To study the knowledge that teachers use to understand and interpret teaching and learning, 28 respondents from 4 levels of teaching experience were asked to explain their understanding of videotaped classroom scenes. The increasing complexity of understanding with teacher experience is supported by the findings. (SLD)

Presents classroom lessons based on four art works designed to change people's minds and behavior. Provides full-page color reproductions of each work of art. Includes information about the artist, questions to be asked about each art work, and suggested classroom activities. (CFR)

Describes pedagogical content knowing (PCKg) based on a constructivist view of teaching and learning, emphasizing knowing and understanding as active processes. PCKg requires teachers to understand students' learning and the environmental context in which teaching and learning occur. The paper applies the model of PCKg to teacher education…

Reports on a conference that examined the need for models of effective programs for limited-English-proficient secondary students, research and development on pedagogical approaches to teaching related issues, involvement by educators and researchers in school restructuring and reform, better accountability and assessment, and attention to…

Assesses the impact of women's studies courses on students' feminist activism and related behaviors in a qualitative and quantitative study of 161 female and 18 male college students compared with 154 controls. At posttesting, the impact of womens' studies was found in students' reports of increased activism and influence on personal lives. (SLD)

Describes the revised social studies curriculum at Wausau West High School (Wisconsin). Discusses interdisciplinary cooperation among teachers, team teaching, and emphasis on higher order thinking skills. Contends that flexible scheduling and varying class size contribute to the program's effectiveness. (CFR)

Reviews literature related to learning styles and gender differences. Determines that abstract and reflection are associated traditionally with mind or masculine, whereas concrete experience and active experimentation are associated with the body or female. Calls for additional experiential activities to provide a more gender-balanced approach to…

Describes the rationale, instructional objectives, and instructional procedures of the National Issues Forum program for secondary social studies. Asserts that the program's content and learning strategies develop and improve student's decision-making skills and knowledge of significant contemporary issues. Contends that business and corporate…

Praises the rare teacher who respected his native culture when growing up. Deplores negative attitudes of some future second-language teachers toward Mexican-American culture. Colleges of education can nurture diversity by creating a multicultural environment. Courses should be rigorous and require students to incorporate multicultural concepts…

Argues that statistical literacy is a necessary component of a complete college education and important in combating growing innumeracy in American society, and describes a general education course at the University of Louisville (Kentucky) that includes it. Instruction focuses on societal issues, sometimes controversial, for which an…

Describes a high-school gender-studies course that used the structure of mythology and folk tradition as a basis for examining contemporary works of literature. Notes that the course provided students the opportunity to reflect on gender roles, on the lives of men and women in other cultures, and on students' own relationships within gender…

In order to assess the impact of changes made by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, adult citizenship-education programs were examined nationwide. Far fewer programs were available to immigrants to Canada than in 1987. Content scope in citizenship-education programs has remained essentially unchanged or been reduced, and is heavily influenced by…

Observes that slavery remains an uncomfortable subject and is generally perceived as strictly part of "black history." Argues that slavery must be seen as an American story that has strongly impacted the country's development. Reviews four books that provide insight into aspects of slavery and debates around it. (DSK)

Recommends that teachers combine multicultural education with an inquiry-based approach to social studies to help students critically examine society. Addresses the different obstacles when adopting this approach and offers an example of the inquiry method at work. Identifies 12 essential questions and controversial issues to use in classroom…

Explains that sentencing circles are a form of traditional Canada Native justice in which the entire community is involved to combat offenders. Provides a unit plan on sentencing circles for social studies in order to teach students about the need for sentencing circles in Native communities. Provides sample lesson plans and an example worksheet.…