You can enhance the following activities from the Instructor's Resource Manual by incorporating the resources available on the World Wide Web.

Philosophy and the Philosophy of Education

The Instructor's Resource Manual suggests:
Analyze an article that has appeared in a recent educational journal for indicators of its philosophical basis.

You may wish to direct your students to some web sites where they can read recent education articles:

Journals and Periodicals
This is a linked list of education-related publications, created at the University of Missouri.

Educational Theories and Philosophies

The Instructor's Resource Manual suggests:
Obtain curriculum guides from a local school district for a variety of subjects over several grade levels. Examine and analyze the content and identify the educational theory or philosophy reflected in the guides.

You can point your students to web sites where they might be able to obtain the curriculum guides, such as:

Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
This professional organization welcomes teachers, administrators, and elected officials as members.

National Center for Education Statistics
This branch of the Department of Education offers statistical research, including the very helpful annual Digest of Educational Statistics, as well as other services, including the "School District Locator," to help you learn more about districts in which you may be interested.

McREL Standards Database
This is a collection of content standards gathered by the Mid-Continent Regional Educational Laboratory. Browse by subject or look for suggestions for activities or unit designs.

State Standards
A web site with links to the content standards of each state and suggestions for lesson plans that support the standards.

Educational Reforms

The Instructor's Resource Manual suggests two activities:

• Discuss essential features of several educational reform reports and analyze which theoretical and philosophical position is reflected in the recommendations of the reports. Consider the implications of adopting a particular philosophical perspective.
• Students should research one of the issues in education that has been debated during the past fifteen years (back-to-basics, cultural literacy, multiculturalism, standards, performance assessment, sex education, inclusion, etc.). In addition to taking a stand on the issue they research, students should also identify the philosophical or theoretical position that might be attributed to constituencies involved in the debate over their particular issue.

For the first activity, you might wish to point out web sites where students can read key national reports:

A Nation At Risk
You can read A Nation At Risk at the U.S. Department of Education's web site.

Goals 2000
Here is the original Goals 2000 report, at the U.S. Department of Education web site.

National Education Goals Report 1999: Building a Nation of Learners
This report details progress toward the National Education Goals, also known as Goals 2000.

No Child Left Behind
President Bush's 2001 plan for education is available at the U.S. Department of Education's web site.

For the second activity, you might wish to direct students to some web resources on key issues. Several chapters in the student part of this web site offer links to relevant topics. For example:

• Visit links listed in Chapter 12 to learn more about multiculturalism and inclusion.
• Visit chapter 16 to learn more about standards.

Other sites where students might start their research include:

Education Week
This weekly online publication has a collection of "hot topic" summaries that will get students started on their research on many current issues.

AskERIC
AskERIC offers well-chosen sets of links to more information about many, many educational topics and questions.