Discusses two children's picture books: "Smoky Night" and "The House that Crack Built." Notes that the books deal with the Los Angeles riots and the use and distribution of crack cocaine. Concludes that each book treats important issues with sensitivity and honesty and is engaging, even when dealing with controversial topics in…

Discusses how religion and fiction can be a troublesome blend in literature for young people. Notes that many writers have found it simpler to avoid spiritual issues altogether, to stay with the safe and secular. Describes that one solution a number of writers have grasped is to portray protagonists as learning to seek the answers within…

Describes a course at the University of San Diego on issues of spirituality in family therapy which offers family therapy students an opportunity to examine the place of spirituality and religion in therapy. Course goals include training in opening a dialogue about spirituality with clients; expanding student awareness of comparative religions;…

Describes the controversy and eventual success of the use of "Heaven's Coast" by Mark Doty (an account of the author's mourning of the loss of his partner Wally to AIDS) as a common text for students at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. (EV)

Discusses the importance of conveying content material in a course while addressing student learning styles. Directs student study time toward major concepts and encourages them to teach themselves some of the material so that classroom time is largely used to explore more difficult material and applications. Emphasizes instructors focusing on…

Describes a strategy for a study of social problems in social studies classes that involves selecting brief excerpts from various literary genres that focus on a key social issue. Notes the students identify the problem, consider its implications, and offer solutions--then the students are encouraged to read the entire text to see how the problem…

Describes the innovative content and structure of an introductory course on clinical patient care at the Illinois College of Optometry. Critiques its success based on student grades and feedback, concluding that it was successful in imparting skills of data analysis but had minimal impact on students' ability to empathize with patients. (EV)

Discusses where censorship comes from, taking a positive approach to censorship, how to make censorship work for teachers in the classroom, teaching through controversy, teaching students to become critical readers, and using controversial literature in the classroom. Appends a 24-item list of children's classics and books for young adults often…

Survey responses (n=131) from technology education leaders (teachers, supervisors, teacher educators, professional association boards) showed significant agreement on curriculum approaches: very strong at the elementary level, less so in high schools. In elementary schools, technology education was viewed as method, in middle schools as an…

Replicating a 1984 study, a survey of home economics/family studies coordinators in the 10 Canadian provinces found the following: home economics has expanded into grades lower than 8; required courses have increased; core curriculum has not changed radically; there is increased focus on family well-being; and there is a need to address curriculum…

Describes how an introductory course in database management is enriched using the Internet and how students encounter problems with sociotechnical systems. Concludes with observations concerning conditions that must be in place for Internet-augmented systems. (DDR)

Presents the historical development of required undergraduate core mathematics courses. Suggests that a new core course--discrete dynamical modeling--is needed to prepare students for success in the information age. Contains 17 references. (Author/ASK)

Describes a logical sequence of courses to provide skills in areas critical to the entrepreneurship process. Offers five basic steps in designing assessment strategies. (JOW)

Study seeks to determine the content of higher education law courses in student affairs graduate programs and the legal focus in presentations at the American College Personnel Association and National Association of Student Personnel Administrators national conferences. Reviews syllabi from 23 institutions and conference programs from 1990…

Describes an exercise used in business communication courses that uses controversial business news to provoke discussion and build critical thinking as well as help students to develop writing and speaking skills as they prepare to face the communications implications of workplace controversies and crises. (SR)