Active-learning labs for two topics in high school biology were developed through the collaboration of high school teachers and university faculty and staff and were administered to 408 high school students in six classrooms. The content of instruction and testing was guided by State of Texas science objectives. Detailed teacher records describing…

To study the effects of structured cooperative learning environments on helping interactions and behaviors in the early, middle, and later primary school years, a study was conducted in 11 classrooms across 4 schools in suburban Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Subjects were 172 children (56 in year 2, 68 in year 4, and 52 in year 6). Through…

This document is a curriculum resource aimed at correcting common misconceptions that people have of conditions in the developing world. It emphasizes the common needs and aspirations of all the world's children while focusing on cooperation as a basic human response that can be directed toward solving some major global problems. It is divided…

Expeditionary learning creates a learning environment in which teachers and students together take a journey into an area with many unknowns for the purpose of promoting self-discovery. Of the 10 principles of expeditionary learning, 7 closely match the practices of Outward Bound. As Outward Bound staff designed an inservice program on…

An 8-month study tracked 166 second graders of various ethnic backgrounds in an urban setting while they were being motivated to read through a literature-based reading and writing program. The classrooms in which the research was conducted used basal readers and did not have well-designed literacy centers. Collaboration was not an integral part…

In order to have a democratic society, equal rights to education are assumed. A democratic society needs citizens who are willing and able to commit themselves to lifelong learning--self-directed individual learning as well as collective learning. Learning in real life, although different for various people, can be seen as encompassing five steps:…

In the current climate of empowerment models, critical research, and deconstructed theory, this discussion raises some questions regarding the concept of "empowerment" and its use as a rubric for course and program design in teacher education. From the review of literature several usages of the term empowerment emerge. Each one is…

A teacher training course must serve as a model of turning theory into practice--a student-centered, collaborative effort involving active learners taking charge of their own learning--and that includes the teacher as well as the students. Only by active reading, writing, listening, and talking about these ideas--as opposed to merely being told to…

A total of 54 designs for successful active learning strategies for library instruction in the classroom are presented in this sourcebook. These librarian-authored strategies have been developed and used successfully in instruction. The lesson designs are divided into five sections: Basic Library Instruction; Searching Indexes and Online Catalogs;…

This paper is based on a year-long inquiry into the possibility of democratic education in traditional environments. The study was guided by the questions: (1) what are the teacher qualities needed to transcend the structures of schooling to engage in democratic practices?; and (2) how are these practices manifested in the classroom? The…

The benefits of cooperative and/or active learning techniques for academic library instruction have been well established in the literature of the field. However, learning about and finding appropriate techniques can be a time-consuming and frustrating task. The following is a listing of cooperative learning and active learning techniques…

In recent years, the infusion of multimedia into teaching and learning has altered considerably the instructional strategy in our educational institutions and changed the way teachers teach and students learn. The traditional teacher-centric method of teaching, used for decades in our educational system, has been modified and enhanced. In this…

Whether we are conscious or not, technology has made an important impact in our daily life. Like in all other areas, education has been transformed and more active learning methods are now being implemented. This paper is attempting to describe a novel approach for using modern technology. This approach expects that learners prepare their own…

The teaching and learning "dance" is one that traditionally has been led by the instructor with the student following passively. Faculty members in higher education are entering the realm of online learning, many with the previous experience and hopes of facilitating student-centered, active learning experiences. However, due to factors…

This guide to interactive training provides tools and techniques to stimulate the trainer's imagination to provide enriching, engaging training and an energizing learning experience. An introduction describes a REST Stop: give time to Reflect on the concept, Expand the content and Extract ideas with the intent of Stimulating imaginative Thinking.…