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Originally got this from ERIC http://rave.ohiolink.edu/databases/record/eric/EJ803509

This article from ERIC, the Education Resources Information Center, a great free database for anyone doing research related to education, discusses aliteracy among college students. The PDF format is available via the link at the top of the page. It would be beneficial for all students to check out because it is an example of a well-written, college-level research paper.

The author examines differences between data they have collected of 13 urban schools. They collected this data by using test scores, surverys, and case studies, in which other people cmae into schools and watched them. They found very inconsistent information because of the small sample size they had. The only assessed low and high scoring students, which may have caused problems. The teachers use assesment in the classroom to see what students needs are and to have them achieve the goals.

Examining a specific legal decision in Pennsylvania regarding high school curriculum, the author examines yet another facet of the evolution debate-the students' voice. All too often, the rights of children are overlooked in the development of or debate over educational curriculum. Grover cites the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) as recognizing children as competent and independent thinkers whose input is not only relevant, but also valuable. The focus of the paper is on children's rights and how they were neglected in Kitzmiller et al. v. Dover Area School District et al, although attention is paid to church state separation and science education. This source is particularly useful for examining the role of the child in the education arena-just because they are on the receiving end of the education continuum does not mean they do not have a role in the discourse. Their voices are perhaps the most important of all.

Despite the refutation of intelligent design as legitimate science by the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences, eighteen states have suggested the introduction of antievolution legislation (as of 2005). In the wake of this movement, librarians, the ultimate guardians of knowledge, may face challenges of censorship by religious conservatives. Suppressing access to information is in direct conflict with democratic ideals. This article contains specific advice for librarians regarding the protection of diverse resources. Although the O'Sullivans write to a specific audience, their message is indicative of the relationship between censorship and literacy.

Conservative activists throughout history have sought to censor thinkers from Karl Marx to Friedrich Nietzsche to John Dewey. Why would Charles Darwin be any different? The religious conservative movement-what Apple deems "authoritarian populism"-is a threat to both education and culture, striking a particularly resonant chord in the evolution/creation debate. Crafting a linguistic façade known as "intelligent design" has allowed conservatives to covertly enter the scientific realm. Scientists, he argues, must assemble themselves, as the authoritarian populists have, in order to uphold the very best of science. Apple does a particularly exceptional job examining the psyche of the conservative alliance and its widespread cultural impact.

This article responds to many of the existing creationist arguments by refuting them with scientific evidence, including substantiation from reputable sources. Kessler, chair of the department of physics at Illinois Wesleyan University, discusses his personal experiences with teaching college freshmen, including an astounding case in which a student who had received a 32 on his ACT dropped out of college on the advice of his minister. At the heart of the issue was a belief system that could not be reconciled with Kessler's instruction. The article also focuses on the backgrounds of the students and the ways in which their limited (sometimes nonexistent and often misinformed) research illustrates a lack of understanding of the scientific method and the nature of experimental data. In this way, the creationist student mindset can be examined in context of his/her belief system.

The teaching of such a controversial social issue as evolution in the classroom presents difficulties to instructors, both on personal and professional levels. Griffith and Brem examined fifteen Arizona biology teachers, pulling their experiences from focus groups, interviews, and surveys. The study contains a great deal of anecdotal information dealing with both internal and external influences on instructors' teaching methods. This research investigates a whole new realm of the issue as it pertains to literacy by looking directly at those who control the flow of information and those who influence it. However, the researchers make little conclusive headway, suggesting simply that instructors should be made more comfortable with the topic by having access to better information and resources. Ultimately, the personal experiences are telling of the political climate and social stressors.

A provision in the No Child Left Behind Act is that teachers must me the standard of being "highly qualified." The authors argue that the provision is necessary, important, and achievable. Teacher qualifications can greatly affect the process of student learning. The authors suggest certain Federal initiatives that can be put in place to ensure all children have highly qualified teachers no matter the district or state. The article is helpful in knowing the standards for teachers in the No Child Left Behind Act.