Offers a rationale that can be used to defend the assignment of Alice Walker's controversial novel for class reading. Indicates four issues that might evoke calls for censorship: (1) subject matter, (2) vocabulary, (3) grammar, and (4) the epistolary form of the work. (RBW)

Suggests that all uses of English are specific in their nature, and thus, all teaching of English as a foreign language should be addressed to specific purposes. It is argued that an English for Specific Purposes course should be characterized by the use of authentic materials, an orientation to purposeful activities, and self-access organization…

A pilot study that analyzed methods in Swedish pre-school teacher education showed that (1) pre-school methods no longer focus on concrete, detailed work with children, (2) teacher educators have less control over the organization of practical training, and (3) student teachers possess more subject knowledge. (RM)

Summarizes research on public support of sex education courses in public schools, the content and effects of such cources, and the pertinent public policy stances of legislatures and courts. (JW)

The article describes the development of the Estonian school mathematics syllabus in 1990-2005 on the context of changes in the national general education curriculum. The major steps of the development, the background and the main problems are observed: project of the Estonian mathematics syllabus from 1989; first mathematics syllabuses…

This Oklahoma curriculum guide, which includes a teacher edition, a student edition, and a student workbook, provides three units for a course on oxyacetylene welding, oxyfuel cutting, and cutting done with alternative fuels such as MAPP, propane, and natural gas. The three units are: "Oxyacetylene Welding"; "Oxyfuel Cutting";…

This report presents the results of the professional judgment component of a seven month project undertaken by American Institutes for Research (AIR) to answer the following question: What is the cost of providing all California public school students with access to the California content standards, thereby achieving appropriate levels of…

In 2002, the Michigan State Board of Education asked the Department of Education to develop grade-by-grade "content expectations" in reading/English language arts and mathematics to provide guidance to local educators and parents and serve as the basis for annual assessments required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of…

Rigorous college preparatory course sequences are critical to preparing students for postsecondary education and work. Yet, large numbers of students still do not participate in the most beneficial courses, and there is little evidence that the high school curriculum is rigorous enough to ensure that most students are adequately prepared for…

Providing help to teachers and schools attempting to achieve the vision of the Kentucky Educational Reform Act (KERA) which shifts the focus of instruction to student use and application of knowledge, this paper presents a sample course outline as a starting point for course development. The paper begins with one example of a course description…

This document reports on a study of two approaches to an analytical chemistry course: (1) a structured active learning approach; and (2) a step-by-step lecture style problem solving approach. The purpose of the study was to assess and compare the outcomes of these approaches. The data consisted of open-ended interviews with students, open-ended…

In Taiwan, the moral curriculum has been part of the elementary school curriculum for decades. The 1993 edition of the Taiwan curriculum standard has a new subject titled "Morality and Health" that integrates previous "Life and Ethics" and "Healthy Education" subjects. This study explored the curriculum-development…

The Catalyst project at Indiana University sought to increase awareness of research ethics questions among the faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates, and to develop and disseminate instructional materials. The participating departments were biology, history, and psychology, representing, respectively, the natural sciences, the humanities,…

Practicing school principals were surveyed to determine their opinions regarding the most effective preparation curriculum for principals. A total of 100 Louisiana principals, drawn equally from elementary, middle or junior high, and high school, were given a survey instrument containing 52 course titles and asked to rank order the 12 courses they…

This manual can be used independently by students in secondary health occupations programs or in agricultural education programs, or by persons receiving on-the-job training in a veterinary clinic. This manual includes an instructor's key that provides answers to the activity sheets and unit evaluations. The manual consists of the following seven…