Adults should introduce children to philosophy very young. By reading and discussing philosophic themes, children's natural philosophic talents turn toward real life issues. Parents can help children develop more reflective responses to life by playing thinking games, listening to children's comments, exploring philosophic questions when reading…

Scholar Ivan Illich discusses his educational experiences, the people who influenced his views regarding education, his proposal for "deschooling" society, and how he has concluded that compulsory schooling is a form of social control that creates a class society with many more school failures and dropouts than successes. (LP)

Proposes that the current highly impacted curriculum for baccalaureate degrees give way to a reduced program oriented toward engineering science that can be completed in four years. This curriculum must be based on a limited set of core educational outcomes and educate engineers within an integrated, liberal framework while preparing graduates for…

Reviews the origin, implementation, and principles of the Amherst Project, a teacher education workshop that was one of the leading examples of the "new social studies" in the 1960s. Discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the project and briefly notes similar programs still in existence. (MJP)

Questions the very assumptions that teachers can identify the skills and the knowledge that students need and that learning itself is controllable. Proposes a theory of curriculum development where knowledge and the learning process exist as a co-emerging, mutual, and dynamic relationship between the students and teachers. (MJP)

This article describes the legislative and policy provisions that support educational services for children with exceptional needs in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, Canada. The impact of the historical and cultural context on education is considered and significant achievements and challenges facing educators working to implement inclusion…

Examines educational resistance to nature study, focusing on the subtle resistance evident in the vicarious approach that limits nature study to books and videos, while ignoring the sensory richness and kinship developed through direct connection with the natural world. Suggests that environmental science, citizen education, inquiry learning,…

Heidegger's philosophy of technology demonstrates how technology acts as an agent of performativity within the school system serving the interests of the state and global economy. Papua New Guinea provides an example of how performativity and technology have become entrenched in a non-Western developing nation, usurped traditional education, and…

Provides an annotated bibliography from the U.S. Department of Education's Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) that highlights current trends in social studies curriculum development. Computer use in education and science and technology are curricular trends emphasized along with reports from the Bradley Commission on History in…

Traces major directions of feminist inquiry in the disciplines of art history, art criticism, and aesthetics. Explores how first- and second-generation feminist scholars have challenged the canon of each discipline and the understanding of art traditionally produced. Draws implications for art education in curriculum development and teacher…

Examines what the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) can learn about educational policy from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Lists similarities and differences between the two agencies' commitment and approach to education. Discusses the role of the Department of Education and makes policy recommendations for the NEA. (KM)

The development of the Science/Society/Technology (STS) movement in the United States is reviewed. The basic philosophy of STS instruction is discussed. Traditional instruction is compared to STS instruction. Suggestions for making STS instruction more effective are provided. (CW)

Discusses the visual arts in relation to cultural literacy. Agrees with E. D. Hirsch that even a superficial acquaintance with certain things can enhance understanding of many others. Propounds upon the general education of undergraduates. Considers what the goal of cultural literacy means for elementary, secondary, and college curricula. (KM)

Explores the conceptual basis of teaching in China through the metaphor of teacher as virtuoso performer, with teaching considered an art. Field research results on teacher preparation and elementary and secondary teaching practice are shared. Shortcomings of this teaching model and implications for educational reform are considered. (IAH)

The programs described illustrate innovative ways in which six institutions help students develop a sense of intellectual connection, focus, and achievement through their undergraduate majors. Examples are Hollins College (creating a learning community within the philosophy major); New School for Social Research (students connect learning through…