NCJ Number
12570
Date Published
1973
Length
20 pages
Annotation
CRITIQUE OF CURRENTLY AVAILABLE PRINTED MATERIALS DESIGNED FOR USE IN ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL CLASSROOMS TO DETERMINE THEIR ADEQUACY FOR USE IN THE LAW IN A FREE SOCIETY PROGRAM OF CIVIC AND LEGAL EDUCATION.
Abstract
THE LAW IN A FREE SOCIETY PROJECT IS A PROGRAM TO PROVIDE IN-SERVICE TRAINING TO ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS SO THAT THEY CAN INCORPORATE ELEMENTS OF CIVIC AND LEGAL EDUCATION INTO THEIR OWN CLASSROOMS. IT IS BASED UPON EIGHT CONCEPTS: AUTHORITY, JUSTICE, PRIVACY, RESPONSIBILITY, DIVERSITY, FREEDOM, PROPERTY, AND PARTICIPATION. THE CONCEPT OF THE CURRICULUM FOR INSERVICE COURSES PARALLELS THE PROPOSED K-12 CURRICULUM FOR STUDENTS. BOTH ARE BASED UPON EIGHT CONCEPTS WHICH CONSTITUTE AN INTERDISCIPLINARY OR SUPRA-DISCIPLINARY PROGRAM. THE CURRICULUM INCLUDES ANALYTICAL SKILLS AND SUBJECT MATTER FROM THE FIELDS OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, LAW, PHILOSOPHY, ECONOMICS, ANTHROPOLOGY, AND SOCIOLOGY. THE MATERIALS CONSIST OF FOUR DOCUMENTS FOR EACH CONCEPT - 1) 'A GUIDE FOR TEACHER EDUCATION' ON EACH CONCEPT FOR USE BY AREA COORDINATORS AND INSTRUCTORS IN PLANNING AND CONDUCTING IN-SERVICE COURSES - 2) ONE OR MORE 'CASEBOOKS' ON EACH CONCEPT TO BE USED IN IN-SERVICE COURSES TO INCREASE EDUCATORS' KNOWLEDGE, ANALYTICAL SKILLS, AND ABILITY TO MAKE SOUND JUDGMENTS IN SELECTED AREAS OF STUDY. THE CASEBOOKS ARE FOR TEACHER USE ONLY AND NOT FOR USE IN ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY CLASSROOMS 3) 'A CURRICULUM' ON EACH CONCEPT WHICH CONTAINS BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVES FOR THE K-12 CURRICULUM AND WHICH IS TO BE USED TO ASSIST TEACHERS TO SEE HOW THE SUBJECT MATTER AND METHODS THEY LEARN IN THE IN-SERVICE COURSES MIGHT BE USED IN THEIR ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY CLASSROOMS - AND 4) A SET OF LESSON PLANS ON EACH CONCEPT FOR THE USE OF TEACHERS ENROLLED IN THE IN-SERVICE PROGRAMS. THESE LESSON PLANS PROVIDE TEACHERS WITH SPECIFIC LESSONS ON EACH CONCEPT WHICH HAVE BEEN USED SUCCESSFULLY IN CLASSROOMS AT THEIR GRADE LEVEL WHICH THEY MAY USE IN THEIR OWN CLASSROOMS WITH SUITABLE MODIFICATIONS, AND MODELS, FOR DEVELOPING LESSON PLANS OF THEIR OWN BASED ON THE 'CURRICULUM' DESCRIBED IN 3 ABOVE. THIS EVALUATION FOCUSES UPON THE STATEMENTS OF OBJECTIVES CONTAINED IN EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, THE TEACHING METHODS, EXPOSITORY OR INQUIRY, AND THE DEGREE THE MATERIALS SEEMED USEFUL FOR ASSISTING IN THE ATTAINMENT OF THE GENERAL OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT. FOR INDIVIDUAL DOCUMENTS IN THE SERIES, SEE NCJ-12547 THROUGH 12565. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)