Describes the efforts of a Baltimore (Maryland) County Public Schools task force to initiate values education in the schools through a representative grassroots effort that involved many community groups. Twenty-four core values were identified that could be infused throughout the curriculum. Each school within the district formed an advisory…

Genetic involvement in specific verbal and spatial abilities and memory and perceptual speed was assessed using 163 adopted and 142 non-adopted 7-year-olds and their biological, adoptive, and non-adoptive parents. Results imply the existence of some genetic continuity from the early school years to adulthood for verbal and spatial abilities. (TJH)

Describes an activity in which students monitor the plastic waste production in their households, research its effects on freshwater and marine life, and propose ways to lessen the problem. Provides objectives, background information, materials, procedures, extension activities, and an evaluation for students. (Author/RT)

Our culture's preoccupation with gender differences is reflected in the importance developmental psychologists have placed on gender-related issues. Discusses the following areas of research where gender has been a primary focus: (1) measurement of intellectual abilities; (2) biology and behavior; and (3) socialization processes. Discusses policy…

Reports on a study that explores the influence of cultural setting on the relationship between temperament and adjustment in children in British infant schools. Concludes that a better understanding of the contribution of the setting's features to individual adjustment may provide a basis for maximizing adjustment. (LS)

Discusses the importance of the cultural component in the language learning process for providing a sound communication base. Examples are presented that reflect differences in speech patterns, such as politeness, of native speakers of British and Moroccan Arabic, with emphasis on culturally specific language patterns. (25 references)(OD)

Efforts to professionalize teaching in recent years have contrasted sharply with regulatory initiatives that deprofessionalize the occupation and the act of teaching. Choices made now between better regulations and better teachers will determine the shape of education in years to come. (TE)

Canada's Summer Language Bursary Program is a joint national-provincial effort providing immersion in French- or English-as-a-Second-Language to Canadian students. Despite 18 years of success and the benefits gained at small expense, the program is not well-known and risks losing funding. Self-promotion and lobbying are necessary. (Author/MSE)

The progress of postapartheid curriculum in South Africa's universities is examined, beginning with examination of the apartheid legacy in higher education and proceeding to the politics of changes in national educational policy. It is concluded that, despite efforts to change policy at the national level, universities have done little to…

Investigated maternal beliefs about the role of parents and teachers in children's knowledge acquisition in five domains: science, mathematics, sociopolitics, history/geography, and language. Differences in views were attributed to cultural traditions of the two countries. Examined teacher ratings of children's classroom behaviors across cultures;…

A survey of students in 179 Missouri high schools found that rural, male, and minority students watched more television than their counterparts; that rural students' perceptions of environmental safety impacted the length of television watching; and that the difference in viewing time between white and minority students was smaller in rural areas…

Contends that the English coffee house was a social and economic institution that served as a daily newspaper and a center of commerce. Discusses coffee house origins, development, significance, and decline. Concludes that the coffee house served as a transition from medieval society to an age of rationality and industry. (CFR)

Presents theoretical background for building an early childhood curriculum based on the Educare approach. Five principles are explained. They emphasize that learning drives development and that social interaction, interpersonal relationships, mutual understanding, and culture are unique in developmental processes. Concludes that teachers can have…

Discusses three ethnographic studies of electronic media and technological literacy among urban immigrant and multicultural individuals, analyzing electronic media consumption according to preferred forms and genres, social functions, maintenance of cultural identity, and education and information functions. Recommendations for adult basic…

Successes and failures in Polish higher education reform since the fall of communism are outlined. Successes include legal support for reform, access to higher education, new schools, international collaboration, enhancement of academic careers. Problems include inadequate structure for science, little structural change in higher education,…