Issues concerning world peace and security, as well as other controversial issues, should receive more attention in the school curriculum. An increasing number of studies on student perceptions of war and peace consistently suggest that students are acutely aware of the nuclear threat. Moreover, student knowledge about war-related issues increases…

There are many differences between the cultural stereotypes of students and the actual student in the classroom. The key to teaching these students is to always assess the audience and then prepare for the epistemological problems that are apt to be encountered. Successful women's or gender studies teachers emphasize open-mindedness, tolerance,…

In summer 1982, at the request of Alberta Education, an evaluation study was undertaken of all learning resources presently listed in their publications "Alberta Social Studies Learning Resources for Elementary Schools" and "Alberta Social Studies Learning Resources for Secondary Schools, 1980/81," including recommended and…

This analysis of U.S. history textbooks from the 19th century to the present examines how and why textbooks have changed during certain decades. The book is organized into three chapters. Chapter I, Past Masters, discusses the politics of textbook publishing, the influence of large adoption units, and the book from which a majority of American…

Major logistical and value problems are described which confronted the Far West Laboratory's effort in developing and field testing high school student and teacher materials which make up a course entitled "Discussing Controversial Issues". Design to train both groups at the same time in basic appropriate discussion techniques, the course…

Describes a game developed to provide medical education students with opportunities to discuss questions concerning health education issues. Indicates the materials needed for constructing the accompanying game board and provides the questions that are addressed by participants as they play the game. (TW)

In the theme of insecurity there is a potential for peace education to address social education. Insecurity underpins the arms race and lies at the root of the growing cycle of violence. Peace education must help students understand the forms of structural injustices that preserve inequities and breed violence. (RM)

The effects of two types of structured academic conflict, controversy and debate, were compared with individual study on a number of dependent variables. Sixth graders (n=72) were assigned conditions on a stratified random basis controlling for sex, reading ability, and handicapping conditions. Results indicated that controversy promoted the most…

This book presents a substantive overview of the issues in curriculum development and implementation faced by social studies educators. The book offers contemporary perspectives on some of the most enduring problems facing the social studies. The collection of essays provides readers with a systematic investigation of a broad range of issues of…

This teacher's guide has been developed for use with the Peaceful Solutions video series. It provides information for educators who want to learn more about how to prevent or reduce youth violence. Through video, print, and on-line components, Peaceful Solutions is intended to increase awareness about educational practices that help promote peace.…

Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish parochial schools have always had religious studies as part of their curriculum, but there has been the question about whether public schools can also. "In 1962 two U.S. Supreme Court cases (Abington School District vs. Schempp and Engle vs. Vitale) prohibited the practice of Bible reading in public schools.…

Provided are examples of science/society scenarios for biology, chemistry, and physics classes, as well as those of an interdisciplinary nature. These scenarios present some social or ethical problems related to the discipline and pose questions for student discussions. (Includes description of a project involved in developing/piloting such…

Defends the National History Standards against the criticism that they virtually eliminated George Washington from the history curriculum. Maintains that this criticism is politically motivated. Provides many examples from the Standards mandating and supporting the study of Washington and his contributions. (MJP)

Summarizes the response to complaints that a class examining the sociology of minorities unfairly emphasized negative behavior. The course was restructured to include an examination of resistance and interracial cooperation against racism. This new perspective was incorporated into writing assignments, class discussions, and instructional…

Echoing nineteenth-century clerics, hostility to science has become respectable in the university community, evidenced by the emergence of science studies as a discipline. Proponents of science studies support a stance toward scientific research that can lead to intellectual paralysis, and they may in fact understand very little about science.…