As a result of cheaper, accessible, and user-friendly technologies, there is an increasing volume of videos created by children, yet these works often lack excellence. Strong pedagogical practice is important to nurture excellence in video production, but there is scant literature in this area. In this paper, I examine best practices through a…

In this article, the author talks about "the Harlem miracle" described by "New York Times" columnist David Brooks and the big effects produced by no-excuses schools. The author first examines "economic inequality" in Berliner's (2009) more specific terms--seven out-of-school factors that affect achievement. These are:…

Several studies conducted by the European Union (e.g., Eurostat 2004, Implementation of "education & training 2010" work programme) demonstrate that women and girls are consistently significantly underrepresented in technological education, areas, and jobs. This is highlighted in the Joint Interim Report "Education and Training…

This article deals with the development of environmental education Hunan Yueyang Middle School Number One. Famous for its beautiful environment and lush green trees, the school has won titles such as "park" unit, "garden" school, "green school" and "National Advanced Unit for Environmental Education." In…

"Viewing and Representing in the Middle Years" was a 2-year project to investigate the development of visual literacy in the classrooms of 3 Canadian middle school teachers. These teachers tried a large variety of approaches and were generally optimistic about the increased use of visual materials to make classrooms more inclusive. They…

This resource booklet is designed to facilitate the teaching of personal development, an important part of an integrated program of outdoor pursuits, environmental education and personal and group development. Section I examines a history of the Alberta Environmental and Outdoor Education Course of Studies and course philosophy. Resources are…

Describes a developmental guidance curriculum on transition for grades six, seven, and eight. Provides the background, methodology, and some of the children's responses to the material, which consists of units on awareness, understanding, and challenge. Includes a list of children's stories on transitions. (JAC)

Five American middle school students went to Japan for two weeks in 1983 as ambassadors for American art education. Art education in Japan is much more centralized than in America. In addition to school study, children are exposed to traditional arts like the tea ceremony, calligraphy, and ikebana. (CS)

Describes Mathematics in Context, a middle-level mathematics curriculum developed by researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Utrecht, in the Netherlands. Instead of proceeding from a generalization to specific examples, the math originates in real problems; conversely, the mathematics learned is used to solve…

Describes some alternative conceptions of middle-level student achievement based on case studies profiling new literacies in U.S. and Canadian classrooms. Identifies characteristics of fluency in multiple forms of representation, critical thinking and talking about student work, adaptability of individual and collaborative activities, and high…

Describing implementation procedures for an open educational approach in a rural English middle school (Necton Middle School located 25 miles outside Norwich, England), this paper presents the philosophies of the school's Head Mistress as she reflects upon the first year of operation. Emphasizing community involvement and sensitivity to the human…

The Inner-City Arts Training program trains Winnipeg (Canada) teachers in art appreciation, visual awareness, and art production. This training allows them to guide their students through extensive projects that encourage individual contribution while furthering teamwork. The consonance between visual and verbal language is used to develop…

Compiles the main findings of the Oxford Project on Diversification of First Foreign Language Teaching. This project examined pupils' and teachers' experiences of diversification, set in the context of local and national developments in language policy, and investigated matters affecting decisions as to which modern foreign language(s) to offer.…

Explores the meaning of going to school in Guajiquiro, a deprived rural area in Honduras. Detailed descriptions of daily experiences at an elementary and a middle school spell out the range of investments needed to improve and sustain educational opportunities for Honduran children. Highlights the importance of shared ownership and community-based…

A foreign travel program for eighth grade French language students from Shoreham, New York was developed to provide language speaking practice in Quebec, Canada. The program was designed to allow students to spend as much time as possible speaking the language and interacting with the people. The following "survival through speaking"…