Urges foreign language departments at colleges and universities to take advantage of what is new--student demographics, academic preparation, the position of the humanities in society--and regard it as an opportunity to rethink the curriculum. Provides a six-stage outline of the process, from taking stock of what faculty members and their fields…

Discusses "backward design," a strategy for planning curriculum and school improvement by first thinking carefully about desired results and then working backward to develop meaningful assessments and learning plans. For this design to work, educators must identify desired results, analyze multiple sources of data, and determine appropriate action…

The Instructional Design Model is presented for planning effective curriculum for gifted learners. The model first focuses on what basic curriculum dimensions are necessary for serving gifted students and then clarifies the fundamental purposes of a gifted program. Next steps include identifying and assessing learning outcomes. (Contains 3…

This paper outlines the development of the topic approach to learning in Great Britain and the tradition of objectives-based teaching; presents integrated schemes of work which merge the two approaches for students with severe learning difficulties; and presents an example, using the topic of the school garden. (JDD)

Criticizes schooling for showing student progress toward developing questioning skills. Suggests that a student-centered classroom can give students the freedom to ask substantive questions and empower them to control their own learning. Describes how student questions can be utilized in the classroom. Urges teachers to avoid imposing knowledge on…

Discusses the potential impact of the recent call for cultural literacy on arts education. Describes current design approaches in the arts education curriculum. Suggests a number of ideas that are deemed important for curriculum reform. Cautions that curricular changes, although much needed, must be thoughtfully considered before implementation.…

Describes problems with traditional views of goals and presents considerations for goal setting in the issues-based curriculum. Uses the interdisciplinary approach of science/technology/society (STS) to illustrate how curriculum should be structured to improve students' creativity and process skills. (MW)

Substitutes "science attentive" for "cultural literacy" in science education, urging that students (1) have an interest in basic science, (2) know basic science, and (3) be able to deepen such interest and knowledge on their own. Outlines four cluster goals for science teaching from Project Synthesis of 1979-81. (NH)

Looks at the process of designing and assessing coursework for the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) course in Business Studies. Provides a flow chart illustrating stages in coursework design and includes examples. Offers suggestions for grading assignments according to the GCSE Business Studies syllabus. (LS)

Proposes a model for a comprehensive arts curriculum. Discusses the significant phases of the curriculum and relates them to each other. These phases include identification of values, conceptualization, systematizing, interpretation, operation, and experience. Lists five objectives that serve as criteria for judging the worth of curricula. (KO)

Examination of Australia's educational history reveals the origins of three traditions of school mathematics: (1) many groups of society will not benefit from mathematics beyond arithmetic; (2) the purpose of mathematics is preparation for higher education; and (3) rote methods, rigid curriculum, prescribed texts, and written examinations are…

Sociolinguistics is recommended as a resource for second language teachers, to increase understanding in such areas as the nature of language, the goals and concerns of language teaching, perspective on curriculum and materials design, identification of appropriate goals, and evaluation of a learner's ability to use a second language. (43…

The University of Utah College of Law's capstone-cornerstone program seeks to provide each year of legal education with a distinctive purpose and character, a logical progression of knowledge and skills, diverse teaching and evaluation methods, and learning experiences that integrate doctrine, skills, and values. Capstone and cornerstone course…

Proposes an art curriculum framework that reduces aesthetics to three theories of art: imitationalist, formalist, and emotionalist. Fits each theory into the curriculum at the appropriate developmental stage of the student. Applies these theories to art criticism, art history, and studio production. (LS)

An Italian program integrating second language instruction into the elementary school curriculum is described. The program is seen as a forward-looking effort but lacking in important cultural content. Discrepancies between objectives and classroom reality are discussed. (MSE)