Afterschool programs have garnered much attention as promising environments for learning where children can engage in rich science activities. Yet, little is known about the kinds of instructional materials used in typical, large-scale afterschool programs that implement science with diverse populations of children. In this study, we investigated…

Incorporation of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology in the classroom has quickly been adopted by instructors in geography and related disciplines because it provides an effective, low-cost, easy-to-use, and hands-on technique to reinforce geographic concepts (Brown 1999). The most frequently utilized GNSS is the Global…

With the ever-growing needs for more resources, the lack of concentration on preparing an exclusive activity for a particular classroom can be observed in a large number of educational contexts. The present study investigates the efficiency of ready-made activities for busy teachers. To this end, an activity from the ready-made resource book,…

This technical report provides information about the sample, survey instrument, and resultant data for the American Instructional Resources Surveys (AIRS) that were administered to principals and teachers in Spring 2021 via RAND's American Educator Panels. The AIRS focused on instructional resources used and supported in English language arts,…

This technical report provides information about the sample, survey instrument, and resultant data for the American Instructional Resources Surveys (AIRS) that were administered to principals and teachers in spring 2020 via RAND's American Educator Panels. The AIRS focused on instructional resources used and supported in English language arts,…

The purpose of this webliography is to provide an overview of STEM education in the U.S. It provides easy access to research and best practices in the field, as well as specific programs, activities, and lesson plans that formal and informal educators can implement. The webliography also includes links to advocacy programs and resources for…

In the previous issue of "Social Education," this column looked at the upcoming elections from a more general point of view and recommended websites that examined presidential election history, voting laws, and the origins of the Electoral College and how it works. In this column, the author focuses specifically on this year's presidential battle…

The aim of this paper is to show, through applicable activities; how the use of visuals can alter the way we teach literature in English as a foreign language classrooms. I designed a syllabus for the course titled "Introduction to British Literature I and II" in which visual materials were used to teach some major literary terms and…

Middle grades teachers should create meaningful learning activities involving stimulating literature and interesting composition prompts. This article describes a unit in which eighth graders read short stories by Edgar Allan Poe. Using multiple learning and teaching approaches, they expanded their vocabularies, responded artistically to "The…

This paper describes an interactive activity that revolves around the dice-based golf game GOLO. The GOLO game can be purchased at various retail locations or online at igolo.com. In addition, the game may be played online free of charge at igolo.com. The activity is completed in four parts. The four parts can be used in a sequence or they can be…

A WebQuest is an inquiry-based lesson plan that uses the Internet. This article explains what a WebQuest is, shows how to create one, and provides an example. When engaged in a WebQuest, students use technology to experience cooperative learning and discovery learning while honing their research, writing, and presentation skills. It has been found…

Describes ways to use the Internet in marketing education and provides a sample lesson plan for Internet activities. (SK)

The declining cost of computers and wireless networks has made laptop programs more affordable than ever. At the same time, the internet resources available to teachers and students have grown exponentially in the 15 years since web browsers first became practical. As a result of these trends, growing numbers of students nationwide are provided…

Describes projects and learning activities on photography that are useful for elementary and secondary school teachers. Highlights include Web sites; workshops; two specific projects; lesson plan sites on the Internet; photography contests; and trends relating to photography. (LRW)

This study compared the efficacy of 3 approaches to professional development in middle school Earth science organized around the principles of Understanding by Design (Wiggins & McTighe, 1998) in a sample of 53 teachers from a large urban district. Teachers were randomly assigned to a control group or to 1 of 3 conditions that varied with…