This paper describes a National Science Foundation-sponsored project at Louisiana Technological University to develop computer-based laboratories for "hands-on" introductions to major topics of computer science. The underlying strategy is to develop structured laboratory environments that present abstract concepts through the use of…

Graduate programs in educational administration often do not accurately portray the realities of the job. This paper describes an approach by which administrators and those in training interviewed experienced educational administrators and then used the interview transcripts to write a story of leadership. Ten administrators were interviewed. The…

The Playground Leader program at Wells Elementary School provides an opportunity for trained students to direct structured small and large group activity stations during recess. Fourth graders are leaders in the setting described in this document, but older students could be trained in other school settings. The playground leaders are chosen…

To help students learn peaceful conflict resolution, the Comprehensive Conflict Resolution Program was initiated. This report analyzes that effort. The program established peer mediation centers in high schools and developed a pilot course or core unit on collaborative negotiation. The program's development and inception are presented in this…

Project STOP, a comprehensive conflict resolution program, was piloted in 15 middle schools in 1991-92. This report provides an overview of STOP's inception and results. The project incorporated three components to help schools deal more effectively with conflict: (1) student peer mediation; (2) classroom instruction in conflict resolution; and…

Communication is often identified as an essential aspect of leadership, an argument that is strongly supported by research on organizational change and leader effectiveness. This paper reviews that research and argues that this area of study should be formally addressed in teacher- and administrator-preparation programs. The paper also describes a…

This paper presents a synthesis of several studies that support the hypothesis that properly scaffolded design problems lead to the types of convergent thinking and knowledge integration that have been difficult to achieve in the Computer Supported Intentional Learning Environment (CSILE) system. The focus is on a middle school science unit on…

This paper explores the role the arts can play in peace education, an area of interest that has received little attention. Peace education is usually integrated into other content areas such as social studies, history, language, or science. The booklet emphasizes the development of imagination in art education. Students can be brought to envision…

When social science students try to solve statistics problems, the two major problems that they often face are how to get "the machine" to give them results they want and problem identification. The goal of this project at Michigan State University was to provide a supplementary educational tool for political science classes through the…

This report describes a plan for utilizing critical thinking in the art education setting to improve students' decision-making and problem-solving abilities. The targeted population consists of sixth-grade students in a growing middle class, rural based community located in northern Illinois. The problem of weak critical thinking skills was…

This document discusses the culture and lifestyle appropriate social skills intervention curriculum or CLASSIC, a 15-session social skills training program that is designed to be administered in a small group format to children and adolescents. The first chapter addresses the role of CLASSIC in the history of social skills training for children…

A cooperative work group experiential format is proposed for an introductory college computer course, which views the computer as one of several components of a business information system. The system is applied to a five-step problem solving model, consisting of problem analysis, problem understanding, making decisions, designing the solution,…

The use of paper and pencil, videotape recordings, and microcomputers in student testing provide three very different views of student achievement. Paper and pencil tests can record how students compose tests and documents, and how they critique documents or performances. Video recordings can record how students explain ideas, answer questions,…

Educators can help themselves and others improve their creative thinking. Before the improvement can begin, there must be a common understanding of what creativity is. Edward Land described creativity as the sudden cessation of stupidity. Several barriers to creative thinking include boredom, lack of challenge, believing expertise in a particular…

In 1985, the Early Childhood and Family Education Program (ECFEP) established a preschool in a Hispanic neighborhood in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This paper discusses the risks for families in this community, and the ways in which these risks can be countered by an empowerment process model. The operation of the preschool is intended to empower…