Prewriting involves the entire period of time (and necessary activities) which extends between knowing that one is going to write on something and knowing that one has found something specific and substantial to say about it. In classical rhetoric, prewriting is expressed by such terms as "inventio" (whereby the writer discovers ideas to…

Modern science programs introduce more than scientific knowledge. They also encourage active student participation in the processes of scientific investigations. However 11 to 13 year olds generally lack the motivation to initiate such investigations. This is partly due to a logical conflict between learning and discovering. What is learned is…

The author discusses a film which demonstrates the problem-solving approach to learning in practice; he takes the theory further, suggesting that the intellectual process underlying discovery learning--whether concerned with practical skills or literary criticism--is the capacity of adults to choose between alternatives. (Author/AJ)

The primary purpose of this exploratory study is to provide insight on how to use online discussions to foster collaborative learning and how to design assessment processes to evaluate the effectiveness of those discussions. This study focuses on the pedagogical role of discussion, effective practices in discussion, guidelines for creating…

This study sought to explore the teaching practices of lecturers within one department of a university-level institute of education in Hong Kong. A sample of 19 teachers were interviewed in the study. Short interview schedules were designed to elicit teachers' descriptions of how they taught and the thinking behind their pedagogical practices. A…

The purpose of this study was to devise and test an approach to teaching composition that emphasized discovery, structure, writer's voice, and revision. The assumptions were that to write effectively the student must have a significant idea, that the idea must exist in some specific form, and that the human voice of the writer must come through…

Discusses the value of preserving wonder and curiosity as part of a child's intellectual growth and experience in elementary school science. Practical steps for handling students' wonder questions are identified, including children's knowledge, speculation and hypothesis, identification of possible inquiry methods, research, and sharing new…

Teachers should not only want students to learn from course experiences, but should want him or her to start to learn how to begin lifelong learning. (PG)

Discusses insightful learning, trace system,'' and laws of perception and Pragnanz in connection with problem solving and critical thinking in science teaching. Suggests 19 guidelines for sequencing curriculum and identifying activities for use in science classes. (CC)

Author discusses science discovery lessons, presents a model of one, and offers suggestions for structuring other specific lessons. (Editor/MB)

Discusses a way to teach coherent thought in subjects like history. (Author)

The article uses Jean Piaget's theory of four stages of intellectual growth to describe (1) developmental aspects of the six- to seven-year-old child which are pertinent to the teaching of social studies and (2) a social studies program which teaches rational thinking. (Author/KC)