Explores the concept of curriculum potential and argues for its utility as a construct in curriculum theory. Discusses the limitations of viewing curriculum materials strictly in accordance with their developers' objectives, and examines the concept of curriculum potential as an alternative approach to curriculum implementation and evaluation.…

This article attempts to clarify issues concerning, and provide the background needed to understand, the roots and assumptions of the movement towards accountability as well as the movement to technologize curriculum planning and teaching. (RC)

Describes a survey in which one thousand British undergraduates who had studied one or more Nuffield A-Level single sciences were identified; both they and their teachers were asked about the influence of this experience on their university performance. The survey revealed definite approval for the Nuffield schemes. (MLH)

States that college chemistry teachers can best assess a curriculum by observing how much reinforcement it provides to the students. Also urges that curricula should offer opportunities to instruct the concrete operational student in formal operational thought. (MLH)

Granting freedom to another person to choose his goals and learn in his own way is a difficult and risky process. Here a teacher of French gives an honest and personal account of several years of struggle on her own part toward taking that risk. (Editor)

This article describes a comprehensive system analysis in which students evaluated their educational experience on such dimensions as faculty-student communications and decision making, psychological closeness, freedom to express deviant views, sexual and racial bias, and the degree to which the program climate encouraged them to be active rather…

An occupational program (electronics) was randomly selected for an experimental study in curriculum evaluation by the task force at the College of DuPage. The task force developed a questionnaire on community college electronics curriculum and analyzed the curriculum feedback from the 23 business, 30 graduates, and 8 instructors who responded. (BP)

Article considered the thesis, put forth by Howard Conant, that it was time to bring artists into art education as teachers, thus replacing art teachers. Author responded by categorically denying Conant's basic assumptions. (Author/RK)

A review of reference literature in curriculum development and a short sample curriculum, "Economic Aspects of the Local Environment," are presented to help guide economics teachers in making curriculum revisions. (JH)

Social studies as taught in many schools is anti-intellectual, formless, and ineffective. History, if properly taught, is at the opposite extreme: challenging to the point of being beyond the comprehension of young students. Social studies at its worst is experimental psychological manipulation. At its best it can be a useful synthesis of concepts…

Curriculum practices of northwest Ohio school districts are described in this exploratory study. Thirty-one out of 33 superintendents responded to a questionnaire that collected information on the following: administrative responsibility for curriculum management; the curriculum review and management process; public relations practices; curriculum…

In this study, 484 dissertations written from 1976 to 1985 were reviewed to determine the content of curriculum dissertations and the methodology employed. "Dissertation Abstracts International" was the data source for dissertations. Sixteen categories emerged as appropriate for classifying the content foci of the studies. Descriptions and…

Program evaluation from a K-12 perspective is increasing in importance. Unit school teachers expressed a necessity to objectively observe their schools. In 1980, the Board of Directors of the National Study of School Evaluation perceived the need for a K-12 self-study instrument. Consequently, the executive director of the board and a national…

An historical background on curriculum evaluation including terms as they were introduced is presented. The historical approach provides a sense of continuity and direction, and historical perspectives offer necessary references for future curriculum study. Curriculum evaluation at the turn of this century emphasized the testing and measurement…