This article explores the pedagogical potential of closely reading and writing hardboiled detective fiction in a Canadian secondary English Language Arts classroom. Grounded in narrative theory and co-taught with a local high-school teacher, the unit focused on the cynical narration and stylistic elements of authors like Raymond Chandler and…

Social work's traditional emphasis on the individual in the context of social environments has resulted in a neglect of the person in the context of physical environments. This conceptual article addresses this oversight by presenting three subconcepts of place--place attachment, place identity, and territoriality--and draws on research examples…

The following offers an overview of what it means for cities to be "smart." It draws the supporting definitions and critical insights into smart cities from a series of papers presented at the 2009 Trans-national Conference on Creating Smart(er) Cities. What the papers all have in common is their desire to overcome the all too often…

This study investigated teachers' experiences of closeness during interactions with children in child care. Structured interviews were conducted with 24 female teachers who were teaching children between the ages of three and five (mean age = 3.9) regarding their conceptions of closeness, and their perceptions of their own and the child's…

This paper presents a campus tour assignment in a first-year undergraduate environmental studies course at York University, Toronto, Canada. As a pedagogical tool, the assignment enables students to interrogate the dominant narratives of a university's immediate physical spaces and to apply broader theoretical and practical concepts to their…

This paper examines the links between language, social difference and political domination in the practices of parental school choice at the heart of a global city, Vancouver. Vancouver is a highly diverse city, especially in terms of language. Its inner city is replete with multiple languages whose exchange values are not equal. In this context,…

The question of the "insertion" in space of public housing into the surrounding urban environment is not new. It has often been examined from the perspective of the social environment, but more rarely from that of the physical environment and the accessibility of public and private services and facilities. To qualify the immediate urban…

Describes the "Virtual Cities" project, a virtual reality satellite teleconference with students age 12 to 17 from Canada, Italy, and the United States held during the International Council for Educational Media 1992 conference. A visual database overlaid with instructional gaming strategies provided students with the opportunity to…

This newsletter is intended to be a bi-annual publication which will inform interested persons about the progress of this Project. It is concerned with curriculum studies on the theme of Canadian urbanization and its effects on our lives and environment. The emphasis is on behavioral change; the materials and the activities produced have as their…

A course entitled Geography in an Urban World" at Simon Fraser University, British Columbia, Canada, is described. Objectives and rationale are given as well as the content: history, cultural, economic, political, environmental, transportation, and future aspects of cities. (NH)

Describes plans for interpretive exhibits along a creek-side nature trail in an urban area, with the intent of reconnecting urban residents with nature and the sense of wonder that accompanies it. Interpretation was chosen because it is informal, accommodates a wide audience, and allows people to discover meanings and relationships in their own…

This paper explores how the people of Owen Sound, Ontario viewed the various regions of their city. Presents maps showing perceptions of positive and negative regions. Includes examples of citizens' characterizations of these regions, showing social attitudes and values. (JDH)

Using interviews provides insights into the lives of two groups of low-literate adults, in order to better understand the high attrition rate in adult literacy programs. Identifies ideology, conviction, and structural/environmental support as significant factors which are determiners of continued participation in such programs. Clarity in program…

This thesis focuses on an educational partnership between the Canadian Centre for Architecture and Architects in Action, which explores the potential of utilizing professional arts practitioners in an outreach capacity to extend museum programming. It seeks to answer the following questions: How did the architects' experiences compare to their…

This bibliography on urbanization is divided into two sections. The first section contains articles pertaining to urbanization in Canada; the second section contains non-Canadian items. Topics covered include rural-urban migration, employment, urban environment, public finance, city problems, economic development, urban planning, population change…