This issue of the Curriculum Report looks into new social studies programs developed by ten different schools across the country. Analysis of these programs is facilitated by discussing and categorizing the changes in social studies as those concerned primarily with content and those associated with strategies of instruction. Four major content…

ISSUES, an intermediate-grade social studies program, actively involves 2,000 Kansas City students of their urban communities. Psychological and sociological perspectives on urban problems stress helping children to better understand social realities, their peers, and themselves. The students spend approximately half of their social studies time…

This is a study of the constitution and development of a community school in a town near Belgrade. It is one of numerous community schools which expresses the characteristics of its particular commune and which participates actively in the development of the commune. Part 1 of this study lays out the basic principles and social demands for the…

This case study presents a model of the University of Maine, Orono, pre-service program for preparing secondary social studies teachers. Focus is on the Foundations Component and the Methods Component, either of which can function independently of the other. Only brief mention is made of either the Exploratory Field Experience Component or the…

A course titled "Editing As a Way of Life," dealing with communications media, was tried out at the senior high school in University City, Missouri. A total of 38 activities were devised to meet the 16 objectives of the course, which were subsumed under six categories: perception, knowledge, creativity, skills, production techniques, and…

Education should help people learn to use past experiences as a basis for acquiring new meanings, which frees individuals from what restricts and what enslaves. However, the curriculum has become a program for social purposes and the school an instrument of social control when, in reality, what is needed is persuasion (not coercion) and discussion…

In an experiment conducted under classroom conditions with 8th grade students, the simulation game "Democracy" was shown to be effective at teaching that "log-rolling" is an acceptable part of the legislative process. Two aspects of the game--role identification and game structure--were shown to contribute independently to its effectiveness.…

The residential outdoor program involved 60 sixth grade students, divided into 5 groups, distributed as evenly as possible. Each group consisted of leaders, followers, and children with experience in the field and those without experience. Teachers were also divided into 5 groups, usually two or three working together. Each team of teachers chose…

The role of the museum as a source of information is discussed in response to the question about how museums can best augment school curricula. The relationship between schools and museums is investigated with respect to learning. Children must learn to learn--see, observe, conclude, and think--rather than memorize facts. Museums can teach this by…

Reports on a study comparing high school students who received instruction in environmental issues during a six-day residential environmental education workshop, with students receiving instruction in both environmental issues and action strategies. Results indicated students receiving just issue awareness instruction failed to increase their…

Reports on a study which compared the effectiveness of microcomputer simulated experiences with that of parallel, hands-on laboratory instruction for teaching the concept of volume displacement to junior high school students. Results indicated that computer simulated experience were as affective as hands-on laboratory experiences. (TW)

Describes an inservice teacher workshop conducted in Pennsylvania which was designed to encourage the introduction of chemistry at the elementary school level. Discusses the organization and content of the workshop, the materials used, and some evaluative information provided by workshop leaders, teachers, and their students. (TW)

Describes a course offered at the United States Coast Guard Academy that deals with the marine transportation of hazardous materials. Outlines the major topics covered in the course, including marine transportation regulations. Discusses the use of lectures, laboratory demonstrations, and "hands-on" activities in the instructional…

Describes the learning style inventory and learning cycle developed by David Kolb. Discusses the learning cycle's four stages as concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation. Offers an example from a chemical engineering class in which Kolb's ideas are used in an effort to improve instruction.…

Describes the cyclical nature of a problem-solving sequence produced from observing children involved in the process. Discusses the generic qualities of science: (1) observing; (2) inferring; (3) classifying; (4) predicting; (5) controlling variables; and (6) hypothesizing. Explains the processes in use and advantages of a process-led course. (RT)