Joe B. Hurst

Political Pablum: Democratic Role Models in Children's Picture Books

Abstract Several content analyses in recent years conclude that childrens literature contains sexist, racist and ageist stereotypes. Such studies analyze illustrations, characterization, themes, plots and wording. In addition, content analyses of elementary social studies and language arts/reading tests can be found frequently in the literature of the last decade. To date there are no systematic content analyses of childrens picture books, literature, textbooks, or basal readers that examine democratic or participatory role models. The major purposes of this study are to develop and test out in a pilot study a method for analyzing the “content” of childrens books to determine the extent to which main and secondary characters demonstrate active participation in politics and make realistic decisions. In this way potential sources of political socialization and citizenship education could be identified and future research could focus on specific role models and their potential and actual effects.

Hierarchical Analysis of Learning Objectives in Economics.

Abstract Learning hierarchies are arrangements of intellectual skill objectives in a pattern of prerequisite relationships among cognitive processes. A simple learning hierarchy consisting of five objectives was hypothesized, developed and tested for instruction related to the concepts of supply and demand. The subjects in the study included 151 University of Toledo students in two economics classes. A method, “ordering theory,” for validating prerequisite relationships among 11 possible objective pairs rather than just those hypothesized to have such a relationship was used in the two classes. The two analyses yielded identical hierarchical relationships which were somewhat different than the hypothesized relationships. Both hierarchical analysis and ordering theory merit consideration and further study in economic and social education. Learning hierarchies and ordering theory analyses can aid instructors in: (1) pinpointing learner strengths and weaknesses, (2) focusing on the development of intellectua...