We characterized college human genetics courses for nonscience majors (NSM) by 1) determining the number of U.S. institutions offering courses and the number of students taking them; and 2) surveying course instructors on course demographics, content, materials, and pedagogies. Between 2002 and 2004, an estimated 480 institutions of higher…

In this conceptual piece I use two pedagogical texts or moments--a preschool/kindergarten diagram representing body parts, and an adult dance class--to explore gaps in curricula and practice with respect to the treatment of young children's sexual curiosity. Looking first at social constructs of children's sexuality and sexual curiosity, and at…

This paper identifies three underlying discourses on the nature of sexuality evident in two Department of Education curriculum documents on sexuality education in Victoria, Australia, over the past 15 years. These discourses are a cultural "preservation" perspective, a risk minimisation perspective, and a view that sexual expression…

A sense of number is now generally recognised as a central factor in learning, and later applying, mathematics. Consequently, number sense is increasingly emphasised in curriculum documentation related to mathematics. The "Primary School Curriculum: Mathematics," published by the Government of Ireland in 1999, is no exception. It…

Because of the vast nature of the work of Ernest Boyer and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, it is appropriate to highlight specific ideas related to the basic course in communication and offer a response. First, further research must be done to determine the extent to which the basic communications course enhances student…

This compilation of 12 conflict resolution models is an attempt to provide a comparable overview of approaches that teach conflict management and peacemaking skills to K-12 students, teachers, counselors, and administrators. They have been selected for inclusion because they have been used in many schools around the United States. Each is…

First in a series of reports of an investigation designed to determine whether a continuous process of change is possible in science curricula using outcomes of examinations as one source of information. Describes necessary conditions for such a process together with findings relating to various dimensions of the Nuffield examination. (GS)

Compares curriculum evaluation with literary criticism, emphasizing ways the literary concepts of metaphor, point of view, plot, and theme may be applied to curriculum evaluation. Suggests that the use of literary concepts and rhetoric may enable evaluators to describe and judge curricula without distortion or oversimplification. (JG)

Argues that teachers, principals, and supervisors must determine the present status of the language arts curriculum, as well as other curriculum areas in the school setting. (RB)

The need for standard consistently defined vocabulary in education is explored. (DE)

Describes the content of an instructional unit on nutrition prepared by the Dairy Council of California for primary-level school children and the results of its large-scale tryout in 30 California schools. (SDH)

The American Lung Association of Los Angeles County developed the SAFE-AT-HOME curriculum to teach preschool children home safety concepts through early childhood group experiences. This report evaluates the efficacy of the curriculum by testing 2 experimental and 2 control groups of children from 34 preschool classes on fire, water, foreign…

A rating scale from the National Association for Industry-Education Cooperation is presented for evaluating instructional materials developed by industry. The rating scale is divided into the following categories: (1) objectives; (2) ability range; (3) content; (4) utilization characteristics; (5) presentation of materials; and (6) evaluation. (DC)

This study draws a relationship between curriculum documents and classroom daily occurrences by describing how the curriculum document is enacted in the instructional context. The setting for the study centered on the daily life of two classrooms. Two inductee teachers were paired with mentor teachers as part of a collaborative project between a…

Teachers and supervisors need to provide quality experiences in reading for each learner. School systems can appraise the effectiveness of their present reading curricula in a variety of ways. The following issues are involved in evaluating the reading curriculum: (1) objective selection; (2) objective sequencing; and (3) appraisal procedures to…