Considers how elementary school social studies teachers can maximize the instructional use of museum resources and classroom visits to museums. Suggests teachers research museum collections and develop materials that link museum resources to social studies curricula. Offers tips on what to look for and how to develop resources for classroom use.…

This third annual compendium serves up a feast of sources, tips, guidelines, and humor through its many lists. Especially helpful for collection development, it is primarily for teacher librarians who work with teens and children. (EA)

Explains the utility of city directories as an education resource and suggests ways teachers may use directories in student research projects. Finds original research stimulates student interest and creativity. Provides outlines for suggested study topics. Appendix includes student activity worksheets. (NL)

Reports the results of a questionnaire distributed to randomly selected teachers within the Chicago metropolitan area. Teachers indicated their desire for the availability of various resources, were they to take their students on a field trip to a natural area. Implications for natural area managers, as well as proposed training strategies, are…

Contends that the lack of trained non-Western historians requires that Western historians must attempt to present world history from a global perspective. Describes a world region approach that uses overlapping spheres to link nations and cultures throughout history. Includes recommended resources for this approach. (CFR)

Describes a project in which museum guides were developed by university biology students. The guides encourage activities centered around the exhibits and identify discussion points while addressing elements of the British National Curriculum. (DDR)

Highlights the Cable News Network's (CNN) documentary series "The Cold War." Interviews executive producer Jeremy Issacs and producer Martin Smith about the series and its usefulness for educators. Includes a broadcast schedule for the 24 episodes. Notes that the series is endorsed by the National Council for the Social Studies. (DSK)

Identifies and describes different types of educational World Wide Web resources, including "Ask-an-Expert" services, as well as government, state-based, individual, and commercial sites. Considers limitations of the Web; discusses educators' information literacy; and describes the Gateway to Educational Materials (GEM) project of the…

Discusses the indigenization of universities in Africa. Briefly looks at pre-colonial and colonial education before describing the situation after independence and, especially, the effects on higher education of a concentration of resources on basic education. Draws upon examples, taken mostly from Tanzania. Contains 36 references. (VWC)

The Internet-based CyberOlympics project involved 17 primary schools from five different countries competing against each other in an international sporting event (concurrent with the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games). Activities that benefited from Internet access, difficulties involved in running such projects, and suggestions as to how schools can…

Preservice programs often lack resources, time, and faculty expertise to instruct teachers in new technology. At Central Washington University in Ellensburg, faculty volunteers overcame these deficits by using the Internet to present technology in small doses. After just one year, Internet activities were incorporated into almost every preservice…

Considers the wealth of information on the Internet and suggests a number of ways to incorporate it into meaningful instructive activities. Posits five levels of Internet activity: personal use, sharing material with students, incorporating material into units, facilitating student-directed projects, and student-initiated and directed projects.…

Notes that there are few readily accessible resources for teachers who wish to include popular culture in their ancient, medieval, or renaissance history lessons. Goes on to partially remedy this situation by providing a review of print sources of information on popular culture. Also mentions useful films and artifacts. (DSK)

Summarizes the findings of a study of the conditions associated with introducing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) into precollege curricula. Principal data sources included questionnaires, field observations, and interviews. Concludes that GIS will rapidly, and inevitably, become the tool of choice for exploring spatial concepts. Includes…

Funding shortfalls in education and commercialism have given rise to vendor-created curricula. Too often values are imposed on young minds, and some vendors have tended to be more concerned with their products and services than with student learning. The rise in popularity of the Channel One in-school news program has set off a nationwide…