You can enhance the following activities from the
Instructor's Resource Manual by incorporating the resources available on the World Wide Web.
Families in Poverty
The
Instructor's Resource Manual suggests:
Gather statistics for your state and area school districts on families characterized as "low income." Provide statistical comparisons of the districts based on such characteristics as single-parent families, number of children per family, and families headed by females. Discuss the implications of these data for children attending school.
Some web sites where you can start gathering statistics might include:
Education Finance Statistics Center
The Public School District Finance Peer Search at this part of the National Center for Educational Statistics lets you compare different schools districts using such variables as median household income.
U.S. Census
The Census Bureau provides income and family configuration information for different states at its web site.
National Center for Education Statistics
This branch of the Department of Education is responsible for maintaining the helpful Encyclopedia of ED Stats, as well as the Digest of Educational Statistics.
Low College Enrollment for African-American and Hispanic Students
The
Instructor's Resource Manual suggests:
Gather information about college enrollment in your state and at your institution for the past decade for various ethnic groups. Are these percentages consistent with national figures? How are enrollment patterns changing with regard to minority groups?
You might find college enrollment on the web:
Integrated Postsecondary Data System
This program, run by the National Center for Education Statistics, collects enrollment and other data from postsecondary institutions of all kinds.
U.S. Census
The School Enrollment section of the census web site offers recent detailed reports, including enrollment of recent high school graduates.
State Departments of Education
Your state's department of education may collect postsecondary enrollment data. ERIC provides a handy map-based way to link to all of the state departments of education.
Office of Minorities in Higher Education
This organization is one of the nation's major sources of information about the status of minorities in higher education.
Measures of Intelligence
The
Instructor's Resource Manual suggests:
- Discuss the focus in the educational literature on the concept of multiple intelligences. How might the idea of multiple intelligences affect the debate between the environmentalists and the hereditarians?
- Arrange for a school psychologist or testing specialist to visit the class and engage in a question-and-answer session on the topic of IQ tests. Have students compare the speaker's responses to the section in the chapter on the heredity versus environment debate.
Some web sites with more information about multiple intelligences theory and IQ testing include:
Educational Leadership
The September 1997 issue of Educational Leadership explores the theme of teaching for multiple intelligences.
EdWeb
EdWeb provides a succinct, question-and-answer summary of multiple intelligences theory.
Resources in Teaching Multiple Intelligences
This site includes information about the basics of the theory, each of the eight currently identified intelligences, links to other sites, and more.
Use of Tests as Part of High-Stakes Decision-Making for Students
This is "A Guide for Educators and Policy Makers," published by the U.S. Department of Education
FairTest
The Center for Fair and Open Testing is "working to ensure that the evaluation of students and workers is fair, open, and educationally sound."
In addition, students may find it interesting or amusing to try taking some intelligence tests themselves. Here are a couple of web resources that can help them get started:
Yahoo
Yahoo staff answer the question "Where can I take an online IQ test?"
Psychtests
Students can find a free demo of a classic IQ test as well as a free emotional intelligence test at this site, although they must register to try them.
