Using three instances from elementary school teaching experience, the paper examines the ways in which subject matter knowledge influences pedagogical thinking. It is proposed that subject matter knowledge creates two major problems for teachers. First, it results in an explosion of the curricular landscape, for if teachers know subject matter…

The purpose of this project was to design and develop simulation materials utilizing vocational situations) in mildly/moderately handicapped young adults. The final product, a set of materials titled "Social Skills on the Job," includes a videotape of 15 lessons, a computer software package, and a teacher's guide, and was marketed to a…

Interest in elementary school foreign language programs has resurfaced in recent years, and the number of programs is increasing. Many states are requiring foreign language study at the elementary level. For a local school or community seeking to implement elementary school language programs, it is important that a rationale be developed to meet…

This paper describes the Oral Communication Program (OCP) developed at Radford University (Virginia) and discusses key components for a proposal to acquire funding from public or private granting agencies. Analogous to the writing-across-the-curriculum movement, the OCP encourages faculty in all academic areas to incorporate oral communication…

These instructor materials for an aviation maintenance technology course contain three instructional modules. The modules cover the following topics: selecting and using regulations, publications, and records; documenting aircraft records; and exercising mechanic's privileges and limitations. Each module contains some or all of these nine basic…

The teacher's role in directing science activities is examined in this book. Suggestions are offered on what teachers might do with the activities and advice is given on how the activities could be used. Each of the eight chapters contains a brief summary at the beginning, a detailed review at its close, and a list of specific guidelines for…

The developmental program at the Community College of Philadelphia (CCP) has a stable core of teachers who value independence rather than conformity and who seek to transform deeply anxious students into students who love learning. The instructors' goals of improving basic skills, fostering independent thinking, and promoting greater knowledge and…

This study combines quantitative and ethnographic methods to analyze middle-school students' uses and understandings of microcomputers and videotex. As an experiment in teaching library research skills, 27 eighth graders were assigned to search an online encyclopedia in preparation for writing a science theme. The students' operational practices…

The use of microcomputers in language arts instruction with exceptional students can be an effective tool for both teaching and reinforcing skills, but is not typically employed as an integral part of the overall language arts curriculum. Research studies substantiate the positive impact on student performance when microcomputers are effectively…

In the 1980-81 school year, the Title I program in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, initiated research into the effectiveness of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) for mathematics in grades 3-6. Children from two lower socioeconomic area schools, who were one or more years below grade placement but were already making gains of 6-9 months due to an…

The Center for Teaching and Learning at Ball State University is described in this report. Designed to make continuing efforts to improve the teaching and learning process, it offers many unique programs aimed at disseminating knowledge on the subject and encouraging faculty to use the results of these activities to improve their teaching. Some of…

Designed to assist California State University at Chico (CSU) faculty to utilize educational television effectively for long-distance instruction, this handbook provides suggestions, procedures, and production techniques for successful television teaching. A brief introduction discusses the interactive nature of educational television at CSU.…

This study assessed the effect of group size and presentation mode on acquisition of the process skill of forming and testing hypotheses and selected attitudes. Preservice elementary teachers (N=87) in five intact classes received two 1-hour sessions presented by microcomputer, 1 week apart. Half of the subjects were assigned to three-member…

Noting that listening is a major concern of basic skills teachers, counselors, and employers, this annotated bibliography cites references for current behavioral research and methodology in teaching listening skills. Forty-nine references are included, as well as information on how to order those citations drawn from the ERIC database. (JC)

Reading improvement programs that have focused on additional staff for teaching, tutoring, and counseling; prescriptive, self-paced learning methods; unstructured open-education strategies; and intensive reading have often been successful in small towns and middle sized cities, but none has made a major impact on the reading achievement of…