Flowing granular mixtures in rotating cylindrical drums arise in numerous industrial settings and are of great technological significance worldwide. To date, the development of a robust mathematical model for this process remains an open research problem. However, simple mathematical models may be developed that capture some of the underlying…

Although Missouri has had a Career Ladder program for teachers since 1987, very little research has been carried out to measure the program's effects and what has been studied has not been comprehensive. This paper examines the program's effect on student achievement across the state, using longitudinal data on district math and reading scores for…

The purpose of this exploratory study is to examine the use of interim assessments and the policy supports that promote use to improve instruction, focusing on elementary school mathematics. The authors use the term "interim assessments" to refer to assessments that a) evaluate student knowledge and skills, typically within a limited…

Between 2003 and 2007, and without significant outside funding, the School District of Philadelphia created 25 new small high schools. This study, begun by Research for Action in 2006, follows the start-up and early implementation of these small high schools in Philadelphia. The study found that parents and students are interested in small high…

In 2004, the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences contracted with Mathematica Policy Research to conduct a large-scale evaluation of comprehensive teacher induction. The purpose of the study was to determine whether augmenting the set of services districts usually provide to support beginning teachers with a more…

The National Writing Project (NWP) is the nation's premier professional development network dedicated to improving the teaching of writing. The NWP network comprises nearly 200 local sites in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. This report presents the results of a seven-year survey study of teachers participating in NWP summer…

This report highlights the findings from research conducted to uncover what the nation's students think of the science education they are receiving, how they would improve it if they could, how they think they best learn science, and how they rate their parents and teachers when it comes to science. Data collection included an in-depth telephone…

SUCCEED (Southeastern University and College Coalition for Engineering Education)is an 8-campus coalition of engineering schools formed in 1992 under the sponsorship of the National Science Foundation. In 1997, members of SUCCEED's faculty development and program assessment teams designed a faculty survey of instructional practices and attitudes…

This book is about education harvested from self-observation. F. Matthias Alexander (1869-1955) studied the experience of self formation, working with motor habits. His method is used in performing arts training to enhance bodily and vocal expression. Like Alexander, Konstantine Stanislavski (1863-1938) and Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) studied human…

This paper describes "The Migration Method," a new technique for graphing a quadratic function (one of the major foundations of undergraduate mathematics) and finding its zeroes. The method promotes a higher degree of conceptualization, reinforces the concept of symmetry, encourages mental visualization, and strengthens the ability to…

With increasing environmental problems, there is a large social demand for environmental policy. Education is a powerful source to fulfill this demand and the Foundation for Environmental Education in Europe's (FEEE's) Eco School program aims to develop awareness of environmental issues and sustainability among elementary and secondary school…

This paper gives a broad descriptive account of some activities that the author has designed using Sketchpad to develop teachers' understanding of other functions of proof than just the traditional function of 'verification'. These other functions of proof illustrated here are those of explanation, discovery and systematization (in the context of…

Two learning strategies, visual imagery and self questioning, designed to increase reading comprehension were taught to six learning disabled (LD) secondary students. The Visual Imagery Strategy required the student to read a passage and to create visual images representative of the content; while the Self Questioning Strategy taught the student…

SEVERAL ASPECTS OF THE TEACHING AND STUDY OF MODERN LANGUAGES IN HIGHER EDUCATION WERE SURVEYED, SUCH AS (1) DEGREES AWARDED IN 1958-59, (2) MAJORS ENROLLED IN THE FALL OF 1959, (3) AVAILABILITY AND USE OF LANGUAGE LABORATORIES, RESIDENTIAL HOUSES, AND PROGRAMS ABROAD, AND (4) CURRICULUMS AND STAFFING TRENDS. QUESTIONNAIRES WERE ADDRESSED TO…

Describes a study of teaching styles in 40 secondary social studies classrooms. Identifies three approaches to social studies teaching; the "social scientist" (pupil oriented), the "knowledge transmitter" (teacher oriented), and the "social inquirer" (pupil oriented toward personal development). Concludes that…