Educators are adopting learner-centered instruction in which students, facilitated by technology, collaborate with peers and engage in problem solving and inquiry. This article discusses ways to use technology in authentic learner inquiry as an information resource, content contextualizer, communication tool, construction kit, and…

Discusses ways to help resolve the Y2K problem and avoid disruptions in school security and safety. Discusses computer software testing and validation to determine its functionality after year's end, and explores system remediation of non-compliant fire and security systems. (GR)

Examines the signs of school indoor air quality (IAQ) problems, why the problems exist, and control methods to use. Human physical symptoms to look for when an IAQ problem is present are highlighted and IAQ management planning techniques are discussed. (GR)

Describes a new synchronous collaborative environment that combines interactive learning and Group Support Systems for computer-mediated collaboration. Illustrates its potential to improve critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills, and describes how teachers' roles are changed. (Author/LRW)

Explores the relevance of hierarchies to information processing. Suggests that participants in all conditions create hierarchical representations as they work, and those in nonlinear conditions use this structure to guide their exploration of the material. An important function of hierarchies may be to define relationships between concepts.…

Presents a student module modeling knowledge states and learning skills of students in the field of Newtonian dynamics. Uses data recorded during the exploratory activity in microworlds to infer mental representations concerning the concept of force. A fuzzy algorithm able to follow the cognitive states the student goes through in solving a task…

Describes a scientific mystery with an emphasis on chemical magic presented in the context of the characters Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. The story contains a break where students and teachers pause to ponder and solve the mystery. Sherlock Holmes provides his solution in the paragraphs following this break. (WRM)

Discusses the knowledge, problem-solving strategies, and desktop publishing skills students need to learn about documentation writing. Describes a course developed by the authors that provides these skills, focusing on strategies for problem solving, user analysis, conventions, document design and desktop publishing, and using authentic…

Describes an attempt to assess a final-year course in psychiatry using the Triple Jump. In this course, students on placement in psychiatric units perfect psychiatry skills that were acquired during the previous year by direct contact with patients. The Triple Jump is used to assess problem-solving skills in management strategy on cases. (PVD)

Describes the implementation of a modular approach and some of the active learning strategies it employs, plans for evaluating the effectiveness of this approach, and plans for disseminating it broadly within the undergraduate chemistry community. (DDR)

Identifies principles of violence prevention derived from the Resolving Conflict Creatively Program (RCCP), which operates in schools throughout North America. Focuses on societal changes, appropriate responses to these changes, and examples of ineffectual punishment. Describes RCCP, offers an evaluation of the program, and charts a course for the…

As one high school teacher found, allowing students to use preferred learning modalities can increase their enthusiasm, raise their achievement levels, and foster growth in other intelligences. This article shows how two students demonstrated their mastery of nuclear and organic chemistry by using kinesthetic and spatial problem-solving…

Compares Dewey and Vygotsky on three conceptual issues that relate directly to educational processes and goals: the roles of social history, experience/culture, and human inquiry in the educational process. The differences in their approaches are illustrated by examining the educational models of the zone of proximal development and long-term…

The Interactive Mathematics Program is part of a National Science Foundation effort to design a comprehensive, standards-based high school mathematics curriculum. IMP's four-year program, which replaces the traditional sequence, involves little memorization, integrates traditional material with topics such as probability and statistics, and uses…

Introduces the Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA) which was created by West Virginia University for secondary school students to address the shortage of minorities pursuing science careers. Aims to improve science and mathematics education and increase the college attendance rate among underrepresented students. Indicates the importance…