Seven years of industrial experience followed by 30 years of academic research and teaching in structural engineering have led the author to believe that the prime objective of a university design course is not the design project itself but to train students to solve problems, as this will last them throughout their careers. It is shown how design…

The central research question in this study was whether structured active learning affects the abilities of science and engineering undergraduates to relate abstract concepts and realistic applications more than a relatively traditional instructional method. More specifically, the research was designed to determine whether differences in the…

The purpose of this research study was to determine whether a specific information problem-solving skills model was an effective metacognitive scaffold for students solving information-based problems. Specifically, 35 eighth grade students in two intact classes were asked to write newspaper articles that summarized the events surrounding the Selma…

Examines a literature and reading research project involving an English education professor, a middle-school teacher, and her gifted seventh-grade students. Suggests that the class's homogeneity was a deterrent in the learning process and that students need more opportunities for independent and group research that requires extensive problem…

Presented is an activity which shows how mathematics is used in real life and helps to establish a need for mathematics in students' futures. Adapted from a scavenger-hunt idea, this activity helps students to discover that almost every career makes use of mathematics. (KR)

Four techniques used to incorporate writing and active learning into mathematics classrooms are described. They include summary sheets, short focused writing, medium length writing, and student presentations. Examples of how each technique can be used are included. (KR)

Provided is a perspective on the teaching of a unit on the Earth in space. The themes to be found within the unit, approaches and resources that can be used for teaching and learning the subject, and some of the typical ideas that children hold about astronomical subjects are provided. (KR)

Addresses the use of the World Wide Web by international relations students and scholars. Considers an instructional web project for an international relations class outlining the project's contribution to active learning and the development of students' critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Provides advice for educators interested in…

Describes a problem-based course structure (that focuses on problem solving, critical thinking, and team skills) for an upper-level business writing course that allows both English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) and Native English-speaking students the opportunity to improve communication abilities in cross-cultural work groups. Discusses cooperative…

Reviews the use of MTutor, a virtual learning environment, in assisting final year engineering project students to adopt industry best practices for design in their projects and to improve their problem-solving skills. MTutor is designed to support problem-solving skill development in learners through Web-based virtual tutorials, which are…

In the marketing research class taught at University of South Carolina, Upstate School of Business and Economics, pedagogical emphasis is placed on the marketing research process as it relates to the policies and functions of the business enterprise. Historically, the marketing research project has been used in this undergraduate class to convey…

Five award-winning high school and college economics education projects of the Program for Innovative Teaching of Reasoning are summarized. Preceding the summaries, an essay by Marvin Bower of the Joint Council on Economic Education suggests that developing reasoning abilities creates a happier and more effective individual, a more effective…

The guided design approach to teaching theatre history encourages active participation in decision making while applying knowledge and learning subject matter concepts. The theatre history course at Rutgers University, New Jersey, uses this approach. With guided design, classroom time is not used for lectures, but is instead reserved for small…

Strategic leadership is perhaps the area where undergraduate students have the least experience. Therefore, a focus on developing these skills is critical for college-level leadership educators. Teaching strategic leadership requires that educators design programs that make explicit, direct, and formal links between theory and practical…

This sourcebook is an example of how environmental concepts can be introduced into various areas of the school curriculum. Included are a series of problems, projects, and exercises for students in grades four through ten. They are concerned primarily with pollution, population, individual needs, industrial needs, and consumption, on both a…