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Douglas Coupland, a prolific author/artist/lecturer and now prognosticator, is in the forefront of the arts movement in both Canada and the US. His works, starting with his breakout novel "Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture," have consistently worked as a bellwether of current perspectives and values, both noting our cultural milestones and influencing future trends. In books, such as "Microserfs" and "JPod," he sensitively involves the reader in the world of the technologically wired, showing the paradox of the resultant isolation and alternative community that evolves within the computer industry. Each novel, artwork, or article shows a different side of Coupland, explores new topics, yet reiterates his belief in the randomness of behaviour, or at least humanity's inability to control the excesses. Nonetheless, he consistently leaves the reader with a paradoxical sense of hope that there is a future, perhaps even one that is superior to what people dream. "Beware the Ides of Coupland" is a look at his current work and his 2010 CBC Massey Lecture series, which he presents as a "novel in five hours" about the future. Linking this to his previous apocalyptic theme, presented by Coupland in "Girlfriend in a Coma and JPod," he gives cultural clues that inform the present day sociological perspective. In this article, the author talks about Coupland's perspective on the future and what it means to the people.

This study was conducted to assess and improve an introductory multicultural-designated course in an urban teacher preparation program. The course aimed to promote candidates' positive response to multiculturalism, especially White/Caucasian candidates. Results suggest that this approach effectively laid the foundation for almost all candidates' further growth as multicultural educators. The study suggested that an introductory course combined with field experience and focused on critical issues and self-identity development established an effective basis for career-long learning in multicultural education. Clearly, with increased concerns about student achievement and school effectiveness, particularly cultural and language minorities and low socioeconomic students in urban schools, more research needs to be conducted to ascertain how to best prepare prospective and current teachers to work effectively with students from different backgrounds than their own. (Contains 12 tables.)

The primary objective of this paper is to report on two teacher educators' development and assessment of a framework and workshop to introduce student teachers to social justice and peace education ideals within the domains of teachers' work during student teachers' first full-time experience of teaching in diverse schools in a major city in the Pacific region. The framework builds from a critical re-constructionist perspective and aims to raise student teachers' critical consciousness of social and economic injustice, human rights, and defects in schooling and inspire a resolve to act on them to promote social justice (Bajaj 2008). Adopting an action research methodology, the authors/instructors assessed student teachers' perceptions of their learning after a two-hour workshop that introduced a social justice and peace education framework. Secondary student teachers participated in workshops in two consecutive years. Student teachers reported positive outcomes from the workshop in Likert scale responses and open-ended remarks. The authors concluded that the workshop and framework over the two years offered effective guidance to student teachers in developing an initial understanding of social justice education and an openness to actively contributing toward making their classrooms and schools more just in the future. To continue to promote student teachers' reflection and action to higher levels, the authors began efforts to infuse the seminar curriculum with social justice and peace education. (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.)

Surveyed female K-12 and college teachers regarding their reasons for teaching science, investigating their use of mastery oriented learning and resiliency strategies in science classes as they pursued their goals of becoming science teachers. Presents the women's narratives, their reasons for pursuing science, challenges they faced, and a rank-ordered list of their recommendations for women science learners. (SM)

Surveys 80 women teaching K-16 science regarding their most memorable science classes and teacher behaviors of most significant science teachers. Discusses results in three categories: activity-based instructional techniques, instructor relationships, and knowledge and appreciation of science content. Lists 10 recommendations to promote women's learning in science classes. (SR)