In fall 2019, I had the pleasure of conducting research with my daughter's prekindergarten class. While the research was initially meant to explore the ways the class as a whole responded to and engaged with West African picturebooks and artifacts, it became clear over the course of my three classroom visits that my daughter's responses were…

Embedded assessments, tasks within the context of instruction, can serve as important tools for improving teaching and learning. In this article, we report on the assessment design principles and a nine-step development model that guided the construction of innovative embedded assessments. Using multiple sources of data--expert reviews, a…

The traditional K-3 social studies curriculum has focused on food, clothing, shelter, communication, transportation, and other cultural universals. Very little information exists about children's prior knowledge and thinking about these topics. This study was designed to provide such information with respect to the topic of transportation, and in…

Presents the findings of an interview study of first-year engineering students' approaches to studying. Focuses on the data to illustrate the construct of dissonant study orchestration as it is manifested in the everyday academic reality of these students' learning behavior. Includes references. (CMK)

Based on part of a line of research on children's prior knowledge and thinking (including misconceptions) about topics addressed in the traditional K-3 social studies curriculum, a study was designed to provide such information with respect to the topic of government. Individual interviews were conducted with K-3 students (n=96), stratified…

The traditional K-3 social studies curriculum has focused on food, clothing, shelter, communication, transportation, and other cultural universals, but little information exists about children's prior knowledge and thinking (including misconceptions) about these topics. This study was designed to provide such information with respect to the topic…

The traditional K-3 social studies curriculum has focused on food, clothing, shelter, communication, transportation, and other cultural universals. Very little information exists about children's prior knowledge and thinking about these topics. This study was designed to provide such information with respect to the topic of family living, and in…

Investigated how 14-year-old students (N=84) perceived good and bad learning experiences in school, how and why they judged specific learning experiences as good or bad, and what they perceived to influence these judgments. During interviews, students told stories of an actual event and feelings expressed at that time. (Author/MP)

Prior to their first curriculum unit (on history and the work of historians) in an American history course, three classes of fifth graders stated what they knew (or thought was true) about history and what they wanted to learn about it. After the unit, they reported what they had learned. In addition, a stratified sample of 10 students was…

The transcripts of interviews with 115 physics students from ten different British universities are analyzed. Each student was encouraged to tell about one good learning experience and one bad learning experience. The characteristics of the good and bad stories are discussed and some general comments are made. The interview model explained in this…

Considers pupils' reactions to the environment produced by open plan designs with particular attention to the influence of noise and distraction as evaluation factors. (RK)

Examines the viability of using hypothetical problems that need the application of causal models for their solution as a method to assessing understanding in the social sciences. Explains that this method was used to describe how seventh-grade students understand causal factors affecting the "discovery and colonization of America." (CMK)

Presents information based on a yearlong study of character education in an elementary school that was implementing "Kids with Character." Offers an analysis of the responses by students, teachers, and parents about character, development of character, and the program. Indicates that contemporary character education programs are similar…

The traditional K-3 social studies curriculum has focused on food, clothing, shelter, communication, transportation, and other cultural universals. Little information exists about children's prior knowledge and thinking (including misconceptions) about these topics. This study was designed to provide such information with respect to the topic of…

Twenty-one appendices to the final report of "A Comparative Study of Proprietary and Non-Proprietary Vocational Training Programs" comprise this volume. The appendices are as follows: (A) Eligible Training Programs; (B) Student Questionnaire; (C) Administrator's Guide; (D) Alumni Questionnaire; (E) Interview Record Form; (F) Introductory…