The more successful college and university responses to the demand for accountability and assessment have been campus-based, with administrative and faculty leadership and support. Efforts initiated in state governments have been less substantive. An emerging trend in Europe is toward quality audits by peer assessment teams, reflecting greater…

Describes a study conducted at Iowa State University with minority high school graduates that investigated student propensity to learn library skills independently and to determine whether learning was enhanced through the use of culturally oriented materials. Highlights include a review of literature concerning bibliographic instruction and…

Discusses educational reform and examines the role of library media programs based on fictional scenarios, including centralization with public libraries; educational consultants; teacher-librarians and curriculum development; information literacy programs, including assessment techniques; and implications for library collections, automation,…

Maintains that children's literature provides a rich resource supporting the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) national standards. Asserts that many books can be used in the elementary classroom to develop lessons around the 10 NCSS themes. Recommends two or more children's books for each theme. (CFR)

Describes the effects of technology on teaching, learning, and teacher-student relationships in a public school program for pregnant teenagers (mostly ethnic minorities). The teacher's role changed from leader with all knowledge to guide and partner in learning. Students' roles changed from resistant nonachievers to more confident, enthusiastic…

Discusses cooperation between school and public libraries and presents a self-evaluation inventory that can be used for implementation and evaluation by school library media specialists and public library youth services librarians. Highlights include communication; technology and electronic media; sexual harassment; and selection of sensitive…

Contends that it is increasingly clear that schools must prepare students to be able to adapt to a changing world. Asserts that multicultural education is an intellectual concept that should focus on significant social issues. Maintains that effective multicultural education requires conceptual teaching methods. (CFR)

Discussion of performance-based assessment in elementary and secondary schools in Kentucky focuses on the use of hypermedia as an effective alternative for assessing student learning. Curriculum activities are described for science, language arts, foreign language, mathematics, social studies, and physical education. (Contains seven references.)…

An eighth-grade science teacher shares her successes and strategies for designing and implementing an individualized scientific investigation approach for students with three major problems: (1) low reading ability, (2) high absenteeism, and (3) limited background in science. (ZWH)

Proposes a variety of conversational training that maximizes learner autonomy and focuses on sociocultural competence in speaking. Students recorded role-plays that required good sociolinguistic knowledge and then compared the discourse generated with native speaker equivalents. The future of conversational training at third level is discussed in…

Starting from the premise that the education provided to Teachers of English as a Second Language (TESL) in Ontario is going from bad to worse, this article discusses the concept of professionalism, suggests some basic principles and components of sound teacher education, and ends by suggesting that the present undesirable situation could be seen…

Maintains that elementary social studies teachers who wish to engage students in the social studies must see educational technology as both instructional tools and as content. Concludes that technological literacy will become as important as science or civic literacy. (ACM)

Contends that stereotypical views about South Africa are commonly held by teachers and students. Presents information on South Africa's history, geography, population distribution, and environment. Includes demographic charts, natural resource and population maps, and an annotated chronology of significant events in South African history. (CFR)

The relationships among attributional beliefs, self-perception of competence, knowledge, and reported use of learning and reading strategies were investigated with 104 fifth graders, 133 seventh graders, and 101 ninth graders with and without learning difficulties. Mediating effects of strategic learning and implications for instruction are…

Overviews the impetus for an overhaul of the U.S. educational system with special reference to reform of foreign language education. The author covers goals, standards, implementation of new policies, local control, interdisciplinary teaching, teacher education, parental role, assessment techniques and staffing. Two responses to this overview are…