In this article, we illustrate and grapple with the challenges of doing social justice work in a neoliberal academic environment. Specifically, we consider our experiences of creating a social justice concentration in a graduate program where higher education serves as the focus of study. In so doing, we draw on information from a number of…

The author argues that concerts create pressures on the music curriculum similar to those high-stakes tests generate on the general curriculum. Three similarities are presented and discussed using the example of a concert the author organized: first, teaching to the test and the narrowing of curricular goals; second, evaluation by a single source…

This study examines six US social studies teachers' beliefs and curricular decisions that impact their teaching about Asia. Using interview data, the study seeks to understand the forces that influence what, how, and when teachers teach about Asia in their secondary classes, if and how they position Asians as "others", and what bearing…

Many teacher training programs, including MATESOL programs, encourage their trainees to be reflective practitioners. The MATESOL program at The American University of Sharjah (AUS) is no exception and offers the students many opportunities for reflection. This article discusses my experience with a recent cohort's reaction to being asked to…

As long as there have been public schools, there have been reformers of public schools. All too often, they have insisted on sweeping changes; enamored of their bold, new idea, they haven't considered whether anything established ought to endure. The result? A century of faddish ideas, but little real progress. Among today's most vocal reformers…

Scholarship that addresses teaching and learning about evolution has rapidly increased in recent years. This review of that scholarship first addresses the philosophical/epistemological issues that impinge on teaching and learning about evolution, including the proper philosophical goals of evolution instruction; the correlational and possibly…

The Early College High School Initiative (ECHSI) launched in 2002 with the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The ECHSI provides funds for the development of Early College Schools (ECSs) that serve students who traditionally are underrepresented in postsecondary education and offers them the opportunity to simultaneously pursue a high…

In recent years universities have attempted to articulate the generic outcomes of the educational experiences they provide, beyond the content knowledge that is taught. These outcomes have come to be known as generic skills or generic graduate attributes in Australia, although they are also referred to by a range of other terms. Akin to some…

A new book of standards for quality of tests has been published in Spanish, filling a gap on this field. The book includes 64 standards, comments, a companion questionnaire for self-evaluation and a planning schedule; with those tools a non-expert may understand the standards, and easily follow some procedures to design or to improve a test. The…

What is "General Psychology?" Is it just one course that could be an elective, part of a minor, or part of a student's major? Or could "General Psychology" literally be the "corner stone" or "foundation block" upon which all the other psychology courses, taken afterwards, add to like bricks upon a "foundation block?" This paper will seek to…

This foreign language curriculum guide for secondary school French and Italian includes the instructional objectives and activities for each language learning level and its corresponding suggested school grade. For French, there is a further breakdown according to language skills, grammar, reading, structures, conversation, and culture and…

Presented are Kansas state guidelines for teaching science in grades K-12. This is designed to provide a rationale and structure which will enable educational planners and decision makers to develop and select science curricula. The content is intended for use by administrators in charge of curriculum, departmental and district science…

Objectives and sample test items to measure cognitive outcomes in environmental units of study in grades four through nine are presented. The objectives are subdivided into three main groups: (1) natural ecosystem; (2) human environment; and (3) environmental problems. Objectives and test items to measure affective outcomes are also listed.…

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships between the two basic factors, progressivism and traditionalism, that underlie attitudes toward education and the range of behavioral objectives which teachers consider important for student achievement. The research involves a measure of teacher attitudes toward education and a…

This volume contains 20 case study profiles of educational RDD&E projects and, as such, constitutes the data base for the Oregon Studies. This part (Part 2) of Volume IV contains profiles of seven development projects along with information that describes the development of the profiles, explains how to read the profiles, and includes a glossary…