The outcome-based alternative assessment used in a two-semester Technology Communication Skills class is described. It provides an alternative activity for final examinations and is a way for students to express creativity and exercise critical thinking skills. Participants in the class are students in grades 9 through 12 (65 in this instance).…

Intended for teachers at all levels involved in composition instruction, this revised edition reflects the dynamic growth occurring in the discipline of writing, and consolidates advances made in teaching methodology. The 38 articles, written by such researchers and theorists in the field as James Moffett, Maxine Hairston, Janet Emig, Donald…

In response to the estimate that 15-20 percent of the school-age population in Wisconsin can be classified as gifted and talented, this document suggests approaches educators can take to identify these students and to design programs to meet their special needs. An introductory section offers an overview of gifted and talented programming options…

These learning activities are intended to help elementary school children learn how to communicate, cooperate, and prevent or solve conflicts through creative thinking. There are 17 chapters. The first five chapters provide background information for teachers, discussing the Children's Creative Response to Conflict (CCRC) Program, ways to create a…

While there has been much debate about defining and teaching critical thinking, little discussion has occurred regarding the connection between critical thinking and creative thinking, especially in relationship to teaching speech communication. While it was once thought that creativity is something that some are born with and some are not, recent…

This book presents a philosophical and pragmatic approach to the teacher's active role in fostering a developing understanding of painting in 1-11 year-old children. Cognitive processes behind children's painting are explored; each phase of imagery is seen as emerging from and building on the thought processes of the previous phase. Tasks are…

A model for teaching elementary school art contains a rationale that outlines the interrelationship between self-esteem and constructive creativity as promoted in well-designed art activities. Self-esteem is defined, and characteristics of a child with high self-esteem are outlined. Conditions contributing to the development of high self-esteem…

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of verbal experience on children's creative expression and to develop more precise means for interpreting and evaluating children's art. Two questions were of interest: (1) Does the experimental approach described here enable children to resist forces tending to cause stereotyped artistic…

This report contrasts the results of a rigidly specified, pattern-oriented approach to learning Spanish with an approach that emphasizes the origination of sentences by the learner in direct response to stimuli. Pretesting and posttesting statistics are presented and conclusions are discussed. The experimental method, which required the student to…

Provided is the transcript of Part III of a five-part series on gifted children in the schools, presented by Options in Education -- a weekly radio broadcast devoted to coverage on news, features, policy, and people in the field of education on National Public Radio. The topic "What to Do with the Gifted Child at School" is covered with…

Ten reference works for assistance in improving instruction cover such topics as note-taking, student learning styles, learning theories, examinations, lecturing, student cognitive processes, improving student attention, teaching for critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. (MSE)

Argues that the teaching of earth science is largely neglected in the elementary science curriculum. Provides examples of how more instruction in the earth sciences at all levels can enhance decision-making skills. Discusses the relationship between various learning theories and certain instructional strategies in earth science. (TW)

This document represents a comprehensive summary of current research and theory on the sources of innovation and creativity, both in individuals and organizations. Based on the recurring concepts in the existing literature, the document concludes with some recommendations for how education systems can best foster these attributes in students. Both…

Today's schools are responding to the pressing need for positive student-teacher relationships that promote successful learning and prevent dropouts and violence. To meet this challenge, many secondary schools are reorganizing around smaller schools or "houses" and structuring longer blocks of learning time. Authors Elliot Y. Merenbloom and…

Describes the career of Scottish artist and art educator William Johnstone (1897-1981) and how his achievements, which are traced to 20th-century modernism, have influenced both art design and childrens' art education. Concludes that through Johnstone, progressivism in art and education converged, producing a model for creative expression in art…