The author reviews several government reports and other publications for their definitions of core curriculum and comments on particular problems of middle school curriculum: balance and articulation. (SJL)

A new approach to general education at Bowling Green State University based on "essential skills and functional understandings" is discussed. The model includes skills in: problem solving and critical thinking; reading and writing; computation and mathematics; listening and speaking; and decision-making and values-conflict resolution.…

The article describes the development of BioMedical Sciences Core at Weber State College in Ogden, Utah for introductory level allied health students. The design of the "Core" curriculum is to integrate the disciplines of physics, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, and microbiology as they relate to the human body rather than teaching the traditional…

The responses of the heads of special libraries to a survey on library education provided little evidence for a unified core curriculum for special librarians; larger special libraries felt subject background was most important, while medium-sized special libraries recommended courses to develop specific, immediately usable skills. (EM)

Analyzes English program catalog descriptions at 81 four-year colleges. Concludes that the English major has changed little since 1965-68, with literature remaining at the core of the program. (MM)

Viewing curriculum as an academic plan permits development of parallel course and program planning models that are dynamic, conceptually related to student learning, and familiar to institutional planners. Opportunities gained by using the academic plan umbrella for curriculum are described. (Author/MLW)

The National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division II voted to adopt academic standards for freshman athletes that are identical to those in effect in Division I. Officials of Black colleges opposed the inclusion of standardized-test scores in the regulations. The roll-call vote is provided. (MLW)

Spontaneous movements in second language instruction are contrasted with instructional projects designed to address specific issues or problems. Canada's proposed National Core French Study is discussed in this context. (MSE)

Faculty members and residents at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Nebraska were surveyed to determine whether there was agreement on a core of procedural skills that all internal medicine residents should be able to perform. Nineteen procedures were indicated by 90 percent or more of the respondents. (Author/MLW)

This handbook is an important reference for individuals seeking to understand charter schools in Utah. Information contained here will be especially useful for interested parties seeking to start a charter school, as well as current charter school operators. This handbook is intended to be a general reference regarding charter schools. The…

This guide delineates Utah's secondary school music course curricula. The introductory section, "Music Connections," contains a music achievement portfolio for a general music course. The guide explains that "Music Connections" is an extension of the K-6 music core and includes concepts and skills to integrate music into…

Great ideas about law, government, and the rights of individuals, embedded in U.S. founding documents, are the connective cords by which national unity and civic identity have been maintained in the United States from the 1770s until today. To be a citizen is to understand and have a reasonable commitment to the ideas in the founding documents.…

This final report describes activities and accomplishments of a 3-year, federally supported project at the University of Massachusetts (Lowell) to develop a 4-year general education core program featuring both curriculum coherence and choices in courses for students. The curriculum was developed by faculty working in small interdisciplinary…

This report provides information about the performance of 1997 graduating seniors nationwide who took the American College Testing Program (ACT) Assessment as sophomores, juniors, or seniors. These students may not be representative of the total population of graduating seniors at a given school, depending on patterns of students taking the ACT.…

This paper describes the First Year Program at Westminster College in Pennsylvania, which has implemented a new, progressive curriculum that prominently features the basic communication course, and an initial attempt to evaluate the program. The paper begins with a description of the content and goals of the basic communication course, which is…