A Guide To Curriculum Planning In Driver And Traffic Safety Education

Developed with the aid of driver and traffic safety educators throughout Wisconsin, this guide provides administrative information, course objectives, topics, content, and student activities for driver education courses. The guide combines the curriculum content from all instructional phases, such as classroom, simulator, multiple-vehicle range, and on-street driving instruction. A variety of instructional methodologies and activities are presented in order to encourage teachers to incorporate a wide range of teaching practices. The guide is organized in five chapters, each containing references. The first chapter provides introductory information about traffic safety education and its implementation in Wisconsin, along with information on using the guide. The second chapter discusses administrative elements of driver education programs. It includes program approval standards, a discussion of various instructional formats, and scheduling considerations. In the third chapter, general beliefs about teaching traffic safety education, an introduction to a variety of instructional strategies, and an extensive list of instructional topics, including objectives, content, and student activities, are provided. The fourth chapter discusses integration with school and communities, noting the significant impact factors outside driver education programs, such as peers, other classes, family, and the community at large, have on student driving behaviors. The final chapter looks ahead to anticipate the issues and trends driver and traffic safety education faces. An appendix contains sections of the Wisconsin administrative code pertaining to driver education and 66 resources and references. (KC)