At George Mason University (Virginia), a consulting firm designed a program to train university administrators to deal with the media effectively. On-camera simulations, followed up with practice sessions in the university's telecommunications department, were an effective method of preparing for difficult media questions. (MSE)

Describes a classroom simulation that has students role play membership in the United Nations. Students are assigned countries and through research and debate learn that country's position on international issues. The culminating activity has students participate in a mock United Nations Assembly vote. Argues that this method encourages students…

Four activities for French language classroom use are presented, including a simulation of the relationships and communication within a family; pronunciation instruction through phonetic transcription; cultural awareness through students' analysis of their own and their parents' specific memories; and analysis and comparison of a literary text and…

This activity book for teachers and students presents ideas for lessons on Christopher Columbus. Three sections offer teaching ideas and student activities focusing on Columbus's inspiration and preparation for departure, the science of navigation and the voyage, and the pros and cons of changes brought about by Columbus's voyage. (SM)

Discussion of assessing student performance on simulation exercises focuses on a study that examined the relationship between financial performance and various other measures of student learning in a business simulation. The use of Bloom's taxonomy of learning is explained and further research is suggested. (14 references) (LRW)

Recommends using teacher vacations to help students learn about other countries and cultures. Asserts that visiting schools and classrooms can have useful professional development results. Includes a list of classroom activities that can be based on teacher vacations. (CFR)

Presents two interdisciplinary lessons combining social studies, reading, and writing. Includes recommended children's literature for both lessons. Suggests classroom activities designed to teach history and social studies through reading historical fiction. (CFR)

Two articles describe ideas for school library media centers interested in promoting space education. The first article explains how to construct an inexpensive simulation of a space shuttle and suggests associated activities. The second presents steps for identifying resources and organizing them into a resources file; relevant information…

This study evaluated two methods of presenting a videotaped lesson on the care of residents with low vision to 87 staff at long-term care facilities. Both versions of the videotape, one which presented information in a narrative format and one which used text overlay to highlight ideas, were equally effective. (Author/JDD)

This chapter discusses the origins of the case method, looks at the question of what is a case, gives ideas about learning in case teaching, the purposes it can serve in the classroom, the ground rules for case discussion, including the role of questions, and new directions for case teaching. (MLW)

Describes the case study method as a form of simulation and presents guidelines for their use in professional training situations. Skill development in problem solving is highlighted as a reason to use case studies; steps in creating a case are outlined; and the effectiveness of case studies is discussed. (LRW)

A study found that trained standardized patients could provide a reliable assessment of English proficiency of foreign medical graduates by comparison with a standardized language test, but further research is needed to determine whether it is necessary to provide a clinical context for language assessment. (MSE)

Asserts that terrorism, in its domestic and international forms, is a subject worthy of attention in social studies. Provides a list of causes of terrorism, a list of reasons why the United States is often a terrorist target, and three application lesson ideas. (CFR)

Asserts that classroom discussions of the fairness of the competitive market economy often deteriorate into polemical arguments. Presents a classroom simulation that enables students, regardless of their initial opinions to experience a variety of factors that influence wealth distribution in a market economy. (CFR)

Asserts that there are many advantages to working in a controlled laboratory environment when teaching market structures in economics. Introduces the concept of competitive market experiments, makes a renewed case for their use in economics instruction, and proposes an expanded format for reporting experimental results. (CFR)