Psychology students frequently have misconceptions of basic concepts in operant conditioning. Prior classroom observations revealed that most students defined positive reinforcement as reward and equated negative reinforcement and punishment. Students also labeled positive reinforcement as rewarding good behavior and negative reinforcement as…

Three types of homework assignments are commmon in schools in the United States: practice, preparation, and extension. To be effective, practice exercises must be highly individualized and based on the progress of each student. Preparation normally refers to reading assignments given prior to class meetings. Homework of this sort should be…

Too much homework is having a negative effect, both psychologically and physiologically, on students in the USSR. Normalization of the work load should be based on the sound planning and organization of the educational process, starting with the development of curricular schedules and going right through to individual lesson plans. (RM)

Described are several homework activities for use in teaching Astronomy. Topics include optical telescopes, the sun, and facts about the solar system. The format is a series of true-false questions related to diagrams which students must complete. (DS)

Two experiments involving 226 college students were conducted to determine the relative effectiveness of increasing students' incentive motivation for studying and prescribing a text-processing strategy for them to use in studying. Findings suggest that the use of students' acquired learning strategies depends on their motivational levels. (SLD)

Suggested are ways that problem solving can be integrated into existing college courses. Modification of assignments, reduction of class examples, developing the structure of knowledge, finding time to teach process skills, and developing student awareness are discussed. A self-assessment form for students is included. (CW)

Two methods to facilitate classroom management and initiate student responsibilities are presented. The first describes student responsibilities for making up missed tests or assignments. The second describes a student scorecard to help students keep track of their grades and act as a motivational technique. (MDH)

Describes the distributed practice technique to review course material. Results of a study to compare distributed practice to massed practice indicated that students using the distributed practice technique scored significantly higher when tested two months after practice was completed. (MDH)

Presents two ideas to help beginning mathematics teachers. The first presents a way to record and grade homework. The second suggests a manipulative to help students understand the trigonometric concept of reference angle. (MDH)

Reviews the opportunities for and obstacles to promoting independent learning at the middle grades level. Proposes the substitution of compensatory practices that discourage self-directed learning activities, such as test review handouts, with instructional practices that support independent learning activities, such as performance feedback and…

Presents a drill-and-review process in which students take daily quizzes and then correct each other's work on a daily basis. Provides a daily quiz sheet and an example implementing the process for the concept of fractions. (MDH)

Many students are deterred from science because of the way science courses are packaged. To find out what makes science hard for intelligent students, the author employed nonscience faculty and graduate students as surrogate students in science. Their responses to the sequence of the units, demonstrations, homework assignments, examinations, and…

Uses the World Wide Web to provide an active learning environment with rapid and accurate homework feedback which is also an effective tool to foster critical thinking skills. Allows students to submit a second chance homework following feedback to a previously wrongly answered question. (YDS)

This longitudinal case study draws on sociocultural theory to investigate language learning as a socially mediated process through computer-mediated communicative tasks in an international languages class. The study reports on the design, implementation, and outcomes of a thematic, task-based curricular innovation in which paired Korean-and…

This submission contains the Proceedings of the 2008 Annual Meeting of the Canadian Mathematics Education Study Group (CMESG), held at the Universite de Sherbrooke in Sherbrooke, Quebec. The CMESG is a group of mathematicians and mathematics educators who meet annually to discuss mathematics education issues at all levels of learning. The aims of…