Presents a year long plan for teaching about Columbus's voyages and their impact on the Americas. Discusses themes of bias in history, how language can be used to create a certain image, and concepts of heroism, respect, and power. Includes instructions for schoolwide, social studies and history projects with interdepartmental coordination. (DK)

Discussion of the role of school library media centers (LMCs) in Wisconsin highlights the Final Report of the State Superintendent's Task Force on School Library Media Issues. Issues addressed include the media specialist as curriculum partner, education and staff development, programs and technology, facilities, collections and resources, and…

Asserts that a trend toward vocationalism in Australian schools has been underway since the 1970s. Examines educational restructuring efforts in Australia and describes their relationship to Australian political developments. Argues for a reconstruction of democratic social democracy within the framework of vocationalism. (CFR)

Asserts that middle school education is a conceptually unique process requiring changed teacher roles, a curriculum of exploration rather than skill development, and student grouping based on developmental factors rather than by age or subject matter. (CFR)

A teacher educator gives a personal account of how her experience in trying to create an egalitarian, communitarian spirit in a graduate education course challenged her feminist notions of power, empowerment, and authority and provided insights into the practical aspects of developing instructor-student collaboration. (IAH)

The validity of eight critical thinking tests developed for the Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) public schools was studied using scores from 100 students each in grades 5, 8, and 11 and questionnaire responses from teachers. Validity is discussed for providing diagnostic information, monitoring achievement, and influencing the curriculum. (SLD)

Given that mathematics is the essence of scientific and rational thinking, and that mathematics is the imprinter of both modern society and modern thought, implicit curricular proposals for both pre- and in-service mathematics teacher training are suggested for the revitalized teacher promotion of students' just and democratic behaviors. (JJK)

The development and design of a Michigan State University program providing research training to graduate medical students are described. The program addresses topics of critical reading skills, computer database searching skills, basic research methodology, and scientific communication skills. Since its inception, student scholarly activity has…

Presents an annotated bibliography of sources related to the history of science and technology culled from the ERIC database. Materials include academic journals, books, videos, and teachers' magazines. Includes information on locating, ordering, and reproduction of materials. (MJP)

Examined teachers' beliefs on what constitutes developmentally appropriate literacy instruction. Three teachers were interviewed, observed during planning and instruction time, and asked to reflect on their beliefs and practicing. Through practice, they came to believe that appropriate literacy instruction involves a variety of instructional…

Describes a U.S. history survey course that incorporates cultural pluralism and family histories into the writing assignments. Students are encouraged to write about events that occurred in their families during the time periods being studied. Oral interviews and family documents supplement traditional research tools and secondary sources. (MJP)

Calls for an expansion of the objectives of vocational education to include consideration of the nature, value, and purpose of work. Finds justification for this in the changing job market and John Dewey's original conception of vocational education. Suggests that some form of this approach become part of all students' curriculum. (MJP)

This article discusses the value of professional portfolios, describes how they are used in a five-year Canadian teacher preparation program, and includes criteria for assessing student teacher portfolios. Findings from two surveys of superintendents indicate that, overall, including a portfolio among an applicant's credentials can enhance the…

Examines the historical dimensions of school geography in Nigeria. Current reform suggestions include replacing geography education's theoretical orientation with more fieldwork and laboratory experience. Professional organizations could promote public awareness and increased funding. (MJP)

Describes design and use of the PBL Evaluator, a computer-based method of evaluating dental students' clinical problem-solving skills. Analysis of Indiana University students' self-, peer, and tutor ratings for one iteration of a course in critical thinking and professional behavior shows differences in these ratings. The method is found useful…