Describes an activity that introduces students to the geography of the Caribbean. Begins with students creating a map of the region using their own mental representations. The activity uses the Five Fundamental Themes of Geography. Includes a color map of the Caribbean islands. (CMK)

Examines the young adult novel "California Blue" and provides related learning activities designed to foster critical thinking skills in high school students. The novel is set in the Northern California logging country where environmental concerns pit a teenager against his family and community. Addresses issues of citizenship education.…

Explored the process of resolving an in-session impasse between a parent and an adolescent in family therapy. Focusing on altering the content and affective tone of a discussion, the "shift intervention" was used to direct a family's conversation away from trying to solve behavior management problems and toward a discussion of…

Self-managed peer group discussions were used to examine achieving high school seniors (n=40) peer relationships and attitudes toward school. Interviews, student-shadowings, field notes, and 25 hours of open student talk were analyzed. Findings are discussed in terms of overall communicative actions, content, group life, group culture, and…

First article in a new series about reflective communities in teacher education that refers to some of the many communities already developing online. Current definitions are presented, and resources on imitating and/or enriching existing online communities are listed. Changes in education and future projects are discussed. Includes a list of…

Asserts that service learning seeks to provide students with real-life, community-based experiences related to the content offered in the classroom. Discusses methods used to support students in writing about their service learning experiences and considers the value of reflection journals and group discussion in the learning process. (DSK)

Focuses on the rationale for campaign finance reform, preventing corruption or the appearance of corruption in the electoral process, and the need for balancing the constitutional rights protected by the First Amendment. Discusses the issues of disclosure, contribution limits, issue advocacy, and soft money. Includes teaching activities and…

Discusses four teaching methods that are fundamental to social studies instruction: (1) the lecture method; (2) guided discussion; (3) reading skills instruction; and (4) project-based instruction. Explains that these methods enable teachers to vary instruction, meet the needs of diverse learners, and develop student understanding. (CMK)

Presents a lesson on human rights for middle and secondary school students in which they identify human rights, cite examples of human-rights abuses and affirmations, and relate actions to the articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Explains that students identify human-rights issues globally and at home. (CMK)

Considers reader response to be a useful teaching method when it is linked with course goals and integrated into the structure of the classroom. Recommends reader response because it promotes critical thinking and comprehension of reading materials, facilitates class participation, and engages students in the learning process. Gives a sample…

Discusses the limits of cross-cultural dialog in the classroom, asking what happens if this togetherness and dialog-across-difference fails to hold a compellingly positive meaning for subordinate ethnic groups. Presents a true story about a classroom in a New Zealand university and a controversial pedagogical strategy employed there. (SM)

Describes a successful strategy that develops critical thinking in middle school classrooms via an intersection of character education, adolescent literature, and authentic assessment. Describes the procedure in which students explore the literature to determine how positive and negative character traits are demonstrated, with discussions on these…

In this new feature of the "Academe" journal, work by faculty members is highlighted who are mobilizing in support of academic freedom on their campuses and beyond. This September-October issue of the journal includes the following brief reflections from faculty all relating to the central theme of "fighting back": "Free…

Asynchronous online discussion has been shown to enhance communication between students and to elicit many cognitive indicators. Nevertheless, historians have often been reluctant to make use of such instructional technology. Students enrolled in a fully online world civilization course corroborated qualitative research findings regarding the…

Few events in American history are so universally deplored as the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. The United States government has acknowledged the error and the injustice that resulted with an official Presidential apology and a Congressional disbursement of reparations to the victims of the incarceration policy. The…