This article reflects on the specific challenges facing teaching assistants (TAs) when managing behaviour. It considers the variety of existing research into this area, and why the paucity of specific research is problematic. It discusses how difficulties in access to training, its availability, the levels of preparation for lessons, the lack of…

This paper moves from the data collected during an ethnographic research conducted in Second Life, which focuses on the observation of different technological difficulties in educational experiences. The main research interests focused on the social dynamics of educational experiences in Second Life and the opportunity to develop a proper research…

This article reviews early literature (that is, up to mid-year 2013) about Twitter's use in the higher education classroom. Fragmentations are highlighted as a way of showing that the literature does not cohesively claim advantages or disadvantages of using Twitter as a teaching and learning tool. The article also points to the limitations of the…

There has been criticism about STEM education not focusing enough on problem solving, especially in authentic real-world contexts which are most often associated to ill-structured domains. To improve education, it is essential that curricula bring students to high levels of cognitive development by exposing them to authentic problems.…

Research supports the notion that substitute teachers generally are ineffective. This study examines whether trained substitutes can be as effective as assigned teachers in teaching students with behavior disorders. Findings showed that substitutes with intensive inservice training in behavior management were equally effective for one-day…

THE DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED BY THE CLASSROOM TEACHER WHEN HE TURNS TO RESEARCH FOR PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS TO THE SPECIFIC PROBLEMS OF TEACHING READING ARE DISCUSSED. IT IS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT RESEARCH SELDOM CREATES IDEAS FOR THE CLASSROOM. INSTEAD, GOOD TEACHING GENERATES IDEAS FOR RESEARCH. NEVERTHELESS, READING TEACHERS SHOULD NOT IGNORE RESEARCH.…

As the frequency with which Classroom Response Systems (CRSs) are used is increasing, it becomes more and more important to define the affordances and limitations of these tools. Currently existing literature is largely either anecdotal or focuses on comparing CRS and non-CRS environments that are unequal in other aspects as well. In addition, the…

This commentary, on a study by T. Hollowood and others on inclusive education for students with severe disabilities, emphasizes that the research conditions should be clearly understood by readers of the study. The commentary calls for research on learner outcomes, training and qualifications of aides in inclusive education, and relative costs of…

This paper describes a study that took place within the context of the Science: Parents, Activities, and Literature (Science PALs) project. Particularly, the study sought to determine answers to the following questions: (1) What are the internal consistencies and substantive, external, and structural validities of students' perceptions, teachers'…

Acknowledges the gap between research and practice and calls for a coordinated effort among researchers to find out why some practices are used, why some things continue to be taught, and why others are ignored. (HOD)

Medical writing is virtually devoid of reference to the use of humor as a teaching aid. Research into the role of humor in medical teaching is made difficult by such matters as the complex nature of the perception of humor, by difficulties in contriving humor in controlled settings, and by difficulties in establishing outcome measures for humor…

The research literature on measurement problems with such outcome variables as student on-task behavior, classroom disruption, and academic performance is examined. Focus is on how the problems relate to understanding the interrelationships among these common intervention targets. (TJH)

Observes that the United Kingdom's National Curriculum pressures primary teachers to change their teaching methods, but research shows equivocal results. Argues that the problem stems from the way characteristics of classroom organization have been defined in various studies. Reports on nine case studies of change in rural primary schools. (DSK)

A cogent model of self concept may provide educators with the tools to predict and induce change in the classroom behavior of students. The nature of measurement operations, management operations and particularly, the relationship between self concept and behavior are delineated. Discussion focuses on how such behaviors are acquired, manifested…