Consider that colorful photographs, eye-catching illustrations, and captivating images intended to make textbooks more appealing may actually distract students from the lesson at hand. Or that asking students to simply solve math problems might not be as effective as having them explain the steps of solutions that are already worked out--even some…

The overarching purpose of this document is to define a new vision for mathematics instruction that explicitly attends to the needs of English Language Learners (ELLs), addressing the interdependence of language and mathematics. The sections in this report are devoted to (1) making clear that the grade-level college- and career-readiness…

The purpose of this conceptual work was to provide a theory of curricular change in music education. The author introduced a "Model of Psychological Dimensions," and suggested how it might help the profession conceptualise the nexus between the individual and society. Identity as a manifestation of cultural psychology, and the role and…

"Enlivening Secondary History" is the ideal handbook for busy history teachers who want to do something different in their classrooms, but have little time to plan and organise their lessons. Featuring tried-and-tested practical ideas complete with relevant exemplars and step-by-step advice, this best-selling book is a compendium of creative…

Conceptual change views of teaching and learning processes in science, and also in various other content domains, have played a significant role in research on teaching and learning as well as in instructional design since the late 1970s. An important issue is whether conceptual change can provide a powerful framework for improving instructional…

Discusses misconceptions (in several thermodynamics statements) that seem to be particularly common among students who have finished a one-semester, junior-level course in chemical thermodynamics. When presented as true/false questions, these statements are usually judged true, although each requires at least one more condition to be satisfied.…

Presents Merrill and Tennyson's model of teaching concepts which can be used in elementary and secondary social studies courses. A sample concept lesson is included. (RM)

In this article, the authors explore the question, "Does the Moon spin?", and show how the question is investigated. They emphasise the importance of the process by which people work out what they know, by "learning from the inside out." They stress that those involved in science education have to challenge current conceptions and ideas, making…

Discusses the constructivist view of learning which emphasizes, among others, learning outcomes which depend not only on the learning environment but also on the knowledge of the learner. Implications for science instruction are also addressed. (JN)

This ERIC Digest overviews recent research on teaching and learning fractions and provides suggestions for practice, help in locating resources having direct application in the classroom, and sources for further reading in the literature. Students' conceptions of fractions or rational numbers, common mistakes teachers make, and new teaching…

The early learning content standards describe essential concepts and skills for young children. Based on research, these achievable indicators emerge as the result of quality early learning experiences regardless of the setting (e.g., nursery school, preschool, family care, etc.). In addition, the early learning content indicators are aligned to…

This paper provides some guidance as to what to listen for to help students make sense of expressions in ways that connect to their ideas and honestly address the mathematics of rational numbers. It offers a reasonable initial answer to the question, "Where do students' ideas about fractions and ratios come from, and how can we work productively…

The world presented to our senses is essentially continuous in space and time. The simplest observations of children have shown that we are not born with ways of "breaking up" the world. The structures of our knowledge must be developed, and the major issue this paper considers is how those structures develop. The discussion focuses on Jean…

The article describes the framework of two training workshops intended to help elementary classroom teachers make better use of open-ended questions and activities which foster high-level generalizations. Tables provide a summary of thinking models utilized in gifted education and sample teaching units. Eighteen generalizations for the social…

A variety of problems, ranging from vocabulary to pre-existing belief structures, prevent efficient learning among biology students. Several of these problems are discussed, with implications for teaching college level biology addressed. (JN)