In March, after two years of debate that followed complaints by minority students, Stanford's faculty voted to replace the university's year-long Western culture requirement with a new requirement called "Cultures, Ideas and Values." Courses will be required to give attention to the issues of race, gender, and class. (MLW)

To alleviate poor subject-matter preparation of science teachers and stem declining enrollment in both secondary and postsecondary science programs, the University of Western Ontario faculties of science and education are collaborating in a new honors undergraduate program in science. The interdisciplinary program offers a broader selection of…

King's College (Pennsylvania) has redesigned its faculty reward system, mixing intrinsic and extrinsic incentives in three interrelated institutional initiatives related to general educational reform, senior faculty performance appraisal, and merit pay. An early result of the effort is a perceptible improvement in faculty motivation and…

Reviews Kentucky's efforts to increase family and community involvement in its public school reform. These efforts include a new structure for the traditional elementary school; Family Resource Centers; and school-based decision making. Also shares some parents' perspectives on how these changes are shaping their children's school experiences. (BB)

The Academic Excellence Workshop at California State Polytechnic University (Pomona) has greatly improved performance and persistence of women and Latino science, mathematics, and engineering majors taking calculus, the crucial gateway course. This suggests persistence and success are more related to college classroom experiences and expectations…

The self-study process at St. Edward's University (Texas) is described. Features examined include its five focal areas (technology, knowledge explosion, experiential learning, multiculturalism, and values), involvement of both the campus and external communities in the self-study, and the vision of a redesigned university that resulted from the…

Describes a 12-unit teacher-developed secondary education program that seeks to reverse the common bias against gays through information, support groups, and school-community programs. Describes the program's success in a Cambridge (Massachusetts) school. Provides teaching tips for addressing sexuality and a list of resources. (JB)

Describes the collegewide academic program at Maharishi International University that incorporates speaking and writing into the undergraduate curriculum. The impact of the key features of this successful program upon the mathematics curriculum are discussed in detail. (JJK)

Provides an overview of the issues shaping efforts to reform elementary education in the People's Republic of China. China's school organization and practices invite comparison with aspects of the U.S. system of elementary education. Enduring features of Chinese elementary education are discussed. (Author/BB)

A unit on butterflies in a first grade classroom gave the children scientific knowledge and incorporated subject areas other than science. (BB)

An activity in which students describe the worldwide geographic distribution of petroleum, identify and locate the countries that make up the Middle East, and name the countries that import oil to meet their domestic needs is presented. Discussion questions and answers are included. (KR)

Reviews the efforts of the American Council on Education, Education Commission of the States, American Association of Community and Junior Colleges, and the Quality Education for Minorities Project to revitalization minority participation in higher education. Highlights encouraging enrollment trends. (DMM)

This paper discusses theories and practices of the politics of curriculum reform tested while working to establish a freshman seminar course at the University of Prince Edward Island. The step-by-step procedure for negotiating the approval process is relevant to all types of curriculum reform. (Author/MLW)

Presents two kindergarten teachers' accounts of the use of the whole language approach to children's learning in class. Describes the reading of a children's book to a public kindergarten class and the subsequent literacy-related activities. (BB)

The provost of Towson University, a Maryland state university, analyzes why his institution employs part-time faculty, discusses problems and solutions, and makes recommendations for longer-term policy development to assure quality education. It is argued that part-time faculty are critical to university operations, providing an economic base that…