Myriad research in a variety of contexts shows spatial skills benefit students; however, they are not given enough attention in classroom instruction. In this review we systematically explore geoscience education literature focusing on spatial interventions to answer research questions on trends in spatial skills and other characteristics. We…

This paper theorises a curriculum model containing four features. We use these features as criteria to analyse and evaluate two distinctive curriculum design types: '21st Century Learning' and 'Powerful Knowledge'. The four features are: (i) the underpinning theory of knowledge in each curriculum design type; (ii) the knowledge structures used to…

Given that few studies have formally examined pedagogical design considerations of Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs), this study explored variations in the pedagogical design of six MOOCs offered at the University of Toronto, while considering disciplinary characteristics and expectations of each MOOC. Using a framework (Neumann et al., 2002)…

Improving the school governance structure and establishing a modern school system are the current research focuses in elementary and middle school management. Through a comparative analysis of the school governance structure of four provinces and cities in China (Beijing-Shanghai-Jiangsu-Guangdong, BSJG) and PISA2015 high-scored…

To support the review of the National Curriculum, the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) was commissioned by the Department for Education in the spring of 2011 to produce a report detailing curricular arrangements in a number of high-performing educational jurisdictions. The principal source of information for this report has been…

Medical and nursing schools in the United States have traditionally had a limited emphasis on end-of-life care. The present study is a comparison of these 2 professional programs' current offerings on death education. Data were gathered via a mailed survey from the 122 medical schools in 2005 and the 580 baccalaureate nursing programs in 2006.…

The content and objectives of the Pacesetter Spanish course, developed by the College Board, are compared with those of the "National Standards for Foreign Language Learning: Preparing for the Twenty-First Century," published in 1996 and are generally adopted by the foreign language teaching community. The comparison begins with the…

A University of Idaho introductory course in political science describes basic concepts, institutions, and processes of politics and relate their importance to students' daily lives. The course is comparative in organization and structured to promote critical and analytical thinking about politics. (MSE)

A survey of 127 hospice physicians attempted to identify appropriate performance objectives for medical training in care of the terminally ill. The 39 objectives identified covered physician attitudes, knowledge, and skills. Thirty-four of the objectives were validated. The list of objectives with their ratings is included. (MSE)

A study of the role of subject matter in shaping high school teachers' beliefs, curricular concerns, and instructional practices complements studies of the disciplines in higher education. Factors discussed include the "hard/soft" distinction between disciplines, curriculum sequencing, range of classroom techniques, breadth of course content, and…

A study compared scores on identical tests in internal medicine for two groups of graduating University of Toronto (Canada) medical students: those in a traditional, lecture-based curriculum (TC) and those in a redesigned curriculum with less didactic instruction and more clinical experience (NC). All comparisons showed a significantly higher…

A study investigated the attitudes of engineering students (n=167) and graduates (n=220) who had taken courses which were enhanced to better prepare them for professional practice than conventional courses. In general, these students and graduates viewed their courses more favorably than those (n=353) in conventional courses. Some complaints were…

A number of issues in classroom second language instruction, particularly as they relate to grammar instruction, are considered in the context of recent research and theory. Discussion begins with a review of the nature and role of second language grammar instruction. Following this, these issues are explored: whether the native or target language…

Compares the 1995-96 curricula of U.S. optometry schools, focusing on clock hours and proportion of curriculum devoted to specific content areas. Results indicate greater variation in some areas than in others, and changes in curricular emphasis since a previous study, particularly consolidation in hours devoted to basic sciences and expansion in…

This guide outlines curriculum and performance standards for second language instruction in Wisconsin elementary and secondary schools. An introductory section describes the rationale for development of, and use of the standards for foreign language instruction and briefly discusses applications across the curriculum. A second section gives an…