Studied is the validity of a theoretical model of achievement behaviors of 746 eighth grade students. Hypothesized effects of value of mathematics and expectations for success were not apparent. Direct influences on achievement for male were prior achievement and value, but for females, influences of difficulty, male domain stereotyping, and…

Intellectual and political commitments of women's studies programs to multiculturalism allow such programs to influence debate inside the university, but the same commitment generates internal controversy. Issues of women's studies and political correctness are discussed. An approach respecting and incorporating diverse cultural traditions is…

Describes informal curriculum discourse in a group of graduate students and their teacher who met regularly to discuss curriculum theory and research; examines power structure and assumptions, discussing ways in which habitual responses, roles, expectations, and identities were constructed by intersections of personal, social, historical, and…

Presents the results of a study of how minorities participate in and rework the central myths of the dominant culture. The responses of 20 Anglo White males versus 20 American Indian males to a western film showed that the meaning imputed to cultural works varies over social space. (JB)

A study examined the influence of male and female professors' communication styles on participation rates of: a group of college students, individual students, and males and females. Analysis of videotaped seminars indicated professors' communication styles facilitated the communication climate. Communication styles influenced student…

Popular movie depictions of racial minorities as dysfunctional help maintain the present race-linked social stratification by instilling a sense of social disharmony and justifying continuing racial oppression. The enthnocentric bias of the majority of films reinforces stereotypical perceptions of minorities and legitimizes the status quo of white…

Discusses how parents and teachers can encourage sensitivity in their children, providing them with tools to reach out openly to others and to be accepting regardless of differences. Specific strategies for putting differences in perspective and for making friends are offered. (SM)

Results of a story-completion study with 47 white middle class preschoolers (23 males and 24 females) confirm the hypotheses that gender-stereotyped styles of social interaction are apparent as early as the preschool years, and use of gender-stereotypes behaviors is associated with the child's perceived competence and social support. (SLD)

Discusses the gender-computer relationship, citing classroom observations and interviews in a Danish primary school's eighth grade (14- to 15-year-old students). Considers why common sex-stereotyping perceptions do not associate females with computer competency and do not associate males with problems in learning to deal competently with…

Gifted girls (ages 10-12) in Western Australia participated in a gender issues course to promote self-esteem and gender identity, challenge traditional beliefs, and raise political awareness of antisexism. The course focused on expression of shared experiences; the Greek myth of Pandora; stereotypes in television programs, literature, and greeting…

A lesson on female stereotypes in advertising begins a discussion of the mass media's role in the lives of young women. It is suggested that conventional moral wisdom about media education for children does not reflect the complexity of the media's influence but is narrow and ethnocentric. (MSE)

In 1992, only four blacks in the entire country earned a Ph.D. in mathematics. In the 25 highest-ranked universities, there are only 5 black mathematics professors. Traditional academic beliefs about the inability of blacks to do abstract thinking appear partly responsible. (SLD)

Presents a 10-point checklist for choosing children's educational software that is free of cultural bias. Each point is illustrated with examples drawn from currently available software. A sidebar lists 25 educational software programs in the areas of social studies, ecology, math and logic, and language arts from which examples were drawn. (three…

The curricula of black colleges and universities have long been limited by financial constraints, but they have also been hampered by narrow definitions that focused on manual and vocational instruction. This emphasis grew from the assumption of black inferiority that had been used to justify slavery. (SLD)

Analyzes religious, environmental, and imperialistic rationalizations for racism throughout history. Examines how racist doctrines, stereotypes, and racial prejudice were instilled in the British education system through school textbooks and children's literature. Suggests this process of socialization created implicit, deeply rooted prejudices…