The Curriculum Mapping Project represents a formalization of the long-standing collaboration between (PLC) and the Center for Urban and Multicultural Education (CUME) located in the School of Education at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis. The purpose of the Curriculum Map Project is to outline the components of the Peace Learning Center (PLC) programs, the learning objectives of each component, relevant research demonstrating the importance and effectiveness of each component, and to assist in the development of assessment tools and systems to evaluate the effectiveness of peace education programs and links to the Indiana State Academic Standards. An initial finding of this research project states that PLC programs represent
This research report, as part of The Curriculum Mapping Project, is designed to begin the process of constructing a research evaluation process to measure the effectiveness of the Peace Learning Center's peace education programs. The purpose of the Curriculum Mapping Project is to identify components of Peace Learning Center (PLC) programs, learning objectives of each component, relevant research that demonstrates each component's relevance and. The activities of the PLC programs are administered in elementary, middle, and high schools, and to adults in a variety of corporate settings (adult program) in greater Indianapolis.
There are four programs, each represented by a director, that form the core curriculum of the PLC: Elementary Peace Education (EE), Peace and Character Education Program (PACE), Peace Learning Services (LS), Adult Programs (AP). Since the stated goal of the project is "mapping central Indiana's religious and civic community," initial efforts included hosting a variety of community events involving community partners (i.e., the International Center of Indianapolis, Habitat for.
Review of Relevant Literature
The ability of peace education to be applicable and adaptable to different contexts offers the potential for greater acceptance by stakeholders of the given school, organization or organization. Each PLC Program Director serves as a facilitator of the Center's overarching philosophy and curriculum. A review of the literature in conjunction with the purpose of PLC in teaching conflict resolution skills suggests the use of a grounded theory approach in future evaluation of PLC services.
As part of the original purpose of this study, PLC program directors were asked to describe the specific objectives of their individual programs. The objectives for measuring the effectiveness of the Peace Camp portion of PACE follow the components of the STEP program. The director of this program suggests that objectives are the key components of the H.I.P.
One of the initiatives is Interfaith Youth Dialogues, whose stated goal includes the goal,. In this case, PLC program directors see it as part of their role to teach skills that attempt to eliminate feelings of helplessness in conflict situations. It is this environmental product, made up of the experiences that each of us brings to it, that should be included in the peace education curriculum.
An evaluation of the frequency of the thirty-eight components of PLC programs resulted in ten levels of prevalence representing some programs' multiple initiatives (i.e., the next most common, ninety percent (90%), of the programs are : peace breath, dirt, explore other point of view, peace request, diversity appreciation and community building The only other component, explore other points of view, is used in ninety percent (90%) of the programs.
The components present in seventy percent (70%) of the programs are: team challenge, kanji listening, and collaboration & competition. The components found in sixty percent (60%) of the programs are: stereotypes, trust building, and dialogue. The components that appear frequently in fifty percent (50%) of the programs are: historical/current peacemakers, community service, fact vs.
The components used forty percent (40%) of the time are: personal renewal and leadership; thirty percent (30%) of the time is: individual challenge education, bullying awareness and interfaith education. Twenty percent (20%) of the time the nature walk is used, and the peace table, peace movements and the three "Rs" (reduce, reuse and recycle) are used between ten percent (10%) of the programs (see figure 1) .
Recommendations
To what extent do the policies and programs of a particular school or business reflect its focus on issues of cultural integration? Also, PLC's position in an urban context provides an opportunity for research efforts with a particular focus on issues of race and class. Taking up that work could position PLC as a national model for similar programs and strengthen the project of replicating local efforts.
In exploring opportunities for future research initiatives with PLC programs, one finding of this project is the need for common language among programs in terms of formative assessment efforts and research projects. As mentioned, a strength of PLC remains its fluidity and responsiveness to different partners and community contexts; however, this fluidity often creates different understandings and stages of readiness for program evaluation. This initial investigation suggests that integrating research and evaluation throughout PLC program development from the outset would enhance efforts to establish both the validity and reliability of effectiveness evaluations.
Program evaluation scholars have long suggested that assessment and formative planning procedures should be critically embedded from the early stages of program development (Bickman, 1994; Chelimsky, 1994; Rossi, Freeman, & Lipsey, 1999). As a nascent examination of the Peace Learning Center's curriculum, this report highlights both the complexity and fluidity of the programs offered by the far-reaching effort. Furthermore, it is suggested that PLC identify “core objectives” that encompass the different programs and contexts of PLC curricula, for the purposes of broad assessment.
As PLC seeks to explore a new way of curriculum development and delivery, research on the integration of technology (i.e., peace game programs, computer-based peace education curriculum) into peace education curriculum could provide important insights into new directions for PLC and peace education efforts. Finally, the frequency with which program directors report on PLC components reveals certain patterns in the adopted program across initiatives.
Paper presented at the Forty-Eighth Convention Annual Meeting of the International Studies Association, Hilton Chicago, Chicago, IL. Paper presented at the Proceedings of the Twenty-Fourth Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, Hillsdale, NJ. 2002). Peace Education Theory. Paper presented at the Eightieth Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA.
Dialogue and democracy, community and capacity: Lessons for conflict resolution education from Montessori, Dewey and Freire. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA. Conflict resolution education: The field, the findings, and the future. Conflict Resolution Quarterly Kids Working It Out: Stories and Strategies for Making Peace in Our Schools.
The heart of the matter: social and emotional learning as a foundation for conflict resolution education. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Comparative and International Education Association, Orlando, FL. Paper presented at the annual conference of the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco, CA.
Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA. 1996). Education, psychology, and social science: common pathways for teaching peace. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, New York, NY. 1995). Integration/infusion of peace education into early childhood education programs. Roundtable paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco, CA. 1996). Integrating peace education into multicultural education / global education.
Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New York, NY. Improving social skills in second grade learners through the implementation of a Peace Education/Conflict Resolution Skills Curriculum. Power, Peace and Conflict on the Indian Subcontinent. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Studies Association, Le Center Sheraton Hotel, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Paper presented at the seventy-third annual meeting of the Speech Communication Association, Boston, MA. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Fortyeighth Annual Convention of the International Studies Association, Hilton Chicago, Chicago, IL.
