This article reviews the development and current status of alternatives to the federal definition of emotional disturbance or behavior disorders. It notes that several states are now revising their own terminologies or definitions in response to the 1997 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act that dropped the term…

Discusses the prevalence of service learning, growing public support, definitions, quality standards, and salutary research evidence. Service learning positively influences students' personal and interpersonal development, lifestyle choices, appreciation for cultural diversity, sense of civic and social responsibility, motivation, attendance,…

Provides a list of terms and the corresponding definitions pertaining to the First Amendment. Focuses on concepts such as, but not limited to, freedom, ratification, separation of church and state, and Constitution that are used in the articles and teaching strategies throughout this issue of "Update on Law-Related Education." (CMK)

Proposes that educators answer the question "What is social studies?" by utilizing normative methodology where a concept, in this case social studies, is evaluated and then modified to develop an applicable definition instead of implementing either a descriptive or conceptual methodology. Provides guidelines for arriving at applicable definitions…

A digital portfolio is a purposeful collection of work, captured by electronic means, that serves as an exhibit of individual efforts, progress, and achievements in one or more areas. The CD-ROM format provides an ideal medium for storing and displaying electronic portfolios. Items included document what an individual knows, how knowledge was…

"Agostini v. Felton" facilitates federal courts' consideration of applications of non-free-speech government-religion interaction. "Stark v. Independent School District No. 640," concerning a reopened Minnesota elementary school attended by children of a technology-adverse religious group, suggests that coincidences between…

Examines definitions of child abuse and neglect and discusses the controversies surrounding these definitions, which provide the legal justification of government interventions. The article also presents statistics about the extent of child maltreatment, reviews research on families prone to abuse or neglect, and summarizes information about the…

Offers a perspective on the multiple and unequal meanings of citizenship in U.S. history that favors an emphasis on citizenship as a legal status, a source of obligations, and an ideal kept alive by active commitment. Calls for expanded engagement in public life to give meaning to promises of equal citizenship. (DSK)

Presents nine answers to frequently asked questions about "Adolescent Literature," sometimes called YA (Young Adult Literature), including: what YA literature is, why it did not exist before 1967, why educators read YA literature, YA's relation to the classics, building a classroom library of YA books, essential resources for teachers, and some…

It is argued that a reductive definition of cultural wealth, the unwarranted equation of education and schooling, and a narrow conception of the aim and functions of schools have given rise to a false sense of security about what is transmitted as the country's cultural heritage. (SLD)

Presents three views of community: a panoramic vista of common images, the landscape of community in higher education, and the concept of community in professors' and UCEA members' lives. Distinguishes between incidental and intentional communities and asserts the primacy of diversity, mutual respect, integrity, honesty, listening, and caring. (10…

This article offers a model that distinguishes between natural abilities (or aptitudes) and systematically developed skills (talents). Aptitudes are seen as the constituent elements of talents, which are developed by such constructs as motivation, temperament, and significant persons. The model is then applied to the appropriate use of labels for…

Examines a theoretical framework in which therapeutic forgiveness is conceptualized as a four-station process of insight, understanding, giving the opportunity for compensation, and overt forgiving. Discusses definition of forgiveness and how the framework is applied to family therapy. (JBJ)

This article examines the concept of mild mental retardation and the confusion surrounding its etiology, prevalence, diagnosis, and educational "treatment." It concludes that mild mental retardation should be redefined in contextual terms: a person's relative difficulty in responding to the environment's cognitive demands. It recommends that the…

States that participants in a qualitative case study of nonacademic R&D authors thought their reports were more informative than persuasive. Describes how three definitions of "persuasion" emerged. Concludes that most of the participants felt they owed a greater debt to their subject matter rather than the audience; some participants…