This article presents a review of four chapters in "Part I, Section A: Making Curriculum" of "The SAGE Handbook of Curriculum and Instruction" (F. M. Connelly, M. F. He, J. I. Phillion, Eds.; Sage Publications, 2008). These chapters ["Curriculum Policy and the Politics of What Should Be Learned in Schools" (Benjamin…

Thompson reviews the 2006 book by Pauline Boss. Loss is a word that is used frequently to describe numerous life events. In its most apparent state, loss is experienced through the physical death of someone who was once spiritually, psychologically, and physically near. However, ambiguous loss may also occur, when a central person remains present…

Reviews Corsaro's work on the shift toward sociological approaches to research on children. Notes that the book fills a need for textbook on the sociology of childhood; documents the need for concern about children's well-being; presents a new analytical framework for the sociological study of children and of childhood; and challenges traditional…

To the debate between the Rortyan pragmatic model of scientific research advocated by Cleo Cherryholmes and the scientific realism espoused by Ernest R. House is added another model for educational research based on the realism of John Dewey's pragmatism. Constructivist and behaviorist aspects of Dewey's philosophy are explored. (SLD)

Discusses two current monograph publications that provide frameworks for adult learning approaches that stress active, participatory, and reflective learning experiences for early care and education professionals, in an effort to eliminate passive learning by adults. A constructivist teacher-education approach is drawn from both works. (SD)

Suggests that this book helps early childhood educators make sense of postmodern theory. Notes that the authors are optimistic that early childhood educators can make radical changes at all levels of their profession and meet the demands of a complex world and its need for multiple perspectives. (DLH)

This document consists of one volume year (four quarterly issues) of the journal "HyperNexus," containing articles on hypermedia and multimedia use in education. Typical article topics are: language-learning software; teaching and learning HyperCard; hypermedia-based teacher education; the use of music in virtual reality; integrating…

Learner-centered principles espoused by the American Psychological Association (APA) built on research of the last three decades suggest that learning does not simply entail coordinated cognitive processes. These 12 principles portray factors associated with learning as essential parts of the portrayal of learners as active creators of their own…

The "Handbook" chapter on teaching describes market-oriented and constructivist reforms that are contradictory. The former constructs work as scripts for production; the latter constructs work as scaffolds for expression. Teaching must resist external scripting and assume responsibility for its own agency. Teachers' allegiance is to…

This paper presents a model for designing computer-based simulation environments within a constructivist framework for the K-12 school setting. The following primary criteria for the development of simulations are proposed: (1) the problem needs to be authentic; (2) the cognitive demand in learning should be authentic; (3) scaffolding supports a…

This book describes methods used in the education of science teachers. Chapters in the book and authors are as follows: (1) "Teaching Elementary Teachers How to Use the Learning Cycle for Guided Instruction in Science" (John Staver and Gail Shroyer); (2) "Helping Preservice Teachers Master Authentic Assessment for the Learning Cycle…