Defining civic education reform in the Czech Republic since 1989 in terms of its post-communist transition, this paper contends that the breadth, depth, and range of educational reforms proposed or already adopted in Central and Eastern European societies is extensive, involving most areas of education (curricula, educational legislation,…

Recent discoveries about the whole brain seem to call for a holistic approach to learning, one in which educators would teach the whole person, including physical and emotional states as well as cognitive abilities. Three holistic techniques are particularly relevant to education: (1) biofeedback; (2) yoga; and (3) the Lozanov method. Biofeedback…

Maintains that having students estimate the size and width of a class waste paper can (placed on a desk) is a simple and effective way of illustrating perceptual distortion. Tests show that people will consistently overestimate the height of the can, allowing for a useful discussion on sensory distortion. (MJP)

The grassroots parent-based effort to reform public education predated, by more than a decade, the national awakening to problems in the schools. It began when parents became aware that the educational establishment perceived its "duty" to mold children's attitudes as a higher priority than the school's cognitive function and certainly…

Examines the thermal decomposition of sodium bicarbonate to sodium carbonate. Encourages students to predict the end products and to use the stoichiometric results to determine if their predictions are correct. (MVL)

Provides two demonstrations: (1) electrolyte migration of ions using colored ions which cross a strip of gelatin allowing for noticeable migration; and (2) photochemical reduction of Fe+3 by the citrate ion. Points out both reactions can be done in a Petri dish using common lab materials. (MVL)

Describes a simple exercise that demonstrates how content knowledge facilitates the rate of retrieval of domain-specific information. Music experts and novice students quickly name any seven words that relate to music. Reliably, the experts complete the task more quickly. Students rated this demonstration as both educational and interesting. (MJP)

This document reviews a collection of activities conducted by the Department of Physics at Virginia Commonwealth University to excite young people about physics so that they will be more likely to consider physics as a career. The Society of Physics Students performs demonstrations of physics experiments for Virginia high school physics classes…

Activities to date are summarized in connection with a plan to establish an information research facility for the School of Education at the University of British Columbia. During an exploratory year, issues investigated included offering an experimental course in information systems in education; design and economic questions related to making…

Southwest Regional Laboratory IDCMS (Instructional Development Control and Monitoring System) will be a flexible hardware system for controlling and monitoring instruction and research in the laboratory setting. This paper seeks to introduce potential users to the system and software designers to representative challenges that system exploitation…

The Educational Voucher Demonstration began in the Alum Rock Union Elementary School District, San Jose, California, in September 1972. Initially sponsored by the Office of Economic Opportunity, it is now under the aegis of the National Institute of Education. This publication describes the socioeconomic and cultural setting of the school…

One of the signatures of scientific writing is its ability to present the claims of science as if they were "untouched by human hands." In the early years of experimental education, researchers achieved this by adopting a citational practice that led to the sedimentation of their cardinal method, the analysis of variance, and their standard for…

The Key School in Indianapolis, an experimental elementary school, was founded by eight experienced teachers who believed that schools can be enjoyable as well as rigorous. This report focuses on one feature of the school, the Flow Activities Room (FAR). The development of the FAR was based on the school's commitment to the theories of multiple…

At Park Senior High School (Cottage Grove, Minnesota), 46 juniors and seniors planted 384 red pine seedlings in connection with their original research on acid rain, with advice from Dr. Harriet Stubbs, director of the Acid Precipitation Awareness Program (West Saint Paul), which has been developing acid rain teaching materials. (MH)

Charter schools incorporate the focus of magnet schools but often go beyond their academic specialization to more social goals. They can operate at both elementary and secondary levels, although they are always quite small. The greatest difference, however, between charter schools and other public schools is their status as a bridge between public…