy in school and society that approaches individual growth as an active, cooperative, and social process. The pedagogy described in this book is student-centered, but not permissive or…