This report presents results of a three-year review and evaluation of American college and university programs in Latin American, Eastern European, Middle Eastern, African, and Asian studies. Information was gathered through site visits; interviews of students, faculty, department chairmen, and administrators; and attendance at area association…

This handbook is an annotated bibliography of 828 instructional materials for teaching about the Near East. Existing materials are identified that can be used by precollegiate teachers of all subject areas. The handbook is arranged by grade levels--primary, intermediate, and secondary. Within each section, materials are divided by region of the…

Analysis of questionnaires completed by 228 Israeli high school students reveals that, for Jewish adolescents, the future is less salient than it is for Arab adolescents; Jewish adolescents express fewer concerns about their education, career, and collective issues than do their Arab counterparts. (BJV)

Asserts that Islam is one of the world's fastest growing religions and an increasingly important political force in the world. Provides background information on Sunni and Shiite Islam, highlighting their historical, religious, and ideological differences. (CFR)

This unit contains 17 class activities which can be used with intermediate and secondary level students to teach them about perception. Perceptions play an important role in an individual's understanding of, and behavior toward, people from other cultures. In the unit students are asked to better understand what their perceptions of Arabs are,…

Ten authors offer a large array of theoretical and practical ideas for developing a viable Middle Eastern K-12 curriculum. A major purpose of the 10 articles is to help teachers in the United States become aware of problems confronting them in teaching about the Middle East. In the first article, the author discusses some problems--for example,…

Designed to be used as a source of supplementary activities for courses in geography, world history, and world cultures, this unit focuses on current issues including political repression, multinational corporations, and urbanization. While emphasizing a personal perspective (how major issues have affected the daily lives of ordinary people) the…

This paper examines how Israel's educational system attempts to deal with major social, geographic, religious, economic, and political problems. Problems are presented in two main categories--internal and external. Internal problems include high immigration levels, religious and cultural differences among various Jewish sects and between Jews and…

This activity is one of a series of 17 teacher-developed instructional activities for geography at the secondary-grade level described in SO 009 140. The activity investigates economic change in developing nations. It employs the dialogue approach. Given data about the Aswan High Dam in Egypt and about the environment of northeast Africa, students…

Describes a six-week study unit that requires students to examine specific aspects of the Iran-Contra affair in light of models such as presidential leadership style. The combination of a case study, student-centered cooperative learning, and writing across the curriculum proved popular with both the students and teacher. (MJP)

This article describes the events surrounding the University of South Florida's (USF) involvement with Sami Al-Arian, who was a professor at USF prior to accusations of involvement in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). The seeds of the Al-Arian controversy were planted in the early 1990s when USF--an ambitious but underfunded…

This sixth-grade level social studies framework is intended to help teachers develop programs best suited to their students' needs. There are two main sections to the guide: a teacher notebook and a syllabus. The teacher notebook elaborates on the key features of the program, suggesting relevant classroom applications. Discussed are concept and…

Criticizes the growing practice of using children's art in the service of political causes. Discusses a recent exhibit that included Iraqi children's art in support of the Intifada and in condemnation of Israel. Questions the ethics of this for art educators and its effectiveness as political persuasion. (MJP)

The Middle East decision making game has been developed to provide college level political science students with some indication of the complexities of international political situations. The central issue examined in the game is the way in which perceptions of a conflict relate to foreign policy decision. The game is divided into two sections. In…

Discusses strategies aimed at moving undergraduates beyond the traditional stereotypical and demonized portrait of the Middle East. Suggests focusing on boundaries (shifting between national, cultural, religious, and economic), on bases of information (different students bring different knowledge levels), and using a wide variety of biographies…