Presents a variety of innovative, inexpensive, and effective uses for photography that have been seen in elementary and secondary school classrooms. Activities in four areas are included: curriculum enhancement in literature, writing, science, social studies, and art; problem solving, critical thinking, and creativity; school public relations; and…

Recommends organizing U.S. history courses around central ideas rather than chronological periods. Argues that this method affords a better grasp of the principal developments in the nation's history by treating issues in depth. Lists eight broad themes around which a U.S. history course can be constructed. (MJP)

Demonstrates how reading, and creative thinking can increase literacy and create historical empathy in a sixth-grade class. The centerpiece of the class on ancient civilizations is an adaptation of "Antigone," by Sophocles. Recommends the use of dramatic literature because of its ability to engage and transform students' thinking. (MJP)

Outlines the wealth of opportunity provided by electronic media applicable to political science instruction. Reviews CD-ROM text supplements, tutorial packages, and databases. Briefly summarizes online sources and websites including the CIA World Factbook, Congressional Quarterly, United Nations gopher, and Supreme Court rulings. (MJP)

Criticizes the traditional approach to teaching U.S. government as being de-contextualized, piecemeal, incoherent, and ineffective. Summarizes an alternative approach that follows historical development but emphasizes the emerging character of the U.S. political system due to the interaction between values, context, and institutions. Text readings…

Describes methods which have proven effective in motivating largely nontraditional and bilingual community college students to succeed. Suggests that teachers require writing, use graphs/illustrations creatively, use primary sources as required readings, provide supplementary readings, use brainstorming and quality circle techniques, and prepare…

Suggests incorporating reading, writing, and social studies within the context of literature. Includes reading lists and activities for teaching about the Victorian period in a two-month social studies unit that incorporates science fiction, mysteries, and fairy tales. Children discuss old photographs, examine artifacts, visit a Victorian mansion,…

Describes the Global Thinking Project, a collaborative effort between Georgia State University and the Russian Academy of Pedagogical Sciences to develop strategies, methods, and teaching materials to help students think globally. Students are connected through the AppleLink network. Student and teacher attitudes toward the project are reported.…

In an interview, Lucinda Roy, a professor of English at Virginia Tech who teaches online courses in creative writing, the civil rights movement, and literature, discusses the risks and dynamics of this style of teaching and the need to maintain some personal interaction with students. She notes that technology liberates learners, giving them a…

Lists media-related journals, books, ERIC documents, journal articles, and nonprint resources published in 1999-2000. The annotated entries are classified under the following headings: artificial intelligence; computer assisted instruction; distance education; educational research; educational technology; information science and technology;…

Computing and educational technologies allow cooperation between faculty and academic librarians and redefinition of their relationships with students and information. Searching and assessing Internet content, the process of using technology, and lobbying in the area of information policy and infrastructure are all important. An action plan is…

Presents a brief overview of the recent history and current state of computers as instructional tools for history. Maintains that, although computer use in social science research has increased, most classroom instruction remains static. Includes several descriptions of programs and applications for classrooms. (MJP)

Postulates a broad, interdisciplinary art education curriculum. The curriculum is built around nine increasingly cognitively challenging understandings expressed as instructional objectives. These objectives incorporate a series of questions examining art's functional, cultural, historic, and social contexts. Includes a discussion of the project's…

Argues that geography is in a unique position to highlight and emphasize moral issues that otherwise might be neglected. Contemporary issues that naturally intersect with geographic concepts include citizenship and immigration, and the allocation of resources. Recommends examining relative concepts of justice, equality, and community. (MJP)

Recommends ways that cross-cultural content can be effectively presented in general psychology courses. Includes avoiding the marginalization of cross-cultural materials and perspectives, using accurate terminology to make cross-cultural comparisons, and raising awareness about bias within the cross-cultural literature. Offers relevant examples…