Discovers a very stereotypical representation of the elderly in marriage and family textbooks. Reveals that the aged receive limited amounts of coverage, often are often separated from other family issues and events, and generally are associated with specific "elderly" topics in these texts. (MJP)

Reports on a teaching method that combined assigned daily newspaper readings with weekly informal journal writing to teach basic sociological concepts. Assigned journal topics acted as a link between class material, the newspaper stories, and other texts. Student response was overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Provides several examples of the journal…

Discusses the lack of emphasis upon international law in undergraduate programs. Reports the content analysis of four introductory textbooks in international relations courses. Concludes that learning is dependent upon supplementary reading and lecture methods which were not addressed in this survey. Makes comments concerning textbook selection.…

Presents the results of an analysis of sociotechnical issues and perceptions of electronic media to determine where electronic media fits the working habits of journal article producers. The outcome is a profile of a group of United Kingdom practitioners that is grounded in their perceptions of the publishing and research processes and their…

Describes a study of high school students that examined responses to a music video dealing with teenage pregnancy. Students' motivations for viewing music videos, experiences with sex and pregnancy, and family communication patterns are related to the cognitive activities of thinking about the video content and relating it to their own lives. (20…

The nature and quality of chapter-end tests accompanying social studies and science textbooks used in elementary school and middle school grades were studied through reviews by 3 judges of 91 tests. Identified shortcomings lead to the recommendation that these tests not be used intact in classroom assessment. (SLD)

Presents a series of lesson plans analyzing four paintings. The lesson plans use discipline-based art-education principles to examine issues of racial, ethnic, social, and gender prejudice. The artists represented are Robert Gwathmey, Thomas Hart Benton, Eastman Johnson, and Jacob Lawrence. Includes color plates and background information. (MJP)

Used content analysis and grounded theory methods to examine professional beliefs about teaching and learning among 298 Taiwanese early childhood preservice teachers. Found that beliefs can be organized systematically to construct useful patterns of interrelationships among belief components, such as teachers' roles, images of classroom practice,…

Maintains that direct instruction can improve significantly undergraduates citing of primary and secondary sources. Students were tested concerning definitions of primary and secondary sources, judgement of citation acceptability, and identification of samples. Students receiving posttest instruction showed marked improvement. Recommends early…

Summarizes interviews with British West Indies children concerning the production of art and the role of the artist. Demonstrates that children's perceptions undergo a shift from naive realism (pretty things make pretty pictures) to a more interpretive stance (the artist's efforts define the final product). (MJP)

Recommends using historical artifacts as a means of illustrating social science concepts and involving students in the learning process. Suggests several ways artifacts can be used: considering their original function and value, making cross-cultural comparisons of similar objects, and investigating how objects change over time. (MJP)

This study examined Wichita State University's portfolio plan for preservice teachers to investigate whether the portfolios reflected a programmatic emphasis on integration. Written descriptions of 586 self-selected entries from 127 portfolios indicated a sameness in self-selected entries, with significant differences in who submitted units,…

Describes a computer-mediated communication course for pre-service teachers that was developed as a problem-based learning environment for virtual interactions between three college campuses. Discusses design issues that include a needs assessment, course content analysis, and designing student activities; development and implementation issues;…

Over the previous decade, white supremacist organizations have tapped into the ever emerging possibilities offered by the World Wide Web. Drawing from prior sociological work that has examined this medium and its uses by white supremacist organizations, this article advances the understanding of recruitment, identity and action by providing a…

This article reports research analyzing cultural representations of minorities in Hungarian elementary school textbooks currently used throughout the country. A convenient sample representing more than 75% of first and fourth grade reading books was collected from three academic and public libraries in Hungary. Using content analysis techniques,…