In this paper, I explore two beliefs about learning and teaching that I argue are prevalent among educators. The first is the belief that subject matter expertise is sufficient for success in teaching. The second belief is that to learn a specific content area, one needs to begin with an understanding of the formal structure and abstract…

This digest discusses how educators can integrate arts into gifted education and provides examples of activities that integrate the arts with language arts, social studies, and mathematic and science curricula. Examples include: (1) let students draw, sketch, or paint when reading a story; (2) stimulate analytical thinking and imaginative…

A discussion of articulation in second language education programs looks at issues in the transition of language learners from one educational institution to another, particularly from the secondary level to higher education, and proposes a process-oriented model for addressing these issues. It first defines the terminology of articulation…

Educators today have a renewed perspective: when schools attend systematically to students' social and emotional skills, the academic achievement of children increases, the incidence of problem behaviors decreases, the quality of the relationships surrounding each child improves. The challenge of raising knowledgeable, responsible, and caring…

This paper examines the impact of international and national influences on curriculum reform. The reforms were first manifested in the proceedings of the Forum on National Statements and Profiles in Australian Schools and arose from the work undertaken in the states and territories to implement and review curricula based on the national statements…

This book examines the effects of learning on income and other life outcomes. It focuses on particular aspects of schooling that influence the way a child learns, such as age at entry, classroom size, and curriculum, as well as the effectiveness of structural reforms, like national or statewide exams or school choice. Of particular interest is the…

Targeted to educators and parents of gifted children, this issue is divided into three sections that address differentiating curriculum for the gifted. The following articles are included: (1) "The Essential Assumptions Regarding Differentiation of Curriculum for Gifted Students" (Susan Winebrenner); (2) "Curriculum Differentiation…

This final report discusses the activities and outcomes of the early intervention interdisciplinary preservice program at the University of Oregon. This master's degree program used both "measurement of" and "reflection about" preservice efforts to address important questions regarding program effectiveness and identify…

Social work educators must be familiar with issues related to social work, as well as issues from a wider context of education that impact the profession. A practical consideration for academically-based courses involves the relationship between what is taught and what is tested in the social work classroom. Social work educators must decide what…

Based on constructivist learning theory, this guide presents six practical menus that are intended to guide curriculum developers as they bring together an understanding of a discipline, its content and methodologies, and a vast array of instructional techniques to challenge learners on all levels. It begins with a "Knowledge Menu" that…

This handbook presents state guidelines for alternative education in Mississippi, which is designed to serve as a learning alternative placement for students who have had difficulty with the regular classroom environment or who have experienced disciplinary problems in the classroom or school. The handbook contains the following sections: (1)…

Blended learning is much stronger when the Web is used to supplement instruction, rather than merely provide information to the students. This paper establishes a foundational knowledge base, where the stakeholders--technology coordinators, faculty, staff, and administrators--can make informed decisions on the role, importance, use, and…

This booklet describes a study that helped clarify the current status of community college efforts in defining and documenting student acquisition of 21st Century Skills (general education skills). This study is traced through four stages: (1) an exploratory focus group involving presidents from ten U.S. community colleges recognized as leaders in…

This paper discusses the implementation of communicative language teaching (CLT) methodology within the English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) context in the Peoples' Republic of China. It suggests investigating the context of an English language teaching program first, and then adapting the program to the Chinese context in order to more effectively…

The field of early childhood education has long been marked by intense controversy concerning appropriate curriculum and teaching methods and goals. This paper explores some implications of the traditional dichotomies of the field and suggests that while there are many reasons to resist the side that advocates formal academic instruction, it does…