Discusses using open Alcoholics Anonymous meetings for teaching sociology courses. Suggests that the meetings provide excellent case studies and can exemplify a variety of topics. Stresses that three conditions must be present: (1) easy access to meetings and high student interest; (2) meeting experience is integrated into course; and (3) student…

Lists 10 activities used to develop and reinforce the concepts of main idea and generalizing, after describing how a particular teacher connected a favorite meal with the understanding of these concepts. (MG)

Discusses the use of Calvin & Hobbes comic strips to point out steps in the Big6 information problem-solving process. Students can see what Calvin is doing wrong and then explain how to improve the process. (LRW)

In a joint exercise between required finance and organizational behavior courses, graduate students applied material for both classes to a single case study on acquisition and merger. Students conducted financial analyses, role played negotiations, and created an implementation plan. (SK)

Although students may learn in many ways, the essential skills and content they learn can remain steady. As demonstrated by three teaching approaches to the study of ancient Rome, students can take different roads to the same destination. Successful differentiation is rooted in student engagement and student understanding. (MLH)

This paper describes how meaning potentials were constructed in the literacy event known as Morning Message, an activity in which a 4th grade teacher and students jointly constructed a written text around the experiences of one student. Emphasis is on how meaning was orchestrated and scaffolded by the teacher's conversational moves and on how…

Discusses ways that authors use time as it relates to the setting or time period, and to reveal changes throughout the story. Provides activities for elementary school students to help them understand how authors show time and changes, includes a worksheet to show examples of time relationships, and suggests assessment possibilities. (LRW)

Describes a study used to assess student outcomes in general education science courses using different learning environments. There was no significant difference found in achievement in the different learning environments. Television and web students reported greater levels of interaction with the instructor and were more likely to report…

Discusses the value of practical life activities for building a firm foundation for future learning. Emphasizes the importance of movement, the growth of concentration, refinement of coordination, development of independence, and the support of mental order. Maintains that practical life activities should be introduced early, and provides a…

The article addresses clarity and coherence of lesson goals as a scaffold for student learning. In 13 physics classes video recordings of the introductory lesson of two topics were rated with respect to clarity and coherence of the lesson structure. HLM analyses showed a positive effect of classes with high goal clarity and coherence on the…

This paper gives a broad descriptive account of some activities that the author has designed using Sketchpad to develop teachers' understanding of other functions of proof than just the traditional function of 'verification'. These other functions of proof illustrated here are those of explanation, discovery and systematization (in the context of…

A major challenge in teaching any college level general genetics course including a laboratory component is having the students actively understand the research part of an experiment as well as develop the necessary laboratory skills. This laboratory experience furthers the students' knowledge of genetics while improving their laboratory skills.…

The runtime creation of pedagogically coherent learning content for an individual learner's needs and preferences is a considerable challenge. By selecting and combining appropriate learning assets into a new learning object such needs and preferences may be accounted for. However, to assure coherence, these objects should be consumed within…

The focus in the author's role as Director of the New Zealand Principal and Leadership Centre (NZPLC) has been strongly influenced by her involvement with principals and has resulted in her dedication to a developmental approach that meets interpersonal, personal and professional needs of principals. It has been imperative that the focus of such…

Modern Health Education in primary schools is increasingly using computer technologies in a variety of ways to enhance teaching and learning. Here, a Constructivist approach for a web-based educational activity for Grade 7 is discussed using an example of designing a healthy Food Handling Manual in the food industry. The Constructivist principles…