Describes one approach to including education for sustainability in teacher professional development. Data from participatory appraisal, participatory action research, and cooperative inquiry involving secondary school teachers were used to construct a model of the main factors affecting sustainability and devise a teaching approach tested in…

Explores the data gathering process for the 'Views and Visions Project,' a part of the Land Use-UK (United Kingdom) survey. Discusses the questionnaire's creation; how teachers prepared for administering the survey; how one portion of the survey was conducted; questionnaire feedback results; and how data were coded and analyzed. (DAJ)

Presents a lesson plan for fourth or fifth graders integrating art and social studies. Explains the lesson focuses on the 50 State Quarters Program and emphasizes the inquiry method. Explains that students create their own quarter design for a state. Lists other inquiry projects using the quarter program. (CMK)

States that many students feel history and geography do not need to be taught after Key Stage 3 (ages 11-14). Explains that students lack an understanding in correlating the importance of these subjects to their future. Draws from questionnaire data that focused on students' perceptions of history and geography. (CMK)

Discussion of the use of databases to improve students' thinking skills focuses on a database developed for teaching world geography to middle school and high school students. Research on developing information processing skills is discussed, a sample unit in the world geography project is presented, and results of field testing are described.…

Describes surveys of catalogers, geo-science faculty, and graduate students that explored the provision and use of subject access through geologic or geographic names. Strategies for improving such access through cataloging techniques, user education, and the use of advanced technologies are discussed. (21 references) (CLB)

Argues the virtues of integrating teaching and research to extend the scope and rejuvenate undergraduate project work. Describes how University of Wales (Cardiff) undergraduate students implemented a research design that involved using a detailed questionnaire to determine the shopping preferences in Cardiff. (LS)

Gives a brief history of the U.S. census. Outlines attempts to make the 1990 census the most accurate in history by using a computerized mapping system, and describes special efforts to count the homeless and the transient populations. Suggests how educators may adapt materials offered by the government to their classrooms. (LS)

Identifies teachers as primarily responsible for increasing geographic literacy, and suggests newspapers as a valuable source for geography lessons. Gives lesson plan ideas that include the use of the sports, news, travel, and weather sections of the paper. Lessons should enhance appreciation and knowledge of geography in everyday life. (RW)

Defines politicization as using the curriculum and informal channels of education to serve the ends of significant power groups. Notes that geography and history were subjects at the cutting edge of the process of politicizing curriculum content. Argues for a balance between content, pedagogy and social education. (KO)

Considers facets of geography curriculum and instruction in three fourth grade classes. Contrasts teachers' conceptions of geography curriculum with those held by reformers. Describes ways in which school and district policies seem to undermine coherent geography curriculums. (PCB)

Discusses the educational benefits of map usage in social studies classrooms. Recommends approaches to teaching map skills, including instruction in location, distance, scale, and direction. Presents activities which utilize neighborhood resources. Describes an activity in which students devise maps of their local community. (RW)

Describes the change of earth's magnetic field at the boundary between the outer core and the mantle. Measurement techniques used during the last 300 years are considered. Discusses the theories and research for explaining the field change. (YP)

Poor student achievement in history and geography is mainly a curriculum problem, not an instructional one. The social studies have been moved to the curriculum sidelines to clear the way for intense, test-driven instruction in reading, writing, and mathematics. To educate future citizens, schools must improve social studies instruction and…

An amendment to the Canada Assistance Plan, a national-provincial cost-sharing arrangement, is suggested. The adjustment would ensure that citizens in all provinces have access to comparable services and bear comparable tax burdens by allowing greater fiscal transfers to provinces with greater need and/or smaller tax bases. (Author/MSE)