This paper constitutes a report based on a project reported in full in ED 034 322 to develop and test information systems designed for use by elementary school children in studying world cultures and a set of research studies to explore children's thinking about human society and culture. A data bank was built on the category system of the Human…

The unit experiences for the K-12 curriculum, including these for grade 1, were designed by the district staff to achieve a more comprehensive knowledge of the world in which we live; to develop the ability to think critically and creatively; to use inquiry and problem solving skills in human relations situations; to understand major social…

A study representing a new level of involvement in the problem of dropout prevention is presented. The point is made that a dropout generally is a person who does not see his public education as related to his particular needs or goals. Recommendations of the study are: (1) Establish a regularized school-community input and feedback system to…

This brochure highlights key concepts of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) "Thinking Mathematics" courses. Citing adherence to No Child left Behind Act (NCLB) mandates, these courses are: (1) based on scientific research about how children learn mathematics; (2) designed to increase teacher mathematical knowledge; (3) provide a…

State leaders, parents, and business people want to be sure that students truly learn what they are being taught in school. Today, basic skills are not sufficient to guarantee that children will find good jobs and become productive citizens. As a result, the Alabama State Legislature passed its Education Accountability Law in 1995. The new…

This report documents the process undertaken to produce scales in three cognitive domains: knowing, applying, and reasoning. Included are the final scales showing differences among countries, as well as within countries. TIMSS 2003 is the third and most recently completed round of IEA's Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, a very…

This publication presents several articles about the profession of teaching as well as recent conversations with experts in the field. The articles include: "Putting National Board Certification to the Test" (David T. Gordon); "Teacher Excellence: Improving the Conversation" (a conversation with Ann E. Harman); "What…

The question of whether the term "intermediate skills" has a distinctive meaning across business and industry in the United Kingdom and in its major competitors was examined. The study focused on the following sectors: housing construction; broadcasting; the care sector; the exercise, health, and fitness sector; and engineering (high…

This qualitative study explored the effects of the Second Step Curriculum, designed to teach the social skills necessary for children to peacefully solve problems and resolve conflicts through empathy training, impulse control, and anger management. The study focused on teachers' perceptions of the program: what they perceived to be the program…

Stories of students in need, or of teachers who are struggling, draw readers into the process of solving classroom problems in a manner that traditional textbook formats are unable to match. Presented in an engaging and stimulating manner, this book provides beginning teachers a variety of typical classroom problems to analyze and solve. Solving…

This research project implemented and evaluated a program in interpersonal skill development designed to increase the use of applied social skills at a middle school located in northeast Illinois. Evidence of inappropriate interpersonal skills was gathered by using observation checklists, teacher and student surveys, and discipline referrals.…

The purpose of this book is to help parents become partners in their children's success in school by offering them practical ways to help with homework and assignments. Parents can use the Big Six Skills information problem-solving process to effectively deal with the abundance of information available from many sources and guide their children…

This module, which may be used as the basis for a workshop or as a special topic unit in adult basic education or English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) courses, focuses on renting a place to live. The following items are included: module overview; list of basic, thinking, interpersonal, information utilization, and other skills addressed in the…

This volume is part of a series of 18 monographs on service learning and the academic disciplines. The essays in this volume focus on service-learning in a wide range of environmental studies. The Introduction, "Why is Service-Learning So Pervasive in Environmental Studies Programs?" was written by Harold Ward. The chapters in Part 1…

This document, which is based on information gathered during a 1998 study of how study circle programs contribute to community problem solving, presents best practices for producing community-wide study circles. The best practices are illustrated through stories that are grouped into five sections on the following themes: (1) creating a…