This qualitative study strives to provide a greater understanding of the past, current, and future state of education in Sri Lanka after the 2004 tsunami. The researchers' key objectives are to provide additional insight to educators of the far-reaching impact of the tsunami via a website they created. Rather than concentrate on the same sort of…

Three teachers implemented a modified Reggio Emilia approach in their multiage, looped, early childhood, setting. This study examined how teachers articulated their work and how they deconstructed social studies through enacting tenets of the approach. Through processes of research, the teachers found that the primary students described themselves…

In 1995, Neil Houser concluded that social studies in Delaware was "on the back burner." Some ten years later, the same can be said concerning social studies in South Carolina. With a continued emphasis being placed on the more "pressing" fields such as math and language arts, coupled with the inclusion of social studies on South Carolina's…

This article provides a brief overview of the qualities of American presidential leadership as well as two rubrics that social studies students can utilize to analyze candidates for the presidency in the past, present, and future. Presidents often exhibit certain characteristics or attributes that make them effective leaders. These abilities…

In this study, 172 elementary teachers were surveyed to determine the state of social studies teaching in their classrooms. Data was collected during the spring of 2004 in various geographic locations within an urban district in southern California. The survey measured teachers' time teaching core subjects, how teachers chose to spend their time…

Many of the colleges and universities in the United States have developed some form of study abroad programs to enable their students to receive a learning experience outside the continental United States. The desire to give my preservice teachers a study abroad experience unlike any other led me to explore many of the contacts I have made in…

Current pressure on education programs is leading to increased evaluation of course requirements. Alignment with national and state standards and demands for greater accountability are being reflected in teacher certification requirements and graduation proficiencies. There is a great deal of literature that identifies the need and value of…

This manuscript is a description of personal observations of two hutments in New Delhi, India. Data was gathered from my hotel window using the OSAE method of landscape observation. The OSAE is the method I use to understand processes that can be seen when studying a landscape. It is the most useful tool I have ever used when teaching geography.…

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of high-stakes tests on teachers' instructional practices. Data were obtained from a survey instrument given to a stratified random sample of Mississippi social studies teachers who teach the same content that is tested on their state's high school graduation examination. An analysis found…

Increasing numbers of students with disabilities receive a majority of their formal education in general education settings where they must be taught the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to lead fully equitable and participatory lives in a democratic society. Given the need for all students to acquire civic understanding, the purpose of…

Many school districts have implemented "packaged" programs designed to teach character education. Millions of dollars have been spent on these programs, yet society continues to produce more "characters" than students "with character." This article describes a shift from the "programmatic" mindset to a solution that is not packaged or purchased.…

Elementary education teacher candidates identified four criteria they used to identify a "best" lesson plan they had developed and taught for posting to their electronic portfolio. Criteria include a lesson that students: liked, learned from, actively participated in, and were involved in carrying out research. Scoring with rubric focusing on…

K-3 students were interviewed to elicit their knowledge and thinking (including misconceptions) about families, a major topic in primary social studies. Along with valid knowledge, the students displayed significant knowledge gaps and misconceptions about marriage, kinship relations, and family life in the past, in other cultures, and in urban vs.…

Because of the recent resurgence of interest in citizenship education caused by events of September 11th and the war with Iraq, the authors conducted a study to determine the perceptions of eight and eleventh grade students regarding citizenship. We wanted to find out what students believed are the attributes of a good citizen. What activities do…

This manuscript reports the findings from a web-based, issues-centered project created by teacher education students for high school seniors in a government class. The university students compiled web pages that formulated an issue facing the Kansas Legislature and authored questions to be evaluated by the high school government students. The…