Professional development is the cornerstone of school transformation. The first part of this two-part paper describes the professional development experiences of several hundred teachers and administrators in schools implementing New American Schools (NAS) designs and discusses the links between these professional development experiences and key…

This study stems in part from a desire to correct the misapprehension that Japanese students are somehow less autonomous than learners from other cultural backgrounds. The view that Japanese learners tend to be passive, obedient, and quiet is commonly accepted. Much of this "evidence" is anecdotal and comes from teacher observation of…

This document presents a collection of articles selected from the Journal of College Science Teaching. The selected articles represent how college science teaching should be practiced and include modifications in classrooms and laboratories to allow for the development of inquiry skills. Articles include: (1) "What Should Students Learn about the…

This brief handbook provides a set of exercises that instructors can use if they decide to incorporate cultural diversity topics into a macroeconomics principles course. It is hoped that this guidebook will: (1) help instructors grapple with any curriculum changes in macroeconomics that require a cultural diversity segment; and (2) sensitize…

A study ascertained the effectiveness of color-coded subject-predicate cards and learning strategies to teach language skills to middle school students at risk for academic failure. The 17 seventh-grade students significantly improved their scores on sentence type and subject-predicate identification as well as their academic grade in Language…

This study investigated the relationships between hypermedia users' information processing styles and navigational patterns. Three aspects of navigational patterns were investigated: navigational depth patterns that reveal how comprehensively users access; navigational path patterns that display what sequences users follow; and navigational method…

With the advent of accelerative learning changing the teaching paradigm, it is important to establish more effective ways of evaluating and assessing learning competencies. Alternative assessments are necessary because: (1) all learning needs to be placed into the larger context of the real world; (2) the ultimate purpose of education is for the…

This paper highlights issues in the identification of appropriate metacognitive learning strategies when working with students at-risk for school failure. These students typically require explicit instruction to learn skills. The acquisition and efficacy of metacognitive learning strategies is explored across the lifespan. An outline is provided…

This document contains curriculum areas where information and communications technology (ICT) can be an effective tool in learning and teaching when used by pupils and/or teachers. These include: (1) Art and design; (2) Business education subjects; (3) Biology and science; (4) Chemistry and science; (5) English, English as an additional language…

Discusses improvement in self-concept, self-management of behavior and learning, and reduction of emotional dependence for slow learners which resulted from feelings of personal control and effectiveness when using computer-assisted instruction. Guidelines for improving instructional software and current research investigating effects of computer…

Discusses recent trends in the field of adult language instruction in which the focus is on the individual. Individual learning strategies are discussed, with emphasis on formal practice, functional practice, inferencing, and monitoring. It is noted that adults need help in overcoming the insecurity they feel in foreign language learning. (PJM)

The author reviews and discusses results of current adult education research in the areas of cognitive styles, learning strategies, adult learning, hemispheres of the brain, adult development stages, open learning systems, nontraditional forms of learning, social action, nature of adult participation, and other concepts. (MF)

Uses interviews and a written questionnaire to probe students' ideas on the origin of earth and life on earth. A significant number of commonly held misconceptions were prevalent in the sample (N=493). Provides guidelines to assist learners in challenging existing views. Contains 64 references. (DDR)

Explores both the qualitative and quantitative dimensions of pupils' ideas related to conservation during state changes of water. Analysis of questionnaire data indicates that qualitative understanding precedes quantitative. Contains 18 references. (DDR)

Describes a classroom technique designed to inject an interactive discussion framework into the classroom and to focus students' attention on reading and absorbing information from a textbook. (DDR)