Criticizes the concept that secular, rationalist thought is more objective than religious thought. Maintains that all human inquiry and interaction is rife with subjective bias and assumptions. Defends the teaching of religious subjects in public schools on this basis and calls for an "intersubjective" approach (acknowledging rationalist…

Proposes a mode of religious education that accentuates the self-actualizing, humanistic aspects of religious thought while downplaying the exclusionary and confrontational pathologies. Maintains that the power of spiritual commitment, devoid of rancorous judgments, can be a force for positive global transformation. (MJP)

Maintains that criticism of the history National Standards (from educators and historians, not the conservative media) has been unspecific and poorly focused. Argues that standards, by their definition, are exclusionary. Questions the attempt to develop critical thinking at an early age. (MJP)

The author contends that any type of indoctrination in the classroom, be it political, moral, or religious in nature, is inappropriate because it flies in the face of students' academic freedom, which should be carefully nurtured and rigorously defended. However, as he has continued ruminating about these matters, it has occurred to him that…

As part of a federal grant to develop an across-the-curriculum ethics program, ethics instruction was integrated into English classes at Colorado's Community College of Aurora (CCA). In the English classes, students were first asked to read case studies from CCA's ethics handbook detailing specific ethical problems. In subsequent classes, students…

This conference presentation chronicles the development of a coalition of over 20 Alabama health and education agencies, institutions, and organizations, representing a united effort to strengthen comprehensive school health in the state. The coalition was formed in response to removal of the mandated high school health requirement from the Code…

Presenting syntheses of research on effective instruction in 30 program areas, this paper is designed as a resource to assist teachers in expanding and refining their repertoire of teaching strategies and to guide instructional planning and decision making. For each program area, the paper presents a "finding" (a one-sentence statement…

This document is part of a series that seeks to help people think constructively about foreign policy issues, to improve citizen involvement, and to encourage debate on public issues. The document examines the history of the conflict in Vietnam, both before and during U.S. involvement. Options that the document suggests for debate appear under the…

This document presents student readings that address a variety of environmental issues. The individual articles present a global perspective that is both alarming and hopeful. Drawing from events and situations in both the northern and southern hemispheres, the articles describe a world in crisis. By critically examining the status quo, the…

This report on a master's project begins with a review of the research literature on instructional materials in Australia which emphasizes Australian research and how it compares with a similar body of research published by American scholars. It is noted that the intent of this comparison is to identify where research in Australia can be applied…

The five chapters of this book on teachers' need and responsibility to prepare themselves for criticisms and attacks on their teaching methods and materials deal with the scope of censorship issues, the significance of academic freedom, recent judicial rulings, school-community tensions, and case studies of censorship cases. The first chapter,…

This unit was designed to develop mathematical applications in relation to a community resource issue. It should both motivate mathematics learning and provide meaningful problems for reinforcing understanding of mathematics content and skills, including ratios and percentages, linear equations, exponential functions, graphing, and the reading and…

The Kanawha County textbook controversy of 1974 sparked profound changes in the American political landscape and American education. The roots of this controversy go back to the 1960's, when drug use, women's liberation, violence, and sex education convinced conservatives that America was in moral decline. Parents in Kanawha County fingered school…

This paper indicates the need for women's studies ethics courses and the examination of student concepts of morality. It proposes the ethical study of social problems not usually considered in undergraduate classes and illustrates the importance of the study of historical perspectives and situational ethics in the teaching of complex contemporary…

Rationales, approaches, and constraints on genocide awareness education at all school levels are discussed. It is critical that students, especially U.S. students who live in a culturally pluralistic society, be made aware of how genocide was perpetrated in the past and of the fact that it is still happening today. A basic genocide awareness…