Talks with Dr. Barbara McIntyre, Professor Emeritus, internationally known educator in the field of drama education about her own teacher preparation and early teaching experiences; how teaching in a one room school laid the foundation for her philosophy of drama education; major changes in the field of drama education; children's theatre and…

Reports on the effectiveness of a thematic art unit in fostering transfer within and beyond Discipline-Based Art Education. Finds evidence that it helped some students to transfer knowledge, broaden their knowledge base, and use knowledge-seeking strategies. Explores implications of transfer research aimed at informing the planning of more…

Illustrates contemporary approaches to construction technology programs which focus on thematic approaches and learning activities that integrate subject areas. Argues for thematic instruction in technology education and describes scope of programs, methods of teaching, thematic exploration of technology, interdisciplinary approaches, technology…

Evaluates a thematic program designed for use in introductory biology courses. Main objectives include the following: to provide relevancy of biological concepts beyond the classroom, be process oriented, integrate units within a biology course, teach for higher-order thinking, and expand the use of resources beyond the textbook. (CCM)

Reminds readers of the 1989 Carnegie report on the education of young adolescents ("Turning Points: Preparing American Youth for the 21st Century"), its warnings, and its recommendations. Introduces this special issue on middle-school social studies, discussing from many different viewpoints just how teachers and students might proceed…

Describes a theme cycle called "Building Bridges to China" developed for third grade students that focuses on the similarities between the lives of children and families in China and the United States. Explains that the theme cycle addresses the National Geography Standards and three of the National Council for the Social Studies…

Describes a method for organizing the subject matter associated with the history of economic thought. The conceptual matrix is an organizer and visual display that cross references normative and economic issues with their historical context. Maintains that the matrix promotes critical thinking and allows students to focus on the issues. (MJP)

Describes the work and educational approach of Theresa Santiago, a special education teacher and winner of the State Farm Good Neighbor Award in Brooklyn, New York. Emphasis is on ecologically-themed lessons in math, science, and language arts and field trips to enrich the learning of her disadvantaged students with a variety of disabilities. (DB)

Discusses federal art projects during the New Deal, providing information on Edgar Britton and the influence of being a New Deal artist on his later work. Discusses the use of Britton's murals, housed at Highland Park High School (Chicago), in the curriculum. Comments on today's public art. (CMK)

Examines strategies to prevent or reduce the use of drugs by young people. Claims that young people need to be given the opportunity to examine attitudes and develop skills in making decisions about drug use. Suggests that drug education needs to start early and should take account of what young people already know about drugs. (MOK)

Describes a year-long thematic study unit in a middle school classroom called "Coming to America," in which the children and their families celebrated their diversity by investigating their heritage and immigration to the United States, producing a multilingual collection of stories about family and immigration. Shows how considerable learning and…

Studied the socializing effects of cohort grouping on elementary teacher candidates participating in a curriculum with a collaborative, thematic approach to teacher education. Independently of cohort membership, small class size and the collaborative thematic approach produced a strong socializing effect, but belonging to a cohort resulted in…

Presents an online unit titled "Images of Me" to illustrate how themes can build connections to students' prior knowledge, how to use inquiry questions, and how to utilize online art reproductions. Examines how four middle and high school art teachers used the "Images of Me" unit. (CMK)

Suggests that planned interactions with experts have the potential for giving children a better understanding of the world beyond the classroom, and asserts that receptive and active communication strategies are key to a successful classroom visit. Describes one teacher's experience using visitor resources and offers advice on planning, preparing…

Research on epistemological beliefs has clearly increased in the last decade. Even though the construct is clearer and relevant data are being collected, there are important theoretical and methodological issues that need further clarification. One of them is the debate about the domain generality-specificity of epistemological beliefs. I argue…