Presents a vision for change in foreign language education. Topics include U.S. national interest, views of prominent politicians, role of the intellectual community, curriculum content, global outlook, cooperation among universities and elementary and secondary schools, and changing technology. A response to this overview is presented. (12…

Asserts that authentic assessment can be applied successfully to the social studies. Describes a long-term, role-playing activity recreating the voyages of Ibn Battuta, who lived during the Islamic golden age. Includes project objectives, student assignments, a biographical sketch of Ibn Battuta, and a model of a student presentation sheet. (CFR)

Maintains that the study of complex organizations has long been central to sociology. Presents and describes a college assignment based on the sociological practice perspective, a new approach to social science instruction. Includes a six-step student process, information on grading, and a sample of student questions. (CFR)

Describes the application of the problem method, or case study approach, to teach undergraduate research methods. Maintains that the approach is particularly applicable because research design is a classic ill-defined task. Reports that students find the method challenging and interesting. (CFR)

Describes an assignment within a college course on thinking, reasoning, and decision-making skills. Discusses how students observe and describe the reasoning style of a partner on four different tasks. Maintains that the assignment illustrates course objectives on theories and models of reasoning in concrete ways. (CFR)

Describes a junior high school course in musical composition using Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) technology. Discusses course objectives and three composition projects. Includes a list of definitions and asserts that MIDI technology offers students and teachers a powerful method to study how music works. (CFR)

Maintains that a high level of teacher-student communication is especially important in courses on race and ethnic relations. Describes the use of oral history and interviews in a college sociology course. Discusses interviewing methods, reporting results of the interviews, and the impact of the course on students. (CFR)

Maintains that constitutional law is the cornerstone of an undergraduate public law curriculum. Asserts that there is a welcome trend toward teaching the subject over a two-semester sequence, instead of only one. Describes course content and teaching strategies used in a college constitutional law course. (CFR)

Asserts that commercial online computer services provide a wealth of features that can be helpful in teaching political science. Discusses four commercial services and recommends the use of Prodigy because of its ability to link one article to other articles of related content. (CFR)

American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy guidelines for required and elective instructional content concerning substance abuse for pharmacy students is presented. Recommended required content includes psychosocial aspects of drug use; pharmacology and toxicology; identification, intervention, and treatment of addiction; and legal issues.…

High-school chemistry students (n=96) were studied to compare the effects of two forms of instruction on science achievement and anxiety toward science: (1) cooperative controversy with science, technology, and society issues; and (2) individualized instruction. Analysis of variance indicated significant reduction in anxiety of students instructed…

Describes a methods course to prepare teachers of computer science for the secondary schools. Aspects of the course include goals and objectives, programing projects, assignments related to teaching methods, group projects, planned teaching experiences, and lesson planning assignments. Provides a list of 38 assigned readings. (MDH)

Maintains that U.S. education should not be studied as a single entity. Interviews 44 students to understand how their learning experiences vary across the subjects of mathematics, science, English, and history. Finds that, although instruction revolves around the textbook, it is used differently in each subject. Discusses these patterns of use,…

Presents data from the National Education Longitudinal Study (1988) concerning attitudes and academic experiences of eighth graders. Includes academic requirements for different geographic regions; number of hours spent watching television and recreational reading; emphasis given to English topics; time spent on English and social studies…

Uses the U.S. General Land Office Survey as a source of data for reconstruction of local presettlement vegetation patterns in the United States. Data serve as a basis for an introductory biogeography course at Indiana University, Indianapolis. Includes field exercises, questions, and tables of frequency of witness-trees records. (NL)